Every year in early August hundreds of pint-sized equines head to the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington for the competition, clinics and fun that make up USEF Pony Finals.

This year the schedule will be shaken up by changes to the pony jumper schedule thanks to an overhaul of the division. Those ponies will still compete in the Claiborne Ring, but the timing and divisions have changed. While the prize list includes small, medium, large and 1.05-meter categories, in practice there are now only two pony jumper divisions: small/medium and large. Both divisions will compete over three days; small/medium start on Wednesday, and larges start on Thursday.

The balance of the competition schedule for hunters and equitation remains similar to that of previous years, and as always there are loads of other events going on. Participants can decorate a golf cart for Thursday’s parade, check out the USHJA model clinics, which take place Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, and sign up to take the Emerson Burr Horsemanship Written Test; the hands-on final is on Friday.

Who: Check out the qualifying lists for the regular hunter ponies, green hunter ponies and the Marshall & Sterling/USEF Pony Medal Final.

When: Competition runs Tuesday to Sunday, Aug. 5-10.

Where: The Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. The hunters compete in the Rolex Arena, the jumpers compete in the Claiborne Ring, and the Marshall & Sterling/USEF Pony Medal Final takes place in the Alltech Arena.

Competition Schedule (all times Eastern): Here’s the competition schedule, which includes schooling times and some additional events.

Tuesday

Rolex Arena:
11 a.m. Medium pony hunter model and under saddle, then small green pony model and under saddle

Wednesday

Rolex Arena:
6:45 a.m. Small pony hunter model and under saddle, then medium pony hunter over fences, then small green pony hunter over fences

Claiborne Ring:
7 a.m. Pony jumper jog, then pony jumper training session, then small/medium pony jumper phase I

Thursday

Rolex Arena:
6:45 a.m. Medium green pony model and under saddle, then large green pony hunter model and under saddle, then regular small pony hunter over fences

Claiborne Ring:
7:30 a.m. Phase I large pony jumper, then small/medium pony jumper team rounds 1 and 2

Friday

Rolex Arena:
6:45 a.m. Large pony hunter model and under saddle, then medium green pony hunter over fences, then large green pony hunter over fences

Claiborne Ring:
7:30 a.m. Large pony jumper team rounds 1 and 2, then small/medium pony jumper farewell class, then small/medium pony jumper individual championship

Saturday

Rolex Arena:
8 a.m. Large pony hunter over fences

Claiborne Ring:
9 a.m. Large pony jumper farewell class, then large pony jumper individual championship

Sunday

Alltech Arena:
7 a.m. USEF Pony Medal Final (mediums go first, then larges, then smalls)

Other events: Check out times of events taking place outside the show ring here and here. Highlights include a USEF Town Hall focusing on horse and pony safety and welfare at 3 p.m. Tuesday in the covered arena classroom. (The town hall will not be livestreamed.)

Competitors can register to participate in a U.S. Hunter Jumper Association model clinic, with sessions at 7:30, 9 and 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, as well as 7:30 a.m. Wednesday. USHJA sponsors a mental skills class at 9:30 a.m. Thursday in the covered arena classroom, as well as a course walk clinic at 9 a.m. Friday in the covered arena and a judge’s perspective clinic at 10:15 a.m. Friday in the covered arena.

How You Can Watch: USEF Network powered by Clip My Horse.TV will stream the competition. A USEF membership is required to watch.

How You Can Follow Along: The Chronicle will be on site bringing you news and photos. Be sure to follow along at coth.com and on Facebook and Instagram @chronofhorse. See the Chronicle’s coverage of USEF Pony Finals in the Sept. 26 issue of the magazine.

Useful Links And Information:

Competition schedule
Hospitality schedule
The USEF Pony Finals website
Results