Lexington, KY— The 40th anniversary of the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Pony Finals National Championships began as a hot one with near 100 degree temperatures, but the young competitors didn’t seem to notice as they entered their first day of competition at the Kentucky Horse Park, August 15-19.

The USEF Pony Finals continues its 40-year consecutive run as the most prestigious and celebrated events in the United States. This year, the five-day championship has a total of 697 entries, including 536 ponies and 420 riders who are competing for the title of five premier championships—Wild Horsefeathers/USEF Pony Hunter Finals, Wild Horsefeathers/USEF Green Hunter Pony Finals, USEF Pony Medal and the Adequan®/USEF Pony Jumper Final-Individual and Team.

The Hunter Pony Championships are a three-phase competition which judges the pony’s conformation, way of moving under the saddle and jumping ability. The Pony Medal Final tests young riders in a head-to-head competition, judging both their equitation and their ability to compete over a technical and demanding course of fences. With the Pony Jumper Championships, ponies and riders qualify by their placement as one of the top four pony/rider combinations in their zone standings.

Today’s classes included the model and under saddle portion of the Green Pony Hunters (large, medium and small) division. This championship will conclude tomorrow with the over fences portion of the competition. At the end of the day, 15-year-old Kaitlin Campbell of Upper Black Eddy, PA, and her mount Valentine led the large green pony division with a total score of 514. Valentine, a six-year-old bay gelding, is owned by Boggs Hill.

Leading the medium green pony division is nine-year-old Victoria Colvin from Loxahatchee, FL, and her mount Cortina with a score of 509. Cortina, a nine-year-old dark bay mare, is owned by Scott Stewart. In first place in the small green pony division is 13-year-old Reed Kessler from Wellington, FL, riding seven-year-old Welsh gelding Shananigans with a score of 513. Shananigans is owned by Tommi Clark.

Despite the heat, the show ran smoothly with the coordination of Pony Finals show manager Hugh Kincannon. With 30 years of horse show organization experience, this year will mark Kincannon’s fourth Pony Finals competition.

Kincannon feels that the Pony Finals is a special show and that it is very family-oriented—more so than most horse shows across the country.

“It’s a great event. What makes it so great is that the kids have fun. The competition is very good… and the kids enjoy the facility and the camaraderie that happens at this show,” said Kincannon.

After the completion of the first two portions of the green pony hunter division, a pony auction was conducted in the indoor arena at the Horse Park by American Hunter Pony Classic in conjunction with Professional Auction Services, Inc. A total of 106 ponies were up for auction.

For more information about Pony Finals, please contact Marion Maybank, USEF’s Director of Hunter and Collegiate Activities at (859) 225-2033 or via email at [email protected].

Stacey Meier
ENDS