Walkenbach and Tosh Win EMO Insurance/USHJA 3’3” Jumping Seat Medal Finals

San Juan Capistrano, Calif. and Upper Marlboro, Md.—Oct. 3, 2022—Over the past two weeks, both coasts saw Junior riders contest the EMO Insurance/USHJA 3'3" Jumping Seat Medal Finals. On the West Coast, Paige Walkenbach and Let's Go led the victory gallop after competing at Blenheim Equisports' International Jumping Festival, September 23-24. Maddie Tosh and Daktari 38 claimed the East Coast competition at the Capital Challenge Horse Show, September 29-30.

Walkenbach Wins EMO Insurance/USHJA 3’3” Jumping Seat Medal Final – West

Heading into the third and final phase of the EMO Insurance/USHJA 3’3” Jumping Seat Medal Final – West on Saturday, September 24, at Blenheim EquiSports in San Juan Capistrano, California, the class was Paige Walkenbach’s to win or lose. The 15-year-old held the lead aboard Let’s Go, and as her Jumping Phase score was announced as a 94, she only further secured the overall victory.

Finishing as the reserve champion was Isabella Holway of Cardiff, California, riding HD Washington, and third place went to Londyn Samlaska of Henderson, Nevada, aboard Edesa’s Revel.

“It feels pretty surreal,” said Walkenbach of her win. “This is [Let’s Go]’s second time winning it, so it’s really special to be honored like that. He also won the Jumping Seat [Medal] Final in 2018 with Julia Stone. He’s been in the family for two years; I’ve kind of been sharing him with my sister, but he’s mostly been mine since January. He’s just so great. Once he gets on a nice, rhythmic canter, all the distances appear. He’s just such a good boy. I can always trust him.”

Walkenbach and the 11-year-old Warmblood gelding, owned by Elvenstar, were one of 33 entries to take on the opening Flat Phase held on Friday, September 23, and a score of 85.5 on the flat put them into fourth place heading into the afternoon’s Gymnastics Phase. The win in the Flat Phase with a score of 88 went to Sofia Brocca-Jacobs aboard Romanee Conti, of Long Beach, California.

For the gymnastics phase, course designer Anthony D’Ambrosio set a 16-fence course on the Oaks International Grand Prix Field, incorporating multiple one and two-stride combinations. Walkenbach navigated the track with ease, earning a score of 92 from judges Alex Jayne and Jim Toon to win the phase and move to the top of the leaderboard.

On Saturday morning, riders returned to the grass Grand Prix field in reverse order of their standings to take on the final Jumping Phase, also designed by D’Ambrosio.

“The Jumping Phase had a really tight time allowed, which we kind of knew going in because that’s what it’s about, but it really made me have to be tidy around the corners and not waste any of my backside strides, as well as watching for rails because those can come really easily,” explained Walkenbach, who hails from Paradise Valley, Arizona, and trains with Jim Hagman at Elvenstar Farm.

“I was probably a mixture of both [nervous and confident],” continued Walkenbach, who was the final entry to return to jump. “I’ve been in that position before. I know how it feels. It’s very nerve-wracking, but I was mostly just excited because the courses were really fun. I was excited to go out there to show my stuff with ‘Pedro’ because he’s such a good boy.”

And show their stuff, they did. Walkenbach’s score of 94 secured her the win, and Let’s Go was also recognized as the Best Equitation Horse.

“I’m very honored to win this Medal Final and to be the fourth rider out of five years that’s been the champion from my barn, Elvenstar,” concluded Walkenbach. “It’s just really cool to be in that position. Jim’s had a bunch of winners! I also really like the Jumping Seat Medal because it’s like a mini Talent Search Finals. It includes all the different things that you’ll be doing in the future, so I really like how it’s formatted.”

Tosh Takes EMO Insurance/USHJA 3’3” Jumping Seat Medal Final – East

The EMO Insurance/USHJA 3’3” Jumping Seat Medal Final – East came to a close on Friday, September 30, during Equitation Weekend, presented by BIGEQ.com, at the Capital Challenge Horse Show in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Taking top honors in the competitive class was Maddie Tosh aboard Daktari 38.

Tosh of Milton, Georgia, and Missy Clark’s Daktari 38 bested a large field of 164 horse-and-rider combinations over three phases of competition. The first portion tested the competitors on the flat with judges Tammy Provost and Robin Rost-Brown asking riders to show off their ability to counter canter and lengthen their horses’ stride. The flat was followed by a gymnastics course and a final Jumping Phase both designed by Ken Krome. Tosh sat in second place going into the last round after scoring an 85.1 on the flat and an 85.5 in the Gymnastics Phase. In the final round, Tosh’s high score of 87 put her at the top of the scoreboard with an overall total of 387.35.

“Coming into the final phase I felt like I could really trust him,” explained Tosh. “He’s been so amazing the whole time we’ve had him. I felt like I could go in there and put in a nice, confident round because he’s always there for me, and he’s a really great partner.”

Although Daktari is only 7 years old and this class was his first indoor final, the Hanoverian gelding handled the atmosphere with ease. Tosh also remained cool under pressure to guide Daktari 38 to a brilliant fault-free third round.

“I thought it was a forward course, which was good for my horse because he has a big stride,” said Tosh. “I was able to pick up a gallop and keep it the whole time. It’s always nice inside because I feel like the horses know it’s a little bit different and special."

“He’s really been great all the way through,” continued Tosh of her mount, who was named Best Equitation Horse. “I thought the flat was good. Then in the Gymnastics Phase, he couldn’t have been any better, so I felt like we had a strong start coming into today. I’d honestly rather come back in second than on top. It gave me a little wiggle room. He was amazing, and I just couldn’t ask any more from him.”

Still a fairly new pair, Tosh and Daktari 38 have been partnered for the last year. The 16-year-old rider trains with her father and top professional Hunter rider Hunt Tosh. Although the horse is owned by Missy Clark of North Run, Betsee Parker leases the gelding for Tosh.

“He tries so hard, he’s so sweet and he has such a great personality,” commented Tosh. “This has been a lot for him this week, being his first final. He came here last year and just did the age group–he didn’t do a final. He just handled it like a champ. He does whatever you ask him to. He’s so young, but he’s so brave.”

Vivian Golden of Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, and her own Cap Ferrat earned second place honors with an overall score of 382.275. Third place was awarded to Isa Jensen of Albany, New York, and Happy Boy after they received a total score of 376.75.

The EMO Insurance/USHJA 3'3" Jumping Seat Medal provides Junior exhibitors with the opportunity to develop their equitation skills over a jumper-style course, aiming to help riders gain experience in a format similar to that of the USEF Show Jumping Talent Search. The Medal is open to Junior riders who have not reached their 18th birthday as of December 1 of the current competition year and qualify for the Finals by earning points in Jumping Seat Medal classes during the qualifying period.

The USHJA extends special thanks to the Blenheim Equisports and Capital Challenge Horse Show teams for hosting the Finals; Title Sponsor EMO Insurance; Official Sponsors Exhibitor's, CWD, Nutrena, Parlanti and Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital; and Awards Sponsors Essex Classics and Charles Owen.

For more information about the EMO Insurance/USHJA 3’3” Jumping Seat Medal, visit ushja.com/jumpingseatmedal.

USHJA 3'3'' Jumping Seat Medal Final - West Results

1. Paige Walkenbach | Let's Go | Jim Hagman | 85.5 | 92 | 94 | 411.5
2. Isabella Holway | HD Washington | Emily Esau Williams | 83.5 | 84.5 | 92 | 394.25
3. Londyn Samlaska | Edesa's Revel | Emily Esau Williams | 80.5 | 87 | 87 | 385
4. Maddie Milo | Prince Of Peace | Joie Gatlin | 85 | 81.5 | 86 | 379.25
5. Maggie Dumrauf | Cover Girl | Hailey Scharping | 83.25 | 84 | 85 | 379.25
6. Grace Russo | Casalino | Christa Endicott | 80 | 85 | 85.5 | 378.5
7. Lillian Muzzy | Baldeur | Shayne Wireman | 81 | 82 | 84 | 372
8. Sofia Brocca-Jacobs | Romanee Conti | Jim Hagman | 88 | 79.75 | 79 | 365.625
9. Charlotte Rohlen | Iceman VH Gevahof | Nicole Norris | 77.5 | 78 | 83 | 360.5
10. Emma Wright | Hustler | Cassie Belmont | 75 | 83 | 78 | 355.5
11. Violet Tatum | Cambalache | Archibald Cox | 75.5 | 77 | 81 | 353
12. Taylor Black | Nashville | Lucy Alabaster | 77.75 | 72 | 82 | 349.75

USHJA 3'3'' Jumping Seat Medal Final - East Results

*Tie broken with Jumping Phase score

1. Maddie Tosh | Daktari 38 | Hunt Tosh | 85.1 | 85.5 | 87 | 387.35
2. Vivian Golden | Cap Ferrat | Amanda Lyerly | 85.8 | 85.25 | 84.3 | 382.275
3. Isa Jensen | Happy Boy | Walker Pozzi | 84.75 | 83.2 | 83.6 | 376.75
4. Cecelia Perry | Surely | Keri Kampsen | 82.3 | 84.3 | 82.8 | 374.35
5. Abigail Gordon | Breckenridge | Susanne Gordon | 77.5 | 85 | 84.25 | 373.5
6. Maxine Boeding | Jalabert | Andre Dignelli | 72.25 | 87 | 84.5 | 371.75
7. Lily Epstein | Cumano Boy Z | Allison Sweetnam | 83 | 83.4 | 81.7 | 371.5
8. Eva Mackenzie | Demonia GS Z | Chance Arakelian | 84.8 | 81.6 | 81.1 | 369.4
9. Annabelle Brown | Nemesis 11 | Brooke Brown | 81.1 | 81.2 | 82.75 | 368.4*
10. Grace O'Connell | Chicago | Abigail Blankenship | 84.85 | 81.3 | 80.8 | 368.4*
11. Cassidy Exner | Utrillo Du Soleil | Lainie Wimberly | 79 | 80.75 | 83.75 | 367.625
12. Isabella Mullan | Coltino | Tasha Visokay | 80 | 84.5 | 79.9 | 366.55

Release: Randolph PR (West) and Jump Media (East)
Photos: McCool Photography (West) and Shawn McMillen Photography (East)