Zones 9 & 10 Riders Earn Coveted Medals and Gold Star Emerging Jumper Rider Titles at Zone Jumper Team Championships

Thermal, Calif.—November 12, 2018—Yesterday, concluded the final USHJA Zone Jumper Team Championships of the year with the last USHJA Gold Star Emerging Jumper Rider titles and invitations to USHJA Gold Star Clinics awarded to Individual medalists of the USHJA Zones 9 and 10 Jumper Team Championships. 

Individual Championships

The 1.10/1.15m Children's section kicked off the Individual competition. Allyson Meister rode All Afrika Z to gold, Olivia Williams and Cansas earned silver, and Sydney Mondorf and Levino 18 claimed bronze. After riding the 1.10/1.15m Adult Amateur Team gold clinching jump-off round earlier that morning, Stacey Bacheller and Hyval returned in the afternoon to claim the Individual gold medal for herself as well. Katerina Baney and Calina finished in silver, and Linda Fotsch and Chirico W earned bronze.

Ending fault-free over the three days of competition, Lexi Burdon rode Daminka Du Lys to gold in the 1.20/1.25m Junior Individual Championship. Stella Buckingham and Eranka B earned silver, and Amelie Bittar and Star Girl B earned bronze. Hannah Ellerbrock won the 1.20/1.25m Amateur Individual Final aboard Lagos with three days of clear rounds. Jayme Omand and Zador took the silver medal with just 4 faults, and Jasmine Talley and Rammstein rounded out the podium with 8 faults and the bronze medal.

In the 1.30/1.35m Junior/Amateur individual Championship, Rachel Freer and C'est Indezz earned gold, Claire Archer and Sweet Chocolate PJ earned silver, and Sara Jorgensen and Top Top claimed bronze.

Team Championships

Saturday marked the majority of the team competition, and it was exciting, fierce and fun for the 1.10/1.15m Children's, 1.20/1.25m Junior, 1.20/1.25m Amateur, and 1.30/1.35m Junior/Amateur sections with multiple jump offs throughout the day. 

A three-way jump-off for medal positions made for an exciting first class of team day in the 1.20/1.25m Junior section. A clean jump-off round for rider Caroline Mawhinney earned the Zone 10 team of Mawhinney, Hallie Williams and Sophia Silveira, led by Chef d'Equipe Ned Glynn, the win. The fastest four fault jump-off from Stella Buckingham earned her and her team of Natalie Gerst and Ava Spinale, led by Chef d'Equipe Katie Gardner, a silver medal finish. In bronze was the Zone 10 team of Maud Christal, Brooke Levy, Lexi Burdon and Laila Klinsmann, led by Chef d'Equipe Rebecca Bruce.

The Zone 10 team of Carrie Wicks, Jerra Mays and Hannah Ellerbrock, led by Chef d'Equipe Mary Beth Molt, earned the gold medal in the 1.20/1.25m Amateur Team Championship. After an exciting jump-off for silver and bronze, the Zone 10 team of Jayme Osmond, Susan Azad and Karoline Sauls, led by Chef d'Equipe Lucie Wharton, earned silver. The Zone 9 team of Kalie Whitcomb, Bob Widmayer, Selah Shepherd and Danielle Bogardus, led by Chef d'Equipe Katherine Wade-Easley claimed bronze.

In the 1.30/1.35m Junior/Amateur section, there was yet another jump-off, this time for gold. The Zone 10 team of Rachel Freer, Sloan Elmassian, Alexandra Murphy, and Sara Jorgenson, led by Chef d'Equipe Kaitlin Campbell, earned the win when Jorgenson jumped off clean. Finishing silver was the Zone 10 team of Sarah Witten, Sydnie Young, Kate Abajian, and Serena Anand, led by Chef d'Equipe Michael Endicott. Endicott also led the bronze team from Zone 10 of Alessandra Volpi, Catherine Tomlinson, Maeve Phelan and Alyce Bittar. They earned the bronze finish after a jump-off with the combined Zones 9 & 10 team of Rachel Long, Alexa Leong, Claire Archer and Tiffany Martin, led by Chef d'Equipe Katherine Wade Easley.

Zone 10's Claire Williamson, Ella Kaplan and Allyson Meister were perfect to capture the gold medal spot on the podium for the Children's section. After a three-way jump-off between two Zone 10 teams and a Zone 9 team of Mikaela Ji, Emi Hegarty, and Camille Halstead, led by Chef d'Equipe Katherine Wade-Easley, to determine silver and bronze, the Zone 10 team of Olivia Williams, Lisel Anderson, Zacko Hardin, and Charlotte Jones, led by Chef d'Equipe Daniel Ighani, finished in silver with Williams jumping off clear 2 seconds ahead of the bronze medal team. The Zone 10 team of Gabby Kamins, Nell Cunningham, Lauren Flather, and Grace Belmont, led by Chef d'Equipe Meredith Herman, claimed bronze.

The USHJA Zone 10 team of Diane Doolittle, Kathleen Lord, Lauren Wilson and Stacey Bacheller, led by Chef d'Equipe Elizabeth Kilham, thanks to Bacheller's clean, fast finish in the jump-off. Finishing just 1 second behind Bacheller was Katerina Baney. Baney and her Zone 9 team of Andrea Schroeder, Robin Tomb and Leslie Cox, led by Chef d'Equipe Julie Winkel, took silver. Rounding out the podium, the Zone 10 Adult Amateur team of Tara Brown-Stocks, Evette Delong, Nori Burby, and Chelsea Cain earned bronze with Chef d'Equipe Hillary Ridland.
 

USHJA extends special thanks to the many talented Chefs d'Equipe that led riders at the Championships.  For Zone 9, Katherine Wade-Easley, Lindsey Garner and Julie Winkel served as Chefs d'Equipe. For Zone 10 Cassie Belmont, Denize Borges, Rebecca Bruce, Kaitlin Campbell, Michael Endicott, Katie Gardner, Ned Glynn, Everardo Hegewisch, Meredith Herman, Amy Hess, Elizabeth Kilham, Gry McFarlane, Mary Beth Molt, Hillary Ridland, Erin Rorabaugh, Lucie Wharton, and Alex Wilson served as Chefs d'Equipe. 

USHJA also thanks AON HITS Desert Horse Park and the entire HITS team for hosting the Zones 9 & 10 Jumper Team Championships.

Individual gold medalists received a pair of Professional's Choice Pro Performance Boots in addition to a medal, a ribbon and a cooler, and the Adult Amateur individual gold medalist received a pair of Parlanti paddock boots. 

Championship competitors were recognized as 2018 USHJA Emerging Jumper Riders. During a special orientation session during the riders meeting, riders, trainers and parents received comprehensive information about how riders can advance through the sport to its highest levels. The session specifically discussed 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.

USHJA recognized all individual medalists as 2018 Gold Star Emerging Jumper Riders by awarding them an exclusive 2018 Gold Star Emerging Jumper Rider pin that can be worn at future competitions to distinguish them. At the same time, trainers of these riders were recognized as 2018 Gold Star Jumper Coaches and received specialized pins that denote their title. Riders and trainers who received the designation were also invited to attend one of the upcoming Gold Star Clinics, which will be held on the East Coast at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, Dec. 26-30, 2018, on the West Coast at the HITS Desert Horse Park in Thermal, Calif., Jan. 16-20, 2019, and new this year, a centrally located Gold Star Clinic at the World Equestrian Center in Wilmington, Ohio, April 16-20, 2019. 

USHJA extends its gratitude to all of our official sponsors, Charles Owen, CWD, Parlanti, Professional's Choice and Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, that make programs like this possible. 

For more information about the USHJA Zone Jumper Team Championships click here. For more information about the USHJA Emerging Jumper Rider Program click here.