Athletes Accepted for 2025 USHJA Gold Star Clinic

Lexington, Ky.—Jan. 16, 2025—The U.S. Hunter Jumper Association is pleased to announce the selected participants for the 2025 USHJA Gold Star Clinic. Nicki Shahinian-Simpson will lead the mounted instruction at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Florida, alongside stable management clinician Colleen Reed.

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Congratulations to the following riders on being selected for this year's East Coast clinic:

  • Adelle Alletto of Ocala, Fla.
  • Lola Bacardi of Reddick, Fla.
  • Amaya Bellfield of Longmont, Colo.
  • Catherine Brentzel of Irwin, Penn.
  • Isabelle Collister of Lake Forest, Ill.
  • Claire Diamond of Salt Lake City, Utah
  • Lourdes Frontera of Dripping Springs, Texas
  • Liam Gaspar of New York, N.Y.
  • Amy Krebs of Franklin, Tenn.
  • Samuelle Leerkamp of Indianapolis, Ind.
  • Elina Liebert of Elizabeth, Colo.
  • Rowan Love of Sweet Briar, Va.
  • ​​​​​​​Thomas Thomasson of Huntsville, Ala.

In addition to mounted instruction and stable management sessions in the barn, the clinic will also feature presentations including sports psychologist Dr. Jennifer Speisman and farrier Scott Lampert.

Beginning in 2025, the USHJA Gold Star Clinics will be held at a single location each year, alternating between the East and West Coasts. The 2026 Gold Star Clinic will be held on the West Coast at the Desert International Horse Park in Thermal, California. 

The Gold Star Clinic is the pinnacle of the USHJA Emerging Jumper Rider Program, which provides education and guidance to Jumper athletes looking to advance to the sport's highest levels. Individual medalists from the 2024 Markel/USHJA Zone Jumper Team Championships and Markel/USHJA Platinum Jumper Championships were invited to attend one of the Gold Star Clinics, as well as the top two riders from the MZ Farms/USHJA Emerging Athletes Program National Training Session. Select Wild Card applicants were also accepted. Medalists will be eligible to attend one clinic of their choice over the following two years.

The USHJA thanks Supporting Sponsor Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund for their support, as well as Official Sponsors CWD, Herm Sprenger, Nutrena, and Parlanti. 

To learn more about the Emerging Jumper Rider Program, visit ushja.org/emergingjumper. Find out more about the Gold Star Clinics at ushja.org/goldstarclinics.

Photo: Rachel Milewski/USHJA