Lexington, Ky. - The first championship titles of the US Hunter Pony Championship presented by Sallee Horse Vans were claimed Wednesday as the Large Regular Hunter Ponies and the Small Green Hunter Ponies completed their final phases of competition in the 2014 US Pony Finals. Devin Seek and Hudson claimed the Large Regular Hunter Pony Championship title and Sophia Calamari and Smitten took home the Small Green Hunter Pony Championship title.

National titles are determined in the US Hunter Pony Championship presented by Sallee Horse Vans following three phases of competition, with Model and Under Saddle phases each counting towards 25% of the overall score, and the remaining 50% being determined by the Over Fences phase.

Seek (Ocala, Fla.) and Aubrey Hill Equestrian's Hudson took top honors in the Large Regular Hunter Pony Championship after a smooth round in the Over Fences phase to score 261.50 and finish in first place in the phase. On Tuesday, she and the eight-year-old Welsh/Holsteiner gelding earned scores of 220.36 and 254.50 in the Model and Under Saddle phases, respectively. The pair completed the competition with a total score of 997.96.

The US Pony Finals veteran said even though this was her sixth time in the competition, she was still a bit nervous entering the ring.

"I was nervous because it was my second time riding a large pony here," Seek said. "It's hard because there's so many people watching, and it's Pony Finals, so obviously just saying the name, "Pony Finals," adds pressure and nerves. But I think it's fun to do all the big stuff because it brings you up a little bit and it's a fun place to be."

The Reserve Champion title went to Ali Tritschler (Southport, Conn.) and Betsee Parker's Enjoy the Laughter with a total score of 983.66. Tritschler and the nine-year-old German riding pony gelding scored 239.28 in the Over Fences phase, after earning scores of 250.60 in the Model and 254.50 Under Saddle.

Mimi Gochman (New York, N.Y.) and Lauren Watts' Ante Up finished in third place in the Large Regular Hunter Pony Championship with a total score of 974.92. She and the 11-year-old Hessian gelding earned 240.21, 247.97, 243.37 in the Model, Under Saddle, and Over Fences phases, respectively.

Read about the Small Green Hunter Pony Championship here.

To learn more about the 2014 US Pony Finals, visit www.ponyfinals.org.

For results, schedules and more, visit http://usefconnect.com/ponyfinals/.