Anne Sherwood and Madison Olvert Take Top Honors at Inaugural USHJA 3’3” Adult Jumping Seat Medal Finals

San Juan Capistrano, Calif. and Lexington, Ky.—Sept. 28, 2022—The inaugural USHJA 3'3'' Adult Jumping Seat Medal Finals took place September 23 to 25 in San Juan Capistrano, California, at the International Jumping Festival, and in Lexington, Kentucky, during The Kentucky National. Anne Sherwood took home top honors on the West Coast with Confidential, and Madison Olvert claimed the East Coast competition aboard Green Book.

New this year, the USHJA 3'3'' Adult Jumping Seat Medal is the first final of its kind that USHJA has offered for Adult Amateurs to showcase their Equitation skills. This opportunity allows for Amateur Equitation competitors over the age of 18 to continue to compete in a Talent Search-style format set to 3'3". 

 

Sherwood Shines on the West Coast

Sherwood saw a lifelong dream realized on Saturday, September 24, as she led the victory gallop for the inaugural USHJA 3’3” Adult Jumping Seat Medal Final – West at Blenheim EquiSports in San Juan Capistrano, California. Finishing as the reserve champion behind Sherwood and her winning mount, Confidential, was Rebecca Beall of Honolulu, Hawaii, with Calino G, and rounding out the top three were Blake Lindsley of Los Angeles, California, and Twizzler.

“It feels amazing to have won,” said Sherwood, 52, of Bozeman, Montana. “It was such an incredible group of women, and to be on top made me so proud. I would have been happy to just have been in the top 12 with such a strong caliber of riders.”

Sherwood was one of 20 riders who took on the three-round format final, which was offered for Adult Amateur competitors for the first time this season and is formatted similarly to the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search, with phases for flat, gymnastics and jumping.

With that Flat Phase held first on Friday, September 23, Sherwood took over the top of the leaderboard early with a score of 86. Sitting in second place with a score of 84.5 was Laura Owens on Scirocco 91, while Mia Jones and Kravitz sat in a close third place on a score of 84.

Following the Flat Phase, riders moved to the spacious grass Oaks International Grand Prix Field for a challenging gymnastics course set by course designer Anthony D’Ambrosio. The top call in the Gymnastics Phase went to Lindsley with a score of 88, while Sherwood remained well within winning contention with a score of 81 and a seventh place finish in the phase.

 

“That was my very first gymnastics round ever,” said Sherwood, who trains with Michelle Morris and Melissa Jones at The Clearing in Lake View Terrace, California. “I never did the Talent Search as a junior; I never made it that far. I know this is a simpler version, but it’s so nice to have an opportunity to be able to do something like a gymnastics round in a medal finals setting. It’s just an incredible experience.”

With the gymnastics round under their belts, the top 15 competitors returned on Saturday to jump a 14-fence course, also designed by D’Ambrosio. Sherwood topped the Jumping Phase with a score of 84, and Beall finished in second with a score of 82.5, which put her on top of the overall leaderboard—but the Medal Final was not over yet.

With less than three points separating Sherwood and Beall, the two riders returned for an eight-fence jump-off round, and it was Sherwood who clinched the win.

“[Rebecca Beall] is 19, and she’s an awesome rider,” said Sherwood, who was called back in second place for the jump-off. “We both went for the jump-off, and we both had three-second time faults. I thought, ‘It’s a toss-up, and I don’t care because if I’m second behind her, I’m so proud!’”

Sherwood continued, “I remember that feeling of, ‘I only have until I’m 18, and then it’s all over.’ We don’t have that anymore because now we have such amazing Amateur classes and amazing Amateur Equitation. I’m really grateful to USHJA for adding the Adults because I had always envied the Juniors doing it. I’m just now chasing this unfinished dream from my Junior years, and thanks to Blenheim and USHJA, I can feel like I’m doing it. I get to compete in these amazing classes that are very competitive. There are a great group of Amateurs right now on the West Coast—really, really strong riders. That makes it really fun.”

Earning the title of the Best Equitation Horse was Beall’s winning mount Calino G.

 

Olvert Earns East Coast Title

In the East Coast Finals, with an overwhelming winning score of 375 that nobody could touch, Olvert and Green Book took home the title on Sunday, September 25, just two years into her Adult Amateur show season at the inaugural USHJA 3’3” Adult Jumping Seat Medal Final – East at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. Finishing as the reserve champion with a respectful 357.5, was Bennett Kitchens, of Shaker Heights, Ohio, aboard Clearview. Rounding out the top three behind Kitchens with a close finish of 351.5, was Jordan Allen, of West Bloomfield, Michigan, with Dollarboy L. 

"I am ecstatic! I can't believe it," said Olvert, 19, who trains with Berry Porter. "I am in my second year of my Adult [show] life and being able to have the opportunity to still have the chance to do Equitation and jump big just was awesome!"

A total of 17 riders across the East Coast came to vie for the title at the inaugural competition, held over two days of competition and three phases, where each phase is scored individually with an overall winner claiming the Champion title. The Flat Phase was held first on Saturday, September 24, where Allen and Dollarboy L came out on top with an 86—a one-point lead over Olvert, who sat in second—while Kitchens sat in third with an 83.

Following the Flat Phase, the riders contested a challenging gymnastics course with tough questions created by Course Designer Eric Hasbrouck. The top score in Phase II went to Olvert with an 84, with Allen not far behind on an 81. Coming in with a close finish in third was Grace McReynolds aboard Gandalf, bringing in a score of 80. Overall placings moving into the final round had some slight shuffling, with Olvert moving comfortably in first with a four-point lead, Allen moving down into second, and Kitchens remaining strong in third.

"The Gymnastics Phase was definitely fun. It was very challenging with all of the turns and different bending lines and being able to answer all of the questions," Olvert said.

 

Competitors returned on Sunday to a Jumper-style course, also designed by Hasbrouck. Olvert topped the final phase with a one-point lead of 82. Coming in close behind them was Kitchens on a score of 81, and rounding the top three in the final phase was McReynolds on a 79. McReynolds mount, Gandalf, took home the title of Best Equitation Horse.

"I think the 3’3’’ for the Adults is great! It gives us more opportunities, if we don’t go right into showing in the Hunters or the Jumpers, to still jump a little bigger just like we were jumping when we were Juniors," Olvert said of the new program.

The USHJA 3’3” Adult Jumping Seat Medal is a three-round class over two days of competition that allows Adult Amateurs to showcase their Equitation skills in a Jumper style. This includes a Flat Round, a Gymnastics Round, and a Jumper-style course. The USHJA 3’3” Adult Jumping Seat Medal is open to any Adult Amateur riders 18 and over who have not jumped 1.30m or above within the previous four competition years or has competed not in a 3* USEF Show Jumping Talent Search class in the same competition year. Riders qualify for the Finals hosted on either coast by earning points during the qualifying period and may choose to compete at either location.

The USHJA extends special thanks to the Blenheim Equisports and The Kentucky National teams for hosting the Finals and to Official Sponsors Exhibitor's, CWD, Nutrena, Parlanti and Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital; and Awards Sponsors Essex Classics.

For more information about the USHJA 3’3” Adult Jumping Seat Medal Finals, visit ushja.com/jumpingseatmedal.

USHJA 3'3'' Adult Jumping Seat Medal Final - West Results

Rider | Horse | Trainer | Owner

Phase 1 | Phase 2 | Phase 3 | Overall
*The work-off was not scored.

 

1. Anne Sherwood | Confidential | Michelle Morris | Anne Sherwood

86 | 81 | 81 | 375.5

2. Rebecca Beall | Calino G | Alicia Saxton | Rebecca Beall 

82.5 | 86 | 82.5 | 376.5

3. Blake Lindsley | Twizzler | Cassandra Karazissis | Della Walker

71 | 88 | 83 | 369

4. Laura Owens | Scirocco 91 | Carolyn Becker | Laura Owens 

84.5 | 83 | 80 | 369

5. Lauren Morlock | Compelling | James Hagman | Lauren Morlock

83 | 80 | 82 | 367

6. Elizabeth Mairena | Zander | Carolyn Biava | Elizabeth Mairena

75 | 75 | 80 | 347.5

7. Sarah Deparis | Terra Hornero | James Hagman | Sarah Deparis

74 | 77 | 78 | 345.5

8. Audrey Daucher | Coyoacan LS | Tracy Burroughs | Audrey Daucher

75 | 72 | 81 | 345

9. Allison Pelzel | Rock Star | Jill Pelzel | Katie Pelzel

78 | 82 | 70 | 341

10. Jessica Smith | Black Emerald | Robert Leckie | Jessica Smith

81 | 84 | 65 | 337

11. Ayanna Kimbro | Outkast | Archibald Cox | Ayanna Kimbro

80 | 67 | 68 | 316.5

12. Mia Jones | Kravitz | Robert Leckie | Durango Farms 

84 | 65 | 56 | 293.5

USHJA 3'3'' Adult Jumping Seat Medal Final - East Results

Rider | Horse | Trainer | Owner

Phase 1 | Phase 2 | Phase 3 | Overall
*The work-off was not scored.

 

1. Madison Olvert | Green Book | Berry J. Porter | Madison Olvert

85 | 84 | 82 | 375

2. Bennett Kitchens | Clearview | Amanda Lyerly | Hannah Dodd

83 | 75 | 81 | 357.5

3. Jordan Allen | Dollarboy L | Emily Smith | Ashland Farms

86 | 81 | 72 | 351.5

4. Grace McReynolds | Gandalf | Chris M. Iwasaki | Crooked Willow Farms

60 | 80 | 79 | 338 | Best Equitation Horse

5. Samantha Hill | Jackie W | Andrea Simpson | Daniel Bluman

78 | 62 | 77 | 325

6. Elizabeth Sullivan | Stealing Home | Elaine Schott | River Mountain Farm

68 | 63 | 74 | 310.5

7. Nora H. Zimmett | Odyssey | Julie Curtin | Nora H. Zimmett

77 | 69 | 64 | 308.5

8. Alexis Gallati | Citizen Mezz | Casey Balloch Johnsey | Alexis Gallati

70 | 65 | 70 | 307.5

9. Eryn Stanton | Exceptional | Shannon Meehan | Eryn Stanton

79 | 74 | 52 | 294

10. Erica L. Levinsky | Cantares | Kimberly Gardiner | Erica L. Levinsky

67 | 60 | 68 | 293

11. Melanie Ferrio-Wise | Ipsie | Brendan Wise | Brendan Wise

65 | 68 | 62 | 291

12. Amanda Hauser | Parida | Caitlyn Shiels | Amanda Hauser

75 | 50 | 69 | 288

Release: Randolph PR and USHJA
Photos: McCool Photography and Shawn McMillen Photography