Lexington, Ky. - The 2023 USEF Pony Finals presented by Honor Hill Farms got underway Tuesday at the Kentucky Horse Park. Competitors took to the Rolex Stadium for the model and under saddle phases of the USEF Medium Regular Pony Hunter National Championship and USEF Small Green Pony Hunter National Championship.
Learn more about the many special awards and activities happening throughout the week, including the $500 Emerson Burr Horsemanship Test sponsored by Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital.
USEF Medium Regular Pony Hunter National Championship
(Shawn McMillen Photography)
JJ Torano and Valentijn lead the field of 137 competitors in the USEF Medium Regular Pony Hunter National Championships. Torano (Wellington, Fla.) and the 2016 Welsh Pony gelding owned by Charlotte Rossetter and Pamela Wright collected scores of 265.25 in the model phase and 261.03 in the under saddle phase. They lead the field with an overall score of 526.28 after the first day of competition.
The medium regular pony hunters will contest the over fences phase of the competition on Wednesday, August 9.
Leaderboard:
1. JJ Torano and Valentijn
2. Lily Epstein and Foxmor Secret Powers
3. Ella Endzweig and Friend Request
USEF Small Green Pony Hunter National Championship
(Shawn McMillen Photography)
It is a tight race at top of the leaderboard in the USEF Small Green Pony Hunter National Championship. Torano continued his dominant performance in the second division of the day with La Croix, a 2011 Welsh Pony gelding owned by M5 Sport Horses LLC. The pair sit atop the leaderboard after the first day of competition on a composite score of 524.55—only four one-hundredths of a point ahead of second place. Torano and La Croix earned scores of 261.55 in the model phase and 263.00 in the under saddle phase to lead a field of 65 combinations heading into the over fences phase of the competition.
The small green pony hunters will conclude with the over fences phase of the competition on Wednesday, August 9.
Leaderboard:
1. JJ Torano and La Croix
2. Emi Richard and Confidentially
3. Caitlyn Calijan and Lemoncello
The first two Best Model Pony Awards presented by Shapley’s were awarded on Tuesday with the winners receiving a bucket of Shapley’s Grooming Products and a trophy.
The livestream of the 2023 USEF Pony Finals presented by Honor Hill Farms will continue on the USEF Network powered by ClipMyHorse.TV beginning at 7:00 a.m. ET on Wednesday, August 9, with the Model and Under Saddle classes for the USEF Small Regular Pony Hunter National Championship presented by Kickapoo Ponies. US Equestrian fans, subscribers, and members can access the live stream, and subscribers and members will be able to watch replays on demand. Learn more here.
Find out more information about the USEF Pony Finals presented by Honor Hill Farms at www.ponyfinals.org.
Follow US Equestrian
Follow us on Facebook (@USEquestrian, @USEFNetwork, and @USEFPonyFinals), Instagram, and Twitter (@USEquestrian and @USEFNetwork) for all the latest from the ring and behind the scenes.