Kansas City, Mo. – With expertly executed rail and pattern work, Maggie Keith (Louisville, Ky.) secured the 2024 USEF Saddle Seat Adult Amateur Medal champion title on Friday at the UPHA American Royal National Championship Horse Show. Keith rode her longtime partner, CH CH-EQ Reedann’s Heir to Glory (Supreme Heir x Glori-Phi), a 2004 American Saddlebred gelding owned by Rozes Equine LLC, to the top of the podium.
The victory was an emotional one for Keith, who has been riding “Reed” since 2019 under the direction of Cindy Zubrod and Renee Philpott at Zubrod Stables. Before coming to the finals, they had decided that this show would be his last before getting his well-deserved retirement.
“I’ve done four show seasons with him, and we got to do one last season together, and I’m really happy,” said Keith, who also won the UPHA Adult Challenge Cup National Finals earlier this week. “I’m so glad he gets to go out on a high note with two big wins at the American Royal Horse Show. I’m super proud of him.”
The judging panel of Tom Bombolis, Mathew Roberts, and Lisa Waller had all entries complete a workout that included a canter serpentine on the short side of the ring, pivots, and a canter circle at the far end, testing the athletes’ ability to communicate with their horses for accuracy and precision.
“I feel like our pattern went really well,” said Keith. “We’ve done a ton of patterns together. He’s very experienced, and I’m glad that we got out there and did our last pattern together very well.”
Keith had a successful junior equitation career, and it was her bond with Reed that motivated her to stick with the sport after she aged out at the end of the 2022 season.
“Honestly, he inspired me to keep going,” she said. “After my senior year, I knew that I didn’t want to be done. I wanted to make sure we ended on a good note, and I’m glad that I had that opportunity because it turned out quite awesome for us!”
Katie Rich (Dallas, Texas) earned the reserve champion title riding her own Sir Fabulous (Sir William Robert x Caramac’s Fizzy Lady), a 2009 American Saddlebred gelding. Macy Brangers (Louisville, Ky.) finished in third place with Aunty Bellum, an American Saddlebred mare owned by Jason Brangers. Caitlin Ferkile (St. Petersburg, Fla.) finished in fourth place with Empress Equine Company LLC’s CH Buzz Lightning, a 2010 American Saddlebred gelding.
Competition in the USEF Saddle Seat Medal Finals continues tomorrow as the junior riders take their turn in Hale Arena for their two-phase final beginning at 9:00 a.m. CT.
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