The Medium Pony Hunter Champion was Swingtown with 10 year old Zayna Rizvi in the irons. A point total of 16 gave Rizvi, of Greenwich, CT, and Swingtown, a 12 year old chestnut gelding owned by Peacock Ridge LLC, the tricolor.

Zayna’s win was quickly followed by big sister Farah’s efforts in the Large Pony Hunter Division.  Farah, 12, was Champion of the division with her pony, Glynhafan Red Kestral with 22 points.  Farah and Glynhafan Red Kestral were named Grand Pony Hunter Champion and Farah was named Best Junior Rider on a Pony.

The two sisters, standing side by side, were noticeably proud of their accomplishments.  When they spoke it was in unison, stating that it was great to both walk away with a division championship from the show.

“I really wanted to do well at this horse show so this is really exciting for me,” said Farah Rizvi.  “My pony is really fun to ride.  He’s a good boy, he likes to jump and he likes his job, and he’s taught me how to do lead changes better.  I have a hunter and a jumper, but I want to stay with the ponies, at least for a while.”

Farah and her younger sister took an interest in riding because their mother, P.J. Rizvi, an avid dressage rider, owns Breaking Dawn, the horse that competed for Canada at the London Olympic Games under Ashley Holzer.  The girls, as well as their older sister, prefer jumping to dressage.

“It was a good day for them,” added Mom.  “It could have gone either way, but this was a great result.”

No one could beat Lila Mark, 12, of New York, NY, and IParty, her 8 year old half Welsh mare, in the Small Pony Hunter Division, as the tiny rider topped a field of 28 small ponies to take the championship honors.  Their consistent placings over two days of competition gave them the edge in the standings.