Medals Awarded for USHJA 1.00/1.05m Child/Adult Zone 9 and 10 Jumper Championship and West Markel/USHJA Zone Jumper Team Championships

Temecula, Calif.—Oct. 25, 2023—The USHJA 1.00/1.05m Child/Adult Zone Jumper Championships for Zone 9 and Zone 10, and the Markel/USHJA Zone Jumper Team Championships - West, saw a range of individuals and teams compete for gold over October 18-22 in Temecula, California, at the Temecula Valley National Fall 3 hosted by Nilforushan Equisport Events.

Chef d'Equipe Wynn Morrow from Zone 9, Sloan Elmassian, Denise Finch, Ned Glynn, Mike Herbert, Lacy Stormes and Katherine Tracy from Zone 10 oversaw the USHJA 1.00/1.05m Child/Adult Zone Jumper Championships. 

Chef d'Equipe Alexia Honneger from Zone 8, Germaine Doughtery, Beka Swan and Denise Youell from Zone 9, Heatherly Davis, Sloan Elmassian, Custis Ferguson, Denise Finch, Anjelica Glosup, Edvardo Hegewisch, Mary Beth Molt, McKenna Skelton, Jamie Taylor and Mark Watring from Zone 10 oversaw the Markel/USHJA Zone Jumper Championships - West. 

USHJA 1.00/1.05m Child/Adult Zone Zone 9 and 10 Jumper Championships Results

Team Medalists

"It felt very nerve-racking but super fun [showing on a team]," Findlay said of her Children's Zone Jumper team experience. "I felt a lot more pressure since I wasn’t just competing for myself and it feels amazing that I won with my team."

"Competing on a team was an awesome experience," Kulkin said, who earned gold with Team Saphire and silver individually. "I have never ridden on a team before and I didn't know any of my teammates going into the competition, so I was really lucky to get such great teammates who were all really supportive and rode great through the competition."

"It was such a fantastic opportunity and experience," Emmons said, a rider on Team EquiDynasty. "I met so many amazing people and horses as part of the Zone 9 Team. We had incredible support there on the ground for the event and I could not have asked for a better experience."

Individual Medalists

"Thank you again to USHJA and Nilforushan Equisport Events for the fantastic opportunity and gracious hospitality, we could not have asked for a better experience," Emmons stated.

The USHJA 1.00/1.05m Child/Adult Zone Jumper Championships provide Children's and Adult Amateur Jumper competitors an opportunity to earn Zone Horse of the Year points in the Children's and Adult Amateur Jumper (1.00/1.05m) in both team and individual competition. To qualify, riders must apply and earn a minimum of 20 points in their respective Children's and Adult Amateur Jumper sections at USEF-licensed competitions by their zone’s deadline, which is 45 days prior to the selected championship. Riders must also be current Active USEF and USHJA Junior or Amateur members in good standing.

"It was really fun and I made new friends here," exclaimed Runyan on his experience. "I'm excited to see my friends in Las Vegas at the National Championships and I hope to be back at a Jumper Championship next year!" 

During the championship, riders compete in a three-day competition format. Day one entails a first round of the team championship and first individual qualifying class. Day two consists of the second round of the team championship and the second individual qualifying class. For the last competition day, the top 15 individual finalists from the qualifying classes return to jump for the individual championship title. 

"I have never competed on a team at this level, so winning gold was an amazing experience," exclaimed Outhet, teammate to Emmons. "I had a stroke in 2004 and had to stop riding for more than 15 years until I purchased Brickland two and a half years ago. The feeling of riding again, let alone being chosen to represent a team at this level, is indescribable."

Markel/USHJA Zone Jumper Team Championships - West Results

Team Medalists

"I was the youngest on my team and I had great teammates, Madison Wiener, Kimberly Williams and Jayden Foran who cheered me on and gave me added confidence," Siler said of her Children's Zone Jumper Team experience. "After a long year of prepping to get there,  winning with the group of girls I was paired with made it even more special."

"I had a wonderful time at Zone Championships and I was thrilled to be on the same team as my friend, Liza Wheeler," said Day, a rider on The Anacondas team. "Liza and I grew up riding at the same barn as kids. We both went off to college and then reconnected as adults. Recently, we started showing together and we live about three hours away from each other so it was really special to learn we were on the same team."

Individual Medalists

The Markel/USHJA Zone Jumper Team Championships provide Children's and Adult Amateur Jumper (1.10/1.15m) and 1.20/1.25m Juniors and Amateur competitors both team and individual competition. All competitors are recognized as USHJA Emerging Jumper Riders and individual medalists are recognized as Gold Star Emerging Jumper Riders.

The Zone Jumper Team Championships are part of the USHJA Emerging Jumper Rider Program, which rewards competitive achievement with education to advance athletes in the sport. 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.

Individual Zone Jumper Team Championship medalists and their trainers are also invited to attend one of two Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund/USHJA Gold Star Clinics scheduled for the early part of the next year. Each clinic includes four days of mounted and unmounted instruction from Olympic-caliber clinicians and industry professionals.

"This past week is one that I will look back on and smile on when thinking about and I look forward to participating next year," exclaimed Day. 

The USHJA extends special thanks to the Nilforushan Equisport Events team for hosting these Championships. The USHJA also thanks official sponsors CWD, Nutrena and Parlanti and Zone Jumper Team Championship Title Sponsor Markel Insurance.

For more information about the USHJA 1.00/1.05m Child/Adult Zone Jumper Championships, visit ushja.org/lowzonejumper. For more information about the Markel/USHJA Zone Jumper Team Championships, visit ushja.org/ZoneJumper.

Photos: Captured Moment Photography and Julia B Photography