Medals Awarded in USHJA 1.00/1.05m Child/Adult Jumper Championships for Zones 5 and 6

Wayne, Ill.—July 18, 2023—One of five USHJA 1.00/1.05m Child/Adult Zone 5 and 6 Jumper Championships took to the Lamplight Equestrian Center, July 11-16. Riders from both Zone 5 and Zone 6 stood atop the podiums while Chefs d'Equipe Liz Atkins and Serah Vogus from Zone 5 oversaw the competition held during HITS Summertime II.

This new Jumper championship was created to emulate the Markel/USHJA Zone Jumper Team Championships and Markel/USHJA Platinum Jumper Championships at a new level. Debuting during the 2023 competition season, the Championship provides 1.00/1.05m competitors with an opportunity to gain experience at higher levels of competition and provide a chance to earn Zone Horse of the Year points as they compete over three days as an individual and on a team to represent their Zone.

“It was really fun and it meant a lot to me to end on a good note," said Individual Gold Medalist Capozzi, of Winnetka, Illinois. "They made the class feel special. You really had to gallop through the turns and then there were some lines that were set quite a bit shorter, so it was a lot of adjusted adjustability.”

The USHJA 1.00/1.05m Child/Adult Zone Jumper Championships provide Children's and Adult Amateur Jumper competitors an opportunity to earn Zone Horse of the Year points in the Children's and Adult Amateur Jumper (1.00/1.05m) in both team and individual competition. To qualify, riders must apply and earn a minimum of 20 points in their respective Children's and Adult Amateur Jumper sections at USEF-licensed competitions by their zone’s deadline, which is 45 days prior to the selected championship. Riders must also be current Active USEF and USHJA Junior or Amateur members in good standing. 

During the championship, riders compete in a three-day competition format. Day one entails a first round of the team championship and first individual qualifying class. Day two consists of the second round of the team championship and the second individual qualifying class. For the last competition day, the top 15 individual finalists from the qualifying classes return to jump for the individual championship title. 

"Meeting new people has been lots of fun. [The final round] was a lot of lines and it was fun to get all the strides in," said Team Gold Medalist Harper, of Gurnee, Illinois, on her experience at the championship. 

Three more USHJA 1.00/1.05m Child/Adult Zone Jumper Championships will be held throughout the 2023 competition season. Zones 7 and 8 championships will be held July 19-23 during Summer in the Rockies VI in Parker, Colorado. The Zones 1 and 2 championships will be held July 26-30 during HITS-on-the-Hudson V in Saugerties, New York. The final championship will be held during the Temecula Valley National Fall 3 in Temecula, California, for Zones 9 and 10 on October 18-22. 

The USHJA extends special thanks to Tom Urban the team at HITS for hosting these Championships. The USHJA also thanks official sponsors CWD, Nutrena and Parlanti. 

For more information about the USHJA 1.00/1.05m Child/Adult Zone Jumper Championships, visit ushja.org/lowzonejumper. 

Photos: HITS Chicago