Hannah Irons and the grey gelding Bodhjan became the winners of the FEI Pony classes at the the 2015 U.S. National Dressage Pony Cup held on in Lexington, Ky, US.A, on 5 - 6 September 2015. Almost 100 entries from all over the U.S.A. gathered in Lexington, but only two riders contested the FEI Pony level classes.
Hannah Irons and Bodhjan became the winner of the FEI Pony Test division. Based in Queenstown, MD, Irons rode Bohdjan to sweep both the Team and Individual Tests for a winning average of 66.811%, which was also good enough to claim the Dutch breed award. Bodhjan is the 2015 North American Kur gold medal winning young rider Barbara Davis' former FEI pony. Davis and Bodhjan were the U.S. Reserve Pony Champions in 2011 and Barbara donated her pony to Dressage4Kids when she moved to junior riders level.
Irons and Bohdjan came together thanks to Dressage4Kids, and despite only being together for three months the pair proved to be a winning combination. “I was really happy with him,” said Irons. “He felt more rideable and we were more confident than before. We’re headed to Devon next, and our goal for next year is to qualify for the Festival of Champions.”
The 2015 National Dressage Pony Cup featured classes for intro level through FEI pony level for riders in the open, Adult Amateur, and Junior/Young Rider categories. No less than 20 different breed-specific awards were distrubuted.
In the eight years since the National Dressage Pony Cup’s inception in 2007, the popularity of this event has skyrocketed thanks to the dedication of president and founder Jenny Carol and vice president Tracy Gross.
“I just felt so strongly that I could do something about this whole ‘pony problem’ of there not being enough enthusiasm for ponies in the sport,” Carol explained. “Ponies needed a show - a great show, where they would be taken seriously for what they can do and weren’t just an afterthought. A place where they could easily get measured, and win beautiful ribbons and trophies. A show where everyone felt welcome, where the hard work and dedication to the sport were valued and appreciated, and where there was a feeling of prestige for professionals, acceptance for adult amateurs, and encouragement for the junior riders.”
Results - 2015 U.S. Dressage Pony Cup - FEI Level
Team Championship Test
- 1. Hannah Irons - Bodhjan - 66.731%
- 2. Byrnne Varvel - Back in Black - 66.474%
Individual Test
- 1. Hannah Irons - Bodhjan - 66.890%
- 2. Byrnne Varvel - Back in Black - 66.280%
Related Links
2015 Florida International Dressage Youth Championships Ready for Action
American FEI Dressage Pony Poldy Passed Away
Peters Scores Double National Title, Sadis Pony Champion at 2014 U.S. Championships
Making Dressage a Family Affaire