PONIES
Kat Fuqua
“I think they make the assumption, she’s 14 or 15, but at 11 years old, and once they realize that, people are very surprised, and they should be!”
Michael Newman, Trainer
After hiring the best trainers in the sport and using GumBits daily on all her ponies, Kat Fuqua has become a top ranked pony rider competing at the highest levels in Wellington, FL at WEF, USEF Collecting Gaits Farm Pony Finals in Lexington, KY, Devon Championships and Indoor Championships in Washington DC, Harrisburg, PA, and Capital Challenge in Upper Marlboro, MD. United States Hunter Jumper Association awarded Kat as the #1 top Pony Hunter Derby Rider, and Leading Pony Owner in 2017.
Kat has won over 50 pony hunter championships and two circuit championships at WEF that year. Kat went on to win multiple JR Hunter National Championships, top Equitation with multiple horses, before switching to FEI Dressage & FEI Jumpers, setting the international stage as well.
The Fuquas believe her success is contributed to GumBits used daily with their competition ponies and horses, as well as her natural talent and ability molded by the best trainers in the sport.
This PONY section is in HONOR OF MINDY DARST, exceptional Pony Judge & Trainer, one of the founders of Pony Finals.
“I LOVE TEACHING THE KIDS SO MUCH, IT MAKES ME REALLY HAPPY!” Mindy told KAT’s mom, Shereen, who said “Then keep doing it!” and orchestrated a riding party. They took Mindy and her twins, Maddy & John in a hot air ballon over their family farm just days before she past.
She lost her life to cancer but not before she saw her twins turn 18. She took a special interest less than a year before her passing in KAT. The Fuquas were new to the Pony Hunters and were unaware of who Mindy was. Mindy took KAT on as one of her only students in her last WEF Season. She told her mom KAT had alot of potential and would be a special rider.The Fuquas a year later honored Mindy by becoming the first ever TITLE SPONSOR of the COLLECTING GAITS FARM USEF PONY FINALS, the following year.
Augusta Iwasaki of USA
Lilly Kasselmann
Maddie Jordan
Kat Fuqua
JJ Torano
Abby Gordon
Naomi Clark
Augusta Iwasaki
Laura Ferrera of Poland
Kat Fuqua
Maren Hansen