Darst Dominates In The Greens

Meredith Darst knows a little something about USEF Pony Finals. After all, as the daughter of pony hunter guru Mindy Darst she’s been coming to this competition for as long as she can remember. 

But today, Thursday, Aug. 6, proved her best day yet, when she rode Kimberden’s Brownland’s Mr. Mack and All Seasons Farm’s Rock The Boat to the small green and medium green pony hunter championships in Lexington, Ky., as well as the grand green and reserve grand green titles.

Brownland’s Mr. Mack won the model, hack and over fences to take the small and grand pony hunter titles. His gorgeous trip over fences earned him 90s across the board—no small feat in a spooky ring that had plenty of young mounts planting their heels or racing toward the in-gate. Reserve honors went to Devin Seek’s Gracefully Yours and Ashton Alexander.
   
“Maddie’s done all the work,” said Mindy, who co-chairs the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association’s Pony Hunter Task Force. “There’s never been a pro on that pony before—or anyone else really. I think she let her [younger] brother sit on him once, maybe.”

Kim Burnette-Mitchell has owned the now-5-year-old gelding since he was a weanling, and couldn’t be happier with the fantastic progress he has made with Maddie.

“[Brownland Farm owners] Mack and Sissy Anderton are very dear to me, and I named Brownland’s Mr. Mack and Brownland’s Miss Sissy to honor them,” said Burnette-Mitchell.  “It’s such a blessing for them both to come out so well.”

Maddie’s medium green mount Rock The Boat topped the over fences and under saddle classes to clinch the championship over Let’s Play Two and Madeline Placey. While he was thrilled with the championship, trainer Tom Wright couldn’t say he was surprised. He trained Rock The Boat’s mother, Dreamboat, who dominated the pony hunters a decade ago.

“[All Seasons Farm owners] The Lindners chose to breed their mares who have really special attributes to pass on and Dreamboat was amazing,” said Wright. “Rock The Boat is another really fantastic pony.”

The 6-year-old gelding, who is by Lands End Poseidon, started with Maddie at the beginning of this year in Wellington, Fla. “When we started this winter, the lead changes were really hard for me,” said Maddie. “We had to practice a lot, but now he’s great. He’s really been good the whole time.”

Wright had nothing but praise for the talented rider from Lebanon, Ohio. “She’s a very mature rider,” he said. “Maddie actually performs better under pressure. I’ve trained a lot of great riders before, and I see an awful lot of potential in her. She reminds me of a Clara Lindner or an Emily Williams.”

The only championship that got away from Maddie went to Cassius Clay and Dana Rizzo. A fourth-placed over fences round clinched the title for the pair from Wall, N.J.. A lovely trip by Scott Stewart’s Sally and Mark Goetzmann propelled the palomino to reserve honors, with Vermont Show Me The Gold and Jessica Herzog earned the highest scores over fences.

Rizzo couldn’t have been happier with her 5-year-old’s performance during the festival-like atmosphere of USEF Pony Finals.

“My trainer Nona Garson was horse shopping in Germany when she found him,” said Rizzo, Wall, N.J. “She called my mom and said, 'You’ve got to see this pony!’ And the next thing you know, he was over here.”