The Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky., has been overrun by hundreds of ponies and children all week, vying for the ribbons at the UESF Pony Hunter Final. For Taylor Ann Adams,14, years of hard work and practice paid off yesterday, Aug. 17, as she earned the top spot in the coveted USEF Pony Medal Final.
Two hundred equitation riders rode in the first round, which asked exhibitors to negotiate several broken lines and an end fence, as well as halt and trot a fence halfway through the course. The judges, Karen Healey and Bill Moroney, narrowed the field down to 25, and these riders returned for a shortened course. The second round offered options for tight inside turns, which tripped up a few competitors, as well as an option of two side-by-side in-and-outs.
After watching the second round, the judges asked Elizabeth Boone and Taylor Ann Adams to return to the ring for additional testing. The announcer read the test twice, then instructed Boone to begin, leaving her little time to sort out the details of the course. The test required the riders to trot in and canter out of the first two fences of their previous course, a broken line up the middle of the ring. The riders then had to halt and counter canter fence 3, the in of an outside line, and make a sharp left turn back to the rail and canter 6, an end fence, then hand gallop fence 8.
Boone began the test with a solid trot fence and broken line, finessing her way through halt, counter-canter transition and tight turn. But after the end jump Boone took her pony to the wrong fence, hand-galloping the in of the outside line, rather than the second element.
Adams executed an elegant test, giving Millpond Celebrity a quiet and effective ride throughout the course, easily holding her counter-canter through the end of the ring and negotiating the tight turn. Despite watching Boone jump the incorrect last fence beautifully, Adams guided her pony to the right jump, winning the class. Adams and Millpond Celebrity will contest the large pony division today and tomorrow.
Over in the jumper ring, Zone 4 earned the USEF National Pony Jumper Championship. The competitors, 12-year-old Brittni Raflowitz on Tallyman, 12-year-old Claudia Billups on Salsa, 16-year-old Edie Ringger on Double Delight and 16-year-old Leigh Ann Hartrampf on Spudd Webb left every rail up to ride off with the championship. Three of the riders were on last year’s team, which placed fourth here. The second place honors went to the team comprised of Zones 8/9.
The star in Thursday’s green pony divisions was 9-year-old Victoria Colvin. The precocious Loxahatchee, Fla., native won the grand green pony championship aboard Scott Stewart’s medium pony Cortina. The beautiful dark bay mare earned an astounding 1059 points after winning the model and the over fences class, and tying for fourth in the under saddle. “She’s a great pony,” said Colvin. “She has really easy lead changes and a big stride. You can loop the reins with her.”
As if winning the grand championship wasn’t enough, Colvin got to take home the small green championship as well on her pony Ballou. Ballou earned 971 points after finishing third in the model, fourth under saddle and sixth over fences. Colvin showed a large green pony, Stewart’s Follow The Laughter, to ninth place overall in the division.
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Top honors in the large green pony division went to Boggs Hill’s Valentine, ridden by Kaitlin Campbell. The pair earned 1021 points after winning the model, taking third in the under saddle and second over fences.
Colvin hopes to repeat her success today. She’ll be busy showing another three ponies in the regular hunter divisions. She’ll be on her pony Sunday Best in the large division, Stewart’s Promise in the mediums and Glenwillow Farm’s Anakin in the small division. Colvin gets pointers from her mother Bridget Colvin at home, then meets up with Stewart at horse shows.
The pony hunters will get a day off from jumping today. This morning groups of ponies will model and show under saddle for judges Leo Conroy, Rob Bielefeld and Alex Jayne. In the evening, pony jumpers have one last chance to wow the judges, riding in the individual final phase, which gets underway at 7 pm. Pony hunters wrap up their events Sunday, with the over fences class.
Grand Green Pony Champion:
Cortina, Scott Stewart and ridden by Victoria Colvin
Overall Results:
Small Green Pony
1. Ballou, Victoria Colvin,Victoria Colvin, 971.00
2. Loyalsox, Joanne Warren, Kathleen Fisher, 966.00
3. Glencoe Left Ya Speecheless, Ashton Alexander, Ashton Alexander, 954.00
4. Shannanigans, Tommi Clark, Reed Keelser, 949.00
5. Clovermeade Somebunny Famous, Rabbit Hill Farm, Callah Carroll, 938.5
6. Millpond Patchwork, Kenneth Brottman, Hasbrouck Donovan, 929.00
7. Elvae, Sedona Chamblee, Keisle Brittan, 924.50
8. Magic Carousel, Lochmoor Stables, Meredith Darst, 922.50
9. Harmony, Emma Butchard, Emma Butchard, 917.00
10. Gayfields American Idol, Megan Taylor Rosenthal, 911.50
Overall Results:
Medium Green Pony
1. Cortina, Scott Stewart, Victoria Colvin, 1059.00
2. Sassafrass Creek, Bibby Farmer Hill, Taylor Ann Adams, 1010.00
3. Northwind Milo, Kathryn Gillmer And Locke, Kendell Adelberger, 977.00
4. Clovermeade Bunny Side Up, Madeline McDermott, Madeline McDermott, 959.50
5. Brighton Undeniably, Holly Hill Farrm, Colby Wood, 953.00
6. Highlands Heaven Sent, Jenna Santi, Jenna Santi, 932.00
7. First Impression, Katie Dinan LLC, Shawn Casady, 932.00
8. Brownland’s Almond Joy, Leah Harmon, Leah Harmon, 926.00
9. Chutes And Ladders, Eleissa Brown, Eleissa Brown, 923.50
10. Giovanni, Ashley Warren, Ashley Warren, 917.50
Overall Results:
Large Green Pony
1. Valentine, Boggs Hill. Kaitlin Campbell, 1021.00
2. Aladdin, Spencer Chapin, Schaefer Raposa, 1003.00
3. Watch Me, Shawn Casady, Robert Hunt, 990.00
4. Lifeline, Penny Hallman, Samantha Schaefer, 971.50
5. What-A-Bean, Emma Roberts, Emma Roberts, 958.00
6. Mercedes Benx, Three Sister Farm & Madison Smith, Kassi Smith, 948.00
7. Helicon Corinna, Bidget Zima, Gabrielle Hero, 942.00
8. Pele, Trina Blankenship, Frances Land, 939.00
9. Follow The Laughter, Scott Stewart, Victoria Colvin, 939.00
10. Gesundheit, Elizabeth Di Bonaventura, 929.00
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Best Turned Out Equitation Pony:
Enchanted Forest, Chansonette Farm LLC, Lillie Keen
Results of the USEF Pony Medal Finals
1. Taylor Ann Adams
2. Elizabeth Boone
3. Phoebe Robinson
4. Claire Greenberg
5. Charlotte Jacobs
6. Lillie Keen
7. Rebecca Clawson
8. Allison Toffolon
9. Shawn Casady
10. Elizabeth Butterworth
Pony Jumper Team Championship:
1. Zone 4
Salsa, Claudia Billups
Double Delight, Edie Ringger
Tallyman, Brittni Raflowitz
Spudd Webb, Leigh Hartrampf
2. Zone 8/9
Gidget, Rebecca Chase
Chance to Shine, Courtney Youell
Darcy, Bryn Sadler
Boadicea, Elizabeth Brackett
3. Zone 10
Follow My Lead, Tommi Clark
Fool’s Gold, Alexandra Willoughby
Roulette, Isabella Pitts
Hocus Pocus, Madeline Burkhartsmeier
4. Zone 2
Coraggioso, Jessica Gravalis
Hip Hop, Elizabeth Solomom
C’est La Vie, Christie Shapiro
Crum Creek, Gillian King
5. Zone 3/12
Luigi, Alicia Hall
Hot Gossip, Eileen Buckingham
Hott Wings, Ashley De Woolfson
Mystic Rainbow, Samantha Schaefer
6. USPC
Silverstone, Arden Cone
Rascal, Carley Attanasio
I.C. Blue Zephyr, Rosa DiPiazza
Orion’s Diamond Ace, Rachel Dahl
7. (TIE) Zone 5
Emerald Isle, Michaella Gerlacher
Wiseguy, Gabriela Mershad
TNT, Lillie Ross
Magic BB, Elizabeth Boone
7. (TIE) Zone 7
Jack Be Quick, Alison Smith
Kid Bar Jewel, Mari del Toro
Partly Cloudy, Tori Berlin
Destination Known, Hannah Olson
