Zone 5 Claims Top Team Medals at USHJA Zone Jumper Team Championships
Crete, Ill.—July 20, 2019—An early morning at HITS Balmoral Park in Crete, Illinois, saw USHJA Zones 5 and 6 Jumper Team Championship riders take to the ring for the Team Competition. In the 1.10m/1.15m Children's, Team Clinta from Zone 5 took gold and Team Carollo, also made up of Zone 5 riders, topped the 1.10m/1.15m Adult Amateurs.
The Team Competition is a two round Nation’s Cup format, which also serves as the second and third qualifying classes for the Individual Final. Leading the teams at the Championships were Zone 5 Chefs d'Equipe Elaine Schott and Ryan Sassmannshausen and Zone 6 Chef d'Equipe Janine Weatherby.
1.10m/1.15m Children's Zone Jumper Team Results
GOLD: Team Clinta
Rider / Horse / Hometown / Status / Zone
Savannah Embly / Mister Cash Van Der / Lexington, Ky. / Zone 5
Erica Halstead / Blu Sanvalou / Barrington, Ill. / Zone 5
Annabella Harold / Upsilos Vida / Mundelein, Ill. / Zone 5
Adeline Pavlin / Ragazzon Carino / Cincinnati, Ohio / Zone 5
SILVER: Team Gem Twist
Rider / Horse / Hometown / Status / Zone
Kate Boshold / Rodrigo's Bianca / Hawthorn Woods, Ill. / Zone 5
Riley Malina / Riverrun / Skokie, Ill. / Zone 5
Madison O'Meara / Lapagina / Barrington, Ill. / Zone 5
Alexis Ortiz / Buenos Aires / Hoffman Estates, Ill. / Zone 5
BRONZE: Team Sapphire
Rider / Horse / Hometown / Status / Zone
Rebecca Gutstein / Diego VD Endepoel / Glencoe, Ill. / Zone 5
Skyler Hendricks / The Countess / Bourbonnais, Ill. / Zone 5
Sydney Lyn / Lady Bird / Aurora, Ohio / Zone 5
Anna Spitzer / Esparta / Lake Bluff, Ill. / Zone 5
Embly on the team experience: Riding on a team is really stressful--I don't want to mess up!
Pavlin on her mount, Ragazzon Carino: He was amazing. Riding on a team was really awesome and it was really cool.
Harold on the experience: I'm so thankful for my trainers and my horse and my Chef d'Equipe! Riding on a team was very stressful, but I felt like it was a good learning experience.
Zone 5 Chef d'Equipe Elaine Schott on the day's excitement: I thought it was a terrific competition. The riders were all super strong with really nice horses. The competition was a nail-biter right down to the last person in the ring, which makes it so exciting for the spectators.
1.10m/1.15m Adult Amateur Zone Jumper Team Results
GOLD: Team Carollo
Rider / Horse / Hometown / Status / Zone
Samantha Hill / Finnley 5 / Lexington, Ky. / Zone 5
Christopher Ferralez / Cubscout BG / Elgin, Ill. / Zone 5
Lindsey Russell / Ruslan / Perrysburg, Ohio / Zone 5
SILVER: Team Goldika 559
Rider / Horse / Hometown / Status / Zone
Alison Flury / Role Model / Minooka, Ill. / Zone 5
Kaitlin Gilbert / Innovation / Clarkston, Mich. / Zone 5
Claire Stockard / Canturada Seconda / Chicago, Ill. / Zone 5
BRONZE: Team Hot Shots
Rider / Horse / Hometown / Status / Zone
Maya Lovdal / Smart Cover / Saint Germain, Wisc. / Zone 6
Anne Meyer / Sella Luna / Plymouth, Minn. / Zone 6
Sierra Osborne / Arcadia's Fury / Lincoln, Neb. / Zone 6
Zone 5 Chef d'Equipe Elaine Schott on the adult competiton: The adults were all on teams of three, so no one could drop a score and each person's performance was important. They're all strong teams with experienced riders and we saw a really competitive competition.
Ferralez on being a member of Team Carollo: Riding on a team was the best experience ever. We've been texting each other since the day we found out we were going to be a team and just having funny jokes and amping each other up!
Hill on winning the gold medal with Finnley 5: It was extra special because I've only had this horse for a year and its been a year of only me riding him, getting to know him, and turning him into what he is. It has been really fun.
Russell on the day's competition: I'm so proud of [Ruslan]! This is probably the biggest and most complicated track she has ever done. Riding with the team made all the difference by having great teammates to cheer you on.
Medals and ribbons were awarded to the top three teams, with the gold medal team receiving embroidered coolers. Sunday will conclude the USHJA Zones 5 and 6 Jumper Team Championships with the Individual Final.
Also taking place this week at HITS Balmoral Park from Zones 5 and 6 are the USHJA Platinum Jumper Championships and the USHJA Children's and Adult Amateur Hunter Championships, presented by SmartPak.
The USHJA extends special thanks to Showplace Productions and the entire HITS Chicago team for hosting the Championships.
For more information about the USHJA Zone Jumper Team Championships click here. For more information about the USHJA Emerging Jumper Rider Program click here.
USHJA extends its gratitude to our official sponsors Charles Owen, CWD, Parlanti and Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, and our award sponsors Essex Classics and FITS Riding, for making these programs possible.
