Lexington, Ky. – USEF Pony Finals presented by Marshall+Sterling returns to the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky., Aug. 4-9, 2026. Members of the media wishing to cover the event are invited to submit their completed application form and waiver by Friday, July 24, 2026.  

Media seeking credentials must complete a criminal background check in accordance with the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s Background Check Policy. A USEF member or fan account will be required to complete the background check process. Visit www.usef.org/join to create a free fan account and access your member dashboard at members.usef.org to initiate your background check.  

Please fill out and return the media credential registration here and send your Kentucky State Waiver and Release of Liability to Danielle Henson, Sport Communications Manager, at [email protected].   

Background checks may take several weeks to process, so complete the initial steps as soon as possible. Background checks are to be paid by the applicant or their employer.

In addition, media are bound by the U.S. Center for SafeSport Code,  USEF Safe Sport Policy, and the Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies. This includes the SafeSport Training requirement for adult members and participants who have regular contact with or authority over minor athletes. Additionally, please be reminded about reporting obligations. Any concerns that are non-sexual in nature, including physical and emotional misconduct and MAAPP violations, please use the USEF Safe Sport Incident Reporting Form available on the USEF website or send an anonymous text on WhatsApp to 2USEF. Concerns or suspicions regarding sexual misconduct must be reported to https://safesport.i-sight.com/portal and the authorities if a minor is involved. All of this information can be found in the USEF Safe Sport Policy.

 

Pony Finals Private Client Photographer Policy  

No photographers will be allowed to cover the event for private clients, and those in violation will be asked to leave the competition grounds and be prohibited at all US Equestrian National Championships.  

For more information about the 2026 USEF Pony Finals, visit www.ponyfinals.org.