(Lexington, KY) - In the blistering summer heat, Annie Davidson, age 12 of Newton, Pennsylvania, was named Grand Champion of the 2005 Pony Medal Championship held at the Kentucky Horse Park yesterday. The Championship was held as part of the USEF Pony Finals August 10-13. Annie received the Easter Sunday Memorial Perpetual Trophy, a cooler and tack trunk donated by Oakcroft Tack Trunk.

But if it hadn't been for the generosity of eight-year-old Lillie Keenan, two of the top three finishers probably would not have been able to compete this year.

Annie regularly trains with Frank Madden but moved into Patricia Griffiths' barn for the Pony Finals. Although qualified, Annie had leased her pony Debutante, a nine-year-old mare, to eight-year-old Lillie Keenan in Griffiths' barn and through Lillie's generosity she was offered the chance to compete in the Medal Championship on the pony. She had not ridden her since May, and they had only two days to get reacquainted. It was a family affair for Annie as her cousin Maggie McAlary, the 2000 Pony Medal Champion, was there for advice and moral support.

This was Annie's third year at the Pony Finals and she found it fun and challenging. "The first round was really challenging because it had a lot of things you're not used to doing on ponies, and then the second one I thought was a lot easier...it didn't have any tests in it or anything," she said. "I was really surprised I won. I knew I was going into the second round maybe 10th. I didn't think I'd get moved up like that. But I knew what I messed up on in my first course, so I knew what I had to fix on the second one."

Reserve went to Rebecca Zimble, 11, of North Easton, Massachusetts, riding the 11-year-old Welsh cross, French Vanilla.

Adrienne Sternlicht, of Greenwich, Connecticut, was third. Because the pony she was supposed to ride was hurt, and she wouldn't be able to compete, Lillie once again came to the rescue and lent Adrienne her other pony Satin. Adrienne is also trained by Patricia Griffiths and won the Wild Horsefeathers/USEF Green Pony National Championship on Vanity Fair on Wednesday.

"The kids were great yesterday and today. The Keenans lent those ponies out to the girls, and they are so nice to do that. It felt like a real team effort, everyone roots for everybody, everyone was just trying to get in there and do the best we can," said Griffiths.

ENDS
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