By Gazette staff

ALMOND – A pair of local siblings are blazing trails in Pony of Americas (POA) national competition, as members of the Wisconsin POA club.

“It is a club where we show our POAs, which are spotted ponies that are 56 inches and under,” explained 10-year-old Brooklyn Trzebiatowski. “In this club, we show our ponies, have activities to do, and hang out with friends.

To be registered with the POA club, horses must also have Appaloosa coloring visible.

As members of the Wisconsin national POA affiliate, Brooklyn, and her brother, Levi, meet four times a year in various locations around the state. The group consists of 115 members – 64 adults and 51 youth.

Brooklyn and Levi recently traveled to the POA National Congress, held in Tulsa, OK, on July 13-20 where they were part of 3,000 national entries in competition.

“We showed our ponies; we did obstacle courses, patterns, riding, and stuff like that. There is a trail where you go over holes and a bridge and through a gate,” Brooklyn recalled. “Then, we have jumping, where you jump your pony over, either cross rails that are like x’s or verticals, which are just straight.”

The siblings competed in the nine and under category, with Brooklyn competing in the girls class and Levi with the boys. Brooklyn showed her 13-year-old POA pony, Perpetually Tipped “Reese,” while Levi competed with 17-year-old POA BW Johnny on the Spot “Lil Guy.”

In Tulsa, Brooklyn was named a three-time High Point Champion, two-time Reserve High Point Champion, and four-time Congress Champion. Her pony, Reese, also achieved High Point Gelding and the Ivy Lane Memorial Award High Point.

Levi received Reserve High Point Champion for boys nine and under, four-time Congress Champion, and three-time Reserve Congress champion.

Levi and Brooklyn are the children of Suzie and Eric Trzebiatowski. The siblings train with Courtney Lybeck at CEO Performance Horses, Wisconsin Rapids.