The USPC Festival 2021, presented by SSG Riding Gloves, sponsored by State Line Tack, wrapped up after eight days of competition and education on July 26. The USPC Festival is a triennial event hosted at the picturesque Kentucky Horse Park. The first part of the week is dedicated to National Championships team competition while the second part of the week hosts clinics, demonstrations, and workshops offering education in all aspects of riding and horse care.
USPC Festival 2021 gathered over 650 competitors in eight discipline Championships, including Dressage, Eventing, Mounted Games, Polocrosse, Quiz, Show Jumping, Tetrathlon, Western Dressage. Invitational competitions in Gymkhana and Western Trail were also held for the first time.
The educational portion of Festival featured over 400 members learning from more than 60 equine experts consisting of respected professionals, USPC national examiners and Pony Club graduates including two-time dressage Olympian Lendon Gray and four-star event rider Alexa Ehlers, one of three USPC members to attain a triple “A” certification. Attendees of all ages and levels participated in mounted and unmounted sessions gaining equine knowledge and skills. A thrill for many was the Monday morning mock foxhunt lead by Iroquois Hunt Club.
“Festival is the ultimate Pony Club event, highlighting the teamwork, sportsmanship and horsemanship that are such an important part of Pony Club’s education,” said USPC Executive Director Teresa Woods. “We were pleased to welcome close to 3,000 Pony Club members, their families, friends, volunteers and Pony Club leaders from across the country to enjoy competition, learning and fun at the USPC Festival 2021 presented by SSG Riding Gloves, sponsored by State Line Tack. Pony Club is grateful to the many volunteers and sponsors for their support of this event, which brings Pony Club members memories that last a lifetime.”
The USPC Festival 2021 was made possible thanks to the support of many generous sponsors including title sponsor SSG Riding Gloves and presenting sponsor State Line Tack, as well as contributing sponsors Absorbine, Albion College Equestrian, Appaloosa Horse Club, Arabian Horse Youth Association, Central Kentucky Ag Credit, the Dressage Foundation, Farnam, HandsOn Gloves, Kentucky Equine Research, Kentucky Performance Products, the Masters of Foxhounds Association of North America, Meade Tractor, Otterbein University, Precept Wealth Management, Park Equine Hospital, Tipperary Equestrian, Trafalgar Square Books, Transy Eventing, University of Louisville Equine Industry Program, and the Western & English Sales Association. Special thanks to USPC corporate sponsors Kerrits, Shapley’s, Triple Crown Nutrition, Wintec, and The Horse.
About Pony Club — The United States Pony Clubs, Inc. (Pony Club) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization that builds the foundation of teamwork and sportsmanship through riding, mounted sports, care of horses and ponies, while developing and enhancing leadership, confidence, responsibility, and a sense of community in its youth and adult members. USPC is proud to offer instruction and competitive opportunities in more than 10 different disciplines through hundreds of clubs and centers across the United States. Pony Club’s educational standards continue to be instrumental in curriculum development for schools, universities, equestrian professionals and organizations across the United States. Many of the nation’s top equestrians, including Olympic team members, as well as successful business professionals and leaders in a variety of fields, have roots in Pony Club.
Press Contact: Samantha Smith, communications@ponyclub.org
Pony Club: www.ponyclub.org, 859-254-7669
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