USPC Ambassadors Showcase Teamwork at 2025 USEF Pony Jumper National Championships

By Sarah Evers Conrad, USPC Marketing and Communications Director

This year was full of camaraderie and teamwork for riders representing the United States Pony Clubs (USPC or Pony Club) in competition at the 2025 USEF Pony Jumper National Championships, which was held at the USEF Pony Finals, presented by Marshall + Sterling, August 6-9, at the Kentucky Horse Park. USPC receives an invite for a team to compete, and several riders also competed as USPC ambassadors on their Zone teams. This is just one of the many special opportunities available to USPC club/center participating members. Learn more at www.ponyclub.org/activities/comp-opportunities. This year’s team competed in various height categories, which was different than in year’s past and was announced by USEF in January.

The USPC team included three riders from California and one from Kentucky. Thirteen-year-old twins—both dual members of Bodega Country Equestrian Pony Club Riding Center and Blossom Trail Pony Club in the Middle California Region—made up half of the team. Georgia Myers, C-1 HM, C-1 EV, in the Large Ponies aboard her Connemara mare Drogheda’s Animal Crackers, and Molly Myers, C-1 EV, in Large Ponies aboard her dun Connemara mare Big Bear’s Queen of Granada, made the trek across country. Sixteen-year-old Pearl Baldi, H-B HM, C-2 HSE, D-3 EV, of Fallbrook Pony Club in the Southern California Region competed in the 1.05m category aboard Kim Possible, a chestnut Welsh-cross mare. Thirteen-year-old Savannah Nieman, C-1 HM, C-1 EV, of the Bluegrass Pony Club in the Midsouth Region, rounded out the team in the 1.05m category on A Twist of Twyla, her family’s Morgan/Arabian/American Paint Horse-cross mare.

In addition to the four-person team, Zone riders included:

• Audrina McCall, age 10, C-1 HM, D-3 EV, C-1 DR, D-3 HSE, D-3 WST, of Tennessee Valley II Pony Club in the Midsouth Region, in the Medium Ponies aboard Welsh Pony-cross Greymeadow’s Colby
• Emma Shade Kleintop, age 11, C-2 HM, C-1 EV, C-1 DR, C-2 HSE, of Keeneland Pony Club in the Midsouth Region and Aiken County Pony Club in the Carolina Region, also in Medium Ponies aboard her family’s Welsh Pony-cross The Contessa
• Lily Brenes, age 12, D-3 EV, of Remington Farm Equestrian Academy Pony Club Riding Center in the Northwest Region, in Small Ponies aboard Remington
• Rachel Strong, age 14, D-3 HM, D-2 EV, D-3 DR, D-3 HSE, of Lake Geneva Area Equestrian Center Pony Club Riding Center in the North Central Prairie Region, also had a Welsh Pony-cross called Monkey Business
• William Slater, age 13, D-3 HM, D-3 EV, of Mr. Stewart’s Cheshire Foxhounds in the Eastern Pennsylvania Region, aboard the bay Welsh/Thoroughbred Sir Wallace

The team was once again coached Chef d’Equipe Richard Lamb, of Aiken, S.C., who is a Pony Club alum and who has coached members of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Modern Pentathlon team in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and is a United States Eventing Association ECP Level III Instructor. Competition was fierce as 18 teams vied for the podium. While USPC riders didn’t make the podium, their teamwork and camaraderie was clear as they all supported each other during competition. Zone 4 Team 1 athletes were the winners, of the Gold over the Silver-medal winning team from Zone 8/9 and the bronze-medal team from Zone 5/6, after two rounds of Nations Cup-style jumping.

Enjoy this look at the riders and their week at the Kentucky Horse Park.