La Ti Da Wins Sallie B. Wheeler/USEF/USHJA Hunter Breeding National Championships - East, Presented by Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Oare and Whitehedge Farm

Lexington, Va.—Aug. 25, 2026—The Virginia Young Horse Festival welcomed the nation’s top young Hunter prospects on Saturday, August 22, to the Wiley Ring at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, Virginia, for the 2026 Sallie B. Wheeler/USEF/USHJA Hunter Breeding National Championships - East, presented by Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Oare and Whitehedge Farm. Rising to the top of the field, La Ti Da (Fürstenball x Quetee Rah RH) captured Best Young Horse and Overall Grand Hunter Breeding Champion for East, while Mockingjay (Monterey x Touch of Class) earned Overall Grand Hunter Breeding Reserve Champion for East.

"The Sallie B. Wheeler Championship is special because it brings out the best competitors," expressed Jay Raach, owner and handler of La Ti Da. "It feels great to win this."

Judges Winn Alden and Alice Coke first took notice of La Ti Da, a 2023 Westfalen-Verband filly bred by Raehaven Farms, Inc., of Newton, New Jersey, in Zone 2, when they awarded her top honors in the 3-Year-Old Fillies division. The filly went on to capture the prestigious Best Young Horse title and the Dave Kelley Perpetual Trophy, donated by Nokomis Farm, under the ownership and handling of Raach of Schwenksville, Pennsylvania, in Zone 2. In addition, La Ti Da earned the High Score Filly Award and the Westfalen-Verband Breed Award. The filly also boasts a previous national title, having topped the 2-Year-Old Fillies division in 2025. As the breeder of the East Overall Grand Hunter Breeding Champion, Raehaven Farms, Inc. was presented the J. Arthur Reynolds Memorial Trophy, donated by the Reynolds Family.

"With La Ti Da, this was the goal from the day we purchased her," Raach said. "My wife, Karen, saw her as a foal but the breeder would not sell her. Karen kept working at buying her until they agreed in April of 2025. La Ti Da showed at Sallie B. Wheeler in 2025, and was called out third in the Final Championship Class. This year she did better and won."

Reserve honors went to Mockingjay, a 2025 Oldenburg colt handled by Drew Taylor, of Montpelier Station, Virginia, in Zone 3. Owned by Susan Tice-Grossman, of Keswick, Virginia, and bred by High Point Hanoverians, of Chestertown, Maryland, both in Zone 3, Mockingjay also claimed the Yearling Colts/Geldings Division title.

Raach attributes La Ti Da's success to a combination of athleticism, presence, and personality. "La Ti Da has the conformation and movement, but also as important, she has a tremendous ring presence," Raach said of his filly. "She is also the friendliest horse we have ever owned and people gravitate to her."

Beyond her accomplishments in the show ring, La Ti Da has created memorable moments for the family along the way. Raach recalled the filly's first experience competing in hand, which came at an unexpected venue.

"A funny story about La Ti Da, is that her first in hand horse show was a Western show," he continued. "It was 15 minutes from our farm and we said it would be an easy experience for her. Obviously as a Westphalian, she didn't look like all the Quarter Horses she was competing against, but she did win her 2-Year-Old and Under class. I also showed her in a Handler class, but I didn't follow the instructions and ended up sixth out of seven. My family has not let me forget about that."

The USHJA congratulates the following winners at the East Coast Championship:

East Overall Grand Hunter Breeding Champion/Best Young Horse 

• Champion – La Ti Da 

• Reserve – Mockingjay

Class Champions

• Yearling Colts/Geldings – Mockingjay
• Yearling Fillies – All That (All Music x Ondina), a 2025 Hanoverian filly owned and handled by Elizabeth Capor and bred by Alisa Lask
• 2-Year-Old Colts/Geldings – Monaco (Monterey x Fuerstin), a 2024 Oldenburg colt owned and handled by Christopher Webb and bred by High Point Hanoverians 
• 2-Year-Old Fillies – Cuddle Time DR (Central Time x Helvetica), a 2024 Westphalian filly owned by Allison Wilkie, handled by Susan Weigand, and bred by Paula Horton
• 3-Year-Old Colts/Geldings – Toblerone (Cosmeo x Sugar Coated), a 2023 KWPN colt owned by Shannon Keefe, handled by Christopher Webb, and bred by Mary Fizzano
• 3-Year-Old Fillies – La Ti Da
• 3-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle – Toblerone
• 4-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle – Balou Genes (Balou Du Rouet x Tiptoe de Bettegney), a 2022 Selle Francais gelding owned by Veronica Finkelstein, ridden by Hayley Raach, and bred by Emilie Vergnes and Francoise Donze
• 4-Year-Old Hunter Hack – Balou Genes
• 4-Year-Old Conformation Over Fences – Balou Genes
• Amateur Handler –  Lisa Butzer handling Boca's Act of Grace (EMC Entourage x  Beukenoord's Bechamel), a 2025 Welsh Pony Cross filly owned and bred by Ponies & Palms Show Stables, LLC
• Junior Handler – Chase Malone handling Cuddle Time DR 

Special Awards

• Leading Owner –  Helix Sport Horses 
• Leading Handler and the Belcort Farm Perpetual Trophy, donated by Walter J. Lee –  Emily Anne Belin-McDonnell 
• Leading Breeder and the Richard M. Taylor Memorial Perpetual Trophy, donated by Harriet Schiele and Drew Taylor in memory of Richard M. Taylor –  Raehaven Farms 
• Leading Thoroughbred and the Foxwick Farm Perpetual Trophy, donated by Marcia Heylin – R Lavender Haze (RFF Golden Time x White Safari), a 2024 Thoroughbred filly owned by Rattner Bloodstock, LLC, handled by Martha Rattner, and bred by April Wayenburg  
• High Score Filly and the Masquerade’s Cover Perpetual Trophy, donated by Kimberly Maloomian – La Ti Da
• 4-Year-Old Section Champion – Balou Genes 
• High Score Virginia Bred – Toblerone 

Breed Awards

• American Hanoverian Society – All That

• KWPN NA  – Toblerone 
• Oldenburg Horse Breeders Society (GOV) – Monaco 
• United States Sport Horse Breeder's Association – Haven (Herzgut x Gilda FCF), a 2023 Westfalen mare owned and handled by Shirley Murphy, and bred by Hans Legers; Roosevelt (Ribaldi x  Katastrophe), a 2025 Oldenburg gelding owned by Danielle Jackson, handled by Jay Raach, and bred by Karen Raach 
• Westfalen-Verband – La Di Ta

Coordinated by the USHJA since 2019, the Sallie B. Wheeler/USEF/USHJA Hunter Breeding National Championships aim to increase awareness of the Hunter Breeding sport and provide an arena for handlers, owners and breeders to showcase their talented young horses.

The Championships are open to yearlings, 2-year-olds, 3-year-olds, and 4-year-olds of any breed that have a current USEF Horse Recording and are registered with the USHJA. In addition to in-hand classes, other offerings include an Amateur/Junior Handler class, 3-Year-Old and 4-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle, 3-Year-Old and 4-Year-Old Hunter Hack Classes, and 4-Year-Old Conformation Over Fences classes. Horses are judged on athleticism, conformation, way of moving, quality, substance, and suitability to become Hunters. To An East Coast and Central championship is held, and an Overall Grand Hunter Breeding Champion and Reserve Champions are named at the conclusion of each championship.

The USHJA extends a special thanks to the Virginia Horse Center Foundation and Keedie Leonard for hosting the Championships, and to Presenting Sponsors Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Oare, and Whitehedge Farm. We also recognize Official Sponsors Herm Sprenger, Nutrena, Parlanti, and Stridefull; and Supporting Sponsors Exhibitor's, Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, and GumBits.

Sincere gratitude is extended to the following donors: Barbara Bailey; Olde Oaks Farm, Inc., Victoria Hunton; Oliver and Joan Brown, Hunters Haven Farm; Shelia & Shirley Murphy, Tingwick Farm; Ashley Martindale; Erika Walker, Walkin W Ponies (NS); Jessie Lang; Marin Farms, Nicole Marin; Quail Hollow Tack; SH Equine Wellness & Performance; Liza Richardson; Rob Moyar; Power Track Eventing, QP Sporthorses; Kathy Walton; American Hanoverian Society; American Rhineland Studbook; Belgian Warmblood Breeding Association; Irish Draught Horse Society of North America IDHSNA; ISR-Oldenburg Registry of North America; KWPN of North America; Oldenburg Horse Breeders Society (GOV); SBS - Belgian Sporthorse; United States Sport Horse Breeders Association; Westfalen-Verband; Virginia Horse Breeders Association; and Zangersheide Studbook.  

For more information about the Sallie B. Wheeler/USEF/USHJA Hunter Breeding National Championships, presented by Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Oare, and Whitehedge Farm, visit ushja.org/SallieB.

Photos: KMK Photos