LEXINGTON, Ky.--Olivia Sweetnam won the Pony Medal Finals in the Rolex Stadium of the Horse park in Lexington on Sunday, Aug. 15.

Oliivia Sweetnam  (by MacMillan Photography)Sweetnam comes by her talent naturally, as her parents are both equestrians, with her father Shane having competed as a member of the Irish Olympic team.

Sweetnam triumphed over 184 young riders who competed over Jasen Shelley’s course.

A total of 20 riders with 4 from the small section, 11 from the medium section, and 5 from the large section returned for the second round over another solid course.

Judges Lynn Forgione and Daniel Robertshaw required no further testing, and Sweetnam was declared the 2021 champion.

Sweetnam of Wellington, Fla., had a stellar first round with On Your Mark, Sweet Oak Farm’s 2008 Welsh pony gelding, to lead going into the second round.

 

SHE AND trainer Danny Arendt came up with a plan and Sweetnam executed it well.

“We were just hoping for a smooth, consistent round since yesterday went really well, and we were hoping for the same outcome today,” said Sweetnam.

For the second round, Sweetnam prepared in the warm-up ring and delivered another excellent performance when it mattered most.

“We planned the inside turns beforehand and practiced them in the schooling area so it was a bit easier in there," she said. "We had our plan set out from like six o’clock this morning when we saw the course.”

After claiming four reserve champion titles throughout the week, Sweetnam finally earned top honors.

Her hard work paid off, and she thanked her pony.

“I love him so much, said Sweetnam. “I can always put pressure on him and know that he won’t do anything wrong. If I ever need to pull out something big, he is the one I pull out because I know he has me covered.”

McKayla Brombach of Wimberley, Texas was reserve champion on California Dreamin’, and Maddie Tosh of Milton, Ga., was third on Storyteller.