A violent thunderstorm roared through Lexington, Va., during the U.S. Pony Clubs Championships East at the Virginia Horse Center, July 23-26. Nearby lightning strikes and high winds that reduced several region’s tents to piles of metal rubble couldn’t keep Pony Clubbers away from their horses, however.

Many dedicated preliminary eventing competitors braved falling branches on the winding country roads on Saturday night on the trek back to the horse park to hand walk their hardworking mounts.