Medium Green Pony Hunter National Championship
Lexington, KY – August 8, 2025 – The medium greens took on the over-fences phase on Friday afternoon, closing out the section with standout performances at the 2025 USEF Pony Finals, presented by Marshall and Sterling. Qualen’s Mystical, a 2018 Welsh Pony cross gelding owned by Allrsfarm LLC and shown by Finley Baras (Bedford Corners, Conn.) had consistent round, that earned the third-place award. With top finishes in the model and under saddle as well, they earned the USEF Medium Green Pony Hunter National Champion title, and their top score made them the Grand Champions for the greens. Fourteen-year-old Baras is a seasoned Pony Finals competitor, but Qualen’s Mystical is the pony who will go down in history as her first national champion.
“This is definitely my best result,” she said. “I’ve been close to winning, but it’s never actually happened. It feels very exciting; it almost doesn’t feel real yet.”
Qualen’s Mystical is a catch ride for Baras, who just started riding him a few weeks ago.
“I wanted to make sure I gave him a good, confident ride,” she said. “It didn’t really matter about the outcome, just that he had a good experience. He likes to know that [his rider is] there with him and that you’re not going to abandon him at the jump. He just needs someone to help him around, because he’s still young.”
This national champion title marks the second one going to Baras-ridden ponies this week. Finley’s sister Logan won yesterday in the small regulars. Both sisters ride with Michael DelFiandra and his team at Grafton Ridge.
“Sometimes we do argue, but we cheer each other on all the time,” said Baras. “This morning I was really nervous, and she was like, ‘Don’t be nervous! You’re going to do great!’”
Taking home the reserve national champion title was IDream and Samantha Smith, followed by True Story and Morgan Stewart in third.
Samantha Smith and iDream
Large Green Pony Hunter National Championship
It was a close finish in the over fences phase for the large greens, but in the end, Mufasa, a 2019 Warmblood gelding owned by Julian Steward and shown by Sienna Rossano (Fishers, Ind.) secured the blue ribbon by less than two-tenths of a point. Mufasa and Rossano earned their spot on the top of the overall large green leaderboard to secure the national champion title. While this was “Mouf’s” first Pony Finals outing, Rossano is a veteran who showed to a national championship in 2024 as well. An in-demand rider, she has a busy week at this year’s Pony Finals.
“Yesterday I showed a medium and he was good,” she said. “My small was good, and I have another one tomorrow. Today was really good.”
Sienna Rossano and Mufasa
Rossano trains with Cara Cheska, who attributes her success as a catch rider to a combination of her talent, work ethic, and the opportunities she’s had starting at a young age.
“Nerves of steel and experience,” said Cheska. “She’s been here many years; there are children older than her who don’t have the experience. She’s been in these high pressure situations. She’s strong and accurate, and soft at the same time. A really fantastic thing about Sienna is that nothing bothers her. She’s very good at handling things if they’re great or if they’re not going great, she doesn’t give up. She comes right back at it and tries harder.”
Mufasa is trained by Anna Schierholz for her clients, the Steward family.
“I had my very good friends, Steven Cottrell and Matt Piccolo searching far and wide to find the exact right pony,” said Schierholz. “Matt was in Ocala and found this pony.”
“He was a stallion until a year and a half or two years ago, and he has just the right amount of machismo,” said Cottrell. “He wants to win, and you look at him and you just feel it. It’s hard to pass up a horse that gives you that feeling.”
“That was our hope for today, that he could go out and show everybody the type of pony that we know he is,” said Schierholz. “He’s special. He actually is perfect.”