News
Pony Team USA now on Facebook.
If you are a member of Facebook you can now become a fan of Pony Team USA. Click here.
Open Pony Forum at Lexington
There will be a pony meeting Friday at the Lexington, KY CDE. Time TBD.
Open Pony Forum at Live Oak
Please watch for more details, the Pony committee is planning to have another open forum at Live Oak.
Boyd Exell named Coach for 2009
Boyd Exell has been officially named the coach of USA Pony Team. Stay tuned for more details, there is a clinic planned for the Southern Pines CDE that is open to all Long Listed pony drivers.
Katydid Farm Hosts "Go for the Gold" Combined Test Fundraiser.
Beautiful weather beckoned around twenty drivers to Katydid Farm on February 7th for the Go for the Gold Combined Test. All of the entry fees benefit the Pony Team heading for Greven, Germany in August. Drivers from Training Level to Advanced enjoyed the wonderful setting to practice their dressage and cones skills. Thank you to Jennifer Matheson (pictured, above) for organizing this successful event.
Please see here for clarification on Pony Measurement procedures.
New USEF Pony Active Drivers Committee Announced.
As a result of the elections that took place this fall, the new committee members of the Pony Active Drivers Committee have been announced. They are: Katie Whaley (Chair), Miranda Cadwell (Vice-Chair), Tracey Morgan, Wendy Ying and Meghan Benge. The new committee takes effect at the USEF National Convention in January 2009.
Congratulations to the winners of the Laurels CDE - Advanced Single Pony: 1st Susie Stafford 2nd Miranda Cadwell 3rd Suzy Stafford; Advanced Pair Pony: 1st Tracey Morgan; Advanced Team Pony: 1st Lisa Stroud, 2nd Elizabeth Keathley.
Ponies also dominated the High Score Cones that took place Friday evening, first place was Miranda Cadwell, second was Kylie McGivillray.
American Horse Teams and Singles Aim for World Championships
The American drivers are gearing up for World competitions in their respective divisions. Chester Weber (pictured above) competed at Aachen, winning dressage and finishing third overall. Tucker Johnson finished eighth. The World Four-in-Hand Championship is set to be held in Beesd, The Netherlands.
Single horse competitors Donna Crookston, Robin Groves and Bill Peacock will head to Jarantow, Poland in August to the World Single Horse Championships. Leslie Berndl has been selected to compete as an individual for the USA. There is a raffle taking place to raise funds. Click for info.
Competition Update
Laurie Astegiano has been having good success in Europe, finishing third at Conty (France), where she also won dressage, and another third at Windsor (England).
USEF National Pony Championships
The National Championships will be held at the Laurels CDE in Unionville, Pennsylvania. http://www.laurelscde.org
Pony Driver Meeting Report
There was a very productive pony driver committee meeting at Live Oak. It was explained that the 2009 Selection Criteria are already underway...
Another major topic was fundraising. The shirts and hats from previous years have been very successful and it was decided that there should be a new edition.
An additonal idea was that of a raffle. Ideas are being tossed around and any input is welcome.
Also, long listed drivers are asked to submit a small bio to be posted on the website. Please submit your name, hometown, ponies name, a few sentences about yourself, and a picture to: info@ponyteamusa.com
FEI North American Challenge
The winners of the North American Challenge were announced at Live Oak. In the Single Pony, Suzy Stafford won top honors. Miranda Cadwell won in the Pair Pony for the second year in a row. Boots Wright won in the Four-in-Hand ponies.
The FEI North American Challenge awards points to competitors at FEI sanctioned shows throughout North America. Points are determined by placing and number of competitors. Drivers are automatically entered.
Pony Driver Meeting
There will be a meeting for pony drivers on Thursday, evening after dressage, at CAI-A Live Oak. The location will be determined.
FEI Test 10 Debuts
Boots Wright, with her Welsh and German Riding Ponies debuted FEI Test 10 at Nature Coast.
FEI test 10, for pony teams and pairs debuted for the first time in judged competition at Nature Coast Driving Trial in Bronson, Florida January 18,19 and 20, 2008. The test, developed over the past two years, was driven by Boots Wright and her team of German and Welsh ponies and received a score of 54.66.
When asked how the test drove, Boots said, "It is a fun test to drive and went very smoothly, I thought." The main ring at Black Prong was in very excellent shape owing to some rain the day before the Trial.
The next time that the test will be driven is at CAI-B Sunshine State at the Ocala Horse Park February 28-March 2, 2008. The President of the Jury will be Diana Brownlie, principal architect of the new FEI dressage tests. It is also the first time that FEI test 9 will be driven by the pony singles as well as the horse singles.
