Harrisburg, Pa. – Top junior equestrians were in the spotlight on the final day of the Pennsylvania National Horse Show on Sunday as the 2024 USEF/NCEA Junior Hunter Seat Medal Final – East took place in the Keystone Arena. A total of 46 combinations competed in the final, which takes place over three phases in a single day.
The USEF/NCEA Medal Finals are a test of well-rounded equestrian skills as athletes compete over a 3’3” equitation-style course. The top ten return to compete on the flat where they are asked to demonstrate basic dressage movements. The final phase brings back the top four riders to compete head-to-head on horses they haven’t ridden before, similar to the experience of competing in college on an NCEA equestrian team. The fourth and first place rider compete on the same horse and the second and third place rider compete on the same horse. The winners of these two head-to-head rounds then complete a final course on the same horse to determine the championship and reserve placings.
Lauren Gee (Valdosta, Ga.) proved up to the task at this year’s final, earning excellent scores in the first two phases riding Curb Service, a 2015 Holsteiner gelding owned by her trainer, Don Stewart. Her expert catch riding in the final phase was what ultimately put her on the top of the leaderboard to take home the gold medal.
“Curb Service is really special. I love to ride him because he’s so smooth and soft to ride,” said Gee. “The first course went really nice. I got an 87.5 and I was really excited because I was sitting third going into the flat phase. The flat phase is exciting because we have dressage things like shoulder-in and haunches-in, and we executed that and got an 88. With those scores combined, we were sitting in second overall.”
Gee is currently a senior in high school and has committed to the NCEA equestrian team at Oklahoma State University starting with the 2025/2026 season. Making the top four in the medal final was extra special as it gave her the opportunity to experience NCEA bracket-style competition.
“The bracket phase was really exciting for me, because it’s practice for college,” said Gee. “The first horse I rode was Acocento, and he was really nice. I was up against Emma Brody, and she did really well in her trip, so I just went in with a clear mind and just did the best I could, and I got an 89. I was really happy.”
Gee went head-to-head with Nyla Semaan (Tampa, Fla.) in the final round, riding Ivy Bonds’ Super Vision.
“For the final championship round, the horse was so much fun. He went around perfectly, and that was probably my favorite part of the class, because he was just really nice and fun to ride, and we got a 90,” said Gee.
Gee started riding Curb Service last winter in Florida and has high praise for the gelding’s talent as an equitation horse. “He’s grown so much, and I’ve grown along with him,” she said. “He has a smooth canter—it’s almost like slow motion. He has this nice jump, and he just goes around flawlessly. He’s really fun to ride.”
Trainer Don Stewart helps his riders gain confidence on different types of horses by making sure they have the opportunity to ride a variety at home.
“At Don’s barn, he likes to put us on a lot of horses, so we have practice riding unfamiliar horses, and I think that helped me prepare perfectly,” said Gee. “While riding these new horses, I felt confident and prepared to ride the best I could, even without knowing them.”
2024 USEF/NCEA Junior Hunter Seat Medal Final – East Results
- Lauren Gee and Curb Service
- Nyla Semaan and Acocento
- Emma Brody and Corzico Melloni Z
- Ivy Bonds and Super Vision
2024 USEF/NCEA Hunter Seat Medal Finals Livestream
US Equestrian members and subscribers can watch the 2024 Pennsylvania National Horse Show, including the USEF/NCEA Junior Hunter Seat Medal Final, on-demand on USEF Network. Not a member? Join today!
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