Over 300 junior riders and their mounts traveled to Saugerties, New York for the 2018 USEF Junior Hunter National Championships. This is the ninth time that HITS-on-the-Hudson has hosted the Championship which features eight sections of hunter competition with $60,000 in prize money as well as the prestigious USHJA Hunterdon Cup Equitation Championship.
Hunter riders compete in three phases of competition;Hunter Classic, Under Saddle, and Handy Hunter. Each of the over fence phases counts as 40% of the Overall Score and the Under Saddle counts 20% toward the Overall Score.
Small Junior Hunter 3’6” 16-17
After three phases of competition, Grace Boston was named the Champion of the Small Junior Hunter 3’6” 16-17 Section aboard CALOU with a total score of 249.7. Boston finished first in the Classic Round with scores of 87 from Judge 1, 79 from Judge 2, and 87 from Judge 3 for a total score of 253. In the Under Saddle Round, Boston would finish in third with a score of 247.5 and also take home a second in the Handy Hunter Round with a score of 247.5.
Taking home the Reserve Championship title was Libby LeStage aboard SPECK-TACULAR with an Overall Score of 233.7. LeStage would finish with a second in the Classic Round with a 237, seventh in the Under Saddle with a 232.5, and fifth in the Handy Hunter Round with a 231.
Small Junior Hunter 3’6″ 16-17 Scores
Large Junior Hunter 3’6” 16-17
Daisy Farish and STYLE would take home the Champion title in the Large Junior Hunter 3’6” 16-17 Section with an Overall Score of 261.3 and wins in two out of the three phases. Farish won both the Classic and Handy Hunter Rounds with scores of 260.5 and 266, respectively. In the Under Saddle, Farish would finish in sixth place with a score of 253.5.
Ava Stearns and CARTELLO Z were awarded the Reserve Champion title with an Overall Score of 253.5, with a second place finish in the Classic Round and a third place finish in the Handy Hunter Round. Stearns also scored a 253.5 to be ranked in the 20th position in the Under Saddle.
Large Junior Hunter 3’6″ 16-17 Overall Scores
Small Junior Hunter 3’6” 15 & Under
Capturing the Champion title in the Small Junior Hunter 3’6” 15 & Under Section was the dynamic duo of Hallie Grimes and INQISITIVE with an overall score of 245.1. Grimes scored a 247 in the Classic Round to take home the blue ribbon. With scores of 253.5 in the Under Saddle and 239 in the Handy Hunter, Grimes would also take home individual second and third place ribbons in each of those two phases.
The Reserve Champion title went to Phoebe Topping and CELEBRATION with an overall score of 242.7. Topping rode to third and fourth place finishes in the Classic Round and Under Saddle, and won the Handy Hunter Round with a score of 260.
Small Junior Hunter 3’6″ 15 & Under Overall Scores
Large Junior Hunter 3’6” 15 & Under
With top three finishes in each phase, Ellie Ferrigno and CAPATILIZED would be awarded the Champion title in the Large Junior Hunter 3’6” 15 & Under Section. Ferrigno received scores of 86 from Judge 1, 85 from Judge 2, and 85 from Judge 3 for a total of 256 in the Classic Round. The Under Saddle phase would land Ferrigno scores of 87, 87, and 84.2 to be awarded the second place ribbon. The final phase would bring even more success with another blue ribbon in the Handy Hunter Round, with scores of 89, 88, and 88 for a total of 265.
Brooke Brombach and MONDAY BALOUS would take home the Reserve Championship with an Overall Score of 251.15. Brombach would place second in the Classic Round with a score of 253, ninth in the Under Saddle with a score of 244.25, and third in the Handy Hunter Round with a score of 252.75.
Large Junior Hunter 3’6″ 15 & Under Overall Scores
A score of 261.3 would secure the Overall Grand Champion title of all the 3’6″ Junior Hunter Sections for Daisy Farish and STYLE.
Reserve Overall Grand Champion of the 3’6″ Junior Hunters would be awarded to Ellie Ferrigno and CAPTIALIZED with a score of 260.04.
Grand Champion 3’6″ Junior Hunter Overall Standings
Small Junior Hunter 3’3” 16-17
Taking home the Reserve Champion title was Lucy Reich aboard INDELIBLE with top ten finishes in each of the phases. Reich would place eighth in the Classic Round with a score of 210, third in the Under Saddle with a score of 252.5, and second in the Handy Hunter with a score of 246.5.
Small Junior Hunter 3’3″ 16-17 Overall Scores
Large Junior Hunter 3’3” 16-17
A field of well turned-out horse and rider combinations would compete for the Champion title in the Large Junior Hunter 3’3” 16-17 Section. Taking home the Championship title was Nicole Dorwart and CUPIDO Z with an Overall Score of 258.1Dorwart would ride to a first place finish in the Classic Round, scoring a 261, as well as a first place finish in the Handy Hunter Round, scoring a 259. Along with her two blues, Dorwart also finished seventh in the Under Saddle with a score of 250.5.
The Reserve Champion title was awarded to Theresa Tolar and THE GIRL FROM IPANEMA with an Overall Score of 247.92. Tolar rode to a seventh place finish in the Classic scoring a 245.75, first place in the Under Saddle with a score of 260.1, and fourth place in the Handy Hunter Round with a score of 244.
Large Junior Hunter 3’3″ 16-17 Overall Scores
Small Junior Hunter 3’3” 15 & Under
Sophia Mitchell and LINUS would take home the Championship title in the Small Junior Hunter 3’3” 15 & Under Section with an Overall Score of 247.1. Mitchell would place second in the Classic Round with a score of 251 and fourth in the Handy Hunter with a score of 246. A score of 241.5 in the Under Saddle kept the team in contention for the overall win.
Finishing with the Reserve Championship title was Caroline Tinsley and HONOR with an Overall Score of 246.05. Tinsley would pick up a fourth place finish in the Classic Hunter Round with a score of 239.25, ninth in the Under Saddle with a 251.75, and third in the Hundy Hunter Round with a 250.
Small Junior Hunter 3’3″ 15 & Under Overall Scores
Large Junior Hunter 3’3” 15 & Under
Riding home as the newly crowned Champion in the Large Junior Hunter 3’” 15 & Under Section was Lauren Reid and OXFORD with a score of 256.2. Reid placed in the top five in all three of the phases with a blue ribbon in the Classic Round, scoring 265. A score of 256.5 would place Reid second in the Under Saddle and a 247.25 would award her the fourth place ribbon in the Handy Hunter Round.
Lauren George would take home the Reserve Champion title with an Overall Score of 248.6. George placed fourth in the Classic with a score of 249.5 and delivered a score of 240.5 in the Under Saddle. George ended her Junior Hunter National Championship trip on a high note with a first place finish in the Handy Hunter Round, scoring a 251.75.
Large Junior Hunter 3’3″ 15 & Under Overall Scores
Nicole Dorwart and CUPIDO Z scored a 258.1 to secure the Overall Grand Champion title of the 3’3″ Junior Hunter Sections.
Reserve Overall Grand Champion of the 3’3″ Junior Hunters would be awarded to Lauren Reid and OXFORD with a score of 256.2.
Grand Champion 3’3″ Junior Hunter Overall Standings
War Dress Memorial Trophy
The War Dress Memorial Trophy would be awarded to the highest scoreing mare in the 3’6″ Junior Hunter Sections. This year Jordan Toering would secure this title with her ride on PREMONITION BHF. Toering’s Overall Score was 250.7, composed of a third place in the Classic, fourth place in the Under Saddle, and seventh in the Handy Hunter.
Along with the USEF Junior Hunter National Championships East was the Hunterdon Cup where a field of 98 riders competed for the Champion title over three phases of competition, including a phase where competitors would be asked to switch horses. It was a thrilling afternoon as Daisy Farish came out on top. Read further about Farish’s success by clicking below. Complete results are available here.
