You know them from the famous WIHS Shetland Pony Steeplechase Championship series. You’ve seen them parade around dressed to run. You’ve seen them gallop and jump.
And now you get to meet the tiny ambassadors of racing up close and personal, as we went Behind The Stall Door with seven of the ponies of U.S. Pony Racing. Meet Truffles, Olney Quick Draw McGraw, Frosted Flakes, Knight’s Taffy, Olney Victor, Cricket and Sail The Sun:
Rylan VanCourt and Truffles
Rylan VanCourt is a neighbor of U.S. Pony Racing director Regina Welsh, and Truffles lives at Welsh’s farm. Truffles is an aged silver dapple mare (Chocolate Bomb—Sweet Treat).
VanCourt also shows in the hunter ponies, but she likes the pony races because, “I like how you can go forward!” she said.
Anna Farber and Olney Quick Draw McGraw
Anna Farmer rode “Quickie” to third in the May 30 race at Devon. “I just love racing him because he loves to jump. He’s easy usually, but he can be difficult sometimes. He’ll go around a jump or pull his head down,” Farmer said of the aged silver dapple gelding (Olney Yerxes—Olney Whoopee).
Farmer, who also foxhunts, has ridden Quickie in two races this year prior to Devon, but both on the flat. Quickie is owned by U.S. Pony Racing and Welsh loans him out to aspiring pony jockeys.
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Frosted Flakes
Frosted Flakes won the first Devon race—the maiden hurdle—on May 29 with owner Kiley Ahn aboard, but sat out the May 30 race at Devon. “He’s a registered Shetland, but he doesn’t look much like it!” Welsh said.
Knight’s Taffy and Savannah Smith
Knight’s Taffy did double duty at Devon, racing both days. She was second on May 29 with Mariah Smith, 8, and then won the May 30 race with Savannah Smith aboard. The sisters lease the 18-year-old paint mare from owner Taylor Brinsfield, who raced her in WIHS Shetland Steeplechases.
Savannnah and Knight’s Taffy
“She events too,” Savannah said. “She jumps kind of funny. She jumps like a bunny—she hops. But she’s funny, too. If I kick really hard, she stops and tries to bite my leg.”
Savannah and Mariah both event on Knight’s Taffy, and they take her to Pony Club rallies. Savannah is a D-3 Pony Clubber and Mariah is a D-2. Mariah took Taffy to their local games rally this spring.
Cricket the Wonder Pony
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Cricket is a famous racing pony and has his own Facebook page. His age is unlisted, and he’s a silver dapple color—his breeding is listed as (Jiminy—Grasshopper) but that’s somewhat tongue-in-cheek. He’s 9.3 hands tall and he’s played polocrosse, foxhunted and has spent many a Halloween dressed up.
Scarlet Davies, daughter of steeplechase jockeys Joe and Blythe Davies, rode Cricket to second in the May 30 race at Devon and also claimed the Charles Owen Safest Ride award.
Scarlet Davies and Cricket (left) with Victor and McKenna O’Neil
Space was a bit tight at Devon, so Cricket and Victor bunked together for the day in a stall. Victor (TT—Olney Ms. Menzies) is an aged gelding owned by Mindy Soethe. He finished in fourth on May 30 at Devon with O’Neil aboard.
Sail The Sun with Harry McMahon (left) and his sister, Elizabeth.
Sail The Sun, an 8-year-old gelding of unlisted breeding, lives at the McMahon’s farm. Harry, 9, is the keenest rider of four children. He fell off while challenging for the lead, but will be back. “He goes fast!” Harry said of his pony.
“This isn’t my first time racing, but it’s my first time racing at Devon. My dad is the boss of a stable. He’s a trainer and races horses.” Harry’s father, Hugh, is a flat racing trainer out of Laurel racetrack.
Want to keep up with the Shetland steeplechasers? Follow them on U.S. Pony Racing and the WIHS Shetland Steeplechase series.