Harrisburg, Pa. - The top junior competitors from around the country are set to compete in two prestigious events for national championship honors October 14-17 at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show. The jumpers will take to the Harrisburg Coliseum of the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center on Thursday through Saturday for the Neue Schule/USEF Junior Jumper National Championships. The equitation riders will close out the weekend in the Harrisburg Coliseum with the Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunter Seat Medal Final on Sunday.
Neue Schule/USEF Junior Jumper National Championships
The Neue Schule/USEF Junior Jumper National Championships consist of the Team Championship, known as the Prix des States, as well as the Individual Championship. United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) Zones make up the teams, with eight teams competing in the 2021 Prix des States. Several athletes have already secured coveted accolades in 2021 and will bring their experience from those events to the Neue Schule/USEF Junior Jumper National Championships.
New in 2021, the Neue Schule/USEF Junior Jumper National Championships will offer 20 additional individual invitations to athletes from the Junior Jumper National Championship standings list who have not been selected to their zone team or as the zone’s traveling reserve to compete in as individuals throughout the championship.
The Individual Championship Phase I, the $5,000 Welcome Speed Class, kicks of the competition, followed by the $15,000 Neue Schule/USEF Prix des States Team Championship and Individual Championship Phase II on Friday. The Prix des States is run in a modified Nations Cup format. The team with the least number of faults at the end of two rounds will be awarded the team gold medal. In addition to team medals, the William C. Steinkraus Style Award will be presented to the Prix des States junior jumper rider who best exemplifies the American style of equitation and the respectful, dignified, courteous, and workmanlike manner of a true sportsman. The competition will conclude on Saturday with Phase III, the $10,000 Neue Schule/USEF Junior Jumper Individual National Championship, to determine the individual medalists. The individual champion will be the competitor with the lowest number of total penalties across all three phases.
Find out more about the Neue Schule/USEF Junior Jumper National Championships.
Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunter Seat Medal Final
(Taylor Pence/US Equestrian)
Over 240 junior competitors will take part in the Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunter Seat Medal Final on Sunday. A key equitation competition that has played the role in the development of many top riders, many competitors have moved on to represent the U.S. on teams, such as previous champions Kent Farrington, Lillie Keenan, Brian Moggre, Spencer Smith, and Jessica Springsteen.
The Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunter Seat Medal Final is comprised of multiple rounds and judged on equitation over a course set at 3’6”. All riders compete in the first round where judges Tom Brennan, Emil Spadone, and Geoff Teall will select the top 25 riders from round one to move on to compete in round two. Following round two, the judges must ask at least the top four combinations to return for additional testing, which can include a variety of formats, to determine the champion. The name of the winner will be engraved upon the Adrian Van Sinderen Trophy.
Learn more about the Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunter Seat Medal Final.
The USEF Network livestream of both events in their entirety is brought to you by Hollow Brook Wealth Management. The live stream coverage begins with Phase I of the Neue Schule/USEF Junior Jumper National Championships on Thursday tentatively at 6:00 p.m. ET. The Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunter Seat Medal Final will air on Sunday beginning at 7:00 a.m. ET.
For photo galleries, leading ride videos, and more from the Neue Schule/USEF Junior Jumper National Championships and Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunter Seat Medal Final, follow USA Jumping on Facebook and Instagram, Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunter Seat Medal Final on Facebook, US Equestrian on Twitter and Instagram, and USEF Network on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.