Mill Spring, N.C. – The 2026 USEF Combined Driving National Championships for Ponies & Para Driving concluded Sunday at Tryon International Equestrian Center, capping a beautiful week of competition in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains as part of the Tryon Fall CDE. Sixteen combinations competed for national championship titles. 

Advanced Single Pony National Champion: Sarah Reitz and Fferm Gwenffrwd Onyx Star 

Sarah Reitz (Honeoye Falls, N.Y.) and Fferm Gwenffrwd Onyx Star, her own 2007 Welsh pony gelding (Hilin Peredur x Cottrell Charmer), claimed the Single Pony national title, winning with a final score of 144.66.

“‘Onyx’ is just the most super, best pony ever," Reitz said. "He doesn't stop trying, even though he's 19. He just keeps trying."  

The pair posted the third-best FEI dressage score of the week; a phase Reitz said has historically been a challenge for the partnership. Onyx also claimed the best FEI marathon score for the fourth time this year, following wins at Live Oak, Bromont, and an earlier Tryon show.  

Brandy Snedden (Thornville, Ohio) and Mischief Managed, her own 2017 Welsh Pony cross (Shenandoah Tristram x Stormy), finished second place after cones with a total score of 178.86, adding another national title as reserved champions to their resume. 

Advanced Pair Pony National Champion: Patti Rozensky with LLF Bella Luce and LLF Lucent 

Patti Rozensky (Archer, Fla.) earned the Pair Pony title driving LLF Lucent, known as “Luke,” her own 2012 Hackney gelding (Attraction’s Debonaire LF x LLF Special Secret), alongside LLF Bella Luce, known as “Bella,” her own 2017 Hackney mare (Valedictorian x Victory Ways), making her FEI debut as part of a pair, finishing with a final score of 226.13.  

It marked the first time Rozensky has driven a pair at the FEI three-star level.  

"It's very exciting. It was a great show, and we had a great time," Rozensky said. "I’m so thankful for the team that I have, and my coach and trainer, Elizabeth Keathley, and my former coach, Gary Yeager."  

Looking ahead, Rozensky said she, Bella, and Luke will keep building on the weekend's result: "We just look forward to improving everything."  

Advanced Four-in-Hand Pony National Champion: Mary Phelps with Al Capony, Bugsy Malony, Tony Da Pony, Fernando, and Bignrich Fortune Tap 

Mary Phelps (Micanopy, Fla.) piloted a team of American-bred ponies to the Advanced Four-in-Hand Pony title, three of them classic American Shetland ponies including Al Capony, Busgy Malony, and Bignrich Fortune Tap, her own American Shetland mare (Big N Rich FMF x Thistle Ridge B.P. Silhouette), as well as two Welsh Ponies, Fernando, her own 2017 Welsh Pony gelding (Unknown x Unknown) and Tony da Pony, her own Shetland/Welsh Cross (Unknown x Unknown). Phelps’ team finished with a final score of 274.16.  

"What I'm most proud of is these are all American bred," Phelps said.  

Two of her team members, Al Capony, her own 2010 American Shetland Pony gelding (Valbrook’s Chewbacca x F.L.F. Forever Amber) and Bugsy Malony, her own 2007 American Shetland Pony gelding (Valbrook’s Chewbacca x F.L.F. Bamboo Foxx), have been competing together for 12 years.  

"They're veterans," Phelps said. "It was really an honor to come here [with all of them]. It was worth the whole trip to make it here from Florida. Tryon is such a beautiful venue and the organization is great." 

On what keeps her coming back to the sport, Phelps said: "Horses are everything. They each have so much heart. They've been doing this with me for many years." 

Para Driving National Champion: Deborah Marcuccilli and Fferm Gwenffrwd Duramax 

Deborah Marcuccilli (Honeoye Falls, N.Y.) topped the Para Driving division driving Fferm Gwenffrwd Duramax, a 2010 Welsh stallion (Hilin Peredur x Cotterall Charmer), owned by Sarah Reitz, a title three years in the making, finishing with a final score of 201.80.  

"It's pretty awesome! I can't believe it," Marcuccilli said.  

She credited the combined driving community around her for making the achievement possible, thanking her coach, Sarah Reitz, her navigator, and her pony for their support throughout the process.  

"It's already hard enough to get to a national championship as a para-athlete, but without them it wouldn't have happened," Marcuccilli said. "I hope this shows other para drivers that it is possible and it makes them feel that it is just as inclusive." 

Training Single Pony National Champion: Madeline Kurz and Rainfall  

Madeline Kurz (Lexington, Ky.) and Rainfall, a 2021 Hackney gelding (Windfall x Star), owned by Leslie Berndl, topped a field of three, posting a 60.49 in dressage, a 45.36 in marathon, and a clean 7.38 in cones for a final score of 113.23. Elizabeth Keathley (Williston, Fla.) and Weathermont Star at Dawn, a 2019 Morgan mare (Weathermont Ethan x Weathermont Miss Amanda), owned by Lisanne Dorion, finished second for the reserve champion title on a final score of 119.53, with Cynthia Wiseman (Springfield, Mo.) and Jungle Book her own 2021 American-bred Oldenburg gelding (Jungle Boogie x St. Champana Amore), rounding out the top three with a score of 126.17  

Training Pair Pony National Champion: Rebecca Jones with Tegan Medallion and Aldercroft Lady Persephone  

Rebecca Jones (Christiana, Tenn.) finished with her team, Tegan Medallion, her own 2021 Welsh Pony mare (Lascaux Ginkgo Wilson x Synod Rosanne) and Aldercroft Lady Persephone, her own 2022 Welsh Pony mare (Synod Lord Percival x Halcyonia Mystique), on a final score of 141.49 to capture the national championship. 

Intermediate Single Pony National Champion: Alice Baughman and Ragtime Up in Smoke  

Alice Baughman (Ridgeville, S.C.) and Ragtime Up in Smoke, her own 2007 Morgan gelding (Robbie Sue’s Sweet Success x Velvet Midnight Lace), earned the national championship title with a final score of 128.00. Kate Aparicio (La Canada, Calif.) and SF Spice Girl, her own 2015 German Riding Pony mare (Smoke Tree Snapdragon x Frolic) finished second to earn the reserve national championship honors with a score of 132.11, while Kari Harmon (Westminster, S.C.) and Greystoke's Gemini, her own 2008 Welsh Pony Cross (Land’s End Thimbleberry x Denan’s Prospect) rounded out the top three with a score of 143.27. 

Intermediate Pair Pony National Champion: Esther Wright and Middendorp's Stitch, Nostradamus, and Schermeer's Hof Figaro  

Esther Wright (Ocala, Fla.) and her team that included Middendorp's Stitch, her own 2008 Welsh pony gelding (Heitrak’s Marvin x Ammiklage’s Sungmi), Nostradamus, her own 2017 German Riding Pony (No Limit x Venja), and Schermeer's Hof Figaro, her own 2008 Welsh Pony gelding (Heitrak’s Marvin x Schermeer’s Hof Feline), earned the Intermediate Pair Pony National Champion title with a final score of 149.48. 

Preliminary Single Pony National Champion: Dana Diemer and Clarwood Mack the Knife  

Dana Diemer (Raeford, N.C.) and Clarwood Mack the Knife, her own 2011 Welsh Pony gelding (Courtway Formal Attire x Banquo Gwenhwyfar), earned the national championship with a final score of 107.29.  

Preliminary Pair Pony National Champion: Megan Fullgraf and Bayshore Pastime and Tulipkings Maverick  

Megan Fullgraf (Reidsville, N.C.) and her pony pair team, Bayshore Pastime, a 2011 Dartmoor Pony (Farnley Swing Time x Shenandoah Atlantis) and Tulipkings Maverick, a 2016 Dartmoor Pony gelding (Bayshore Thorn x Tulipkings Gipsy Queen), earned the national championship title with a final score of 119.15, ahead of Liz Murray (Asheville, N.C.) with TF Tinkerbell, her own 2015 Shetland/German Riding Pony mare (TF Grover x Winter) and TF Kiki, her own 2016 Shetland/German Riding Pony mare (TF Grover x Winter), who earned the reserve championship with a score of 135.70. 
 
Results 

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