About St. James
The United States Pony Clubs, Inc., develops character, leadership, confidence and a sense of community in youth through a program that teaches the care of horses and ponies, riding and mounted sports.
St. James History
The Club originated in 1964 as the Oak Brook Hounds Pony Club, a member of the United States Pony Club. The name of the Club and support for the Club came through it’s affiliation with the Oak Brook Hounds, a fox hunting club based in Oak Brook, Illinois.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Oak Brook Hounds and Oak Brook Pony Club were based at High Oaks Farm and then Acorn Hill Farm. Both of these farms were later sold to developer’s and are now residential subdivisions sharing the same names. The Oak Brook Hounds moved their hunt out to the western part of the state of Illinois and still hunt to this day in the Galena area, under the same name, Oak Brook Hounds.
In 1983, Brooks McCormick welcomed the Oak Brook Pony Club to become the St. James Pony Club and use his farm, St. James Farm, for weekly mounted instruction. Most unmounted meetings met in members' homes. The Pony Club was very appreciative of this opportunity and happy to share the name of St. James and the traditional barn colors of maroon and gold.
The St. James PC met regularly for Saturday morning lessons, year-round, indoor, outdoor and cross-country, under the instruction of John and Donna Davies. The Davies were employed full-time by Brooks McCormick. The St. James PC also held their annual Christmas party in the arena. The St James PC also held regional clinics, and an annual Hunter Show (for competitive opportunities as well as a fundraiser). Later, the St. James Farm hosted various horse shows with a strong volunteer support from the St. James Pony Club. The Farm put on dressage shows, driving competitions, hunter shows, steeplechases, and horse trials. The Farm and the Pony Club worked together to host and staff the Horse Trials and also shared the profits from the shows. Eventually they moved up to USEA recognized Horse Trials. A huge achievement! One year, St. James Farm even hosted the Preliminary level Championships, won by a Pony Clubber from Indiana, Michiana PC.
Fox Hunting was also a large part of life at the St. James Farm and a part of the St. James Pony Club. The Pony Club members of sufficient age and experience were allowed to hilltop, usually with Donna Davies. There was also an annual Mock Hunt, where the kids dressed for a hunt and rode with John Davies. John was director of the property.
The St. James Pony Club was an active part of the daily activities of St. James Farm from 1983 through 1997. In 1997, John and Donna Davies retired from the Farm and relocated out-of-state. With the retirement of the Davies, the equestrian activities at St. James Farm were greatly scaled back. The number of horses living on the property lowered and the cross country jumps, and show arenas dismantled. In 2000, St James Farm was sold to the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. The District took possession in 2007 and has converted this beautiful 600 acre property into year-round public use with many horse riding trails still existing and linking into trails at DANADA!
The last 20 years of St James Pony Club has seen hundreds of members from ages 7 - 77 growing in their knowledge of horsemanship skills, while just having fun with horses and fellow horse lovers, with SAFETY being Number 1. Pony CLUB is known for TEAM competitions called Rallies, along with achieving Certification Levels, beginning with D1 level up to the highest level: A level! Many Olympic level riders got their start with pony club, and who knows, you may be watching a future Olympian now!! We are having FUN for sure!
Since 2017, home base for St James Pony Club is in Oswego, IL at Resurrection Ranch, owned by Vicky Campbell, a C1 Dressage level rider in the pony club!! The head instructor at Resurrection Ranch is Mary Kolzow, who joined pony club just 6 years ago after watching her daughter have such a great time with it!! Mary is currectly a C3 level Dressage rider, C2 level Eventing Rider, and has reached the highest level of pony club recognized Horse Management Skills, the H-A level! Go Mary!!
Our club has 30 - 40 members each year, with older members graduating from High School and moving on, while being replaced by new members of all ages! Annually at Resurrection Ranch, we hold a Pony Club Tetrathlon Rally, Endurance Rally, Fun and Games Show, and Christmas Show with an awards banquet, along with hosting dressage and jumping/eventing clinics throughout the year. Thank you Vicky!!
If you are interested in more information about the club, go to our website: Stjames.ponyclub.org or text Mary at 630-747-7904.
USPC Pony Clubs and Riding Centers are assigned to one of 41 geographical regions, which are administered by a volunteer Regional Supervisor (RS) and other appointed and elected officers. Regions offer additional activities and opportunities for members and support for the club and center leaders under their administration.
St. James Pony Club is part of the North Central Prairie Region.
Visit the region's website for the contact information for the Regional Officers.
Visit the Pony Club website to learn more about the Pony Club educational program, national events, activities and opportunities for members.