Rhian Gibson

The incoming Pony Club chief executive talks to Lucy Higginson about tackling declining membership and why she’s not afraid of change

“I DO what I need to behind a desk but I’m very much an out-and-about person,” says Rhian Gibson, who takes the reins as the Pony Club’s new chief executive this month. “I hope people will soon see that I’m a doer.”

The Pony Club certainly has lots for her to do. The last CEO, the amiable Pip Kirkby, appointed after a headhunters’ search, resigned 12 months into the job in April last year for largely unexplained reasons. And Pony Club membership is struggling. From a high point of around 44,000 in the early 80s, full membership has been in gradual decline, dropping about 10% in the past five years to just over 26,000, with another 13,000 or so Centre Members on top.

But Centre Membership — a clever idea introduced in 1998 to enable non-pony owners to join a branch based at a riding centre — has variable success, with too few members at some riding schools to support regular rallies or competitions.

AFTER a varied career in journalism and broadcasting, latterly with BBC Wales, Rhian, 51, has for the past five years run Welsh Gymnastics, successfully capitalising on huge growth in that sport. Her experience there will no doubt stand her in great stead at the Pony Club — both organisations cater for a young, predominantly female audience, with many sub-disciplines and the Olympics the ultimate goal.

“So I know a lot about performance pathways and so on,” she points out, in a rich Welsh accent.

Gymnastics and riding have both been lifelong interests. “I can remember like yesterday the first time I properly sat on a horse, at about five years old,” says Rhian. “I lived in a rural area and they’ve always been a major part of my life.”