(Lexington, KY) - Youthful enthusiasm, team spirit and riding skill were all in-sync last night for the young riders representing Zone 3 at the Adequan/USEF Pony Jumper Championship at the Kentucky Horse Park. The exciting and hotly contested competition was determined by just one rail as Zone 3 with 12 faults narrowly defeated Zone 2 with 16 faults and was awarded the Willow Grove Farm Perpetual Trophy. Zone 8 was third with 29 faults.

Zone 3 was represented by Nellie Foosaner, 13, of Middleburg, Virginia on I Told You So; Marie Farley, 13, of Laplata, Maryland on First Class; Sarah Brown, 14, of Charlottesville, Virginia,on So Much To Do; and Isabel Jolicoeur, 13, of Culpeper, Virginia on Mustang Sally.

The course designed by Richard Jeffrey of Bournemouth, England proved difficult for many riders. Particular trouble spots were the vertical 2-stride at the in-gate end and a vertical panel on the turn at the opposite end of the arena.

Zone 3 prepared by having many team meetings and practices. Isabel Foosaner said Chef d'Equipe Pierre Jolicoeur's instructions for the first round were to concentrate on having a clear round and don't focus on the time. About the second round she said, "We again focused on going clear because we were 8 seconds behind and we didn't really have a chance to catch them on time, so we had to go clear and hope it would work out. It was really exciting when we won, two of my teammates were standing next to me and I almost broke her arm when Isabel went clear. We just yelled please go clear Isabel, please . . . and she did!"

Tonight the individual Adequan/USEF Pony Jumper National Champion will be crowned as competition continues at the USEF Pony Finals.

1st Zone 3, 12 faults, Nellie Foosaner/I Told You So; Marie Farley/First Class; Sarah Brown/So Much To Do; Isabel Jolicoeur/Mustang Salle 12 faults

2nd Zone 2, 16 faults,Kaitlin Campbell/Magic BB; Valerie Ziegler/First in Flight; Rose Feldman/Gold Bug; Julia McLaughlin/Top Gun

3rd Zone 8, 29 faults, Marshall Shear/Pikatchu; Danielle Wolff/Mustang Sally; Haley Griffis/Gameboy; Maggie Hanna/Rosebelle.

4th USPC, 32 faults, Alexa Bessette/Prince Charming; Emily Smith/He Likes It; Tyler Morris/Bazooka Joe; Wilhelmina Horzepa/Exhilaration.

ENDS
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