Aundrea Hillyard and Goldmark Take Home the Grand Pony Hunter Championship

Aundrea Hillyard and Goldmark Take Home the Grand Pony Hunter Championship at the 2022 USEF Pony Finals Presented by Honor Hill Farms

Lexington was the place to be on the brisk, summer morning as competitors, trainers and families were eager to applaud their talented pony hunter riders. As the 2022 USEF Pony Finals, presented by Honor Hill Farm, nears its closing date, the 2022 Grand Pony Hunter Champion was crowned in the Rolex Arena.

To conclude hunter competition for the week, the Medium Pony Hunters were invited back for the over-fences phase of the division. Vivian Golden and Baroness of Locheil claimed the Medium Pony Hunter Championship. Following the Medium Pony Hunter awards, Aundrea Hillyard and Goldmark victoriously entered the stadium that played host to incredibly talented young pony-and-rider combinations. The pair stood in the limelight of the final award presentation as they were awarded the 2022 Grand Pony Hunter Championship.

Over the three regular pony hunter divisions, Hillyard and Goldmark held onto the lead by approximately 30 points to add yet another victory to their record. The 7-year-old Warmblood gelding, owned by Take 3 LLC, boasted scores in the 90’s over fences from all three judges, carrying Hillyard to the highest jumping score all week. Their jumping score ultimately catapulted them from ninth place overall going into the over fences phase, to topping the entire field of seasoned regular pony hunters. “Riding him is the coolest feeling, his stride and scope is the best. When you build trust with him you feel like you could do anything,” comments Hillyard. “This show I really felt like I had a breakthrough with him and we were trusting each other a lot more.” While the combination has only been paired together since May, they remained untouchable all week with a cumulative score of 1069.30 points. Their 2022 Pony Finals debut solidified their winning partnership as they walked away decorated in blue, red, and yellow.

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Aundrea Hillyard and Goldmark Take Home the Grand Pony Hunter Championship at the 2022 USEF Pony Finals Presented by Honor Hill Farm – Kentucky Horse Shows

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