Geitner and Walk the Tides Top Inaugural $75,000 USHJA WCHR East Coast Hunter Spectacular

Ocala, Fla.—Jan. 30, 2026—Daniel Geitner and Lynn Seithel's Walk the Tides did more than walk their way to victory in the inaugural $75,000 USHJA WCHR East Coast Hunter Spectacular at Winter Spectacular V at World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Florida, on Friday, January 30. The pair earned the top spot with an overall two-round score of 89.125, finishing ahead of Amanda Steege aboard Lafitte de Muze and David Wilbur with Four Aces.

The debut of the Spectacular at World Equestrian Center marked a significant milestone, bringing WCHR competition and elevated prize money to a new fourth location. A total of 34 combinations contested Ken Krome’s Classic Hunter Round course, with judges Andrea Wells, Tom Brennan, Todd Karn, and Gary Young sorting the field before the top 12 returned in reverse order of their first-round scores.

Despite taking an early lead with a first-round score of 89.25, Geitner, of Aiken, South Carolina, and Walk the Tides sat second heading into the Handy Hunter Round after being edged out late by Wilbur’s 89.875. The Zone 4 rider put it all on the line in the second round, earning an 89 to rise to the top of the leaderboard and claim the win, along with the $22,500 check.

"He is a 9-year-old; I show him in the Regular Conformation just sparingly now. His owner, Lynn just moved up to the 3’6” Amateurs, and she was great and let me ride him this week in the Conformation. Then, a little bit last-minute, she said, ‘Let’s give it a try.' He’s a little greener. He hasn’t done anything like this, so she was kind enough to let me take over the reins for this class," Geitner said of Walk the Tides.

“He’s really old school. He looks like a Thoroughbred. You can’t hear him touching the ground, and you almost can’t ride him with too much leg at the jumps. He always holds off the jumps, and tonight, really, with the lights and the beautiful jumps, I was really able to gallop to the jumps,” he continued.

WCHR Hunter Spectacular veterans Steege and Cheryl Olsten’s Lafitte de Muze added an impressive 92.5 to their first-round score of 85.5 for an overall score of 89. As a result, the Ocala, Florida-based pair climbed from fifth to second, collecting the reserve tricolor in their home Zone.

"I think this is my ninth year with Lafitte, so it's been a long-time partnership and I still feel like it gets better every time I go in the ring—it just gets more and more solid, so I'm lucky to have him," said Steege of her mount, who topped the Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular in 2021. "I was really proud of the Handy and I hope to take that momentum forward. Lafitte goes to Wellington in two weeks to do the Hunter Spectacular there, so I hope to continue that type of riding."

Rounding out the top three, Wilbur, also of Zone 4’s Ocala, Florida, piloted Marita Zuraitis’s Four Aces to scores of 89.875 and 87, producing a two-round total of 88.438 for third place.

"I got to watch both Daniel and Amanda go, and they both had amazing Handy Rounds, so I was trying to kind of do about the same track and everything worked out really well, so it was a good day," said Wilbur of his second round plan.

The USHJA extends thanks to the entire World Equestrian Center team for hosting the Spectacular, as well as to Official Sponsors Nutrena, Parlanti, Herm Sprenger, and Stridefull; Supporting Sponsor of the USHJA Hunter Championships, GumBits; and the Official Education Partner of the USHJA World Championship Hunter Rider Spectaculars, ICL Academy.

For more information about the USHJA World Championship Hunter Rider Program, visit ushja.org/WCHR.

$75,000 USHJA WCHR East Coast Hunter Spectacular Results

Rider | Horse | Owner​
Round 1 Avg. | Round 2 Avg. | Final Score

1. Daniel Geitner | Walk the Tides | Lynn Seithel
89.25 | 89 | 89.125

2. Amanda Steege | Lafitte de Muze | Cheryl Olsten
85.5 | 92.5 | 89

3. David Wilbur | Four Aces | Marita Zuraitis
89.875 | 87 | 88.438

T4. Daniel Geitner | Walk the Moon | Lynn Seithel
86.5 | 89 | 87.75

T4. Dorothy Douglas | MTM Figurative | Hayden Moody
88.5 | 87 | 87.75

6. Jennifer Bliss | Poker Face | Harris Hill Farm, LLC
88 | 81 | 84.5

7. Timothy Maddrix | Olimpink Melloni | Kristina L. Groselle
84.5 | 84 | 84.25

8. Jennifer Bliss | Wailea | Ohana Equine LLC
83.75 | 84.5 | 84.125

9. Crystal Young | MTM Nonchalant | Adelle Alletto
83.875 | 83 | 83.438

10. Madison Stewart | Lantos | Madison Stewart
85.5 | 78.5 | 82

11. Havens Schatt | Corsini | Julia H. McNerney
85 | 68.5 | 76.75

12. Amanda Steege | Simon STN | STN Partnership LLC
85.125 | 62.5 | 73.813

Photos: Andrew Ryback Photography