Gladstone, NJ - The top young talent will be showcased at the 2012 Platinum Performance/ USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals East this weekend at the USET Foundation Headquarters in Gladstone, New Jersey. Ninety-six competitors will vie for top honors in the prestigious competition highlighting their skills in four phases of competition judged by Karen Healey and Robert Ridland.
It will be an exciting weekend with all three Junior Individual medalists from the Adequan/FEI North American Junior & Young Rider Championships presented by Gotham North (NAJYRC) competing in the finals. The Gold, Silver, and Bronze medalists, Abigail McArdle (Barrington, IL), Shawn Casady (Harriman, TN), and Charlotte Jacobs (East Aurora, NY), respectively, will demonstrate their skills in competition for the title.
Lillie Keenan (New York, NY) has made quite a name for herself in the sport and hopes to continue adding to her impressive list of awards this weekend. After winning the 2011 USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals presented by Dietrich Equine Insurance, Keenan's success continued with a Team Gold medal and a fifth place individual finish in the USHJA North American Junior Team and Individual Jumping Championships at the NAJYRC. She enters this weekend's competition coming off of a win at the North American Junior Equitation Championship at the Capital Challenge Equitation Weekend.
Beginning tomorrow, October 6, riders will take part in the flat and gymnastics phases of the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals East. The competition will finish Sunday with the jumping and work off phases and the top young talent on the east coast being crowned with the title.
View the prize list here.
To learn more about the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search, click here.