Ellis Tops the USHJA Gladstone Cup Equitation Classic - West, presented by Intermont Equestrian at Emory & Henry University

Del Mar, Calif.—July 24, 2026—After three rounds of competition at HITS Del Mar Horsepark on Thursday, July 23, Adelaide Ellis claimed the 2026 USHJA Gladstone Cup Equitation Classic - West, presented by Intermont Equestrian at Emory & Henry University, aboard her own Linford 9. Taking reserve honors was Hailey Eynon riding KHC Farms Inc.'s Alleto, and rounding out the top three was Lauren Padilla on Classified, owned by Highland Farm, LLC.

"It is a huge honor," Ellis exclaimed of her win. "These are the best riders on the West Coast, and I am just fortunate enough to compete with them. To come out on top is a huge accomplishment. Riding is a marathon and not a sprint. [My trainers], Mike and Christa Endicott, reminded me today, 'keep kicking the door in, and it will fly open.' Today was an incredible moment, and tomorrow I will be back to the grind like everyone else."

A field of 29 West Coast athletes opened Thursday’s Equitation competition in the Classic Hunter Round, where Meghan Rawlins’ course of 12 jumping efforts rewarded polish, consistency, and style under judges Rob Bielefeld and Andrea Wells.

Competition was close at the end of the first round, with only a few points separating the top contenders on the leaderboard. Leading the pack was Ava Sabin, of Incline Village, Nevada, in Zone 10, with a score of 86 aboard her own Kilroy. Close behind, sitting in second on a score of 85, was Zone 10's Padilla, from Palos Verdes Estates, California, with Classified. Coming in third, only half a point behind with an 84.5, was Eynon, of Rolling Hills Estates, California, in Zone 10, and Alleto. Ellis, of Hunts Point, Washington, in Zone 9, sat in fourth after the Classic on a score of 83 aboard Linford 9.

"I wanted to set the tone as the first rider on course," Ellis said. "Linford 9, also known as Glen, has a big stride and I knew that we could use that to our advantage. Going off of the triple bar, there was an option of 9 or 10 strides, but I knew that we could easily do the 9 and that would set us up nicely to secure a spot in the second round."

The top 15 riders returned for the Handy Round in reverse order of their standings, setting the course for an exciting shake-up. Adding an impressive 89 to her score, Ellis jumped into the lead with a total score of 172. Hot on her heels, Sabin moved down to sit in second by just a quarter of a point, adding an 85.75 for a total two-round score of 171.75. Padilla also moved down one spot to sit in second, earning an 85.5 for a total score of 170.5.

"The Handy course was extremely well designed, and it provided some good questions," Ellis reflected. "Glen is fantastic at going forward and then settling back, and I knew the hand gallop would be fun."

As the competition moved into its final round, the top six riders were tasked with swapping horses and jumping a shortened course. Ultimately, Ellis, who rode Sabin's Kilroy, who was later named Best Equitation Horse, came out on top. Eynon, who rode Classified, moved up from fourth to take reserve honors, while Padilla rode Eynon's mount Alleto and rounded out the top three. Sabin finished in fourth after a round on Linford 9.

"I had the honor of riding Ava Sabin's horse, Kilroy," Ellis continued about the horse swap. "He was such a great ride, and I was really just having fun out there. All the riders executed the final round beautifully. I had to step up my game for sure."

The USHJA Gladstone Cup Equitation Classic, presented by Intermont Equestrian at Emory & Henry University, is a three-round class that combines the precision of Equitation and handiness of Hunters over a course set at 3'6". Held during the East and West Coast Adequan/USEF Junior Hunter National Championships, the Gladstone Cup is open to any rider who is an Active USHJA junior member at the time of the competition and has won a USEF Hunter Seat Medal, ASPCA Maclay, USEF Show Jumping Talent Search, either phase of WIHS Equitation Classic at a National or Premier show, or Overall WIHS Equitation Classic during the qualifying year.

The USHJA sends special thanks to the entire HITS team for hosting the Classic. The USHJA also thanks Official Sponsors Herm Sprenger, Nutrena, Parlanti, and StrideFull; Presenting Sponsor Intermont Equestrian at Emory & Henry University; and Supporting Sponsors Essex Classics and Frank & Eileen.

For more information about the USHJA Gladstone Cup Equitation Classic, presented by Intermont Equestrian at Emory & Henry University, visit ushja.org/Gladstone.

USHJA Gladstone Cup Equitation Classic - West, presented by Intermont Equestrian at Emory & Henry University Results

Rider | Horse | Trainer | Owner

Round 1 | Round 2 | Two-Round Score*
*The Final Round was not scored.

Photos: McCool Photography