The final week of the Hudson Valley Jumping Tour® brought not only the best in show jumping to the HITS Hudson Valley venue, but also in the hunter and equitation disciplines. Showcasing three weeks of top-tier talent at the premier Hudson Valley destination, the series has boasted a weekly FEI CSI3* division, and also included a coveted World Champion Hunter Rider (WCHR) rating throughout HITS Hudson Valley V. Following the model and under saddle classes on Friday, August 1, ponies and riders of all sizes made their way to the main Hunter Stadium on Saturday morning, August 2, to battle for the division championships as well as the overall championship in the Children’s Pony Hunter Finals. At the completion of the small, medium, and large sections, the overall grand championship was awarded to 10-year-old Madeline Warren, of New York, New York, and iFlirt.
Piloting the Swede Ventures LLC’s 17-year-old Welsh Pony Cross mare through the three phases of competition — the model, the under saddle, and the over fences class — Warren received a total combined score of 82.70 in the Children’s Pony Hunter Finals – Small division. The pair received the division championship for their efforts, and at the completion of all three divisions, stood out with the highest overall score.
“She’s an older pony so we can’t really jump higher than the Children’s Pony Hunter height and so it’s so fun that we get to have this finals here,” expressed Warren, who trains with the team at Halcyon Show Stables in Litchfield, Connecticut. “I’ve had her for about a year and she’s just a really nice pony. I love how her jumps are really smooth, and she has a nice canter. She also loves treats; she can always smell when you have them in your pockets.”
The win made for an extra-special day for Warren, who was also celebrating her tenth birthday.
“This was my first time doing something like this and doing a model class and everything,” she explained. “There was just so much excitement, and I think that was my favorite part.
“I love coming to HITS because there are just so many classes to do,” added Warren. “I also have a pony jumper and we do the Itty Bitty Jumpers here, which is nice because not all of the horse shows offer that.”
Paired with First Blue LLC’s 19-year-old Welsh Pony Cross gelding, Power Trip, in the Children’s Pony Hunter Finals – Medium division, Piper Mahan, of Tuxedo Park, New York, earned the division championship as well as the overall reserve grand champion honors with a score of 82.50 points. Taking home the tricolor in the Children’s Pony Hunter Finals – Large division, Athena Kosmidis, ofRoslyn Harbor, New York, and Eighteen Acres Farm’s 25-year-young Welsh gelding, Blue Me Away, also earned an overall third place on a score of 82.10 points.
