Lexington, Ky.—Aug. 8
Taking the tricolor in the last and largest hunter division at the U.S. Equestrian Federation Pony Finals, the regular mediums, was Woodlands Stevie Ray and Alexa Aureliano. 152 other ponies vied for the award, but it was ‘Stevie’ who took it with a win in the under saddle, a third place finish over fences, and ranked 58 in the model.
Aureliano, 13, has competed at Pony Finals three times previously, but this was her first time taking Stevie to the championship.
“This is my first champion ribbon [at US Pony Finals],” Aureliano said. “It feels amazing, it really does.”
Had you talked with Aureliano (Long Island, N.Y.) at the beginning of her relationship with Stevie, she would not have predicted they would make such an excellent team.
“We have really grown in our bond. It was a little rocky at the start, but then we figured it out and made it through the tough winter, and we’ve been on the same track,” Aureliano said.
Getting-to-know each other problems now in the past, Aureliano and the Hannah Bernstein-owned pony are now fast friends.
“His personality is amazing; he loves to be around people, he loves to have attention,” Aureliano said. “He’s just like a teddy bear.”
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2015 is the inaugural year for the USHJA Foundation Pony Finals Grant. The grant, quoting from an USHJA statement, “enables a child who exhibits sportsmanship, horsemanship and a strong work ethic but without the resources to go to Pony Finals, the opportunity to do so on a qualified pony.” Its recipient, Matthew Bravo, competed in the regular medium pony division aboard Island Grace. Bravo took home a ribbon for 18th place overall in the field of 156 with his grant-funded mount.
12-year-old Bravo was as cute as they come in dark rimmed glasses and a bowtie, and very demure in demeanor as he gave interviews to various media outlets. He expressed his many thanks to the grant and its sponsors for providing him with both a pony and riding attire to wear at the championship.
“I just try to do my best everyday and have fun,” Bravo said of his riding goals at the finals and in the future.
On the final day of the hunter portion of Pony Finals, after dominating the divisions on various rides all week, Augusta Iwasaki accepted the regular grand overall champion title with Bit Of Laughter. ‘Ceto’ took the tricolor in the small green division, and Iwasaki picked up another tricolor on Kingston in the large green division earlier in the week.
“It’s like a dream,” Iwasaki said of her 2015 trip toPony Finals. “It is nothing that I could ever imagine.”
The hunter divisions have wrapped up but there’s still the individual pony jumper championship tonight.
