Instagram brought this powerhouse pony and kid together.

"He’s always there, and he always helps me out, so that was really nice." Mimi Gochman finally has her Pony Finals championship.

Lexington, Ky.—Aug. 9

Sophie Gochman couldn’t contain her excitement.

Throughout her interview following her win the Marshall & Sterling/USEF Pony Medal, it was emanating from her, and she continually bounced on her heels as she grinned widely.

“I came in here thinking that it would be great to be in the top 10, because last year we were in the top 25,” said Gochman, 12. “So my goal was to be in the top 10. I never expected to win, and I did. And I was so excited. I’m so pumped!”

Lexington, Ky.—Aug. 8

How many riders at U.S. Pony Finals can say they saddle broke their own pony? We know of one for sure—individual gold medalist Elizabeth McDougald and her Pony of The Americas gelding Knock My Sox Off.

“That was amazing,” McDougald said, still sitting on "Sox" dressed in his navy blue championship cooler and wearing his tricolor ribbon as she walked him out around the outside of the Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park. “I was not expecting to go in there and do that well. It made my day; it was amazing.”

Lexington, Ky.—Aug. 8

Taking the tricolor in the last and largest hunter division at the U.S. Equestrian Federation Pony Finals, the regular mediums, was Woodlands Stevie Ray and Alexa Aureliano. 152 other ponies vied for the award, but it was ‘Stevie’ who took it with a win in the under saddle, a third place finish over fences, and ranked 58 in the model.

Aureliano, 13, has competed at Pony Finals three times previously, but this was her first time taking Stevie to the championship.