Tag Archives: Kat Fuqua

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Dressage

Frederic Wandres Seeing Double at Adequan Global Dressage Festival

Frederic Wandres & Hot Hit OLD. Photo © SusanJStickle.com.

Frederic Wandres (GER) earned a career high score on Friday in the FEI Grand Prix at the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival and returned this weekend to also score victory in the CDI3* Grand Prix Special, presented by Barnwalkers. Wandres rode Hot Hit OLD, a 12-year-old by Blue Hors Hotline x Diamond Hit to a score just shy of eclipsing his personal best yet again with a 74.34% in the Grand Prix Special. The back-to-back wins came from Wandres during Lloyd Landkamer Memorial week.

Wandres is jumping into his third season at AGDF, a place he has been developing Hot Hit in the international ranks since his first trip to Florida. “I’m very happy with how he managed the cold and windy weather conditions and the atmosphere here,” said Wandres of the striking grey gelding. Wandres plans to focus on one CDI in February with Hot Hit before using him in the CDIO3* Nations Cup for Germany during AGDF 7.

Fuqua, Degele Close Out AGDF 1

Closing out opening week of the AGDF, Kat Fuqua claimed the CDIY Young Riders Freestyle, presented by Diamante Farms, with a score of 69.800% on her own Dreamgirl, 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood (Speilberg x Goodtimes). The final salute came from Heidi Degele in the CDI1* Intermediate I Freestyle, presented by Harmony Sporthorses, aboard Ibistrona, a nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood (Don Tango B x Sunny Boy 124) with a 69.250%.

For more information and results, visit www.globaldressagefestival.com.

Competitions, Dressage, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Kat Fuqua Rounds Out 2022 with National Honors in Hunters, Jumpers, and Dressage

Fuqua jumping Nate Archibald to a 3rd place finish in the Zone 4 HOTY Medium Jr./Amateur Jumpers (Photo by Sportfot)

Atlanta, GA (December 3, 2022) – It’s rare for an equestrian to be versatile and multi-talented enough to compete in multiple disciplines; even more rare is the skill to place at the top of the sport in multiple disciplines in the same year. But Atlanta, Georgia’s Kat Fuqua has achieved just that in 2022, finishing off her busy show season with multiple accolades at the 72nd Annual South Florida Hunter Jumper Association Charity Show, and adding to an impressive resume of multi-discipline wins. Her 2022 successes include a Reserve Champion finish in the FEI Prix St. Georges at the US Dressage Finals, multiple Grand Champion Junior Hunter wins, a top 3 finish in the Zone 4 Horse of the Year (HOTY) Medium Junior/Amateur Jumpers, and even a Reserve Champion finish at the 2022 Kentucky Maclay Regional Championships. Fifteen-year-old Fuqua was also named a USEF Dressage Emerging Athlete for 2022, was the first young rider to compete in both Jumping and Dressage at the 2021 North American Young Rider Championships (NAYC), and for 2023 aims to make the USEF European Young Rider team in dressage.

With the classical dressage as her foundation, and under the tutelage of Olympic Bronze Medalist Michelle Gibson, Fuqua stepped onto the dressage scene officially in 2021. In 2022, she and Dream Girl, a 14-year-old KWPN mare, rocketed up through the stratosphere to take Reserve Champion at the US Dressage Finals, just a few percentage points off the win in the FEI Prix St. Georges Open division. The mare was also awarded the Lloyd Landkamer Perpetual Trophy, honoring the highest scoring FEI mare. Prior to the US Dressage Finals, Fuqua was named a 2022 USEF Dressage Emerging Athlete, and was ranked 4th in the country for USDF Horse of the Year FEI Intermediaire I Open.

As her inaugural competitive discipline, Fuqua’s 2022 resume in the Hunters is no less stellar. With the elegant bay gelding Grand Remo, Fuqua won Junior Hunter Grand Champion at Devon, Grand Champion at the USEF Jr. Hunter Finals in 2021, Reserve Champion Junior Hunter Youngers at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, Reserve Champion Junior Hunter at the Washington International Horse Show, and was chosen as the cover of this summer’s Chronicle of the Horse June issue. Just this past week, they were also the 2022 Best Junior Hunter Champion at the 72nd Annual SFHJA Charity Horse Show. Together with Grand Remo and her other hunter partners, Fuqua has amassed 8 USEF Horse of the Year titles, 2 Grand Champion titles at the National Horse Show, Grand Champion at Harrisburg, 10 WEF Circuit Championships, Grand Champion at Pony Finals, and to date is the highest earning Pony Derby Rider.

With the Junior Hunters in a sweep and Dressage a new-found success, the jumpers were the next target for Fuqua to set her sights on. She began trying her hand in the discipline less than 2 years ago, and in 2022 finished 3rd in the Zone 4 Horse of the Year Medium Jr./Amateur Jumpers with her own Nate Archibald. In 2021 she made history as the first rider to compete in both the Jumpers and Dressage at the North American Young Rider Championships, and was 10th in the National Devon Championship for High Junior Jumpers with her jumper Gargarin. This indoor season she competed in the High and Medium Junior Jumpers at the Washington International Horse Show, finishing 8th in the $5,000 High Jr./AO 1.40m Jumpers with Nate Archibald.

As icing on her triple threat cake, Fuqua also has been a up-and-coming competitor in the ASPCA Maclay Medal Finals. In 2022 she finished as Reserve Champion at the Kentucky Maclay Regional Championships and was in the Top 25 at the 2021 USEF Dover Seat Medal Finals in 2021.

Just this past week, Fuqua rounded out her 2022 competition schedule at the 72nd Annual SFHJA Charity Horse Show, claiming multiple accolades with her horses. She won the USET Talent Search with Class Act, owned by Emily Smith, and also took the overall win with Smith’s Quite Cassini in the Washington International Horse Show Equitation. Grand Remo remained worthy of his name with Champion in the Junior Hunters Under 15, Champion in the Jr./AA Classic Hunters, Champion Zone 4 Jr. Hunter, and earned Fuqua the title of Best Jr. Hunter Rider.

“Riding horses is what I truly love, whether it’s in a major competition or just enjoying their company at the farm,” said Fuqua. “This fall I began working with Emily & Ken of Ashland Farms, and love their calm but effective training. My goals are to continue to level up in the Jumper ring and get the Equitation down! My heart for the Hunters will never change, remembering back to big pony trainer and judge Mindy Darst who brought me to my first WEF in 2014 and was one of the founders of the USEF Pony Finals. I’ll never give up being a role model for the new pony kids comping up and my goal is to be a top rider in all of my disciplines.”

Kat Fuqua is becoming a household name in multiple equestrian disciplines, known not only for her versatility as a rider but also for the quality of her rides. She began competing at double AA Hunter/Jumper shows at the age of 6, and at 11 years old won the USEF Pony Finals & Grand Champion. She repeated the honor the following year as a 12-year-old, and added the USEF Marshall & Sterling Pony Medal. Her Junior Grand Hunter Championship wins include the 2022 Devon Jr. Hunter Grand Champion, 2021 USEF Jr. Hunter Finals Grand Champion, 2020 & 2021 National Horse Show Jr. Hunter Grand Champion, and 2021 Pennsylvania National Horse Show Jr. Hunter Grand Champion. In the Equitation, she won 2022 Reserve Champion at the Kentucky Maclay Regional Championships and finished Top 25 at the 2021 USEF Dover Seat Medal Finals.

In 2020 she began actively competing in both dressage and jumping, as well as the hunters. She made history as the first rider to ever compete in both disciplines at the 2021 NAYC, where she received 3 Bronze Medals in dressage and finished 4th overall in the Children’s Jumper Team competition. She earned her USDF Bronze and Silver Medals for USDF Prix St. Georges and Intermediaire I in 2021, and was named the USEF Dressage Festival of Champions Junior Champion that year. In 2022 she was named a USEF Dressage Emerging Athlete.

Fuqua is currently a full-time freshman at Holy Innocence Episcopal High School in her hometown of Atlanta, Georgia. She also is a contributor to Elite Equestrian Magazine, writing her own Kat’s Korner column about her horses and life as an upcoming young equestrian.

“I like to inspire riders but showing how even though being a competitive equestrian is tough and a fail often, I get back up and try again to achieve my goals and dreams,” said Fuqua. “I have a lot of pressure going into 2023, but I spend a lot of time at my home base, Collecting Gaits Farm, personally taking care of my horses when I can to build the bond that I think leads them to work harder for me in the show ring. I feel very lucky that so many people want to help me succeed.”

For more information on Kat Fuqua, visit her website at www.KatFuqua.com.

Media contact:
Equinium Sports Marketing, LLC
Holly Johnson
holly@equinium.com
www.equinium.com

Dressage, Equinium Sports Mktg., Hunter/Equitation

Fuqua Earns USDF Silver Medal Same Week as a Top Finish in WEF 6’s Hunter Spectacular

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Fuqua and Grand Remo in the 2021 WCHR Peter Weatherhill Hunter Spectacular (Photo by Elegant Equus Photography)

Atlanta, GA (March 6, 2021) – Kat Fuqua attained in just a week what many top professionals rarely achieve: victory at the international level in two very distinct disciplines. Thirteen-year-old Fuqua was one of the top 3 Juniors jumping with the pros in the $50,0000 WCHR Peter Weatherhill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular during week 6 of the Winter Equestrian Festival with her multiple Horse of the Year Champion Grand Remo, finishing just out of the top 12 under the training of Jimmy Torano, JET Show Stable. She then flew to her hometown of Atlanta for a two week break, but not quite. She and the aptly named KWPN Dream Girl rode an FEI Prix St. Georges test at the Atlanta Olympic Equestrian Park, earning their final required score for their USDF Silver Medal.

Each hunter division during WEF 6, including the ponies, horses, Juniors, and professionals, awards the best in class; the Champion and Reserve Champion of the divisions at 3’6″ and above are invited to compete in Saturday night’s prestigious Hunter Spectacular, an honor for riders of any level. Fuqua qualified as the top World Hunter rider that week for the second year in a row. In 2020 she rode Champion Cornell 22 and Reserve Champion Consent with the top professionals in the spectacular. This year she once again improved upon her previous performances, scoring 85, 83, and 80 with Grand Remo. Finishing 16th out of 32 top world Champions, Fuqua could not rest on her laurels in the hunter arena.

Back at her home Collecting Gaits Farm in Atlanta, Fuqua changed gears and core competencies to school her FEI dressage horse Dream Girl with trainer Jason Canton. The trio, plus Kat’s parents, ventured to the Good Horseman Spring Show at the Centennial Olympic Equestrian Center in Conyers, site of the 1996 Atlanta Games. Having only first debuted officially in dressage in 2020, Fuqua’s training has nevertheless been dressage based from day one. Under Canton’s tutelage, the pair received their Bronze Medal in 2020 and competed at the US Dressage Festival of Champions as their fourth show ever. On February 28th in Atlanta, Fuqua and Dream Girl were the Champion FEI JR/YR, Reserve Champion FEI rider, received their second score required to for their USDF Silver Medal in the FEI Prix St. Georges, and won the class with a 66.324%.

“Kat has that versatility to swap from upper level dressage to international hunters with ease,” said Canton, himself a USDF Bronze, Silver, and Gold Medalist since 1988. “It’s been really interesting to teach her to hone those aids for a completely different discipline.”

“I’m really proud and happy with my results in the Spectacular,” said Fuqua. “It’s been my goal to compete in that class since 2017, and I’m so proud of Remo and how we have progressed. Dream Girl really is a dream, it’s been really fun and good for my riding to try new things and learn different techniques. I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to ride and show as much as I do, and to have the support from my family and trainers.”

With 2020 drawing at a close, Fuqua also racked up numerous USEF Horse of the Year (HOY) awards in January, and kicked off a series of wins with her new equitation horse. Consent was 2020 USEF Horse of the Year Grand Champion Junior Hunter 15 & Under and Horse of the Year Champion Small Junior Hunter. Grand Remo won both 2020 USEF Horse of the Year Champion Large Junior Hunter and Horse of the Year Reserve Champion Junior Hunter. At the 2020 National Horse Show, Kat also cleaned up in the hunters, taking National Grand Junior Champion, Large Junior Champion 15 & Under, and Small Junior Champion 15 & Under.

Kat Fuqua’s passion for horses is reflected not only in her highly decorated, multi-discipline results, but also in the joy and dedication she shows each time she swings into the saddle. Based out of Atlanta, Georgia and under the guidance of trainer Jimmy Torano for hunter/jumpers and Jason Canton for dressage, every aspect of Fuqua’s riding, training, and show career reflects a unique ardor for equines and horse sport. She balances her equestrian lifestyle with attendance as a full-time 7th grade student at Holy Innocence Episcopal School and takes pride in developing alongside her horses. In addition to riding, Kat enjoys spending time with her school friends and her favorite subject is French.

For more information on Kat Fuqua (pronounced foo-quay), visit her website at www.KatFuqua.com.

Media contact:
Equinium Sports Marketing, LLC
Holly Johnson
holly@equinium.com
www.equinium.com

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Dressage, Hunter/Equitation, Pony

Fuqua Wows at WEF 1

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Fuqua and Cornell 22 (Photo by Elegant Equus Photography)

Pony Champion, Big Eq, Juniors, and a Newly Arrived ‘Dream Girl’

Wellington, FL (January 14, 2020) – Starting off Winter Equestrian Festival Week 1 with a bang is the goal of every rider who descends on the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center show grounds. Tri-colored ribbons in the first week set the tone for a season of success, and Kat Fuqua jumped at every opportunity to ride into the spotlight. From the Juniors to the equitation, ponies to dressage, Fuqua is primely positioned for a banner year at WEF 2020.

Bringing her skills in the pony ring back to Palm Beach, Fuqua claimed Large and Medium Pony Championships, including the highest score she’s ever received. In the Larges Fuqua rode Upside, a pony owned by Rivers Edge and trained by Scott Stewart, to victory in 3 over fences classes and a tri-color in the Large Pony Classic. Under the tutelage of her trainer, Jimmy Torano of JET Show Stables, Fuqua and Upside were awarded a 90 and an 86 for a total of 176 in the Classic. While she was once before awarded a 90 aboard her own highly decorated Large Pony Prince, repeating such an impressive score was one of the week’s highlights.

In the Mediums, Fuqua rode another Champion catch ride for Nashville’s Alexa Karet, taking her pony mare Galianna to two firsts Over Fences and first Under Saddle. Galianna is trained by Tom Wright and Mitchell Robinson.

Fuqua changed rein from Ponies to Junior Hunters and Equitation, again riding for a prestigious name in the hunter ring. Riding I Love Lucy, a mare owned by John & Stephanie Ingram and trained by Tom Wright, she finished 3rd in the 3’3″ Under 15 Juniors. With her own Cornell 22, Fuqua began her official 2020 career in the Big Equitation with top finishes under the guidance of trainer Jimmy Torano.

Fuqua and Dream Girl (Photo by Sara Hellner)

While the Ponies, Hunters, and Equitation have been Fuqua’s forte for most of her life, her roots stem from a decidedly dressage family. Her home base of Collecting Gaits Farm recently welcomed a new FEI level dressage mare to their barn, the aptly named Dream Girl. A bay mare shown through the Intermediaire I in Holland, Dream Girl arrived in Miami in the first few days of 2020. Under the guidance of dressage trainer (and Dream Girl’s scout) Jason Canton, Fuqua has already ridden the bay a few times in quarantine with the goal of competing and qualifying in the Junior/Young Rider divisions down the road.

“This was an amazing WEF 1 and I’m really excited for everything happening this year,” said Fuqua. “Riding Upside to a 90 was definitely a highlight, as that is the highest score I’ve ever received at WEF in a pony class. I also was really lucky to be able to ride Tori [Colvin’s] International Hunter Derby horse I Love Lucy in the 3’3″ Juniors to an 84 and third in the class. Dream Girl is a whole different style of riding, but one I’ve grown up around and am excited to develop a relationship with her.”

Kat Fuqua’s passion for horses is reflected not only in her highly decorated Pony Hunter, Equitation, and Junior Hunter rider results, but also in the joy and dedication she shows each time she swings into the saddle. Based out of Atlanta, Georgia and under the guidance of trainer Jimmy Torano, every aspect of Fuqua’s riding, training, and show career reflects a unique ardor for equines and horse sport. She balances her equestrian lifestyle with attendance as a full time 6th grade student at Holy Innocence Episcopal School and takes pride in developing alongside her horses. In addition to riding, Kat enjoys spending time with her school friends and her favorite subject is French.

For more information, visit www.KatFuqua.com.

Competitions, Hunter/Equitation, Pony, USEF

Kat Fuqua Outshines the Field in Marshall & Sterling/USEF Pony Medal Finals

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Kat Fuqua and Prestige.

Lexington, Ky. – Aug. 11, 2019 – The 2019 USEF Pony Finals, presented by Collecting Gaits Farm, drew to a close Sunday, with Kat Fuqua claiming the top honors in what is hailed as the capstone class of the week, the Marshall & Sterling/USEF Pony Medal Finals, to conclude her trip to the Kentucky Horse Park on a high note. Fuqua bested a field of nearly 200 riders aboard small, medium, and large ponies over two rounds of competition to emerge victorious with the ride on Prestige. The win marks Fuqua’s second of the week, after she piloted her own Prestige to the championship in the Large Regular Pony Hunters.

Website: www.kentuckyhorseshows.com

Contact: Rebecca Walton
phone 561.753.3389
rjw@phelpsmediagroup.com

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Hunter/Equitation, Kentucky Horse Shows, Show Jumping

Ellie Ferrigno and Discovery-O Go Clear to Top High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers

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Ellie Ferrigno and Discovery-O.

Lexington, Ky. – Aug. 2, 2019 – The final class on Friday in the Rolex Stadium during the Kentucky Summer Classic, the High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers, saw a field of nine horse-and-rider combinations vie for the blue ribbon. As the only double-clear performance over Bobby Murphy’s 1.35-40m course, Ellie Ferrigno topped the leaderboard on Discovery-O, breaking through the timers in 42.904 seconds. Mallory Vale on Elusive and Lindsey Strafuss on Calmaro 12 finished in second and third place, respectively.

Kat Fuqua and Cupido Z Earn Grand Junior Hunter Title

Junior Hunters closed out the Stonelea Ring Friday at the Kentucky Summer Classic with the presentation of the Grand Junior Hunter Championship presented by Visse Wedell. The top honor was presented to the pair that accumulated the most points over two days of competition in either the 3’3″ or 3’6″ sections of the Junior Hunter division. This week, it was Kat Fuqua and Cupido Z that reigned supreme.

Website: www.kentuckyhorseshows.com

Contact: Rebecca Walton
phone 561.753.3389
rjw@phelpsmediagroup.com

Competitions, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Daniel Coyle Clinches $50,000 Hermès Under 25 Grand Prix Final Win

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Daniel Coyle and CHS Krooze. Photo © Sportfot.

Ailish Cunniffe Named Series Champion

The final day of WEF 11 came to a close with the spotlight shining on the future stars of show jumping. Daniel Coyle (IRL) scored a victory in the $50,000 Hermès Under 25 Grand Prix Final riding CHS Krooze on the stunning grass Derby Field at Equestrian Village on Sunday, March 24.

Coyle guaranteed a six-horse jump-off from the final spot in the opening round and again saved the best for last by going clear in a blistering 39.83 seconds over the short course to bump Belgium’s Zoe Conter into second.

“This is my last year in the Under 25 and I think the series has been incredible for me,” said Coyle, 24, who started competing in the Hermès Under 25 Grand Prix Series four years ago. “Experiencing this format is a real help for when we’re older.”

Coyle got the ride on CHS Krooze, a nine-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare by Kroongraaf, in December after bringing the mount over from Ireland. He noted, “I didn’t expect her to be at this level already and that just proves that the Under 25 is a real good series for the horses as well.”

Fuqua and Brighton Are Best in Rosenbaum PLLC Large Pony Hunters

Kat Fuqua of Atlanta, GA rode her own Brighton to the Rosenbaum PLLC Large Pony Hunter division championship title on Sunday to close out WEF Week 11.

The 11-year-old rider and Brighton, a 10-year-old German Riding Pony gelding, topped the 20 entries in the division, sponsored by Rosenbaum PLLC, to win the Large Pony Hunter Under Saddle, one Large Pony Hunter over fences class, and the Large Pony Hunter Handy class. The duo also claimed second in the Large Pony Hunter Conformation for a total of 36 points in the division.

“He was really good,” said Fuqua of the gelding that she notably also rode to the Large Regular Pony Hunter Championship at the 2018 US Equestrian Pony Finals after sweeping all three phases of the national championship event. “On both of my ponies at the same jump, I went for the forward distance, and it wasn’t there. The ponies were right; I was wrong. I’m really happy with them.”

For full results, please visit pbiec.coth.com.

*Featured/Spotlights, Hunter/Equitation, Publications/Media

Kat Fuqua Takes Tennessee before Jumping onto the Set of Billy & Blaze

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Warrenton, VA (October 11, 2018) – Lighting up the show ring has been a common occurrence for Kat Fuqua and her team of hunter horses and ponies, but the accomplished pony and junior hunter rider found her talents being used in a totally new way this September. Fuqua and Finesse RF, known around the barn as Ladybug, recently starred as the protagonist’s competition during two weekends of shooting for a live action remake of the 1930s equestrian classic, Billy and Blaze, produced by Michael Erkel. Fresh off a series additional championship finishes with Ladybug and her other mounts during the Brownland Farm Fall I & II, Fuqua hopped on an early morning flight to make it on the set of Billy and Blaze, mounting up to add a new and exciting dimension to her equestrian career.

Ladybug, the top ranked USEF Medium Hunter Pony, and Fuqua, who was recently awarded overall Grand Champion Pony Hunter at the 2018 USEF Pony Finals, switched gears from competition mode to get in character for their role. The pair plays Billy’s top competition during one of the movie’s jumping scenes, where Fuqua, playing herself, and Ladybug, playing Pickles the pony, are bested by Billy, played by Henry Lesko, and Blaze during the final round of competition.

Director Cyndi Erkel guided Fuqua and her co-stars through the ins and outs of the movie business, ensuring that they were able to play their parts without getting nervous. Associate Producer Pat Hommel selected Fuqua for the part, and as the only female rider among a cast of men, Fuqua’s excitement to be involved and to see herself and her pony on the big screen could not be overstated: “Being on the movie set was really fun and so exciting,” said Fuqua. “Ladybug was a natural and didn’t mind the cameras above her while jumping! I had so much fun and would love to do it again. I made a lot of new friends: Catherine, Hugh, Wyatt, Ivan, Chloe, Jack, and Henry! I can’t wait to see how it all turns out.”

Billy and Blaze is set to be released by independent producer Michael Erkel next year after post production and is based on the series of children’s books by C. W. Anderson. Written and set in the 1930s, the classic equestrian story is a timeless story that is still in print today and is being adapted for the screen for the first time. For more information, visit www.billyandblazemovie.com.

Before getting a dose of Hollywood, Fuqua racked up 6 Championships and two Reserve titles aboard Ladybug, Brighton, RS Levitation, a.k.a. Jett, and Prestige, a.k.a. Prince, during the Brownland Farm Fall I & II. Held in Franklin, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville, the picturesque show grounds of Brownland Farm, owned by Sissie Brown Anderton, were a unique and beautiful backdrop for a fall horse show. Prince is a new large green pony mount for Fuqua, and the pair in their first show together took Champion week two and Reserve week one against a field of professionals in the USHJA 2’6″ Hunter division. She and Jett once again rode to victory during week one, Reserve during week two, and double wins in the Classic in the Under 15 Junior Hunters, while her USEF Pony Finals Grand Champion mount, Brighton, lit up the Large Pony division, taking both Champion and Hunter Classic Champion both weekends. Finally, her movie star mount Ladybug was awarded the Championship Medium Hunter Pony title both weekends and the Classic the second weekend, just before their career on the silver screen began.

As of October 8, the USEF ranks Kat Fuqua and her ponies as follows:

#1 Small Junior Hunter 15 and Under, RS Levitation
#1 Large Pony Hunter, Brighton
#1 Medium Pony Hunter, Finesse RF
#4 Large Pony Hunter, Chic In Time

As of October 8, Fuqua is ranked as follows in the USHJA Zone 4 Hunters:

#1 Junior Hunter Small Under 15, RS Levitation
#2 Junior Hunter Small Under 15, Calvaro
#1 Medium Pony Hunter, Finesse RF
#1 Large Pony Hunter Chic In Time

Fuqua narrowly takes second for the Leading Pony Hunter Owner, after finishing ranked #1 in 2017, while her ponies Finesse RF and Brighton are ranked Grand Pony Hunter Champion and Reserve Champion, respectively. Fuqua kicks off October with her two Junior Hunters, two large ponies, and the very special Ladybug in Harrisburg for the Pennsylvania National Horse Show followed by the Washington International Horse Show Championships. In total Fuqua qualified seven mounts, 5 ponies and two horses, with two being sold last spring, and is looking forward to seeing them there with their new riders.

For more information on Kat Fuqua, visit her website at www.KatFuqua.com.

Media contact:
PR and Marketing
Holly Johnson
Equinium Sports Marketing, LLC
www.equinium.com
holly@equinium.com
+1 954 205 7992

Championships, Equinium Sports Mktg., Hunter/Equitation, Pony, USEF

Fuqua and Brighton Power to New Heights

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Kat Fuqua and Brighton (Photo courtesy of Shawn McMillan)

Lexington, Kentucky (August 31, 2018) – A new gold standard set by a golden pony and his rider: the 2018 USEF Pony Finals presented by Collecting Gaits Farm saw the birth of a new superstar partnership and a new era in Pony Hunter competition. Kat Fuqua and Brighton were a world apart: sweeping their division and leading the field by over 30 points was the beginning; being crowned Overall Grand Pony Hunter Champion for the entire Finals was the bridge. And to clinch their extraordinary effort, having just turned 11 years old, Fuqua may be the youngest and highest scoring USEF Pony Finals Champion in the event’s history.

Fuqua, who came to have the ride on Brighton just a few months ago, went into the USEF Pony Finals aboard the flaxen maned pony with an undefeated record. They were to quickly prove their mettle by sweeping all three classes, a rare achievement, and garnering an impressive 1063.65 points, the highest cumulative score for a USEF Pony Finals competitor. With over 30 points differentiation between Champion and Reserve, Fuqua galloped to Overall Grand Pony Hunter Champion and is one of the youngest, if not the youngest ever, Grand Pony Finals Champions. Her trainer, Michael Newman, was awarded the Emerson Burr Perpetual Trophy, which recognizes the trainer of the Overall Champion at USEF Pony Finals and their contribution to the advancement of youth riders.

“Michael doesn’t put a lot of pressure on me, and even when I’m nervous before a big show like USEF Pony Finals he always finds a way to make me laugh before I go in the arena,” said Fuqua. “It teaches me the importance of being relaxed in the saddle. Brighton is such an easy, happy pony; I think that is what has made us click so well even though I haven’t known him that long.” Channeling this happy attitude instilled by her trainer, Kat’s team, including her mom and a few friends, decided to have a dance off to Earth, Wind, and Fire’s classic “Let’s Groove,” while waiting for her ride. Despite some level of embarrassment, Kat admits that the positive, relaxed atmosphere has contributed to her high scores in the show ring.

With Brighton taking the blue in the 10 & Under Large Pony Hunter, the Owner/Rider Large Pony Hunter, the Large Pony Hunter Championship out of a field of 147 Large ponies, and Grand Pony Champion out of 417 ponies of all sizes, it would be fair to assume that Fuqua’s other ponies may have fallen by the wayside. That was not the case, however, as she piloted her medium gray pony mare, Sasha Fierce, to Reserve Champion Overall in the 10 & Under Medium Green Pony Hunter, 12th in the Model Medium Green Pony Hunter, and 17th Overall in the Medium Green Pony Hunter out of 72 entries. Her Medium pony, Finesse RF, a.k.a. Ladybug, was also well placed: 6th overall in the 10 & Under Medium Pony Hunter, 7th in the Under Saddle Medium Pony Hunter, and 25th in the Overall Medium Pony Hunter out of a field of 167.

Because the USEF Pony Finals restricts riders to only one pony per division, Fuqua passed the ride on her other large pony, Chic in Time, aka Spicey, to her friend and another prominent champion equestrian Caroline Passarelli. Spicey and Passarelli were 2nd in the Under Saddle Large Pony Hunter, 15th in the Model Large Pony Hunter, and 3rd in the Large Pony Hunter Combined Model & Under Saddle.

With the whirlwind of USEF Pony Finals behind her, Fuqua then stepped into the irons of her Junior Hunter, RS Levitation, a.k.a. Jett, to take home the Division Championship at the 2018 Atlanta Summerfest III, held August 16-19, 2018. The Junior Hunter division has been a natural next step for Fuqua as she expands her horizons beyond just ponies, and she states that her success in the show ring comes from the support of her family as well as the advice guidance of trainer Michael Newman.

She and Jett also placed 3rd in the country during July’s USEF National Junior Hunter Championships before setting her sights on USEF Pony Finals and the Atlanta Summerfest. Fuqua’s next outing will be September’s Brownland Fall Horse Show Series in preparation for indoors at Harrisburg and Washington Championship Shows in October.

Fuqua’s USHJA Zone 4 rankings, also as of August 27, 2018, currently sees Finesse RF as the #1 Medium Hunter Pony, Chic in Time as the #1 Large Hunter Pony, RS Levitation as the #1 Junior Hunter Small 15 & Under, and her other Junior Hunter mount, Calvaro, as the #3 Junior Hunter Small 15 & Under.

For more information on Kat Fuqua, visit her website at www.KatFuqua.com.

Media contact:
PR and Marketing
Holly Johnson
Equinium Sports Marketing, LLC
www.equinium.com
holly@equinium.com
+1 954 205 7992

Hunter/Equitation, Phelps Media Group, Pony, USEF

Tessa Downey and Kat Fuqua Steal the Show at USEF Pony Finals

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Photo: Tessa Downey and Anisette.

Lexington, Ky. – Aug. 11, 2018 – The final and largest division of the week concluded with the over fences phase Saturday at the Kentucky Horse Park, closing out 2018 USEF Pony Finals competition in the hunter ring. Tessa Downey and Anisette were awarded the championship in the Medium Regular Pony Hunters ahead of a massive field of 163 other contenders, moving up from third position to earn the coveted tricolor. Boasting the highest cumulative score of the six divisions, Kat Fuqua and Brighton reigned supreme to capture the Grand Regular Pony Hunter championship title, while Downey and Anisette rode to the Grand Reserve Regular Pony Hunter honors, in addition to the Best Turned Out Award.

Beginning bright and early in the Walnut Ring, the expansive collection of entries in the Medium Regular Pony Hunters were in the spotlight for the majority of the day, but ultimately it all came do the final few pairs to tackle the course. With one championship already under her belt for the week, Maddie Tosh aimed to add another to her list with the reins aboard Peacock Ridge, LLC’s Smallwood Mystic, navigating the pony to a top score of 264 over fences and 1,019.52 overall, bumping them from 20th position to the top of the leaderboard. Tosh would retain her position until Downey and her own Anisette entered the ring as the third-to-last duo to take their turn over the fences. The pony-and-rider partners executed a textbook performance to the tune of 87, 88 and 89 for a total score of 264 over fences and 1,045.14 from the judges, overthrowing the sitting leaders. The final two pairs to ride, Caroline Signorino aboard Newhaven’s Magnum and Ava Berman with Toblerone, tried their best to match the efforts of their peers, but were unable to surpass the lofty scores earned by Downey and Anisette.

Proving that everything is bigger in Texas, Houston-based Downey fittingly nabbed the win ahead of the largest division of the week and was accompanied by a horde of supporters including family, friends, and the team at PJP Farm. Trained by Peter Pletcher, the 13-year-old rider is attending her fourth USEF Pony Finals, but the 2018 event marks her first time in the winner’s circle. The Downey family had reason to celebrate last year as the owners of News Flash, the pony that won this same division and the Grand Regular Pony Hunter title in 2017 with Augusta Iwasaki in the saddle, but this year the division win is even sweeter as Downey both owns and rode Anisette.

Tosh and Smallwood Mystic earned the reserve spot in the Medium Regular Pony Hunters, followed by Skye Kania and Sammy Kania’s Falling Moon Front Page in third position, up from their 12th place spot after the first two phases of competition. Baylee McKeever and Heritage Farm, Inc.’s Dream Come Blue nabbed the fourth position, and owner-rider Calder Trotz navigated Not So Secret to fifth overall.

Exemplifying the highest level of talent and ability across the three size-based Regular Pony Hunter divisions, Fuqua and Brighton added another accolade to their names as the winners of the Grand Regular Pony Hunter title. The first divisional champions of the week, Fuqua and her own Brighton modeled, hacked, and jumped their way to a two-day total score of 1,063.65 in the Large Regular Pony Hunters, impressively putting them in a league all their own more than 30 points ahead of the next-closest competitor in their respective division. Downey and Anisette had double the reasons to celebrate Saturday as the Grand Reserve Regular Pony Hunter winners.

Contact: Rebecca Walton
phone 561.753.3389 fax 561.753.3386
rjw@phelpsmediagroup.com