2023 Marshall & Sterling Insurance/USHJA National Championships Award First Tricolors

Las Vegas, Nev.—Nov. 17, 2023—The first Hunter, Jumper and Affiliate Equitation division champions of the 2023 Marshall & Sterling Insurance/USHJA National Championships were crowned on November 16. Held alongside The Las Vegas National CSI4*-W, the Championships will award tricolors through November 19.

USHJA 3' Green Hunter Championship

Natalie Rae Sibert, of Orange, California, rode her own Sligo to the USHJA 3' Green Hunter Championship title after winning the $500 3' Green Hunter Welcome, the $500 3' Green Hunter Handy and taking reserve in the $1,000 3' Green Hunter Stake. Sibert was awarded the 3' Green Hunter Division Perpetual Trophy donated by Tapestry Farm and The Struve Family for her win. The pair also picked up the win in the $1,000 3’/3’3” Green Hunter Incentive Stake Class.

Katie Jones, of Guthrie, Oklahoma, rode No Reserve, owned by Maehunt Sport Horses LLC, to reserve honors after winning the $500 3' Green Hunter Under Saddle and the $1,000 3' Green Hunter Stake. 

USHJA 3'3" Green Hunter Championship

Guy Cambria, of Upperville, Virginia, riding Amy Squier Perez's Figure of Speech were USHJA 3'3'' Green Hunter Champions and earned the 3'3'' Green Hunter Division Puissance R' Trophy donated by Steve and Lisa Hankin. The pair topped the $500 3'3'' Green Hunter Welcome and took reserve in the $500 3'3'' Green Hunter Handy and $500 3'3'' Green Hunter Under Saddle on their way to the title.

"Figure of Speech came to us at Code Four Show Stables in February, and we have been working with him doing the 3'3'' Greens all year," Cambri said of his ride. "He's only 7 and has shown very little compared to other horses. This year he won at WEC and has taken reserve at the Washington Regional. He is definitely a cool cucumber under pressure."

"Our 2-year-old daughter [rides] around on him with us and he's just a really good horse," he continued. "He just wants treats and to be loved; there really is nothing bad to say about this horse."  

Jaime Sailor, of Moorpark, California, aboard Yours Truly, owned by Barbi Pappas, took home reserve champion after winning the $500 3'3'' Green Hunter Handy and taking second in the $500 3'3'' Green Hunter Welcome. 

USHJA 3'6"/3'9"​ Green Hunter Championship

Dustin Goodwin, of Portland, Oregon, and Out of the Blue, owned by Francesca Helina, took the titles for the USHJA 3'6"/3'9"​ Green Hunter Championship, Grand Champion Green Hunter and High Score Green Hunter Rider from earning a 90 in the $500 3'6"/3'9" Green Hunter Handy. Together the pair also took first in the $500 3'6"/3'9" Green Hunter Welcome and $2,500 3'6"/3'9" Green Hunter Classic and second in the $1,000 3'6"/3'9" Green Hunter Stake.

"[Out of the Blue] is a 12-year-old warmblood who was imported less than two years ago and started doing the Hunters last year," Goodwin said of his mount's background. "I injured myself this spring so this has been our big return to the show ring. It feels really, really good [to have won] and I am so lucky I get to ride him; he is just amazing."

"All my clients really wanted to come here because it's a super fun show," Goodwin continued. "They make it feel so special. It's such a different vibe to come to a horse show where you're all in this giant building and never have to leave to go to a restaurant every night. You can go see a movie, go to the casino and go to your [hotel room] without [leaving the building]."

Aedan Mooney, of Golden, Colorado, and Brannon Loomis Mooney's Valor claimed reserve after finishing first in the $1,000 3'6"/3'9" Green Hunter Stake and second in the $500 3'6"/3'9" Green Hunter Under Saddle and $500 3'6"/3'9" Green Hunter Handy. 

USEF/USHJA 1.20m Open Jumper National Championship

Skylar Wireman, of Bonsall, California, started a winning streak with West Port, owned by Kate Parker. The pair were named USEF/USHJA 1.20m Open Jumper National Champions after topping the $1,000 1.20m Welcome and the $10,000 1.20m Grand Prix. 

"[West Port] was originally bought as a Hunter and Equitation horse, but earlier this year, we discovered that he really likes Jumpers," Wireman said of her mount. "He has a great time in the jumpers and loves to go fast. He is a really sweet horse who loves his job."

"[Being this year's Champion] feels quite incredible," she continued. "This is such a fun show and I won the Grand Prix last year on a different horse, so to be the Champion and win again is really amazing."

Crystal Nelson, of Watsonville, California, brought home reserve honors after a fast first-place finish in the $1,000 1.20m Speed with Sadie Willoughby's Don Juan Des Isles. 

USEF/USHJA 1.30m Open Jumper National Championship

Wireman continued her domination in the USEF/USHJA 1.30m Open Jumper National Championship, taking home the title aboard MJ Kaplan's Karen and reserve with Dustin Resnik's Cielo. Wireman and Karen topped the $1,000 1.30m Welcome and $1,000 1.30m Speed together, while she and Cielo topped the $20,000 1.30m Grand Prix.

With five class wins under her belt, Wireman was presented with the Open Jumper Leading Rider award. 

USEF/USHJA 1.30/1.35m Junior/Amateur Jumper National Championship

Vanessa Gardner, of Ontario, Oregon, and Sherry Gardner's Casily took the USEF/USHJA 1.30/1.35m Junior/Amateur Jumper National Championship title after taking first in the $1,000 1.30m Junior/Amateur Jumper Welcome and $1,000 1.30m Junior/Amateur Jumper Speed together. Whitney Wickes, of Sheridan, Wyoming, riding her own Chapeau, claimed Reserve Champion after topping the $10,000 1.35m Junior/Amateur Jumper Grand Prix.

USHJA Affiliate Equitation 17 & Under 2'​ Championship

Olivia Krezel, of Bozeman, Montana, rode Laura Love's Macaroni to the USHJA Affiliate Equitation 17 & Under 2'​ Championship. The duo was nominated by the Yellowstone Hunter Jumper Association and topped an Over Fences class.

RWE Sazerac, owned by Anjelica Glosup, was piloted to the reserve title by Sophia Hurtig, of Valencia, California. The Los Angeles Hunter Jumper Association-nominated pair won an Over Fences class on her way to the honor.

USHJA Affiliate Equitation 18 & Over 2' Championship

PJ Anderson, of Phoenix, Arizona, and her own Arezzo earned the title for the USHJA Affiliate Equitation 18 & Over 2' Championship after topping a Flat and an Over Fences class. Anderson was nominated by the Arizona Hunter Jumper Association.

Picking up reserve honors was Jennifer Preman, of Reno, Nevada, and her own Res.U.Lution after the pair placed second in an Over Fences class. The duo were nominated by Sierra Nevada Horse Show Association.

USHJA Affiliate Equitation 17 & Under 2'6"​ Championship

Section A of the USHJA Affiliate Equitation 17 & Under 2'6"​ Championship saw Inga Adelberger, of Bozeman, Montana, and the Montana Hunter Jumper Association, ride her own Goldeneye to the tricolor after topping two Over Fences classes. A tie for reserve went to Sophie Shohet, of Las Vegas, Nevada, on her own Sweet Cheese Z and Audrey Wilson, of Seattle, Washington, and her own Gin & Tonic. Shohet was nominated by the Southern Nevada Hunter Jumper Association and Wilson was nominated by Washington Hunter Jumper Association.

Dylan Henderson, of Corona Del Mar, California, rode her own Clementine to the champion title and win Over Fences in Section B. Henderson was nominated by the Orange County Horse Show Association. Alexia Lewis, of North Salt Lake, Utah, on her own Faberge` L and Vivienne Bishop, of Damascus Oregon, on Splendid Flight Equine, LLC's Excalibur tied for reserve. Lewis was nominated by the Utah Hunter Jumper Association and Bishop was nominated by the Oregon Hunter Jumper Association.

USHJA Affiliate Equitation 18 & Over 2'6"​ Championship

Erin Boatwright, of Newport Beach, California, riding Cornado 9, owned by Tracy Burroughs, claimed the USHJA Affiliate Equitation 18 & Over 2'6"​ Championship title after topping two Over Fences and the Flat. The pair were nominated by the Orange County Horse Show Association.

"He is owned by my trainer, Tracy Burroughs, and I lease him," Boatwright said of her ride. "We have been together about a year and a half and he takes [great] care of me. Cornado 9 is a pretty seasoned show horse at 12 and this year we have become a really good team together." 

"My rounds were the best I have had all year," she continued. "The courses were great because they had rollbacks and [challenging lines] for us to show off our skills. It feels amazing to come here [and win] where there is [tough] competition since one of my goals all year was to do well in Equitation."

Coming in reserve was Mojave, owned and ridden by Asa Cadiz, of Duvall, Washington, and nominated by Washington Hunter Jumper Association, after the pair won Over Fences. 

Live streaming coverage of all 2023 Marshall & Sterling Insurance/USHJA National Championship classes will be available on USEF Network. Live results are available on ShowgroundsLive.

The USHJA extends its thanks to Blenheim EquiSports; Title Sponsor Marshall & Sterling Insurance; USHJA Official Sponsors Nutrena, CWD and Parlanti; and USHJA Championship Sponsors Charles Owen, Exhibitor’s, SmartPak, Human Touch, Prize Possessions, Essex Classics, Helite, RingSide Pro and Boy O Boy Bridleworks.

A special thanks also goes to division trophy sponsors Balmoral Farm, Bridgeport Farms, Cheryl and Michael Rubenstein, Emellar Stables LLC, Kevin P. Price, Knightsbridge Farm, Ledges Sporting Horses, Mr. and Mrs. Carleton Brooks, Patrick and Nicole Boyle, Quail Run Horse Centre Inc., Showplace Productions, Steve and Lisa Hankin, Tapestry Farm, The Meadows Family, The Oaks, The Smith Family, and The Struve Family.

For more information about the Marshall & Sterling Insurance/USHJA National Championships, visit ushja.org/NationalChampionships.

Photo: Andrew Ryback Photography and Terise Cole/USHJA