Edited Press Release
September 28, 2024 – Upper Marlboro, MD – Brooke Hagerty of Terrebonne, OR, contested a work-off for the second day in a row to win the Taylor Harris Insurance Services (THIS) National Children’s Medal Finals on Saturday, September 28, during the Capital Challenge Horse Show (CCHS) Equitation Showcase, presented by BIGEQ.com. After winning the EMO Insurance Agency/USHJA 3’3” Jumping Seat Medal Final – East on Friday evening, the 16-year-old once again led a victory gallop around The Show Place Arena at Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD.
A field of 40 riders spent the year earning points towards qualification for the THIS National Children’s Medal Finals, which consisted of an opening jumping round, followed by a return of the top 10 in reverse order of their first-round scores.
“I wasn’t planning on doing this final this year, but once I started being successful in the classes, I set it as a goal,” said Hagerty, who is a junior at Upper Echelon Academy and finished third in the 2023 THIS National Children’s Medal Finals. “This will be my last time doing it, so I really wanted to go out and win it, and we delivered exactly that.”
Three panels each composed of two judges evaluated the class over Ken Krome-designed courses. Panel one included Alice Coke and Andrea Wells, panel two was Tony Sgarlata and David Beisel, and panel three was made up of Julie Winkel and Geoff Case. Each panel provided one score with the average of the three resulting in the rider’s overall mark.
After the completion of both rounds, Hagerty and Collin Sweetnam, 14, of Wellington, FL, were pitted against each other in a work-off to determine the final placings after their two-round totals were separated by less than a single point. Sweetnam led after round one with the top score of 89.66, which was combined with a second-round score of 88.66 for a 177.32 total. Hagerty coupled an 88 in the opening round—to sit fourth—with a 90.83 in the second round for a 178.83 total.
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Words from the winner
Hear from Brooke Hagerty on her win in the Taylor Harris Insurance Services (THIS) National Children’s Medal Finals.
