Pennsylvania National

Harrisburg, Pa.—Oct. 13.

Dana Scott just wanted to qualify for the final individual round of the Randolph College/USEF National Junior Jumper Championships. So, when she landed from the last jump as the individual gold medalist, she couldn’t quite believe it.

Scott, 17, and her KM Whatever RV were the only pair to not have a single rail over the four rounds of competition.

As Meg O’Mara circled for the last time, having jumped her third course, a hint of a smile played over her lips. She leaned forward and patted her horse. To the causal observer, it looked like she was cool, calm and assured of her success.

Perhaps not.

“It was just about the only time I breathed!” O’Mara quipped. “When they read the test to us, I started having a mental breakdown for like 30 seconds. I didn’t know what was going on. But I decided I just had to go out there and ride. I couldn’t freeze, because that’s usually what I do.”

Harrisburg, Pa. – Oct. 14

The Pessoa/USEF Hunter Seat Equitation Medal Finals are underway at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, and the Chronicle is here to provide coverage of all the action.

While 265 riders impress the judges with their calm and collected equitation skills, a beehive of activity behind the scenes at the 2012 Pessoa/USEF Medal Finals reminds us of the work that goes into a perfect round in the arena:

More Medal Finals coverage from the Chronicle.

Meg O'Mara really impressed the judges with her confidence in all three of her rides today and won the 2012 Pessoa/USEF Hunter Seat Equitation Medal Finals! Lillie Keenan took reserve with Sydney Shulman in third.

FINAL ROUND

The 2012 Pessoa/USEF Medal Finals order of go.

Since both the judges for the 2012 Pessoa/USEF Medal Finals—Geoff Teall and Bill Moroney—have strong hunter backgrounds, it comes as no surprise that the first-round course has a very flowing, huntery feel to it.

The majority of the fences—all save two red jumps—are subtle colors. Some have extensive brush ground line fill, but others have minimal ground lines, and the Swedish oxer has no ground line.

Overnight, Yasmin Rizvi got another ride added to her schedule.

Yasmin’s younger sister, Farah, was injured in a fall on the first day of the pony hunters at the Pennsylvania National, and she asked Yasmin to take over the reins on First Edition for the second day. Yasmin complied happily and rode First Edition to the small pony reserve championship. She added that tricolor to the small pony championship she collected riding her own Q2 to make a clean sweep of the division. She also captured the Best Child Rider on a Pony title.