Lexington, KY – August 9, 2024 – The large greens took on the over-fences phase on Friday afternoon, closing out the section with some standout performances. Emi Richard and So Dashing (FS Champion De Luxe x Charming Doll), a 2014 Belgian Warmblood gelding owned by Sprucedale, Inc., had a phenomenal round that won the over fences blue ribbon and propelled them to the top of the top of the class. Not only did they earn the USEF Large Green Pony Hunter National Champion title, but their top score made them the Grand Champions for the greens.
“It was an amazing feeling, because a lot has gone into this,” said Richard. “Coming out of the ring, seeing the scores and seeing that I was in first, there was so much emotion; good, happy tears.”
Emi Richard and So Dashing
Richard started riding So Dashing this past winter, and says he had some greenie traits in the beginning that they’ve worked hard to improve.
“We’d have good parts of the round, but it would never really come together,” she said of their early rides. “But we’ve been working a lot with him. To have it all come together at this show is amazing.”
Richard said she and So Dashing did click pretty quickly, “but obviously he was still green, so it was a little bit all over the place,” she said. “But we definitely have grown.”
“She clicks with every pony! She can ride every pony,” said Patricia Griffith, Richard’s trainer at Heritage Farm in New York. “But the partnership has really jelled now. She knows him and he knows exactly what she’s trying to tell him, and it can be super subtle now; all those great parts of a great hunter round. It really is beautiful to watch.”
Faith Schuttemeyer and Blue Tide
Faith Schuttemeyer (Boynton Beach, Fla.) and Blue Tide (Toto x Toskana), a 2017 German Riding Pony owned by First Blue LLC, earned third place over fences to take reserve champion honors in the large greens and the 2024 USEF Green Pony Hunter Overall Reserve Grand Champion title. Kenzie Smith and Date Night (Valerius x Denver), a Dutch Riding Pony gelding, took second place over fences and finished in third place overall.
The 2024 USEF Pony Finals, presented by Marshall and Sterling, will continue Saturday at 7 am in the Rolex Stadium with the Regular Large Pony Hunter Over Fences. The day will conclude in the Claiborne Ring with the highly anticipated Jumper Individual Final. The conclusion of the 2024 USEF Pony Finals will take place Sunday at 7 am with the USEF Pony Medal Final.