Lexington, Ky. – Pony hunter and pony jumper competition came to a close on Saturday at the 2022 USEF Pony Finals presented by Honor Hill Farms. The Medium Regular Pony Hunter National Championship presented by Pegasus Show Stable & San Marcos Training and the USEF Pony Jumper Individual National Championship crowned their title winners on another lovely day at Pony Finals.
(Shawn McMillen Photography)
After the conclusion of the final pony hunter division, Aundrea Hillyard and Goldmark claimed the Overall Grand Champion Pony Hunter title with an overall score of 1069.32. The pair won the Large Regular Pony Hunter National Championship presented by Charles Ancona earlier in the week.
“It is an incredible feeling,” Hillyard said of the grand champion title. “I can’t describe it. I love the pony; I love the team. It is just an amazing feeling.”
In an impressive feat, Hillyard also won the individual gold medal in the USEF Pony Jumper Individual National Championship with Magic Dragon, making it a hallmark day for the 17-year-old in her final Pony Finals appearance.
Vivian Golden and Baroness of Locheil were the Overall Reserve Grand Champion Pony Hunter with an overall score of 1036.68. The pair also won the Medium Regular Pony Hunter division on Saturday.
Vivian Golden and Baroness of Locheil Claim Medium Regular Pony Hunter National Championship presented by Pegasus Show Stable & San Marcos Training
(Shawn McMillen Photography)
Vivian Golden piloted Baroness of Locheil to the pony’s third consecutive Pony Finals win and second title in the Medium Regular Pony Hunter National Championship presented by Pegasus Show Stable & San Marcos Training. Golden (Wyomissing, Pa.) and Dr. Betsee Parker’s 2013 Part-bred Welsh Pony mare scored 233.39 in the Model phase and 257.43 in the Under Saddle phase for a respectable start of the competition. The duo made a huge leap up the leaderboard from 33rd to the top spot on the strength of their Over Fences phase, which won the class with a score of 272.93.
“She was very good,” said Golden of her round with Baroness of Locheil. “She was super smooth. She really felt good today. Sometimes she can be a little cranky, but she was good.”
Golden felt some pressure to continue Baroness of Locheil’s Pony Finals legacy, but the pressure does not bother her. In fact, she welcomes the pressure. “I ride better under pressure, so I just kind of channel it and use it to help me,” Golden said.
For the Baroness of Locheil’s achievement as the highest score pony mare, she won a new trophy named in her honor, the Baroness of Locheil Perpetual Trophy.
Leaderboard
1. Vivian Golden and Baroness of Locheil
2. JJ Torano and Paris Charm
3. Alexa Elle Lignelli and EMC Entourage
Aundrea Hillyard and Magic Dragon Earn Gold in USEF Pony Jumper Individual National Championship
(Shawn McMillen Photography)
Thirteen combinations returned for the final phase of the USEF Pony Jumper Individual National Championship on Saturday afternoon over Jasen Shelley’s solid track. After winning the team gold medal with Zone 3 on Friday, Aundrea Hillyard and Magic Dragon clinched their second gold medal of Pony Finals by taking home the individual gold medal. Hillyard (Marshall, Va.) and Hidden Ridge’s 2009 Belgian Sport Horse gelding had an excellent round aside from an unlucky rail at the final fence. The pair had strong performance throughout the week, finishing on four faults after four rounds of competition. Hillyard also won the Short Stop Perpetual Trophy in recognition of her style of riding.
“It was less pressure than yesterday[’s team championship],” Hillyard said of her round with “Milano.” “Most of the course was pretty good, but to the last jump I kind of pulled too much. It would’ve been cool if I didn’t do that because then we would’ve had no faults, but it was fun. It was definitely more technical than the last two days. I think my pony completed it pretty nicely.”
Looking back on her Pony Finals experience, Hillyard could not be more thrilled with the week she has had in Kentucky. “This has been the show of my life,” she said. “I did a large pony and he was grand pony champion, Goldmark. He was amazing. I did a few green ponies, and they were so good, and then Milano [in the pony jumpers]. It has seriously been the most surreal horse show of my career.”
A jump-off decided the remaining medals after three combinations were tied on eight faults: Zone 8’s Isabella Uhrig (Greenwood Village, Colo.) and Juan Bay, her 2010 Irish Sport Horse gelding; Zone 10’s Reagan Voxman (San Marino, Fla.) and Air Force One, her 2010 Selle Français gelding; and Zone 3’s Savannah Smith (Harwood, Md.) and Wishlea Star Dasher, Tamara Doloff’s 2005 Welsh Pony gelding. Uhrig and Juan Bay laid down a speedy round with a time of 33.335 to take the silver medal. Voxman and Air Force One collected the bronze medal with a time of 34.792, while Smith and Wishlea Star Dasher were fourth with a time of 38.595.
Individual Results
1. Aundrea Hillyard and Magic Dragon
2. Isabella Uhrig and Juan Bay
3. Reagan Voxman and Air Force One
Special Awards
Emerson Burr Horsemanship Test
Caroline Sather – 8 & Under
Bailey Paige Anderson – 9-11
Ryleigh Orton – 12-14
Josie Galvin – 15-17
Buttons N’ Bows Sportsmanship Trophy
Ava Barnes
Outstanding Parent Award
Diane McKinney
Betsy Fishback Memorial Trophy
Modern Love, groomed by Andres Ramirez and Kevin Sibrian-Hernandez and ridden by Callie Winkelman
Mindy Darst Perpetual Trophy
Aundrea Hillyard
Emerson Burr Trophy
Stacey Weiss
Virginia Pony Breeders Association Grand Champion:
Ava Crowlick and Heart to Forget, Katherine Cotton’s 2001 Welsh Pony gelding
Virginia Pony Breeders Association Champions:
Merrit Menis and Woodlands Against the Wind, her 2012 Welsh Pony gelding – Large Regular
Ava Crolick and Heart to Forget, Katherine Cotton’s 2001 Welsh Pony gelding – Medium Regular
Alina McLean and Westley, Olivia Golden LLC’s 2015 Welsh cross gelding – Small Regular
Caitlin Albury and Covenant Royal Secret, her 2014 Welsh Pony cross gelding – Large Green
Alexa Elle Lignelli and Hear Say, Samantha Rivera’s 2013 Welsh Pony cross mare – Medium Green
Josslyn Reavis and Woodlands Ladybug, her 2015 Welsh Pony mare – Small Green
Welsh Pony & Cob Society Grand Champions:
JJ Torano and Paris Charm, Megan D’Amico’s 2008 Welsh Pony mare – Purebred Welsh - Regular Divisions
Vivian Golden and Baroness of Locheil, Dr. Betsee Parker’s 2013 Part-bred Welsh pony mare - Half/Part-Bred Welsh - Regular Divisions
JJ Torano and FPF Favor, Jet Show Stable’s 2015 Welsh Pony mare – Purebred Welsh – Green Divisions
Vivian Golden and Preston, Dr. Betsee Parker’s 2016 Welsh Pony cross gelding – Half/Part-Bred Welsh - Green Divisions
Welsh Pony & Cob Society High Score Award Winners:
Vivian Golden and Brixton, Dr. Betsee Parker’s 2010 Part-bred Welsh Pony gelding – High Score Welsh Large Regular Pony
Vivian Golden and Baroness of Locheil, Dr. Betsee Parker’s 2013 Part-bred Welsh pony mare - High Score Welsh Medium Regular Pony
Ella Endzweig and Private Message, Twin Island, LLC’s 2012 Welsh Pony mare – High Score Welsh Small Regular Pony
Kaylee Garrido and Loafers Lodge Take My Lead, her 2014 Welsh Pony cross gelding – High Score Welsh Large Green Pony
JJ Torano and FPF Favor, Jet Show Stable’s 2015 Welsh Pony mare – High Score Welsh Medium Green Pony
Vivian Golden and Preston, Dr. Betsee Parker’s 2016 Welsh Pony cross gelding – High Score Welsh Small Green Pony
Leading Welsh Breeder
Cheryl Patton of Clovermeade Welsh Ponies, breeder of ponies under the Clovermeade and Clovercroft prefixes
Find out more information about the USEF Pony Finals presented by Honor Hill Farms 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.
How to Watch
Live coverage of the 2022 USEF Pony Finals presented by Honor Hill Farms will conclude on the USEF Network beginning at 7:00 a.m. ET on Sunday, August 14, with the Marshall & Sterling/USEF Pony Medal National Championship.
Find out more information about the USEF Pony Finals presented by Honor Hill Farms 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.