Kemp Triumphs in Marshall+Sterling/USHJA 3'3" Adult Jumping Seat Medal Final - East

Williamsburg, Mich.—Sept. 14, 2026—After two days of competition that came down to a final work-off on Sunday, Jennifer Kemp, of Columbus, Ohio, in Zone 5, claimed the Marshall+Sterling/USHJA 3'3" Adult Jumping Seat Medal Final - East title riding Hyperion du Stiquot, owned by River Hollow Enterprises and trained by Sarah Ash, during the penultimate week of the Tournament of Champions at Flintfields Horse Park in Traverse City, Michigan.

Fifteen of the East Coast’s top Adult Amateurs took to the Final, a three-round event that allows Adult Amateurs to showcase their Equitation skills in a Jumper style. This includes a Flat Phase, a Gymnastic Phase, and a final Jumper-style course.

The final tiebreaker was an eight-obstacle test designed by Tom Carlson, featuring several rollbacks and opportunities to showcase technique. Kemp returned last to chase fellow work-off rider Hannah Eddlemon, of Gainesville, Florida, in Zone 4, aboard Donald Stewart’s Curb Service, trained by Caroline McLeese.

“Luckily, since I got to watch [Hannah] go, I could see the time allowed was really tight, so I knew I had to just go for it,” said Kemp, who started her partnership with Hyperion du Stiquot five years ago in the Jumper ring. “I went in with the mindset to ride it like a jump-off and just keep turning.”

Less than three points separated the top finishers when judges Mark Bone and Bobbie Reber concluded the class. While work-off scores were not announced, Kemp took the victory with 377 points across the three phases, while Eddlemon settled for runner-up with a score of 374.5.

“We had a bobble in the Flat Phase, so we had some ground to make up, but I think it took some pressure off when we started having fun and doing our thing,” said Kemp after finishing outside the top 12 in the opening Flat Phase on Saturday. “The Gymnastic Phase and [Jumping Phase] suited him because he started as a Jumper and turned into an Equitation horse as I got older and didn't want to do the big jumps anymore.”

Kemp won the Gymnastic Phase on a score of 86 to carry into Sunday’s final, when she also topped the Jumping Phase with an 88. “The courses were amazing this year,” said the rider, who spends her time outside the saddle working as the CFO for an auto insurance company. “There were a lot of technical aspects of demonstrating different strides and the options of which jumps to jump—that's where he shines the most too.”

While Kemp took the overall win, Eddlemon’s mount Curb Service was named Best Equitation Horse for the week after earning an 84 on the Flat, 86 in the Jumping Phase, and finishing top five in the Gymnastic Phase.

Rounding out the podium was Zone 5's Brian Shook, of Holly, Michigan, who finished third on a total of 369.5 riding Oakvale Ventures, LLC’s Carino Rossi. Their weekend was highlighted by finishing third over fences on an 85 and second in the Flat Phase with an 87.

When asked about the experience of a national final for Adult Amateurs, Kemp concluded by saying, “I love any finals for adults, but especially this one. I never did the Equitation as a junior, so having the opportunity to do this now as an adult is rewarding. With all the options we have, it’s nice to set these goals and work towards them. This was my favorite week of the year, so it means a lot to win.”

The Marshall+Sterling/USHJA 3'3" Adult Jumping Seat Medal is a three-phase class that allows Adult Amateurs to showcase their Equitation skills in a Jumper-style format through multiple rounds of competition: a Flat Phase, a Gymnastics Phase, and a Jumping Phase. Open to Adult Amateur riders who have not competed above 1.35m during the current competition year, riders qualify for the Finals by earning 10 points or completing three classes during the qualifying period and may choose to compete at either location. The 2026 West Final will be held during The Oaks Finale 2, September 16-20, 2026, in San Juan Capistrano, California.

The USHJA sends special thanks to the entire Traverse City Horse Shows team for hosting the Final and to Title Sponsor Marshall+Sterling; Official Sponsors Herm Sprenger, Nutrena, Parlanti, and Stridefull; and Supporting Sponsors Essex Classics and Frank & Eileen for their generous support.

For more information about the Marshall+Sterling/USHJA 3'3" Adult Jumping Seat Medal, visit ushja.com/jumpingseatmedal.

Marshall+Sterling/USHJA 3'3'' Adult Jumping Seat Medal Final - East Results

1. Jennifer Kemp | Hyperion Du Stiquot | Sarah Ash | River Hollow Enterprises LLC

72 | 86 | 88 | 377

2. Hannah Eddlemon | Curb Service | Caroline McLeese | Donald Stewart

84 | 79 | 86 | 374.5

3. Brian Shook | Carino Rossi | Brian Shook | Oakvale Ventures LLC

87 | 75 | 85 | 369.5

4. Brenda Tananbaum | Novello | Jenny Martin-Rudaz | Ashhleigh Colantuoni

88 | 72 | 81 | 358

5. Abigail Roberts | Kifli | Sarah Sturges | Abigail Roberts

85 | 83 | 74 | 357.5

6. Chloe Butler | Harvest Moon | Gregoryy Franklin | Donald Stewart

83 | 80 | 76 | 355

7. Elise Iafrate | Fu Manchu | Cathy Johnson | Elise Iafrate

77 | 76 | 80 | 351

8. Emily Lucibello | C'est Blue | Lynn Jayne | Emily Lucibello

81 | 84 | 70 | 347

9. Kiera Philipot | Red Roc | Dorothy Campbell | Kiera Philipot

76 | 68 | 83 | 344

10. Lily Kosal | Iester K | Melissa Donnelly | Lily Kosal

73 | 78 | 66 | 322

11. Hannah Jackson | Opus One BC | Chelsea Vickery | Julie Jackson

78 | 60 | 75 | 318

12. Brittany Stanton | TKS Cooley | Chelsea Vickery | Brittany Stanton

80 | 65 | 64 | 305.5

Press Release: Gable and USHJA
Photos: Natalie Suto Photography