Lexington, Ky – August 10, 2024 – As the 2024 USEF Pony Finals presented by Marshall & Sterling nears its close, the 2024 Overall Grand Pony Hunter National Championship was crowned at the end of the Regular Large Pony Hunter division. Grace Stenbeck-Werner (North Salem, N.Y.) and Prestige had a brilliant over-fences round on Saturday and emerged victorious to claim the 2024 Overall Grand Pony Hunter National Championship as well as the Charles Ancona/USEF Regular Large Pony Hunter Championship.
“It’s really amazing to be Grand Champion,” said Stenbeck-Werner after her win. “I remember when I was younger, I always watched Pony Finals and I always dreamed of winning it – so this is a really big deal for me!”
Grace Stenbeck-Werner and Prestige
The regular large hunters’ over fences phase took center stage in the Rolex Stadium, where Stenbeck-Werner and Prestige (Ive Van De Delthoeve x Bichette Du Moulin De Pierres), a 2011 Belgian Riding Pony gelding owned by Swede Ventures, were last to try their hand at the course. The show-stopping pair came into day two of competition on top of the class and had the pressure of beating out fellow competitor, Emi Richard and Higher Love after their almost seamless round, moving them on top of the class to that point.
Stenbeck-Werner is no stranger to the winner’s circle or the pressure of being on top and kept her cool to earn a combined over fences score of 539.90, helping them to secure the Regular Large Pony Hunter National Championship. Their impressive combined score of 1079.32 points also earned them the chance to return center ring to receive the 2024 Overall Grand Pony Hunter National Championship, marking the talented 11-year-old rider’s first championship at Pony Finals.
“I’ve gone last on my past two ponies, and sometimes I like the pressure, but sometimes it’s a little hard for me,” explained Stenbeck-Werner. “This was my last pony [to ride at this year’s Pony Finals] and I really wanted to do well – ride it like any other round and just go in there and have fun!”
Stenbeck-Werner began riding prestige two years ago and was paired with him by New Hope LLC’s David Belford. At her home, Swede Ventures, she trains with Maddie Flocks, and meets Belford at horse shows to create the perfect team. Stenbeck-Werner has enjoyed getting to know Prestige and creating a wonderful partnership.
“Prestige really just the sweetest ever,” she said. “He’s the sweetest in the barn and in the ring. He’s never done anything bad before and he’s just a perfect unicorn. He likes a lot of leg. He sometimes can get a little lazy, but he’s just really one of the easiest ponies I’ve ever ridden.”
This is Stenbeck-Werner’s third year competing at Pony Finals, but her first championship title and she loves coming back to the Kentucky Horse Park year after year. She concluded, “I love it because there’s always something to do that I really like. All my friends are here, everyone’s here. All the ponies are here and it feels like such a big deal. To come here and to win is just huge for me!”
Emi Richard and Higher Love
Emi Richard (Middlefield, CT) and Higher Love (Goldencoast Diamant x Goldencoast Esmerelda), a 2014 Welsh Pony Cross owned by the Lignelli Family, won the over fences round to take reserve champion honors in the Regular Large Pony Hunters and the 2024 USEF Overall Grand Pony Hunter Reserve National Champion title.
The 2024 USEF Pony Finals, presented by , will conclude Sunday at 7 am in the Rolex Ring with the highly anticipated USEF Pony Medal Final.