Lexington, Ky. – Friday at the 2019 USEF Pony Finals presented by Collecting Gaits Farm (Pony Finals) may mean that the competition is halfway over, but the day was action packed! Zone 10 won the USEF Pony Jumper Team National Championship for the third year in a row and 13 pony jumper combinations are eligible to compete in the Individual Final.
Baroness of Locheil and Maddie Tosh were crowned national champions in the Medium Green Hunter Pony National Championship and were named Overall Green Hunter Pony Grand Champion. Sandcastle and Tessa Downey won the Large Green Hunter Pony National Championship and were named Overall Green Hunter Pony Grand Reserve Champion. EMC Entourage currently leads the Medium Hunter Pony National Championship with Alexa Lignelli.
Eight individuals were selected for the Betsy Fishback Sportsmanship Award today, winning an award provided by Bluegrass Belts. The following recipients are youth who have demonstrated the qualities of good sportsmanship while exhibiting at the USEF Pony Finals presented by Collecting Gaits Farm (listed in alphabetical order):
Emma Brand (Carpinteria, Calif.)
Katie Carney (Burleson, Texas)
Taylor Cawley (Wellington, Fla.)
Alison Coleman (Wellington, Fla.)
Alexa Karet (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
Lauren Rodbell (Prince Frederick, Md.)
Molly Stout (Monkton, Md.)
Lauren Zarnegin (Beverly Hills, Calif.)
Lignelli and EMC Entourage Lead Medium Regular Hunter Pony National Championship presented by Sallee Horse Vans at the 2019 USEF Pony Finals Presented by Collecting Gaits Farm
Alexa Lignelli (New York, N.Y.) and EMC Entourage, The Lignelli Family’s 10-year-old Warmblood gelding, have secured the leading position in the Medium Regular Hunter Pony National Championship presented by Sallee Horse Vans on a score of 532.33 heading into tomorrow’s Over Fences phase. The pair made a strong impression today, winning the Model on a score of 266.80 and placing third in the Under Saddle on a score of 265.53.
The medium regular hunter ponies will contest the Over Fences portion of the competition on Saturday, August 10.
Leaderboard:
1. Alexa Lignelli and EMC Entourage
2. Ann Frances Truluck and All Yours
3. Vivian Golden and Goldhills As You Like It
Tosh and Baroness of Locheil Sweep Medium Green Hunter Pony National Championship presented by Sallee Horse Vans at the 2019 USEF Pony Finals Presented by Collecting Gaits Farm
Baroness of Locheil, Betsee Parker’s six-year-old Welsh pony cross mare, swept the Medium Green Hunter Pony National Championship presented by Sallee Horse Vans section with Maddie Tosh (Milton, Ga.) in the irons. The pair earned a total score of 1073.55 following an outstanding over-fences round in which Tosh and Baroness of Locheil scored a 267.11. Tosh secured a solid lead with “Twinkle” heading into today’s jumping phase, earning a 267.11 in the Model and a 272.22 in the Under Saddle.
“I’m just so proud of Twinkle. Betsee [Parker] owns her and I’m so lucky to ride her. She was amazing, and I’m so proud of her since this is her first time here,” said Tosh
The pair has been together for just a year and this win with Baroness of Locheil makes Tosh two for two at the 2019 Pony Finals. “[Baroness of Locheil] doesn’t act green at all! She’s so much fun, so sweet, and I can always trust her to try her hardest,” said Tosh. “I wasn’t as nervous today because she is green and anything could happen! I just wanted to go and give her a nice, confident ride, and she was so good. I’m so proud of her.”
Vivian Golden (Wyomissing, Pa.) and Royally Yours, Simply Ponies, LLC’s 10-year-old Welsh pony gelding, won the Best Presented Model Pony Award presented by Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation for the Medium Green Hunter section. The Best Turned-Out Pony Award for the Medium Green Hunter section went to Paloma Primavera (Aptos, Calif.) and Donchaneau, her nine-year-old Welsh pony cross gelding.
Results:
1. Maddie Tosh and Baroness of Locheil
2. Kierstin Antoniadis and Shenandoah Coral Reef
3. Lizzy McCrady and Just Whistle
Downey and Sandcastle Victorious in the Large Green Hunter Pony National Championship presented by Triple Crown Nutrition at the 2019 USEF Pony Finals Presented by Collecting Gaits Farm
With the pressure on, catch rider Tessa Downey (Houston, Texas) and Sandcastle, Noelle Wolf Stables, LLC’s seven-year-old German Riding Pony gelding, held on to their lead from the first day to the win in the Large Green Hunter Pony National Championship presented by Triple Crown Nutrition on a total score of 1036.91. Downey rode the striking buckskin pony for the first time yesterday for the Under Saddle phase, where the brand new partnership won the class on a score of 265.75 and placed second in the Model on a score of 253.64.
“At first, the pressure kind of got to me that [Sandcastle] was going in leading, but, you know, I knew he’d be absolutely perfect,” said Downey. “All the jumps were absolutely perfect. Especially since this was our first time going in [together] and I’ve never actually shown a large [hunter pony] before but he was unbelievable.”
Downey piloted Sandcastle through a flowing course in the Over Fences phase, securing a win in the class with a 258.76, and the overall national championship as a result.
Susannah Morrell (Lakeland, Fla.) and Southern Rhapsody, her 21-year-old Quarter Horse gelding, won the Best Presented Model Pony Award presented by Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation for the Large Green Hunter section. The Best Turned-Out Pony Award for the Large Green Hunter section went to Kristin Palmer (North Sutton, N.H.) and Cookies ‘N Cream, Elizabeth A. Horvath Palmer’s 10-year-old Welsh pony cross mare.
Results:
1. Tessa Downey and Sandcastle
2. Grace Debney and Jimmy Choo
3. Lauren Reid and Top Shelf
Tosh and Baroness of Locheil Named Overall Green Hunter Pony Grand Champion; Downey and Sandcastle Overall Green Hunter Pony Reserve Grand Champion
Maddie Tosh and Baroness of Locheil were also awarded the title of Overall Green Hunter Pony Grand Champion tonight for their performance throughout the week at the 2019 Pony Finals. Downey and Sandcastle were the Overall Green Hunter Pony Reserve Grand Champions.
Tosh and Baroness won the Medium Green Hunter Pony Championship presented by Sallee Horse Vans earlier today on a score of 1073.55, while Downey and Sandcastle won the Large Green Hunter Pony Championship presented by Triple Crown Nutrition on a score of 1036.91.
Zone 10 Grabs USEF Pony Jumper Team National Championship at 2019 USEF Pony Finals presented by Collecting Gaits Farm
The USEF Pony Jumper Team National Championship took place in the Alltech Arena on Friday afternoon with six teams taking on Jasen Shelley’s challenging course. After two rounds of competition, the Zone 10 team clinched the gold medal for the third year in a row with a score of eight faults. Zone 4 captured silver with 13 faults and combined team Zones 3, 5, 7, and 8 took bronze with 16 faults.
After round one, the Zone 10 team of Hannah Attar (Pasadena, Calif.) and Joel, Devi Ferreira (Jamul, Calif.) and Silver Charm, and Tabitha Okitsu (Pasadena, Calif.) and Spoot de la Jourlais sat tied in second place with Zones 3, 5, 7, and 8 on four faults. Attar and Camille O’Brien’s 13-year-old German Riding Pony gelding had four faults, while Ferreira and Ixchel Mosley’s 14-year-old Welsh pony cross gelding and Okitsu and her 13-year-old Connemara/Arabian mare were clear.
In round two, Zone 10 combinations kept their cool under the pressure. Attar and Joel improved upon their first round performance, going clear. Ferreira and Silver Charm delivered a second clear round to set the team up for success. Okitsu and Spoot de la Jourlais had an unlucky rail at 5A for four faults, but the team’s strong performances clinched the gold. Despite being a three-person team, the young athletes stayed confident in themselves.
“I was kind of nervous because we didn’t have a fourth person, so we all had to do really well,” explained Attar. “I knew Taby and Taby’s pony and I know they are great, and my pony has been here before. Then, when I met Devi, I thought we had a pretty good shot.”
Team Results
1. Zone 10
2. Zone 4
3. Zones 3, 5, 7, and 8
Heading into the Individual Final, Zone 10’s Ferreira and Silver Charm and Zone 4’s Hallie Rush and Sky Miles are tied in the lead with zero faults. The Individual Final takes place Saturday, August 10, at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Live coverage of the 2019 USEF Pony Finals presented by Collecting Gaits Farm will continue on the USEF Network beginning at 7:00 a.m. ET on Saturday, August 10, with the Over Fences class for the Medium Regular Hunter Pony National Championship presented by Sallee Horse Vans.
Find out more information about the USEF Pony Finals presented by Collecting Gaits Farm at www.ponyfinals.org.
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.