The Legacy Cup Is On
Special Coverage by Diana DeRosa

Katie Dinan Believes in Keep Dreamin for a Vicotry in the Pony Hunter Finals at the Legacy Cup

Lexington, KY - “I was shocked when I found out I won,” commented Katie Dinan after she rode Keep Dreamin’ to win the Pony Hunter Finals and she earned (literally) the Leading Pony Rider Award in the Legacy Cup on Sunday, May 13. “I wasn’t expecting anything. I was just going in to have fun and hoping to get a good ribbon! I was really, really happy to win.”

The Leading Rider title was the result of Katie accumulating $2,016, the most money won by a rider in the pony division. The Leading Trainer Award for the first week of the Legacy Cup went to Lynn Jayne for having her riders accumulate the most prize money ($6,424). The Legacy Cup is part of the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows taking place in Lexington, KY, through May 19.

Riders had to qualify to compete in the Finals by first riding in the Saturday Go Round. That class was won by Cloudy Bay ridden by Shawn Casady and owned by Far Niente. A total of 32 horses competed in the Pony Division and 26 qualified for the Pony Finals. With the add back of $200 from their entry fees, the entire purse for the division was $8,900. The portion allocated to the Finals was $7,400 with the first place pony receiving a check for $2,016.

The Legacy Cup is unique in that it focuses on being different than the other typical Hunter classes. Riders receive more money and prizes thanks to an add-back format and the support of sponsors. Lanes End/The Farish Family sponsored the Pony Finals. Gifts to the horses and riders were thanks to Personalized Products, Essex Classics and Malvern Saddlery. The Cooler awarded to the winner was sponsored by Stacey Lefton Glick and Kings Crossing LLC. In addition, an anonymous Friend of the AHJF and the Legacy Cup provided each of the grooms of the top three placed horses in each class with a $100 cash prize. The winner of the Pony Finals was presented with The Delta Dawn Perpetual Trophy sponsored by Stacey Lefton Glick and Kings Crossing LLC.

Katie Dinan Keeps Dreamin

Thirteen-year-old Katie Dinan has been riding since she was 4 ½ and it’s obvious she loves her 10-year-old, large pony, palomino gelding who she calls Lucky (and when joking adds Duck to that nickname).

“He’s very sweet and always wants mints and apples, but he’s pretty easy going,” said Katie about the pony who took her to the Reserve Championship at the 2006 USEF Pony Finals.

“I was really happy with him today. I don’t think he could have done any better. He did everything I asked,” she continued adding that she believed it was the fact that “he makes a big effort over the jump, is round and has a nice pace” that gave her the points needed to win the class.

This was Katie’s first Legacy Cup and she was following what she feels she’s learned from riding. She went in not expecting anything because she believes it’s important “to be persistent and always try even if you have down times.”

She wanted to be sure to thank her trainers and her parents, who Katie says “have been extremely supportive.” Even though they couldn’t be together because her family was home celebrating Mother’s Day, Katie called her mom after each class. When she called after the last class it was to tell her she had a wonderful Mother’s Day present for her because she’d won her last class of the week.

Yet she also wanted to thank her pony. “I’m so happy with my pony. He was great,” she concluded.