The US Hunter Pony Championship presented by Sallee Horse Vans are determined by calculating the scores from the three phases of competition, the highest scoring pony of each height section will be declared champion of its section. Additionally, the highest scoring pony overall will be declared the week's Grand Champion. The Model and Under Saddle phases will each count towards 25% of the overall score with the remaining 50% to be determined by the Over Fences Phase.
Large Regular Pony Hunter
St Jacques (Glenallen, VA) and Dr. Betsee Parker’s Enjoy the Laughter lead the Large Regular Pony Hunter division heading into Saturday’s final phase with a score of 525.00. She and the eight-year-old German Riding Pony gelding won both the Model phase and the Under Saddle phase, scoring 263.00 and 262.00 respectively.
Emma Kurtz (Hudson, OH) sits in a familiar place, close to the top of the leaderboard, with Scott Stewart’s 10-year-old Warmblood gelding Westside. The pair is currently in second place with a score of 519.50, receiving a score of 257.50 in the Model phase and 262.00 in the Under Saddle phase to take second place in both classes.
Aleece Jarman (Pace, FL) and her own Valentino lay third with a score of 499.85. She and the six-year-old German Riding Pony gelding finished sixth in the Model phase with a score of 243.70 and third in the Under Saddle phase with a score of 256.15.
Small Regular Pony Hunter
Hana Bieling and Canterbrook Prince Charming (Shawn McMillen Photography)
Bieling (Wellington, FL) and Kathryn McCarthy’s Canterbrook Prince Charming claimed the Small Regular Pony Hunter Championship title with a stellar round in the Over Fences phase, when the heavy rain posed some problems for other pairs. She and the eight-year-old Welsh Pony Cross gelding earned a 255.90 in the final phase of the competition to finish with a total score of 1019.30, over 13 points higher than the second-placed pair.
“He is a pretty straightforward ride,” Bieling said of her mount. She rode him during the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) this year, qualifying him there for the 2013 US Pony Finals. Canterbrook Prince Charming was then sold to McCarthy and Bieling had not ridden him since WEF before teaming up with him again here.
“Kathryn did a really great job with him,” stated Bieling. “In January, his canter would get strung and he needed work on his steering.”
Beiling made quite a showing in her fifth year at the US Pony Finals, which will also be her last year showing in the Small divisions.
“It feels really good,” she said with a smile when asked how it felt to win the championship.
Daisy Farish (Versailles, KY) continued with her strong performances here at the Kentucky Horse Park, earning the Reserve Champion title with Madeline Schaefer’s Armani on a total score of 1006.20. She and the nine-year-old Welsh Pony gelding won the Over Fences phase with a 258.60.
The third place ribbon went to Augusta Iwasaki (Calabasas, CA) and Peter Pletcher’s Jerry Lee with a total score of 1000.40. With the 12-year-old Grade Pony gelding, she finished fifth in the Over Fences phase with a score of 249.70.
Competition continues Saturday with the Large Regular Pony Hunter divisions completing the Over Fences phase in the morning with the Under
Saddle Championship bringing the Pony Hunter festivities to a close in the Walnut Arena.
To learn more about the 2013 US Pony Finals visit; http://usef.org/_IFrames/breedsdisciplines/discipline/pony/ponyFinals.aspx
For Results, Schedules and more visit; http://usefconnect.com/ponyfinals/