Zone 10 Awarded Team Gold at USHJA Zones 9 & 10 Platinum Jumper Championships
Thermal, Calif.—November 7, 2019— The USHJA Jumper Team and Platinum Jumper Championships are underway at the National Sunshine Series II, hosted by The Desert International Horse Park. In the USHJA Platinum Jumper Championships, Team Two - comprised of Zone 10 riders Simonne Berg, Amelie Louise Bittar and Sloan Elmassian - topped the podium with a total of a single time fault.
The Team Championship is a two-round modified Nation’s Cup format, which also serves as the second and third individual qualifying classes for the Platinum Individual Final. The track for today's competition was designed by Marina Azevedo of Brazil. When two teams tied after the two rounds, silver and bronze were left to the fate of a jump-off, with silver being awarded to Team Three and Team One taking home bronze. Leading the teams at the Championships were Chefs d’Equipe Mike Endicott and Rich Fellers.
Platinum Jumper Team Championship Results
GOLD:
Rider / Horse / Hometown / Status
Simonne Berg / V Cantate / Sausalito, Calif. / Amateur
Amelie Louise Bittar / Star Girl B / Los Angeles, Calif. / Junior
Sloan Elmassian / Centurion / La Canada, Calif. / Professional
SILVER:
Rider / Horse / Hometown / Status
Savannah Jenkins / Belladonna 42 / Somis, Calif. / Professional
Shota Ogomori / Sig Comedy 5 / Torrance, Calif. / Amateur
Crystal Nelson / Cadeau / Watsonville, Calif. / Professional
BRONZE:
Rider / Horse / Hometown / Status
Maggie Kehring / Cole Haan / Woodside, Calif. / Junior
Lexi Burdon / Daisy Lyn / Los Altos Hills, Calif. / Amateur
Shelley Fellers / Cormann / Oregon City, Ore. / Professional
All three gold medalists had competed in the Zone Jumper Team Championships in previous years, so each of them were aware of and looking forward to of this year’s inaugural 1.40m Platinum Jumper competition.
“DiAnn Langer and Jennifer [Osterman] have done a great job of promoting this program and making sure people of all levels have the opportunity to do this. Once you’re out of the juniors or amateurs and turn professional your opportunities used to end there," Gold medalist Sloan Elmassian said. "It gives riders at a higher level, both in skill and in competition, the opportunity to ride on a team. It’s a different concept practicing on a team rather than individually.”
Zone 10 Chef d’Equipe Mike Endicott praised the program for being “...educational all the way around and fun. It adds a little twist to it with the pros in there.”
All gold medalists remarked on the positive experience they had competing as a part of a team. As Berg noted, “It was really fun to have Amelie and Sloan as teammates. It will be fun to do it again next year, and maybe we’ll get the same team — who knows!”
Elmassian, a young professional, believes the program has the potential to set riders like herself up for future successes. "It’s one thing to go out and ride for yourself but it’s different in this team format. Hopefully it's preparing us for Nation's Cups and Olympic teams later in our careers. You’re not only riding for yourself, but you're riding for your team as well.”
Riders will now have a mandatory rest day Friday before competing in the Individual Final on Saturday, held as an overlay with the $30,000 Grand Prix.
New for the 2019 competition year, the USHJA Platinum Jumper Championships marks the highest level of the USHJA Emerging Jumper Rider Program and is open to qualified juniors, amateurs and professionals competing at 1.40/1.45m fence heights. Platinum Championship competitors will be recognized as 2019 USHJA Platinum Jumper Riders, and received comprehensive information during the riders meeting about 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.
Also taking place this week at the Desert International Horse Park are the USHJA Zones 9 & 10 Jumper Team Championships for 1.20/1.25m Juniors and Amateurs, and 1.30/1.35m Juniors and Amateurs, who each had an Individual round today n the Grand Prix Stadium. The 1.10/1.15m Children's and Adult Amateurs begin tomorrow. And on Saturday the USHJA Zones 9 & 10 Children’s and Adult Amateur Hunter Team Championships will be underway.
USHJA extends special thanks to the entire Desert International Horse Park team for hosting the USHJA Zones 9 & 10 Platinum Jumper Championships, as well as chefs d’equipe Mike Endicott and Rich Fellers.
Thank you to USHJA official sponsors, Charles Owen, CWD, Parlanti and Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, and Platinum Jumper Championship award sponsors Essex Classics and FITS Riding, for their support of these Championships.
For more information about the USHJA Platinum Jumper Championships, including qualifying information, deadlines and Championship specifications, visit ushja.org/PlatinumJumper.
