Taylor St. Jacques is your 2017 Dover Saddlery/U.S. Hunter Seat Medal Final winner!
THE RESULTS
1st – Taylor St. Jacques (Heritage – Andre Dignelli, Patricia Griffith, Laena Romond, Dottie Barnwell-Areson)
2nd – Cooper Dean (Heritage – Andre Dignelli, Patricia Griffith, Laena Romond, Dottie Barnwell-Areson)
3rd – Sam Walker (Scott Walker and North Run – Missy Clark, John Brennan, Kelly Wilson, Maggie Gampfer)
4th – Jordyn Rose Freedman (Linda and Kenny Langmeier)
5th – Paige Matthies (Melissa Hirt, Ken and Emily Smith, Chrissy Kear, David Nation)
6th – Madison Goetzmann (Stacia Madden, Krista Freundlich, Max Amaya, Heather Williams, Katie Haley, John and Beezie Madden)
7th – Sara McCloskey (Val Renihan, Amber Henter)
8th – Coco Fath (Stacia Madden, Krista Freundlich, Max Amaya, Heather Williams, Molly Ashe)
9th – Ava Ellis (North Run – Missy Clark, John Brennan, Kelly Wilson, Maggie Gampfer)
10th – Abigail Brayman (North Run – Missy Clark, John Brennan, Kelly Wilson, Maggie Gampfer)
11th – Emma Kurtz
The judges, Tammy Provost and Jack Towell, have decided that four riders will return to test without stirrups—Jordyn Rose Freedman, Sam Walker, Cooper Dean and Taylor St. Jacques. They’re studying their course for the test at the in-gate and then returning to ride it.
Riders will ride a shorter course, then halt after the last fence and walk out of the ring.
Taylor St. Jacques – Taylor made beautiful tight turns early in the course and then opened up Charisma’s stride effortlessly. She took a bit of time to halt, but when she did it was relaxed and square, and the horse stood quietly for longer than any of the others had. I think she’s your winner!
Cooper Dean – Cooper laid it down again with a lovely round, with not too much to fault. His halt took a while, and it wasn’t very relaxed, but he walked out of the ring nicely.
Sam Walker – Sam got a hair quiet to the verticals at 2 and 3 and was tight to the oxer at 4, where the horse jumped over his front end a bit. His leg is rock-solid without stirrups, though. His halt was nice and soft. But he made a major error in trotting out of the ring when the judges specifically asked for a walk.
Jordyn Rose Freedman – Jordyn got a shade deep to the first fence, an oxer, and then had to push quiet a bit to get up the five-stride line that was the last line of Round 2. Her halt was a bit difficult, as she was leaning back and pulling a bit with the horse’s mouth open.
The 25 in Round 2:
The judges have put together a Round 2 course that will really let them judge the riders’ style instead of letting the course do the judging with tricks or technical questions. Riders navigate mostly single fences unrelated to lines, except in one line where they jump a two-stride followed in a tight five strides to a vertical and then a long four strides to another vertical, all on a bend.
The first half of the course involves turns back to individual jumps, then the striding question of the middle line, then the last third of the course invites riders to open up their horse’s stride and flow a bit.
Taylor St. Jacques – Taylor did a nice job of holding the counter lead she landed on from 1 to 2, and did it again in the short five strides. The whole course was like clockwork, with a real sense of rhythm and forward pace. She’s going to be tough to beat!
Madison Goetzmann – Madison isn’t riding conservatively and had quite a forward pace in the first bit of the course, then was a bit long to the two-stride. But her second half was flowing and precise and lovely.
Paige Matties – Paige rode neat and tidy turns in the verticals in the first half of the course and did a nice job of opening up his stride in the last half. A very nice trip! I don’t envy these judges!
Cooper Dean – Cooper pretty much laid it down. He had a slight rub at the B of the one-stride but in all it had a marvelous flow and rhythm to the course.
Sara McCloskey – Sara’s horse swapped at the vertical at 3 and then she was a bit slow through the two-stride. But she had a really nice flow to her track, if her pace was a bit conservative.
Emma Kurtz – Emma was a bit weak through the two-stride and had a rub behind at the B element. And then she was a bit far off the vertical at the end of the ring and the last fence. She just looked a bit underpaced.
Sam Walker – Sam is from Canada and rides with a nice, fluid style. He got a bit quiet to the vertical at Fence 4 but was very relaxed and precise everywhere else.
Jordyn Rose Freedman – Jordan’s turns in the first part of the course were quite neat and efficient, and she had a very nice flow to her round. She has a lovely hand position when cantering, with a perfect straight line from elbow to bit.
Lolly McLellan – Lolly’s horse has a massive stride and he toed the front rail of the oxer at B of the two-stride out of the way. She was very good everywhere else, though.
Alexa Schwartz – Alexa made wide turns in the early part of the course and was a hair tight into the two-stride having rubs there and at the B of the one-stride. She finished very nicely with a forward flow.
Elli Yeager – Elli’s turn from 2 to 3 wasn’t as organized as it could have been, but her five-stride to four-stride was lovely.
Sophie Gochman – Sophie had to muscle horse her around the turn from 2 to 3 a bit and her move-up in the long four strides was a bit obvious. All small mistakes, but this is a time when small ones count!
Coco Fath – Coco had a rub at the B of the one-stride but rode really nicely, with a great rhythm and pace.
Trinity Hammerschmidt – Her horse cross-cantered from Fence 2 to Fence 3, but otherwise she was quite nice.
Annabel Revers – Annabel had to work a bit to fit the five strides into the tight distance to the vertical, but otherwise she was very nice.
Alexandra Worthington – She was a little quiet to the fourth jump and then had a rail at B of the one-stride combination.
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Grace Boston – Grace was not quite as precise in her turns as most of the riders have been, and she caught a bit of a long one into the combination set against the long side of the ring and a long spot again to the last jump.
Abigail Brayman – She was really quite flawless!
Emma Wujek – Emma had a few rubs and a swap at the last jump but rode gorgeously, with a very precise control of her track.
Sophia Pilla – Had a really nice round with nothing to pick on!
Ava Ellis – Had another lovely round with a great metronome-like pace. If you wanted to nit-pick, she got a hair long in the last line, but it was had to fault.
Emma Fletcher – Emma had a little trouble fitting her big gray horse’s stride into the shorter distances, and she had a hard rub at the B of the in-and-out, but she rode with a lot of polish and style, with a great rhythm to the canter.
Laila Klinsmann – Laila’s big, lopey gray horse makes things look easy, but she did a lovely job piloting him. She fit his stride into the short and long lines well, especially in the vertical to in-and-out line.
Chloe White – Our second on course (and second Chloe!) also rode very well, but on the conservative side. She had a few rubs, but was very steady and precise.
Chloe Wilkenfeld – Chloe did a very nice job as first on course. She had a bit of a long one at Fence 11, an oxer out of the short side by the in-gate. She rode a hair conservatively and her striding adjustments were perhaps a shade obvious, but a solid performance.
THE ROUND 2 COURSE:
We’re here in Harrisburg, Pa., yet again for the Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunter Seat Medal Finals, where 257 of the country’s top junior riders aspire to win one of the most elusive equitation titles.
We’ll try and post every 10 riders or so, with updates on how the course is riding, who has done well, who hasn’t, etc. Please don’t expect an account of every rider’s trip, but I’ll try to keep you up to date!! Scroll down to see the most recent posting.
Disclaimer: We’re providing this as a service to those who are interested, and we’re just recording our observations. We’re not judges, just reporters who have watched the Medal Finals in their entirety for the past 16 years. You may not agree with our notes, and that’s fine—we’re not putting them out there as the authoritative word, but as information for those interested. That said, read on!
Riders 1-10
Abigail Poss starts us off with a very nice fluid round with a lovely forward, flowing pace. She made it look quite easy! The only minor fault might be a bit of a long distance to the combination at 10AB. Haley Barnes had a run-out at Fence 3 and then some hard rubs, but she completed well. Alexa Aureliano’s horse was quite spooky to Fence 1, then refused to approach Fence 3 and she was excused. Ava Ellis had quite a nice round on a horse who loped around with his ears pricked the whole way. Meghan Knapic did a nice job of keeping the counter lead from 4 to 5 and had a nice round. Ellyn Fritz got a shade deep to 10AB but otherwise had quite a nice round. Emma Catherine Reichow had a lovely round on a horse who looked quite eager. Madeline Hoffman’s horse took a hard peek at Fence 3 and then she was a bit inconsistent in her distances, but she finished up well. Daisy Farish, fresh off her individual gold in the junior jumpers yesterday, had a gorgeous polished style and a lovely consistent pace. The only flaw was when she added a stride up the line from 4 to 5. Only at Medal Finals does an added stride cause the crowd to murmur! Anna Bremermann had a nice, solid round.
Daisy Farish. Photo by Kimberly Loushin
Riders 11-20
Emma Lynch had a nice round with no major mistakes. Her adjustments were just a bit obvious and her horse a bit on the muscle. Jake Parker Wymard’s horse took a strange tranter kind of stride on the approach to Fence 2 and looked quite keen the whole way around. Chelsea Le Moine’s horse looked hard at Fence 3 and she took a bit of a flyer to the triple bar at 7 and again at 10AB, but she finished up well. Jennifer Staniloff had to work a bit to get her horse up to the first few fences, but then they got going and had a solid round. Arielle Logiudice had a nice round on a horse with a long, easy stride. Conal Mueller had a swap at Fence 2 and got a bit snug to 4. He then finished with a nice, forward round. Emma Crosbie had a very polished ride on an adorable bouncy ball of a horse. Sydney North’s horse was quite bright-eyed and a little wiggly to a few fences early in the course, but then settled into a flow. Kennedy McCaulley and her horse didn’t really agree on a distance to Fence 3 and the horse was quite keen all the way around, making her hold quite a bit. Mckayla Langmeier, who is coming off a win at the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search—East (N.J.), had a swap to Fence 3 and then was a bit snug to the triple bar, having a rub there. She rode with a lot of authority and had a very nice packaged pace to her horse.
McKayla Langmeier. Photo by Kimberly Loushin
Riders 21- 30
Samantha Cohen had a nice, flowing round with no mistakes. Mary Katherine Hargreaves was just inconsistent with distances in a few places. She had a rail at the Swedish oxer after getting a bit deep there. Alice Kass had a refusal at Fence 3 but finished fine. Fence 3 has half-wagon wheels set as the groundline, and some horses seem to take a good look at them. Annalise Reed was a bit under-paced in places. Katrina Tiktinsky had a nice, solid round with no errors. Hannah Doherty had a solid round with just some rubs. Caroline Michele Dugas was deep to Fence 3 and a bit sticky at 6AB but finished well. Emily Raich’s horse hesitated off the ground at Fence 3, then they were deep to 6A. Annabel Revers had a lovely round, very polished. Giavanna Rinaldi rode with a lot of polish, and made the bold move of cutting inside the island of bushes after the triple bar at 7.
Riders 31-40
Luke Rajan’s horse was a bit stuck and nappy on the first turn and they never really good a good forward rhythm in the first half of the course. Caroline Weaver had a nice round with just a few deep distances. Kelsey Campbell had a very nice, precisely ridden round. Samantha Meyer’s horse was spooky on the way to Fence 1 and she got a bit deep in a few places, but finished well. Abigail Russo rode with a nice, forward, consistent pace and had a good round. Katherine Titus had a nice, solid round. Sophee Steckbeck was a bit under-paced in a few places and had some rubs, but had a nice solid round. Elizabeth McKim made a bold move, turning inside Fence 5 between Fence 1 and 2 in a slick inside turn that a few other riders had done. It didn’t pay off, as she got quite deep to Fence 2, but it’s a move that could be pretty snazzy if executed. It will be interesting to see if other riders choose to risk it. The rest of her course was quite nice. Sydnie Ziegler had a rail at 10A. Grady Lyman did the inside turn from 1 to 2 and did it quite well.
Riders 41-50
Brianna Gonzalez got a bit deep or a bit long to a few fences. Charlotte Novy got snug to Fence 4 but finished well. Zoe Kirsch was a shade weak to Fence 1 and had a swap at 2. Isabella Russekoff had a quite nice, polished round with little to critique. Kaitlyn Williams was just a little slow and deep to a few fences. Aubrienne Krysiewicz-Bell had a solid round, just with a pace that was inconsistent in places. Caroline Bald’s horse has quite an enthusiastic jump to him, and they caught some air at Fence 2 but finished well. Sophia Zuckerman had two rails on course. Tonia Lee had a nice round with no major errors. Nicolas Gamboa has a very flashy gray paint! He had some trouble jumping into 6AB, almost stopping, but got through it and finished up fine.
And we have our first standby, with just eight riders on it:
Annabel Revers
Ava Ellis
Grady Lyman
Samantha Cohen
Emma Crosbie
Kelsey Campbell
Ellyn Fritz
Giavanna Rinaldi
Giavanna Rinaldi. Photo by Kimberly Loushin
Riders 51-60
Rachael Davis had a very nice, smooth round with a lot of polish. Sophia Hall was a bit weak to Fence 3 and then had a few rubs. Olivia Albright was just a bit inconsistent with her distances in a few places. Addison Howe had a drive-by at Fence 2 but finished fine. Madison Mitchell got long to 6AB but was otherwise fine. Tess Lenihan’s horse trotted in the turn to 8AB, but she was otherwise fine. Grace Jackson was a little deep into 6AB but the rest of it had a nice forward flow to it. Mimi Gochman had a hard rub at 5, but otherwise a very nice, flowing round with a lot of precision to her pace. Jessica Stone had a nice, solid round with no major mistakes. Sophie Transou’s big gray has a massive stride, and she has a few rubs but otherwise a nice round.
Mimi Gochman. Photo by Kimberly Loushin
Riders 61-70
Kierstin Antoniadis’s horse is flapping his lips the whole way around! They had a few rubs, but an otherwise solid round. Lauren Lindner left a bit long at Fence 3 but finished well. Nina Columbia had a very nice, polished round. Madison Busey had a nice, solid round. Sydney Hott got deep to Fence 3 then took a really wide turn to 4. She got snug to a few other fences as well. Sam Walker did the inside turn from 1 to 2 and did it well. He got a bit deep to 6A, but has a really lovely style and rides with a lot of precision and style. Mackenzie Snider is a scratch. Tessa Queirolo’s horse got really spooky and wiggly on the way to Fence 3 and she had to ride hard to the combination at 6AB. Devon Thomas was the Chronicle’s One To Watch—she not only does the hunter/jumper shows but also shows Arabians in breed shows! She’s also one of those DIY back at the barn kids. She went inside from 2 to 3 and made it work well. She turned in quite a lovely round! Ada Rohan’s horse peeked a bit at 3 but she handled it well. She had a very nice round after that.
Riders 71-80
Myka Seger lacked a bit of polish on the turns, but had a solid round. Katie Ray had a nice, solid round with no major errors. Taylor St. Jacques had a round to beat, with effortless pace adjustments and flowing turns. She rode with a lot of polish. Brooke Glacin was just a bit inconsistent in distances at a few fences. Katie Schell’s horse said a firm “No” to Fence 5, stopping. She jumped it fine on the second attempt and finished fine. Aristea Santoro’s horse studied some of the fences quite a bit and had a rail at the Swedish. Katherine Dash had a very nice round with a lot of polish to her style. Coco Fath did the inside turn from 1 to 2 and rode quite economical turns to whole way. She had a really nice round with a lovely forward pace. Bay Noland-Armstrong had a very pretty round. Ava Stearns did the inside turn from 1 to 2 about as well as anyone has, then turned quite tight to 6AB, where she got a bit deep to 6A. She was lovely elsewhere.
Taylor St. Jacques. Photo by Kimberly Loushin
Riders 81-90
Caroline Ellis rode quite a nice round with no obvious errors. Clea Caddell had a swap to 10A, but was really nice the whole way around. Marina Godin’s horse was very enthusiastic, which led to a few distance miscommunications. Juliette Joseph was just a little slow and weak to a few fences and had a few rubs. Julia Tait had a nice round with no major errors. Emma Crate had to ride up to Fence 3 a bit and then was a little snug to 6A, but an otherwise nice round. Abbygale Funk had a really nice round, with authoritative, precise riding. Charlotte Meyers had a nice round with just a few rubs. Adelaide Toensing had a swap at Fence 2, then an awkward Fence 3. She then got way under 10A and her horse popped up over it, getting jumped a bit loose. Alexandria Beneson had a nice, solid round.
Riders 91-100
Adam Edgar got a bit deep and weak to 6AB but had a nice finish to his round. Hillary Devlen lost the rhythm to her canter on the way to 10AB and had a bit of a struggle through there, but had an otherwise nice round. Caitlyn Sheffer had quite nice round with no major errors. Camille Leblond went for a long one at 6AB, but didn’t quite get it done, chipping in. She recovered and went on to finish nicely. Maverick Helmer was having a really lovely round, but the horse clonked the back rail of the triple bar hard and it fell. Then he got quite deep to 10A and had the rail there too. Julia Gross got tight to Fence 2 and in a few other places, having some weak jumps. Belle Zachary didn’t go. Abigail Lefkowitz got a shade tight to a few fences, including into 6AB. Kaitlyn Lovingfoss rode very nicely, but had a few hard rubs. Emery Volkert got a bit lost on the way to Fence 4 and had to circle, then finished fine.
And the second standby is:
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Taylor St. Jacques
Sam Walker
Coco Fath
Annabel Revers
Ava Ellis
Mimi Gochman
Grady Lyman
Clea Caddell
Samantha Cohen
Charlotte Meyers
Emma Crosbie
Ava Stearns
Kelsie Campbell
Ellyn Fritz
Rachael Davis
Giavanna Rinaldi
Nina Columbia
Sophie Transou
Riders 101-110
Rachel McMullen’s horse spooked on the way to the third fence and stopped in his tracks, but she finished her round with a positive, forward ride. Kathryn Hall had a nice, solid round. Cayman Szegda rode very positively and had a good round. Dominika Silvestri also had a nice round with no mistakes. Abigail Grace Kelley rode well, with a nice pace on a lovely gray horse. Ally Archer was a bit slow and had a rail at 10A. Kit Cunningham had a rail at Fence 3 and was just a big haphazard on a few approaches. Abigail Brayman had a really lovely round. Augusta Iwasaki put in quite a pretty trip, with very smooth and effective riding. Carly Hoft also had quite a nice round.
Augusta Iwasaki. Photo by Kimberly Loushin
Riders 111-120
Greer Campbell had a stop at the first fence and then again at the third. She regrouped and finished. Madeline Vorhies had to ride hard to Fence 3 and had a few rubs but was good. Isabelle Song had a few weak and hovery fences early on but then finished well. Alexa Schwartz had a few rubs in an otherwise nice go. Isabel Harbour’s horse Fitz looked at the first fence a bit suspiciously but then settled in and they had a solid round. Amanda Pennington had a drive-by at Fence 1 but jumped it on attempt No. 2. She had to ride hard for the next few fences but completed well. Claire Chestnutt’s horse hit the front rail of Fence 4 hard and stumbled on landing, throwing her over his shoulder. She got up quickly and seemed fine, though her horse evaded capture for a little bit. Lanie Walkenbach had a nice, solid round. Annie Parsons had a good round with no major flaws. Carter Anderson got a wee bit tight to a few, but was good.
Riders 121-130
Emma Dubinsky had a nice, solid round. Elizabeth Nevins got deep to a few but finished fine. Camryn Halley was a bit long to 10AB, but otherwise quite nice. Catalina Peralta got quite deep to 6A and had an awkward jump there, but she has a lovely style and flow to her riding. Josey Walker rode nicely, but had a rail at the Swedish at 9. Fallon O’Connell had a few really tight distances and awkward fences on a horse who was backpedaling a bit. Raleigh Hiler was a hair long to the oxer at 6A and the horse had to reach for it, but otherwise had a very nice round with a nice pace and well ridden turns. Tanner Korotkin got tight into 6A and the horse jumped over his front end a bit, but the rest of the round was nice. Devin Seek had a rail at the oxer at 9. Paige Matthies had a nice, solid round.
Raleigh Hiler. Photo by Kimberly Loushin
Riders 131-140
Gabriella Cinquini had a nice round with no major flaws. Brian Moggre rides with a lot of style. He had a hard rub at Fence 5, then was a hair tight to 6A, but had a good round. Anna Marie Mayes had quote deep to 6A, then had 10A down and stopped at Fence 11. She finished fine. Juliana Gullo’s horse was a bit wide-eyed and stopped twice at Fence 3 despite clucks from the crowd, eliminating her. Britta Stoeckel’s horse has the most adorable pink nose, like he dipped his nose in white paint. They ran into trouble at 6AB, having the rail down at B, then got tight to 7. Hope King’s horse got a bit wiggly to Fence 5 but she got him going forward and finished well. Emily Lucibello had a swap at 2 and 7 and got deep to 5 and 6A. Danny Mahon went inside from 1 to 2, but was a bit slow and weak to a few fences. Alexandra Pielet got into 10AB a bit weak, but had a nice trip otherwise. Natalie Templeton had a nice round with no major errors.
Riders 141-150
Sydney Degrazia had a bit of a rodeo on her hands on the way to Fence 3 as her horse stopped and spun, but she worked it out and jumped it on the second attempt. She had a later rail at 9, but finished fine. Michael Williamson had quite a nice round with a lovely style. Cate Tomlinson had a nice solid round. Emma Kurtz is a hot favorite to do well and she made it clear she’s here to win as she turned in quite a lovely round with a very consistent pace and great flow. Jaden Olson had a lovely round with no obvious flaws. Leanna Lazzari also had a very nice, consistent ride. Lolly McLellan had a nice round on a really adorable bay horse who had a very genuine look on his face. Emma Wujek got deep to fence 5 but otherwise had a really nice round. Jessica West had a swap at 2, and her turns lacked some polish. She had an awkward jump into the 8AB combination. Nina A. Rotondo’s horse jumped hard right over Fence 5 and she had a rub at 9, but finished well.
Standby 3!
Taylor St. Jacques
Paige Matthies
Emma Kurtz
Sam Walker
Lolly McLellan
Alexa Schwartz
Coco Fath
Annabel Revers
Abigail Brayman
Emma Wujek
Ava Ellis
Augusta Iwasaki
Mimi Gochman
Grady Lyman
Clea Caddell
Samantha Cohen
Carly Hoft
Michael Williamson
Dominica Sileestri
Charlotte Meyers
Emma Crosbie
Ava Stearns
Brian Moggre
Kelsey Campbell
Ellyn Fritz
Riders 151-160
Elli Yeager turned in quite a lovely round with a nice flow to it. Catherine Moorhead got a bit snug to the triple bar at 7 but had a nice solid round. Julianna Empie’s horse had a very intent look on his face and she had to ride hard into a few of the fences, but she made it around quite nicely. Caroline Monaghan’s horse ducked out very quickly in the line up to Fence 3 and twirled her off over his shoulder. She got up and put up her stirrups, pulled the reins over his head and walked back out. Lauren Reid’s horse hesitated a bit off the ground at Fence 4, then she had a sticky ride though the 6AB to 7 line. She ended up fine. Caroline Passarelli got snug into the 6AB combination and then found herself underneath 10A. The horse hopped over it, jostling Passarelli lose, but she hung on and completed the course. Grace Spiegel had a quit at Fence 3 and was a bit weak and slow in a few other places, but finished up well. Grace Boston went inside from 1 to 2 and rode quite a nice round. Sophia Davies had a few inconsistent distances on her way around. Katie Hession had a round with a few less than ideal moments, getting jumped loose with an awkward jump into the 6AB combination, but she finished up well.
Grace Boston. Photo by Kimberly Loushin
Riders 161-170
Morgan Giordano’s horse turned on the afterburners and kind of took over after they took a flyer into the 6AB combination, leaving a stride out at the triple bar at 7 and getting quite long to 8AB and 10AB. She finished fine. Nicholas Pongracz had a refusal at 8A but finished fine. Madison Goetzmann had a really lovely round with just a rub at 10A. Clara Bechtold had a rail at Fence 3. Melissa Deryn Foster put a lot of effort into jumping his fences! She did a nice job riding this enthusiastic horse. Trinity Hammerschmidt turned in a nice, consistent round. Jackie MacDonald is a scratch. Billi Rose Brandner was excused after two refusals at Fence 3. Tessa P. Brown was just a bit inconsistent with distances here and there. Rebecca Morris had a rail at 6B but finished up well.
Madison Goetzmann. Photo by Kimberly Loushin
Riders 171-180
Farah Rizvi had a nice, solid round. Charleez Simcik is a scratch. Alle Durkin had a nice solid round. Lielle Rhodes’s horse got enthusiastic and she had a rail at 6A and then knocked the gate at 11 over, the only fault so far at that gate fence. Grace McEneaney got deep the Fence 2 and had a rough turn to 6AB but finished up well. Abbe Humphries’s horse got a bit indecisive about a lead on the way to Fence 5, but they had a solid round. Michaela Pritchett had a nice round with just a few rubs. Dominique Gonzalez had a really nice round without obvious flaws. Erin Ecclestone had a really sticky Fence 1 and then again at Fence 5, then a rail at 10A. Jorja Rose Jones had a round with a few tight distances.
Riders 181-190
Chloe White had a very nice round with one hard rub but no other flaws. Hannah Dodd had quite a few sticky fences in the line from 8AB to 9 and had a rail at 9. Caroline Dance’s horse took exception the Fence 3 and stopped on the approach, but she coerced him over and then finished up fine. Katie Pelzel had a run-out at 8A but finished up fine. Isabella Littlejohn had a nice solid round. Rawleigh Harris had a few inconsistent distances but rode well. Isabella Bleu Baxter had a rail at Fence 3 and was a little sticky though 8AB but finished well. Melody Liu had a nice solid round. Callie Rheinheimer’s horse stopped at Fence 1 then was very reluctant—she did a good job of coaxing him around to complete. Emma Ellis had a nice round with just a few rubs.
This is the Fence 3 that’s causing problems for some. Photo by Kimberly Loushin
Riders 191-200
Paulina Terranova had some lead issues on the way to 2 and then a rail. Erika Jakobson had quite a nice round with no major flaws. Phoebe Alwine had some hard rubs but finished fine. Alle Ann Dubberley had a stop at Fence 2 and then a few sticky fences. Jordyn Rose Freedman had a very nice, fault-free trip. Ashley Delise got a bit close to a few jumps but was solid. Mackenzie Suffy had an awkward fence at 3 and then was sticky though the 8AB combination. Madigan Eppink had a stop at Fence 3 and then again at 5 to be eliminated. Emma Callanan had a nice, solid round. Jessie Goodwin had a rail at Fence 5 but finished up fine.
And here’s the standby from after 200!
Taylor St. Jacques
Madison Goetzmann
Paige Matties
Emma Kurtz
Sam Walker
Jordyn Rose Freedman
Lolly McLellan
Alexa Schwartz
Elli Yeager
Coco Fath
Trinity Hammerschmidt
Annabel Revers
Grace Boston
Abigail Brayman
Emma Wujek
Ava Ellis
Chloe White
Augusta Iwasaki
Mimi Gochman
Erica Jacobson
Grady Lyman
Clea Caddell
Samantha Cohen
Carly Hoft
Michael Williamson
Trinity Hammerschmidt. Photo by Kimberly Loushin
Riders 200-210
Lexi Smylie had a rail at Fence 5 but finished up OK. Chloe Wilkenfeld had a nice, solid round with no major flaws. Lindsay Milligan was a little slow and weak in places and had a rail at 10A. Katy Merchant had quite a nice round. Grace Saad had a bit of a chip at Fence 2 but finished up fine. Yasmin Rizvi was a bit weak and slow into 6AB but had a nice round. Laila Klinsmann had quite a lovely round. Cooper Dean turned in a seriously beautiful round, with invisible adjustments and lovely turns. I’d say we’ll see him ride again today. Libby King had a nice round, if a bit underpaced in places. Hannah Coleman had a solid round on a big-strided horse.
Cooper Dean. Photo by Kimberly Loushin
Riders 211-220
Louisa Brackett ran out of room on the way to Fence 9 and got deep there but was good otherwise. Brooke Morin got a bit deep to 6A but had a nice forward pace and efficient track. Briley Koerner had a nice, solid round. Alexis Ortiz rode with a really forward, positive pace. She had a little bit of a hovery fence at the triple bar but was otherwise nice. Madelyn Porter’s horse took a hard look at Fence 3 and stopped, then she got him over it on attempt No. 2. They finished fine. Breanna Bunevacz had a really sticky fence at 3 then got deep to 6A. Morgan Tabler had a nice, steady round with no major errors. Emily Perkins got a little helter skelter on the approach to Fence 3 but she had an otherwise lovely trip. Hazel Taylor had a nice solid round. Natalie Jayne had a beautiful trip with just a swap and Fence 2 and a hard rub at the front rail of 10A.
Louisa Brackett. Photo by Kimberly Loushin
Riders 221-230
Brooke Brombach had a nice round aboard a flamboyant jumper. Emma Fletcher had a swap at Fence 2 and a few rubs. Grace Jordan was having a nice go but then had a run-out at 10A. Jordan Allen was just a bit inconsistent with distances. Mia Wayne had a nice, solid round with no major flaws. Kate Abajian had a bad jump into 8A and scrambled through the jump a bit but recovered and completed the course fine. Coleman Holland’s horse was very naughty and stopped twice at Fence 1, ending her day very early. Haley Redifer turned in quite a lovely round. Lindsey Klein had trouble controlling her horse’s stride in a few places and had the gate down at the last fence. Hallie Grimes did the inside turn from 1 to 2 and it worked well. She ran out of room to Fence 7 and got deep there but finished up well.
Haley Redifer. Photo by Kimberly Loushin
Riders 231-240
Lily Walton had a nice, solid round. Lauren La Clair got to quite a bit of a gap at Fence 3 and got left a bit in the air. She also had a sticky ride through the 8AB and 9 line. Sara McCloskey got a smidge deep to 6A but had a nice round with a lovely, consistent pace. Skyler Fields also got left a bit at Fence 3 with a big jump there but finished up nicely. Alexandra Worthington turned in a really nice round with a nice pace and excellent track. Natalie Dean had to ride up a bit to Fence 5 and then had a bit of a rough turn to 6AB but was quite nice in the second half of the course. Caitlin Hooper rode very forward, but had some lead issues on the way to Fence 5 and a few sticky jumps. Blair Spencer took bit of a flyer to fence 7, the triple bar. Ellie Ferrigno got a shade tight to the triple bar then was a bit weak in the one-stride at 8AB. Havilande Hendrix had a nice, consistent trip.
Riders 241-250
Carly Alder was long and weak into 6AB and had B down. She finished fine. Christopher Coberley ran into problems at 8AB, going through the B element and then circling before jumping 9. He finished up fine. Sophia Pilla had a nice, consistent round. Natalie Stoyko had a stop at 6A but carried on and finished fine. Ericka Koscinski had a swap at 2 and then a stop at Fence 3. She rode hard to get over it the second time and completed the course fine. Taylor Griffiths had a really nice round with just a few snug distances. Owen McWilliams’s horse looked a bit impressed with it all, but he rode it positively and encouragingly. They had a stutter-step moment jumping into the 6AB combination that made the crowd gasp, but finished up well. Claire Archer was just a bit long or short here and there but rode quite positively and nicely. Claire Stockard had a swap at 2 and was deep at 4, then had a rail at 9. Lili Kaissar had a hard rub at 7 but and otherwise very nice round.
Riders 251-257
Anna Straka got tight to a few fences early in the course and then had a sticky ride through 8AB but finished up well. Erin Carey had two stops at 6A to end her day. Sophie Gochman had a nice, consistent round. Claire Azar had a really sticky approach to Fence 3 and then stopped at 5. She carried on and finished fine. Celia Bresch’s horse took a hard look at Fence 3 but jumped it. She had a rub at 7 and a rail at 9. Addison Piper had a swap at Fence 4 and again at 10A and was a bit deep into 6A, but finished up well. Klee Hellerman had a swap at Fence 2 and a rail at 7, but finished fine.
We’re done with Round 1!! and the judges have an order of go for Round 2 (in reverse order of preference):
Chloe Wilkenfeld
Chloe White
Laila Klinsmann
Emma Fletcher
Ava Ellis
Sophia Pilla
Emma Wujek
Abigail Brayman
Grace Boston
Alexandra Worthington
Annabel Revers
Trinity Hammerschmidt
Coco Fath
Sophie Gochman
Elli Yeager
Alexa Schwartz
Lolly McLellan
Jordyn Rose Freedman
Sam Walker
Emma Kurtz
Sara McCloskey
Cooper Dean
Paige Matties
Madison Goetzmann
Taylor St. Jacques
2017 Dover Saddlery/USEF Medal Final
Molly Sorge / October 15, 2017 6:56 pm
