International Games Exchange 

Meet the 2007 Games International Exchange Team!

The General Selection Criteria for Competitors
 

A. Be able to fund the entire cost of their share of the exchange from their own resources. This includes host country fees, airfare to and from the host country, team uniforms, and spending money while in the host-country. The host country will provide food, lodging, and in country travel. The share each Pony Club member must pay will include a pro-rata share of the airfares, host country fees and uniforms of the chaperone and coach. The team members may raise funds; however, fundraising must be done under the direction of and with the complete knowledge and approval of the USPC National Games Committee Chairman.

B. Been an active member of Pony Club for at least one year, with a strong record of service to Pony Club.
 

C. Produce a letter from both their DC and coach verifying:

    1. Strong riding capability on a variety of horses;

    2. Excellent Horse Management skills;
    3. Personal qualifications that would make them a good ambassador for USPC;

    4. Support of Pony Club ideals;

    5. Demonstrated high standards of behavior.

D. Be no less than 13 or more than 15 years of age on January 1 of the year the exchange takes place.

E. Hold a C-2 or higher rating by the application due date (deadline).

F. Have competed at a regional Games rally in the previous year; and

G. Have not previously represented his or her country in this competition. International team members are ineligible to compete in regional Games or any Championships in the year they are on an international team. They will be expected to be lane and line judges as guests of the USPC Games Committee at Championships, provided they have returned from their exchange tour.

Selection Trials
 

GENERAL:
Every other year, the USPC Games Committee sponsors selection trials to determine the membership of the following year’s team. The trials will usually take place in late summer or early fall when riders and ponies are fit and the weather is appropriate. The date for the exchange (which occurs in the calendar year following the tryouts) is determined each year by the host country. The time interval between the tryouts and the exchange allows those selected time to raise funds for their expenses.

The Selection Trials are hosted by a local Pony Club, which will provide the grounds, equipment, and ponies as well as food and lodging for the candidates and the Selection Committee. Travel expenses to the site are the responsibility of the candidates and committee members. The trials usually take place over a weekend.  Parents, friends, etc., of candidates are welcome to watch the riding portions, but may not impose upon the host club for food or lodging. They should be aware that the selection committee is looking for independence and maturity in candidates; therefore they will be interacting with candidates during the Trial. Hotel and restaurant information may be provided to parents, friends, etc., so they may enjoy the local surroundings. Parents should be prompt to arrive on Sunday at a previously agreed-upon departure time to pick up their
candidate.

FORMAT:
Subject to host club requirements, candidates are expected to arrive no later than 6 p.m. on Friday evening. They will be taken to their host families for the night. Saturday will be devoted to riding, where candidates will demonstrate their skills through a series of drills and the playing of Games. There will be changes of ponies both in the drill and playing of Games. Depending on time, the format will be repeated in the afternoon. During the weekend tryouts, all candidates will not only be involved with riding activities, but will also be interviewed by the Judging Committee and will spend time in group activities.

The tryouts should conclude after lunch on Sunday, at which time the candidates are free to leave. Results of the selection, including each individual’s composite score sheet, will be mailed to the candidates the week following the trials.

SELECTION CRITERIA:
The selection will be based 70 percent on riding and Games skills and 30 percent upon social skills. By the use of these weights, the Games Committee believes the team will be composed not only of safe and capable riders, but also of good ambassadors who can pleasantly interact with their peers and host families.

The selection committee will be scoring the candidates on the following criteria, with the maximum point value indicated in parentheses following criterion:

A. RIDING AND GAMES SKILLS (70 percent)
    1. VAULTING (10)
        Vaulting is the ability to leap into the saddle without the use of a stirrup. Candidates should be able to vault safely

        and easily onto a horse or pony appropriate to the rider’s weight as specified in the USPC Rules for Games

        Competitions.  Emphasis will be placed on near (left) side vaulting, but candidate should be able to demonstrate the

        ability to vault from the off (right) side as well, both in drills and actual Games.

    2. DUNKING (10)
        Dunking is the ability to pick up objects, whether by hand or a piece of Games equipment, and deposit or place them

        into or on another piece of Games equipment. Candidates should be able at speed to safely and easily accomplish

        these tasks without error.

    3. SPEED (10)
        Speed is the ability to ride the Games at a fast pace while maintaining control of the mount and accurately
        performing Games skills.  Candidates should demonstrate a willingness and ability to perform the Games at a

        rapid pace, while maintaining control of the pony.

    4. HANDOFFS (5)
        Handing off is the ability to deliver or receive a piece of Games equipment while maintaining control of the
        mount.  Candidates should demonstrate a willingness and ability to deliver or receive a piece of Games equipment

        while maintaining control of the mount. Candidates should be able to keep the mount straight, and have the mount

        moving forward while taking or giving a handoff.

    5. CONSISTENCY (10)
        Consistency is the ability to perform the Games skills uniformly through repeated demonstrations of the skills.            

        Candidates should be able to demonstrate the ability to perform the Games skills in a highly capable and consistent

        manner, on a variety of mounts throughout the entire riding phase of the trials.

    6. SKILLS AND ACCURACY (15)
        Skills and accuracy are the ability to consistently perform the acts necessary to successfully complete the game, not

        only at speed, but also with freedom from mistakes.  Candidates should be able to demonstrate that they can not only

        perform Games skills without error and at speed, but also safely, taking into consideration the skills and abilities

        of other candidates and the mounts provided.

    7. GENERAL HORSEMANSHIP (10)
        General horsemanship is the ability to ride well, demonstrating the characteristics of the balanced seat, a tactful manner

        with each mount ridden, and care and concern for the mount.  Candidates should be able to demonstrate these skills

        through their general riding, Games play, and demeanor throughout the trials. Abuse of a mount will be severely

        penalized, up to and including dismissal from the Trials. Anyone so dismissed by the Selection Committee (in its

        discretion) will not be eligible for placement on the Team.

B. SOCIAL SKILLS (30 percent)
    1. SPORTSMANSHIP (10)
        Sportsmanship is the ability to maintain good humor and a cheerful attitude in all situations and circumstances.   

        Candidates should be able to demonstrate a genuine feeling of sportsmanship through their teamwork, demeanor, and

        deportment throughout the trials.

    2. SOCIAL PRESENTATION (5)
        Social presentation is the ability to interact with peers and adults in a variety of circumstances in a mature,
        confident, and friendly manner.  Candidates should be able to demonstrate these skills through proper behavior and

        manners, courtesy, and friendly social interaction, not only on the playing field, but during breaks, the pot luck supper,

        and in the interview with the selection committee.

    3. DC AND COACH RECOMMENDATIONS (5)
        The DC and coach will score the candidate(s) they are proposing for selection based on their knowledge of the

        information requested in Form B. The candidate is to supply two blank forms to the DC with their application. The DC

        and Coach will each complete one of the forms. The completed forms and application are then forwarded to the RS.

        The RS must sign the application form, and send it and the recommendation forms to the selection committee. THE

        RECOMMENDATION FORMS ARE TO BE KEPT STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL to encourage the candid responses of

        both the DC and coach. The candidate will not see the forms, only the final score.

    4. HOST FAMILY (5)
        The host family will score the candidate(s) staying with them, based on qualities, which the USPC Games    

        Committee deems indicative of a good guest. These include tidiness, participation in family activities, social and

        conversational interaction, maturity, and whether or not the family would welcome the candidate back.  These forms will

        be given to the Selection Committee on the Sunday morning prior to the interview with the candidate. THE FORMS WILL

        BE KEPT STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL, to allow the host family to be completely honest with the Selection Committee.

        The candidate will only be notified of the score. The form is included in the Form Appendix.

    5. OVERALL GENERAL IMPRESSIONS (5)
        Each selection committee member will score each candidate based on the member’s overall opinion of the
        suitability of the candidate as an ambassador for the USPC, a good member of a team, and general ability as a

        Games  player. Scoring and Placement on the International Games Team The score sheet that will be used is included

        in the Forms Appendix.  Each candidate will be scored by each selection committee member in all of the categories

        given above (except the host family, DC, and coach recommendation scores). All committee members’ scores will be

        totaled in each category, and then the categories (including host family, DC, and coach recommendation scores) will be

        totaled for a final score. The five highest scores will be the team; the 6th and 7th scores will be the alternates.  In the

        event of a tie for 5th or 7th place (i.e., between 5th and 6th place or 7th and 8th place), the selection committee will

        break the tie.  To ensure that all candidates receive the same number of scores, if a scoring space is left blank, and the

        committee member who left it blank is unavailable or unable for any reason to give a score, the candidate will receive a

        score, which is the average of the other selection committee members’ scores for that category.  Scoring the DC and

        Coach Recommendation Form The DC and coach are asked to rate (and comment upon) five categories on a scale of 1

        to 10, with 10 being the highest score available. These ratings will be totaled (a perfect score would be 100), then

        divided by 20, to put the scores into the proper weight. A perfect score becomes 5.0, the maximum allowed for this

        category. This score will be entered as many times as there are selection committee members (e.g., eight members,

        eight recommendation scores) to give the score its proper percentage weight.

Scoring the Host Family Form

The host family is asked to rate (and comment upon) five categories on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest score available. These ratings will be totaled (a perfect score would be 50), and the decimal point moved one place to the left (i.e., divide by 10), to put the scores into the proper weight. A perfect score becomes 5.0, the maximum allowed in this
category. This score will be entered as many times as there are selection committee members, (e.g., eight members, eight host family scores) to give the score its proper percentage weight.
 

Notification of Team Selection
Within the week following the selection trials, each candidate will be sent an alphabetical listing of the team selected, and the final scores for all candidates who tried out. Except for the alternates, there will be no matching of names to scores. In addition, each candidate will receive a score sheet with each committee member’s score filled in, category totals, and final placement score total. This will enable them to see how each committee member scored them in each category, so as to be able to identify strengths and weaknesses. They will not be given the host family score sheet, DC recommendation, or the coach recommendation. They will only see the final score given. The delay in announcing the results serves three main purposes:

    (1) it allows time to ensure that all scores have been added properly;

    (2) it allows time for the preparation of the candidates committee member score sheet, and

    (3) it allows candidates traveling together (one of whom may have made the team and the other not) to enjoy the trip home

        together.

As with any Pony Club activity, the USPC Games Committee hopes that all candidates find the selection trials experience to be both educational and enjoyable.

Last modified: February 08, 2008