The 40th anniversary of the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Pony Finals National Championships, which began on Wednesday and run through Sunday at the Kentucky Horse Park, are hot: literally. Temperatures have hit the triple digits, but the young competitors don’t seem to notice.
The Hunter Pony Championships are a three-phase competition that judges the pony’s conformation, way of moving under saddle and jumping ability. The Pony Medal Final tests young riders in a head-to-head competition, judging both their equitation and their ability to compete over a technical and demanding course of fences. With the Pony Jumper Championships, ponies and riders qualify by their placement as one of the top four pony/rider combinations in their zone standings.
“It’s a great event. What makes it so great is that the kids have fun. The competition is very good… and the kids enjoy the facility and the camaraderie that happens at this show,” says Pony Finals show manager Hugh Kincannon.
For more information about the Pony Finals, visit www.usef.org.
What a great way to get kids started in the horse world! I jut hope the event isn’t too competitive – like certain other sports – and nobody gets hurt, neither kids nor their ponies…
There seems to be no attempt to inform Pony Finals fans of individual placements;a job that could be done by a single person.
even a fifteenth placement is significant at a national event such as this. Since each go is scored as it happens I don’t see the difficulty, other than the mass of individuals involved.
It was difficult to read results as they were posted with the page turned 90 degrees. Which made it very unenjoyable for those of that were trying to follow this. In fact I gave up after two pages.
It is now close to 13:3o EDT, the event is long over, yet all we have is the Finals are still in progress. Is this laziness or lack of competence?