Zone 10 Dominates Markel/USHJA Platinum Jumper Championships - West
Thermal, Calif.—Nov. 4, 2025—Twenty-one athletes from Zones 8, 9, and 10 took to 
Desert International Horse Park's National Sunshine Series 1 for the Markel/USHJA Platinum Jumper Championships - West, held October 30–November 2. Riders contested a combined 1.30/1.35m and 1.40/1.45m section for both Team and Individual honors.
1.30/1.35m and 1.40/1.45m Team
GOLD: Bold Minstrel
Niki Macleod | Odin B 4 | Zone 10
Jamie Barge | La Biosthetique | Zone 10
Sierra Geisler | Hatari | Zone 10
SILVER: Sapphire
Jayme Omand | Gema de Caryan | Zone 10
Claire Archer | My Diamant PD Z | Zone 10
Maggie Kehring | Cerafina | Zone 10
BRONZE: Calypso
Julia Greenspan | Caruso Z | Zone 10
Ava Spinale | Chesterfield | Zone 10
Ashley Mozart Fey | PK Aluno | Zone 10
“It was amazing riding on a team," exclaimed Macleod, a Zone 10 team Gold Medalist from Rolling Hills Estates, California. "It’s been so fun to get to know other people in the industry, and it’s such a fun way to build camaraderie in what can be kind of an individual sport. I think this Championship is such a great opportunity and the Gold Star Clinic just opens the door for even more experiences like this. I’m really glad to have had the opportunity to do something like this.”
1.30/1.35m and 1.40/1.45m Individual
GOLD: Kelsey Maloney | Diablue | Zone 10
SILVER: Jamie Barge | La Biosthetique | Zone
BRONZE: Jayme Omand | DSH Cluen Castle | Zone 10
"This win is huge for me because I’ve had a really long road with this horse," said Maloney, a Zone 10 rider of Valley Center, California. "We’ve been together for four years now, and he’s been pretty unrideable up until maybe this year, so I always knew he could do it, but now we finally get to show it off a little bit.”
"In the first round, I really wanted to be efficient." she continued of her strategy. "We had a good lick coming in round one, it was pretty fast, and he stayed really rideable, so I felt more comfortable day two to really keep pushing, make the turns a little bit tighter, not be so casual about the time allowed. On day three, he really took care of me, especially in the beginning. I did the Championship last year with him in the 1.30/1.35m section, so this year we really felt ready to step up."
The USHJA sends a special thank you to Chef d'Equipe Debbi Long for her leadership and support throughout the Championships.
The Platinum Jumper Championships are part of the USHJA Emerging Jumper Rider Program. The Program serves as the entry point for the Show Jumping Athlete Pathway, a joint USHJA-US Equestrian effort that identifies and nurtures Jumping athletes as they advance through the sport to enhance future success for Olympic and international teams representing the United States.
The Markel/USHJA Platinum Jumper Championships are open to Juniors, Amateurs, and Professional riders at the 1.30/1.35m and 1.40/1.45m levels. Participants are recognized as USHJA Platinum Jumper Riders, with individual medalists recognized as USHJA Show Jumping Platinum Athletes.
Individual medalists and their trainers will receive invitations to one USHJA Gold Star Clinic of their choice within two years, featuring four days of mounted and unmounted instruction from top clinicians and industry experts. The clinics rotate coasts annually, with the 2026 event to be held at Desert International Horse Park in Thermal, California, from January 7-11 with instruction from Nicki Shahinian-Simpson.
The USHJA sends special thanks to the entire Desert International Horse Park team for hosting the Championships; Title Sponsor Markel Insurance; Official Sponsors Herm Sprenger, Nutrena, and Parlanti; and Supporting Sponsor Essex Classics.
For more information about the Markel/USHJA Platinum Jumper Championships Program, visit ushja.org/PlatinumJumper.
Photos: Megan Giese Media and Desert Sport Photo
