West Coast Crowns Conant and Burton in Marshall+Sterling/USHJA 3'3" Jumping Seat Medal Final and Marshall+Sterling/USHJA Adult 3'3" Jumping Seat Medal Final

San Juan Capistrano, Calif.—Sept. 23, 2026—Equitation championships took hold of the Grand Prix Arena at Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park in San Juan Capistrano, California, over Friday, September 18, and Saturday, September 19, at The Oaks Finale 2, hosted by Nilforushan Equisport Events. Juniors and Amateurs on the West Coast were represented in the Marshall+Sterling/USHJA 3’3” Junior Jumping Seat Medal Final and Marshall+Sterling/USHJA 3’3” Adult Jumping Seat Medal Final. Reade Conant, of Lake Oswego, Oregon, in Zone 9, claimed the Junior Finals, while Robyn Burton, of Nicasio, California, in Zone 10, topped the Adult competition.

Conant Wins Marshall+Sterling/USHJA 3'3'' Jumping Seat Medal Final - West

Thirteen of the West Coast’s top Equitation riders contested the Marshall+Sterling/USHJA 3'3" Jumping Seat Medal Final - West, but after three phases of competition and building a 19-point lead, Conant and her own Remington emerged victorious. Judges Sue Ashe and Chance Arkalan awarded the pair a weighted total of 377.5 to claim the championship title.

"This win means so much to me because I've put in a lot of time, dedication, and hard work into this sport, so winning this is incredibly special. It means even more because this was both Remington’s and my first year showing together in Equitation. To be able to accomplish something like this together is something I’m especially proud of, and it's an achievement I’ll never forget," said Conant.

In the opening Flat Phase, the Zone 9 rider immediately moved to the top of the leaderboard with a score of 85. Close behind was Isabelle Dyckerhoff, of Woodside, California, in Zone 10, who earned an 84 aboard her own Johnny Rose. Sitting third after the first phase was Kate Kaderabek, of San Diego, California, also representing Zone 10, who scored an 80 with Monaco, owned by Shayne Wireman.

Next started the Gymnastics Phase, designed by Kerri Kocher. Conant added a 79 to her score, which kept her in the lead going into the Jumping Phase. Moving up to sit in second was Kaderabek, who added a score of 82 to her cumulative performance. Sloane Hollingshead, of Rolling Hills Estates, California, in Zone 10, moved into third after earning a 78 aboard Ingenium Farm's East Meets West. Hollingshead had entered the phase in fourth following the Flat Phase standings.

"Going into the Gymnastics and Jumping Phases, I was a little nervous because I had done well in the Flat Phase and I really wanted to maintain a strong score. Once I got into the ring, though, I just reminded myself to take it one stride at a time and focus on answering each question the course presented," said Conant of her rounds.

Ultimately, standout performances in the final Jumping Phase secured Conant’s championship victory, where she earned an 87. "I really enjoyed all three phases because each one was challenging in a different way. The courses asked us to make decisions, use our eye and communicate clearly with our horses. They also gave us opportunities to showcase our horses' adjustability, especially through the multiple bending lines," she continued.

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Finishing reserve champion was Chloe Eynon, of Rolling Hills Estates, California, in Zone 10, who climbed several places in the standings after receiving an 83 aboard KHC Farms, Inc.'s Alleto for a final score of 358.5 after multipliers. Rounding out the top three was Hollingshead, who scored a 79.5 in the final phase to finish on an overall total of 354 after multipliers.

Regal Blue, ridden by Piper Theakston, of San Diego, California, in Zone 10, and owned by Merakine, LLC, was named Best Equitation Horse. The pair finished sixth overall.

Burton Claims Marshall+Sterling/USHJA 3'3'' Adult Jumping Seat Medal Final - West

Three competitive rounds of the Marshall+Sterling/USHJA 3'3" Adult Jumping Seat Medal Final - West produced a nail-biting battle atop the leaderboard, with positions shifting throughout both days of competition. In the end, judges Ashe and Arkalan awarded Burton and her own Noaber van de Wolfsslenke the championship honors with an overall weighted score of 380.5.

"Words can’t express how excited I am to have won," exclaimed Burton. "I took a six-year break from showing, and at my first show back in 2023, the first class I won was the Jumping Seat Medal. I have loved competing in this class the over last few years. I never had the opportunity to compete in the USET Finals as a Junior, so I am grateful to have a class with this format offered for Amateur riders."

Mollie Hartung, of Sherman Oaks, California, in Zone 10, set the early pace in the Flat Phase, earning the top score of 86 aboard her own High Note to take the initial lead. Burton began her climb to the top with a score of 80, placing her second overall, while Catherine Westling, of Huntington Beach, California, in Zone 10, sat close behind in third with a 78 aboard Gabrielle Sokolow's Just Cavalli.

The leaderboard shifted following the Gymnastics Phase, where Burton added an 83 to move into the overall lead. Westling delivered the top performance of the round with an 84, climbing into second overall and trailing Burton by just half a point going into the Jumping Phase. Hartung moved into third overall, setting up a closely contested final round.

With the championship on the line in the Jumping Phase, Burton rose to the occasion, earning an impressive 88, the highest score of the round, to seal the victory and overall title.

"I love the two-phase format of the qualifying classes and was so excited about the three-phase Final! Good flat work is the foundation for jumping a good round, so I love the opportunity that this class provides to properly flat your horse in front of the judges. I think the Gymnastic Phase is the most fun because it’s an opportunity to show your horse's ability to lengthen, collect, and scope over the jumps," Burton said.

"Going into the final round, I knew I was sitting on top and my nerves kicked in. I took a deep breath and looked around the warm-up ring. I told Slinky, 'No matter what happens out there, I am so lucky to be here, competing in the sport I love, with a wonderful partner and surrounded by good friends.' I focused on being present and just riding every step with my horse and the round worked out beautifully," she continued.

Westling claimed reserve honors after earning an 84.5 in the Jumping Phase for scores of 78, 84, and 84.5 and a final total of 373 after multipliers. Rounding out the top three was Hartung, who added scores of 73 and 84 in the Gymnastics and Jumping phases, respectively, to finish with an overall score of 363.5 after multipliers.

Best Equitation Horse honors went to Con de Rouet, owned by Barbara Ince and ridden by Taylor Sassa, of Los Angeles, California, in Zone 10, who placed fourth overall.

The Marshall+Sterling/USHJA 3'3" Jumping Seat Medal provides Junior exhibitors with the opportunity to develop their Equitation skills over a Jumper-style course, aiming to help riders gain experience in a format similar to that of the USEF Show Jumping Talent Search. The Medal is open to Junior riders who have not reached their 18th birthday as of December 1 of the current competition year and qualify for the Finals by earning points in Jumping Seat Medal classes during the qualifying period.

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 USHJA sends special thanks to the entire Nilforushan Equisport Events 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" Jumping Seat Medal, and the Marshall+Sterling/USHJA 3'3" Adult Jumping Seat Medal, visit ushja.com/jumpingseatmedal.

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

1. Reade Conant | Remington | Phillipa Melski | Reade Conant
85 | 79 | 87 | 377.5

2. Chloe Eynon | Alleto | Tasha Visokay | KHC Farms, Inc.
77 | 77 | 83 | 358.5

3. Sloane Hollingshead | East Meets West | Tasha Visokay | Ingenium Farm
78 | 78 | 79.5 | 354

4. Kate Kaderabek | Monaco | Shayne Wireman | Shayne Wireman
80 | 82 | 75 | 353

5. Chelsea Westberg | Walter White | Laura Gerst | Chelsea Westberg
70 | 76 | 79 | 342

6. Piper Theakston | Regal Blue | Christa Endicott | Merakine, LLC
75 | 64 | 85 | 341

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

1. Robyn Burton | Noaber van de Wolfsslenke | Cassandra Karazissis | Robyn Burton
80 | 83 | 88 | 380.5

2. Catherine Westling | Just Cavalli | Tracy Burroughs | Gabrielle Sokolow
78 | 84 | 84.5 | 373

3. Mollie Hartung | High Note | Victoria Lacagnina | Mollie Hartung
86 | 73 | 84 | 363.5

4. Taylor Sassa | Con de Rouet | Jeffrey Katz | Barbara Ince
73 | 78 | 85 | 360

5. Blake Lindsley | West Port | Katie Taylor Davidson | Kate Parker
75 | 80 | 80 | 355

6. Christina Haney | Cammander-C | Katie Taylor Davidson | Christina Haney
70 | 74 | 78 | 337

Photos: Julia B Photography