2013 POA Congress: Leonard Lewis and Daniels Futurity Winners, “Double” Dutch Daytona and Emily Herzberg

EC Blog- POA News with Becky Solberg:

Dutch Daytona and Emily Herzberg had the show of a lifetime at the POA National Congress in July. Emily and “Dutch” won both the Leonard Lewis Futurity and Daniels Futurity along with numerous other Championships and Reserve Championships.

The Leonard Lewis Futurity is a western pleasure futurity for junior ponies, ages five and under, with riders 18 years old and under.

“My first direction felt really, really good,” Emily said. “I wasn’t sure [if] I had a big enough extended jog until we came back to the regular jog. Then, I knew for sure. For our second direction, our lope felt really consistent and nice, and he was going on a nice drape.”

The Daniels Futurity is a hunter under saddle futurity for junior ponies with any aged rider. There was a field of 37 talented ponies, and Emily was one of the youngest riders in the field, so she had a lot of work to do.

“I was really nervous,” Emily commented. “I had to compete against my trainer too; she used to show Dutch! He was so good in his cut and in the finals. It is so easy for him. Even though I was really nervous, I just tried to have fun.”

This is Emily and Dutch’s first year showing together. Emily is an 11-year-old from Melrose, Wisconsin.

Dutch is no stranger to the show pen. Back in 2011, Dutch won the McClaren Futurity at the Reichert Celebration. Emily says that she is going to be riding Dutch for the rest of her time in the POA pen.

“He’s kind of a dork in some ways. He’s funny, sweet, and nice. My favorite classes with Dutch are the hunt seat classes. He’s really good in those!”

Emily also shows a senior pony in pattern classes and senior rail classes.

“Congress was amazing,” said Emily’s mother, Liz Herzberg. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of show for us. I don’t think Emily actually realizes all she accomplished. I was so proud to see what a poised, elegant rider Emily has become. It was so rewarding to see how all the training, lessons, and showing have brought her to this level at such a young age. I was equally proud of Dutch to see how he’s grown into such an amazing youth horse who took such good care of his youth rider. He’s like another one of my kids too, because we have owned him since he was a baby.”

We wish Emily and Dutch continued success in the future! We encourage you to come join the fun at the next POA Congress which is going to be held at the Tulsa Expo Center in Tulsa, OK, July 8 – 18 2014!