Pony of the Americas Club, Inc.

December 2009

Hayley Dolan

Thanks for the Memories...

From the moment that I saw my first pony, Beaver, standing in the snow in Hutchinson, Kansas, I had no idea what an incredible journey I was about to embark on showing POAs!

Fate was on my side when we decided to bring Beaver’s Best Yet home with us! He was the best teacher I could ask for. He taught me everything I needed to know about the ins and outs of showing. He was always so patient with me and never threw a fit when I rode him. He was also the pony who first instilled a love for timed events in me, you wouldn’t have known it by looking at him, but Beaver was a superb game pony and always a blast to run! When I moved into 13- 18, I decided I needed a junior pony, and along came Midas Touch of Gold! Even though

Midas is my one and only, and he came into this world a POA, he will not leave this world as a POA! I only got to show Midas for a short time but he did very well and we had a great run together. When Midas grew too tall for POAs, the thought actually came across my mind to leave the POA world, but there was a horse that I had always admired and loved, and if I was going to stay in POAs, there was only one horse that I wanted to ride, and that was Driftwoods Montego Bay. It took us over a year to track him down, but he was worth the wait, and has made my last few years in showing extraordinarily exciting and successful. I didn’t know I could bond so quickly with a horse, but for Tego and me, it was a perfect match!

Words cannot convey how the world of POAs has changed my life. I have made life-long friends that span the country and the experiences and lessons I have learned from showing will carry with me throughout my life. There are many people that I owe a big thanks to, starting with the entire McKenzie family, for first of all, introducing me to the POA world, but also for finding Beaver for me, selling me Midas, and training Tego. Kathy, you are the BEST!! I would also like to thank all of the Stoneridge families we traveled with for the good times, and of course, all my show buddies! These shows wouldn’t have been the same without you! And Lizzy, thanks for being there with me though all the years. We all sure had a blast. I would also like to thank my family: Mom, thanks for letting me drag you across the country to all those shows and for putting up with me, Dad, thanks for understanding how much I love showing and the horses and always begrudgingly coughing up the funds! And Mitch, even though I know you don’t like horses, you stuck out International and even fed for me when I was in a bind!

And Tego, thanks for giving me the ride of a lifetime!
Hayley Dolan