The final hunter and jumper championships of the 2025 USEF Pony Finals presented by Marshall + Sterling took place on Saturday at the Kentucky Horse Park.  The 2025 Pony Jumper National Championships concluded on Saturday with the final event in the Claiborne Ring: the Large Pony Jumper National Championship.

Fifty-two athletes aimed for a spot atop the podium, and it was Juan Bay, a 2010 Irish Sport Horse gelding owned and shown by Elin Uhrig (Denver, Colo.) who galloped home with the gold medal after besting a 15-horse jump-off.

Her Goal Was To Win

Although it is Uhrig’s first year competing at Pony Finals, her goal was to win, knowing she was on a top pony that was previously shown by her sister Isabella.
“I am so grateful for everyone who’s helped me to get here,” she said. “I really wanted to go to Pony Finals and I made it here and I won. When I was warming up, I was like, ‘I just hope I don’t get a rail and I can go clear so I can at least place.’”

The duo did more than just place, as the second to last to go and one of only two competing at the 1.05m height in the jump-off. Their quick turns made all the difference as they dashed through the timers in the fastest time of 28.220 seconds with all the jumps intact.

Delta S Irish Storm, a 2012 Connemara mare shown by Zachary Sherer and owned by Zachary and Jacqueline Sherer, was the previous leader, but their clear time of 29.952 would move to the silver position. Summer Smith & Sissi Mai rounded out the podium with the bronze medal after stopping the clock in a clear 30.348 seconds.

That Pony Is A Grand Prix Horse…In A Pony Body

Trainer Michael Dennehy was thrilled with the pair, noting Juan Bay’s incredible talent. “That pony is a Grand Prix horse in a pony body,” he said. “He does the horse strides and he’ll leave out the way horses can, and still make an inside turn. He’s amazing. He is just so honest and brave and careful and fast. The best pony I’ve ever trained!”

The Format Change Has Been Great

Dennehy also appreciated the change of the format for the Pony Jumpers, saying, “The format change has been great because with the previous format of needing to jump so big, there’s only a handful of ponies and kids that are capable of doing that well. The numbers showed that – last year there were less than 20 and this year we’ve got 140 plus. I love it and it was a great atmosphere today – it was wonderful theater to have them all together.”

Uhrig added, “I was feeling defeated today because I thought the lower height could turn tighter, but the jump-off shows that it doesn’t matter what heights you are; it matters about your riding.”

How to Watch

The 2025 USEF Pony Finals presented by Marshall + Sterling is streaming live on USEF Network. US Equestrian fans, subscribers, and members can access the live stream, and subscribers and members will be able to watch replays on demand. Learn more HERE.