The USHJA Child/Adult Amateur Jumper Championships at HITS Culpeper :: HITS

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The USHJA Child/Adult Amateur Jumper Championships at HITS Culpeper

Culpeper, VA (August 29, 2016): Riders descended on HITS Commonwealth Park for a shot at gold in the both the Team and Individual Championship at the USHJA Children’s/Adult Jumper Zones III & IV Championships that took place on Friday through Sunday at HITS Culpeper.

USHJA Child Team Jumper Championships
As the final concluded on Saturday, Team 5 from Zone IV, guided by Chef d’Equipe Kim Land, would prove to be the team to beat, bringing home the prestigious gold medal for the Children’s Team victory. The team included members: Phoebe Alwine of Boynton Beach, Florida, riding Zenith Dance; Rachel Rothenberg of Palm Beach Gardens Florida, riding Petit Flipper, owned by Ellen Mitchell; Caitlin Howie of Atlanta, Georgia, riding Couture Z; and Katherine Weisenmiller of Lutz, Florida, riding Excaliber, owned by KMW Ponies LLC.

Team 5 finished the first round with 8 total faults, and the second round with zero faults. Going into the Sunday’s final round, the team had one elimination, but two clear rounds helped them come out on top when the class was done.

"It was a great competition. I think the entire HITS team did a fantastic job.  The specs and the rules were followed and all of the riders walked away with a great learning experience,” said Zone IV Chef d’Equipe Kim Land. "The team that won the Children's really came together and supported each other. They came into the final round tied for second but 3 of the 4 riders jumped clean [in the final round] and that was very difficult to do."

The silver medal went to Team 1 from Zone III. The team included members: Bailey Doloff of Sykesville, Maryland, riding Wishlea Star Dasher; Hannah Leibrand of Dickerson, Maryland, riding All In, owned by Melinda Cohen; Mackenzie Ashe of Raleigh, North Carolina, riding Beugino; and Sarah Boston of Owings Mills, Maryland, riding Hermines, owned by Donald Stewart.

The bronze medal went to Team 2 from Zone III. Members on the team were: Lauren Evans of Wilmington, Delware, riding Coronation; Julia Ziffer of Gaithersburg, Maryland, riding Ultimate; Madison Busey of Ashburn, Virginia, riding Upcountry Pisani; and Grace Boston of Owings Mills, Maryland, riding Swiss Air, owned by Donald Stewart.

Both Team 1 and Team 2 came into the final round on Saturday with 12 faults. An exciting jump-off would determine which team would walk away with silver or bronze. Bailey Doloff of Team 2 went clean to score ahead of Grace Boston, Team 1, with 8 faults.

Manuel Esparza of Mexico City designed the course for the Championships, which presented a quality test for each horse and rider.

“The course designer was perfect. The courses were appropriate, but at the same time very challenging,” said Land. “It was hard to jump clean, but they were safe.”


USHJA Adult Team Jumper Championships
Team 3 from Zone III claimed the gold in the Adult portion of the competition. Chef d’Equipe Tracy Magness led the Adult Zone III team, which included: Adair Roper of Manakin Sabot, Virginia, riding Charlotte; Jessica Leonard of Riva, Maryland, riding Larent; Nicole Wood of Hunt Valley, Maryland, riding Vendetta; and Alyson Gurney of Washington, DC, riding Black Friday.

“The course rode nicely with enough challenges and was overall very well done,” said gold medal team member Alyson Gurney. “This was a fantastic experience; the best part was riding as a team, which is rare for our sport. I had a great time and I can’t wait until next year.”

The silver medal went to Team 2 from Zone III: Mallory Lobisser of Arlington, Virginia, riding Bainbridge; Diana Harris of Creedmor, North Carolina, riding Echosmith; Juliette Landis of Daniels, West Virginia, riding Shiraz; and Courtney Logan of Gaithersburg, Maryland, riding Prince Royal, owned by Patty Foster.

Team 1 from Zone III took bronze: Sharon Gordan of Culpeper, Virginia, riding Interstellar; Megan Fitzgerald of Washington, DC, riding Double Date, owned by Darpin Enterprises, LLC.; Kaylin Dines of Greenwood Village, Colorado, riding Why Not; and Wendy Libert of Hughesville, Maryland, riding Papillion Peanut, owned by Mr. and Mrs. John Bartko.

Both Team 2 and Team 3 came into the finals with 8 faults, so an exhilarating jump-off on Saturday determined the gold. Alyson Gurney rode for Team 3, clocking in clean in 40.063. Courtney Logan rode for Team 2, stopping the clock at 40.150, fault-free, just fractions of a second behind Gurney.

"Every year the competition has been growing; the courses were perfect and continued to build up each day,” said Magness. “They were nice and technical and allowed the riders to leave with a positive experience. Two of the riders on the winning team ride and train with me so I was a proud trainer. It came down to a fast and exciting jump off and we were able to walk away with the win thanks to some great riding by everyone on the team."

 

Children's Team Championships (Top 3) 

PlaceTeam                    Rider                              Owner                  Horse
1 Team 5 - Zone IV
Chef Kiim Land
Phoebe Alwine Phoebe Alwine Zenith Dance
    Rachel Rothenberg Ellen Mitchell Petit Flipper
    Caitlin Howie Caitlin Howie Couture Z
    Katherine Weisenmiller KMW Ponies, LLC. Excaliber
2 Team 1 - Zone III Hannah Leibrand Melinda Cohen All In
    Bailey Doloff Bailey Dolloff Wishlea Star Dasher
    Sarah Boston Donald Stewart Herminas
    Mackenzie Ashe Mackenzie Ashe Beugino
3 Team 2 - Zone III Julia Ziffer Julia Ziffer Ultimate
    Madison Busey Madison Busey Upcountry Pisani
    Grace Boston Donald Stewart Swiss Air
    Lauren Evans Lauren Evans Coronation

 

All Images (C) ESI Photography 
Gold Medalists - Top Left: Rachel Rothenberg; Top Right: Phoebe Alwine; Bottom Left: Caitlin Howie; Bottom Right: Katherine Weisenmiller

 

(C) ESI Photography
From Left to Right: Silver, Gold and Bronze medal teams pose in their team victories on the podium. 
 
 

Adult Team Championships (Top 3)
 

PlaceTeam                    Rider                              Owner                  Horse
1 Team 3 - Zone III
Chef Tracy Magness
Adair Roper Adair Roper Charlotte
    Jessica Leonard Jessica Leonard Larent
    Nicole Wood Nicole Wood Vendetta
    Alyson Gurney Alyson Gurney Black Friday
2 Team 2 - Zone III Diana Harris Diana Harris Echosmith
    Juliette Landis Juliette Landis Shiraz
    Mallory Lobisser Mallory Lobisser Bainbridge
    Courtney Logan Patty Foster Prince Royal
3 Team 1 - Zone III Megan Fitzgerald Darpin Enterprises, LLC Double Date
    Sharon Gordan Sharon Gordan Interstellar
    Kaylin Dines Kaylin Dines Why Not
    Wendy Libert Mr & Mrs John Bartko Papillion Peanut

 

  

(C) ESI Photography 
Top Left: Adair Roper; Top Right: Nicole Wood; Bottom Left: Jessica Leonard; Bottom Right: Alyson Gurney

 
 
(C) ESI Photography 
From Left to Right: Silver, Gold and Bronze medal teams pose on the podium for their victories along with Zone III Chef Tracy Magness (center). 
 
USHJA Child/Adult-Amateur Individual Jumper Championships
The finals for the USHJA Children’s/Adult Individual Jumper Championships were held on Sunday. The rider to come out on top in the Children’s section of the competition was Sarah Boston of Owings Mills, Maryland, aboard Herminas, owned by Donald Stewart.

The silver medal went to Grace Boston of Owings Mills, Maryland, piloting Swiss Air, also owned by Donald Stewart. Bailey Doloff took home the bronze medal aboard his own Wishlea Star Dancer.

“Sarah, like her twin sister Grace who was second in the class, is a very dedicated and attentive rider,” said trainer of the top two riders Don Stewart. “They both have a huge desire to excel.”

The bronze medal went to Bailey Doloff of Sykesville, Maryland, and Wishlea Star Dasher. Boynton Beach, Florida equestrian, Phoebe Alwine, took home fourth place aboard Zinith Dance, and the top five rounded out with Anna Rhodes of Abbeville, South Carolina.

The Adult Individual champion was Eileen O'Leary of Montverde, Florida, riding Bahama Boy, owned by Bre Pickens. The silver medal belonged to Nicole Wood of Hunt Valley, Maryland, and her own Vendetta. The bronze medal went home with Alyson Gurney of Washington, DC, and Black Friday.

Fourth place belonged to Courtney Logan of Gaithersburg, Maryland, aboard Prince Royal, owned by Patty Foster. Fifth place was Mallory Lobbiser of Arlington, Virginia, aboard her own Bainbridge. 

The Zones I and II USHJA Children’s/Adult Jumper Championships will make their appearance at HITS Saugerties next week during HITS-on-the-Hudson VII. For more information regarding the USHJA Children’s/Adult Jumper Championships in Saugerties, New York, please click here.
 
Adult Individual
PlaceHorseOwnerRiderPrize
1 Bahama Boy Bre Pickens Eileen O'Leary $2,000
2 Vendetta Nicole Wood Nicole Wood $1,200
3 Black Friday Alyson Gurney Alyson Gurney $800
4 Prince Royal Patty Foster Courtney Logan -
5 Bainbridge Mallory Lobisser Mallory Lobisser -
6 Echosmith Diana Harris Diana Harris -
7 Charlotte Adair Roper Adair Roper -
8 Why Not Kaylin Dines Kaylin Dines -

 

(C) ESI Photography 
From Left: Silver Medalist: Nicole Wood; Gold Medalist: Eileen O'Leary; Bronze Medalist: Alyson Gurney. 
 

 

(C) ESI Photography 
Eileen O'Leary and Bahama Boy on their way to a USHJA Individual Adult Jumper Championship gold medal. 
 
Child Individual
PlaceHorseOwnerRiderPrize
1 Herminas Donald Stewart Sarah Boston $2,000
2 Swiss Air Donald Stewart Grace Boston $1,200
3 Wishlea Star Dasher Bailey Doloff Bailey Doloff $800
4 Zenith Dance Phoebe Alwine Phoebe Alwine -
5 Waloubet Anna Rhodes Anna Rhodes -
6 Ipswich Christina Van Patten Arabella Van Patten -
7 Rockefeller Z Zimmerli Show Jumping Shelly Zimmerli -
8 Luigi Caron Stucky Noel Pinckney -

 

(C) ESI Photography 
From Left: Silver Medalist: Grace Boston; Gold Medalist: Sarah Boston; Bronze Medalist: Bailey Doloff. 
 
(C) ESI Photography 
Sarah Boston and Herminas on their way to a USHJA Individual Child Jumper Championship gold medal.
 
 
 
 
 
 
About HITS, Inc.
HITS, Inc. produces high-quality, international-level hunter/jumper horse shows. Based in upstate New York in the Village of Saugerties, HITS has been producing shows since 1982 and is now a nationwide company with world-class circuits in California, Florida, Arizona, New York, and Virginia.

While hosting the richest weekend in show jumping at HITS-on-the-Hudson, HITS also formed the Triple Crown of Show Jumping. This includes the AIG $1 Million Grand Prix in Thermal, California, the Great American $1 Million Grand Prix in Ocala, Florida, and the Saugerties $1 Million Grand Prix in Saugerties, New York.

For more information and a complete schedule of classes and events, visit www.HitsShows.com. Stay connected with HITS! Join us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Media should contact the HITS Media Team at 845.246.8833 or e-mail media_info@HitsShows.com.