Tryon, N.C. – The Katydid Combined Driving Event at Tryon International Equestrian Center was the host for the 2025 USEF Driving National Championships for Ponies last week, and a total of 10 new national champions emerged from the event.

First FEI 3* Competition

2025 USE Advanced Pony Pair Champion Colten Parker

First-time 3* competitor Colten Parker (Batavia, Ohio) came to compete with his pair of full-sibling Welsh Pony crosses, Jack and Jill. Though the pairs division was uncontested, Parker’s successful completion resulted from years of dedication to reaching the level. Tryon had been on his radar as a 3* opportunity once he’d met his qualifications.

“We always like going to Tryon,” he said. “It’s a super facility, run really well, and [competition manager] Jennifer Matheson always does a great job putting on the event. Unfortunately, the weather was a little crummy up until Friday morning—they were getting monsoons there. But the marathon wasn’t as slushy as we were anticipating and wasn’t too hard on the horses.”

Fourteen Years in the Making

Parker and his team had an inauspicious start together when he first acquired the ponies around 14 years ago.

“We found these two ponies on Craigslist, of all things,” he said. “Jack is 18 this year, and Jill is 17, so I got them when they were around three and four. We didn’t do too much driving when we first got them—we literally got the horse before the cart. I didn’t have any carriages or harnesses at the time. I was around 14 or 15 when we got these ponies. It was a lot of groundwork, a lot of ground driving, and just getting acquainted with these two ponies.”

Parker now works with his friend and trainer, Jacob Arnold, whom he credits with helping him reach the FEI levels with his ponies.

“I don’t think I would have had the encouragement to start showing at the FEI level without his help,” said Parker. “Sometimes you get so comfortable at a certain level, but he’s been really supportive with the ponies and taking them to another level.”

Jack and Jill are still going strong in their late teens, and Parker is happy to keep driving them as long as they’re still fit and happy in their work.

It Takes a Team

“We keep up with all types of vet work,” he said. “They get really good nutrition. We have the bodywork, laser, joint injections—everything that we can do to make the ponies comfortable at their age and at the level we’re competing at. We always want to make sure that their vet care is really outstanding so they’re able to do what we ask them to do and not be uncomfortable.”

Parker does have a young pony in the wings who he hopes to start working into pairs competition. Keeping on theme, “Joker” was a Facebook marketplace find by Parker’s wife, Kiri, a dressage rider and trainer. Joker is a 7-year-old Hackney who shows a good temperament for the sport horse world. He’ll be making his driving debut as a single pony this year.

“We’re going to take him up slow,” said Parker. “I’m certainly not trying to rush his career. So he probably won’t be showing in a pair for another two years, but he’s going to be in it for the long haul.”