Gladstone, NJ – Riding through the chill, the rain and the mud of New Jersey’s wettest weekend in months, Julie Welles of West Simsbury, Connecticut, was awarded the Championship title at the 2005 USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals East on October 8-9, proving she not only had the stamina required to win the multi-phase Finals, but the skill and ingenuity to make her riding skills shine, despite the elements.

“I had a positive outlook coming in. I went in and rode the best I could,” smiled a modest Welles after receiving the prestigious French Leave perpetual trophy, a Bates Australia saddle, a Championship cooler, a saddle pad, a pair of Heritage riding gloves and a t-shirt from waterjump.us. “It means a lot to win this Final. Many great riders have won this Final and gone on to do extraordinary things.”

While the 17-year-old high school senior doesn’t have a horse of her own, she praised “Lando,” the eleven-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, owned by Gabby Slome, for helping her bring in the win. “He’s an amazing horse,” said Welles. “He’s been here enough and he knows the drill. He’s a really cool horse to ride.”

Welles’ trainers, Missy Clark and Linda Langmeier, won the coveted Leading Trainer Award. “It’s always an honor,” Clark said. “It’s what you put your heart and soul into all day, every day. I feel lucky that I’ve had a great group of riders over the years who have gone on to accomplish great things.” And as far as Welles goes, Clark has no hesitation in sharing, “Julie rides well enough to pursue riding as a professional career.”

In second place after the final-four ride-off was 16-year-old Maria Schaub, a high school junior from Holmdel, New Jersey. Schaub also borrowed a horse to compete in the Finals, riding “Orion,” a nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, owned by Cloverleaf farm, to win the Reserve Champion title.

Her fourth year competing in the Finals, this is Schaub’s first year to place among the top four. “I was excited to be in the final four at all,” she said.

Judges Karen Healey and Conrad Homfeld praised the field of 57 competitors for their hard work. “The unfortunate thing was the weather,” shared Karen, who doubled up as course designer for the competition. “I expected to see a few more brilliant rounds in the gymnastics phase, but because of the rain, we saw more conservative rounds.”

Unlike any other competition young riders take part in, the USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals is a masterful competition, pushing riders to limit to determine who might be tomorrow’s up-and-coming international stars. Without fail, the system of tests identifies some of the most talented riders, who often go on to compete for the USEF in international and Olympic competition.

As always, the 2005 USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals East was composed of four phases. On Saturday, the riders completed the flat phase, a two-minute time period where judges observed the riders’ ability to prepare their horses for jumping, followed by the gymnastics phase, where horse and rider were tested on communication and physical ability to successfully navigate a course composed of a variety of lines of jumps.

“I thought the gymnastics phase was really very good,” said Homfeld. “Karen designed an excellent course. There was a lot of opportunity to do different things…you could be cautious and safe, or you could take a chance.”

On Sunday, all riders returned for the third phase, a timed show jumping course. At the conclusion, the four best riders, as judged over the course of the weekend, were invited to return and compete against each other to determine the champion. With the score card wiped clean, each rode a new and shorter course of jumps four times—first riding her own horse, then rotating with each of the other finalists’ horses.

“We all tried to help each other out and give hints about each other’s horses,” said Maria Schaub.

“I think there was a different ‘most difficult horse’ for everyone.”

A newcomer to the Finals, 15-year-old Maggie McAlary of Amherst, New Hampshire ranked third following the final-four ride, followed by Natalie Johnson, 18, of Greenwich, Connecticut.

Each of the top four riders was presented with a 2005 USEF Show Jumping Finals East trophy, ribbon, cooler, saddle pad, riding gloves by Heritage and a t-shirt from waterjump.us.

“They were all outstanding,” concluded judge Karen Healey. “It was as good a group in the final four as I’ve ever seen.”