Zones 1 and 2 Awarded USHJA 1.00/1.05m Junior/Amateur Zone Jumper Championship Titles in Saugerties

Saugerties, N.Y.—Aug. 2, 2024—Athletes from Zones 1 and 2 took to HITS-on-the-Hudson on July 26-28 for their USHJA 1.00/1.05m Junior/Amateur Zone Jumper Championships. More than 25 horse-and-rider combinations competed over the three days, where team and individual medals were awarded while Chefs d'Equipe Shelby Heady and Kristi Smith oversaw the competition.

"Competing was so much fun! There’s not a lot of opportunity out there for a Junior or Amateur to compete in a team setting. It was really fun meeting my teammates and cheering them on as they went around the course. There was a lot of camaraderie, and standing up on the podium and having a team Silver medal put around your neck is not something you get to do every day," said Graham, who earned team silver and individual gold in the Amateur section.

"Winning the individual gold medal was so exciting! I knew we had to go clear in our last round to be Gold, and after the last fence all I could think was, 'oh my God…we did it!'  Then there was the victory gallop which was a blast," she continued. "Standing on top of the podium again but this time winning Gold was an amazing feeling!  Winning this event really means a lot to me because I bought Castle Creek as a young, green horse and we’ve worked really hard and we’ve come so far. It just confirms to me that he’s really an awesome horse."

The USHJA 1.00/1.05m Junior/Amateur Zone Jumper Championships provide riders with a competitive team experience and an opportunity to earn Zone Horse of the Year points in the 1.00/1.05m Junior and Amateur Jumper sections. To qualify, riders must apply and earn a minimum of 20 points in their respective 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. 

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. 

"It was great to ride on a team. Since most of this sport is individual, it was a nice change to have other riders there for support. For us it worked out well, one day two of our riders went clear and the next, the other two were clear. Having multiple days and multiple riders takes a lot of pressure off," said Thibault, who was part of the Amateur gold medal team. "I wanted to compete because it seemed like a chance to try something new—riding on a team, having to do the jog, the cumulative points system, etc.—were all new to me. I thought it was a great experience and I'm very glad I did it."

One more USHJA 1.00/1.05m Junior/Amateur Jumper Championship will be held at the Temecula Valley Fall National III in Temecula, California, from October 16-20 for Zones 9 and 10. 

The USHJA extends special thanks to the team at HITS for hosting this Championship. The USHJA also thanks Official Sponsors CWD, Nutrena, and Parlanti. 

For more information about the USHJA 1.00/1.05m Junior/Amateur Zone Jumper Championships, visit ushja.org/lowzonejumper. 

Photos: ESI Photography