Pony Club Victoria state coach Dan Foster is feeling right at home

From Bairnsdale to Mildura, Dan Foster is travelling across the state every weekend to help the next generation of riding stars.

Dan Foster at Riddells Creek Pony Club grounds with his horse named Rambler. Picture: Zoe Phillips

When Dan Foster was appointed Pony Club Victoria’s new state coach in 2024, he originally intended to fly over once a month from WA to fulfil his duties.

But after just his second trip in March last year, and a fantastic experience at Riddells Creek Pony Club, Dan packed up his truck and horses and moved his life across the country.

Since then, he hasn’t missed a Saturday or Sunday at all, travelling across the state as far as Bairnsdale and Mildura every weekend to work with pony club riders and coaches.

“Pony Club is about developing young riders, setting the foundation in all the riders and adding to their toolbelt of horse riding skills,” he said.

“The coaches (around the state) are fantastic, and I feel privileged that the coaches of all these clubs will allow me a day to be a very small part of the success of the club.”

Dan travels around Victoria every week to work with different Pony Clubs across the state.

A successful rider in his own right, having represented Australia in the Mounted Games in 2009, Dan has also found success in coaching, having led the WA junior team to five national titles in six years (coming second in the other), while also working with most athletes who represent Australia.

Now in Victoria, his new passion is the Kay Irving Games, based on the Prince Philip Games but with slight adaptations to make the event more inclusive and far more popular.

He was also a successfull rider in his own right, representing Australia at the Mounted Games in 2009.

By the time of the next competition in June, Dan’s busy schedule will have seen him having worked with 15 of the 25 clubs spread across Victoria.

“(The sport) is in a healthy spot at the moment. The strength in Victoria is the Kay Irving committee. They (committee members) have so many years of experience, with no motive other than to keep a great sport going.”

“It’s the most successful games organisation in Australia.”

Alongside his state duties, Dan also regularly travels to the Northern Territory to coach, making 2-3 trips a year to Darwin down to Katherine, while also coaching riders based in the USA and Canada remotely.