The birthplace of the pony club in Australia will boast a new state-of-the-art equestrian facility in coming months, with plans revealed for a new precinct at the Merriwa Racecourse. 

A $22,645 NSW Department of Sport and Recreation grant has been secured, along with $1500 from Hunter Mutual to construct a cross country course, and portable dressage and show jumping arenas as part of the Merriwa Racecourse Revitalisation Project. 

Working bees will start next month to install the new course, and construction of the professionally designed cross country jumps is already underway. 

The course will be set up on the 90 acre Crown Reserve, which is managed by the Upper Hunter Shire Council as the trustees. 

Merriwa Pony Club president Clare Martin said the young members of the club were looking forward to trying a new discipline, and they appreciate the goodwill from the other users, including the Merriwa Polocrosse Club and the Merriwa Race Club, which has allowed them to go ahead with the project.

She said they hope to have all the facilities in place for the 2016 Pony Club season where members will meet on the  second Sunday of each month from February through to November. 

Upper Hunter Shire councillor Ron Campbell said it was fantastic for Merriwa that the racecourse will be given new purpose not only as an equestrian training facility, but as a second venue for major events additional to the Merriwa Showground. 

“The new training facility will inspire many new riders to try the exhilarating Olympic sport of eventing,” he said. 

“There is potential for further development and improvement of jointly used facilities in the future.”