How to Win the Maclay Finals: Jacob Pope’s final round

At the Alltech National Horse Show, held over the weekend at the Kentucky Horse Park, Jacob Pope topped a competitive field to win the nation’s greatest equitation honor. Here’s a video of what I thought was the most interesting part of the class–the final test, in which the judges, Hap Hansen and George Morris, retired the top four riders to re-ride Round 2 on one another’s horses. The tricky course took its toll, tripping up the other finalists, but Jacob made his switch ride look effortless.

[summerthepony]

Molly Sorge did a fabulous job covering the show in its entirety for the Chronicle of the Horse; be sure to check out her complete coverage here.