This month, Missoula local, Chelsea Agro, and her pony, Polly Pocket, take the national stage at the Marshall + Sterling United States Hunter Jumper Association National Championships in Las Vegas. While their collection of points and ribbons got them to the competition, they share an even bigger story about strength and pursing joy beyond the course.
Chelsea has been riding since childhood, but last year was a hard one. She almost decided to give up on returning to her competitive roots in the discipline of jumping. A tough second pregnancy and delivery, coupled with being a new mom all over again, eroded the strength she had honed through years of balancing that tension and flow in the saddle.
“I was used to being an athlete, and suddenly everything I tried to do in my body was so hard in a new way,” Chelsea said. Even though her body wasn’t cooperating, Chelsea’s heart still yearned to compete and, most importantly, to have fun doing it—a lesson she learned from her father. “He was always in pursuit of joy. He’s the one who bought me my first horse, Raven, who I still have. Even when money was tight and times were tough, he made sure I could always compete. He took me to all the shows. As a mom to two very active boys, I see how much that’s worth. It was a very selfless thing,” she said.
Her spark reignited when Chelsea found Polly Pocket—a pony with the heart of a competitor and sass of a showgirl. “She was only 5 years old but young kids were riding her, everyone loved her—she just had that specialness about her that’s really hard to find. And she loves the spotlight. This was my chance to have a second childhood dream; hence the name Polly Pocket, which is my nod to 90’s nostalgia,” she said. In December of 2025 they began working with trainer Katy Nichwander, owner of On Point Sport Horses in Florence. “We have weekly lessons to develop Polly, and myself. To make us a more cohesive team every week. Earlier this year, I went to physical therapy for three months so I didn’t wince while I rode anymore. Rebuilding myself and being strong again was such a gift to myself and to Polly,” said Chelsea.
Polly and Chelsea proved their readiness during their very first show earlier this year at Rebecca Farm in Kalispell. “This was Polly’s first time competing with me, but she was incredible. We won back-to-back Champion ribbons,” said Chelsea. The next weekend, at the Five Valleys Pony Club Horse Show at the Big Sky Horse Park in Missoula, they won Reserve Champion. The pair traveled to Great Falls twice throughout the summer to two other schooling shows, chasing points and experience for the young pony. It was bought to Chelsea’s attention sometime over the summer that she would be nominated to compete as an affiliate rider in the National Championship in Las Vegas, representing Montana through the Montana Hunter Jumper Association.
Their invitation to compete at the highest level is noteworthy because Chelsea and Polly make up a combo rarely seen on the national stage. “You don’t see a lot of young horses winning every show they enter and then being invited to a championship in their first show season. She just really enjoys this work,”explained Chelsea. “One of the gifts that this year has brought, besides Polly and her shared loved for this sport, is the relationship with my trainer Katy. We banter back and forth during my lessons and sometimes I’ll laugh at the fact that I bought a pony just so I could canter and jump and hopefully show again, and here we are, going to a championship together in the first year. I was on a no-plan plan and just pursued the long-game with Katy, building a nice pony little by little, and Polly has been showing up big time along the way.”
This month Chelsea will ride in two sections: the Marshall+Sterling USHJA Affiliate Adult Hunter 2’ and USHJA Affiliate Equitation 2’ 18 & over. Chelsea has a whole posse joining her in Vegas. It’s the ‘Polly Posse.’ When Chelsea and Polly step into that arena to gracefully jump over those hurdles, spectators will witness two souls simply thrilled to be performing at their best, together. “I’ve been showing up for her when I’m too tired, too hot, too cold, too whatever. She keeps me accountable. She sticks her cute little face over the fence and waits for me every day to come get her, and that’s my why,” said Chelsea. “Plus, Polly wants to win. This is definitely her choice. When I go to put her halter on, she dips her head low enough for me to kiss between her ear and forelock. That’s how much she wants to go. Championship or not, there is so much gratitude to be found in the friendship I have with her.”
"She was only 5 years old but young kids were riding her, everyone loved her—she just had that specialness about her that’s really hard to find."