Junior Hunter Finals is a two-day national championship held by the United States Equestrian Federation at two different coasts of the United States (East Coast and West Coast) in the summer of every year. It is held for qualifying Junior Hunter riders who show at either the 3'3" or 3'6" height.

Junior Hunter Finals
Sanctioning bodyUSEF
HeldEast Coast & West Coast
LengthTwo days
Divisions3'6" Small Junior 15 and under & 16-17

3'6" Large Junior 15 and under & 16-17 3'3" Small Junior 15 and under & 16-17 3'3" Large Junior 15 and under & 16-17

Hunterdon Cup
QualifyingTop 10 in USEF Zone or Reserve Champion or Champion in a USEF rated show
Number of entries700+

Competition

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The USEF Junior Hunter Finals was established in 2001 as a way to showcase talent from across the country. In 2014, the 3'3" section was added due to its growing popularity throughout the states.[1]

To show at Junior Hunter Finals, a rider must either be ranked among the top ten in their United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Zone–which is accomplished by earning points through competition–or win either a Reserve Champion or Champion title in their respective Junior Hunter division at a USEF rated "AA" "A" "B" or "C" show.[2] Around 700+ horses qualified in 2016 to show at either coast's finals.[1]

Although a rider may qualify for either the 3'3" or 3'6" division, they must pick one to show in during finals if they choose to attend. A rider also must choose between the East Coast and the West Coast finals as they cannot compete in both.

The competition itself consists of three phases (similar to USEF Pony Finals): under saddle, classic round, and handy round. The under saddle is a typical hunter flat class that counts for 20% of the overall score. The classic round is a typical hunter course and the handy hunter is reminiscent of trappy sections of hunt country; each count for 40% of the overall score. Each section is awarded ribbons to tenth place, as well as the overall top ten.[3] An overall championship is awarded for both the 3'3" and 3'6" sections.

The USHJA Gladstone Cup Equitation Classic (formerly the Hunterdon Cup) also takes place during Junior Hunter Finals. Riders qualify by being an active USHJA member and winning at least one USEF Medal, ASPCA Maclay, WIHS Equitation Overall, or USEF Show Jumping Talent Search class.[4] The class consists of three rounds, starting with a classic hunter round that each participant completes and is given a score following the round. The top twenty riders from the classic round complete a second handy hunter round. Scores are combined for the two rounds and 4-10 riders are called back at the judges discretion for final testing. Riders switch horses and are allowed a short warm up before completing a shortened test.[5]

Recent Champions

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Overall Grand Junior 3'6" Hunter Champions
Year Location Horse Rider Owner
2024 East Coast Babylon Paige Walkenbach Marnell Sporthorses
2022 East Coast Arabesque Clara Propp Aquitaine Equine
2022 West Coast Aventus Avery Glynn Jennifer Cancellieri
2021 East Coast Grand Remo Kat Fuqua Kat Fuqua
2021 West Coast Princeton Stella Wasserman A.F.M. Investments
2020 East Coast Small Occasion Augusta Iwasaki Elizabeth Reilly, Chris Iwasaki, Augusta Iwasaki
2020 West Coast KT Lansini Cameron Brown Cameron Brown
2019 East Coast Cleopatra's Smile Ellie Ferrigno Wolfstone Stables & Sales Inc.[6]
2019 West Coast Small Occasion Jordan Allen Elizabeth Reilly, Chris Iwasaki, & Augusta Iwasaki[7]
2018 East Coast Style Daisy Farish Take The High Road, LLC[8]
2018 West Coast Boceclli Ava Stearns Laura Wasserman[9]
2017 East Coast Di Samorano Taylor St. Jacques Taylor St. Jacques[10]
2017 West Coast Boss Hunter Siebel Laura Wasserman[11]
2016 East Coast Emma Kurtz Caldwell Scott Stewart[12]
2016 West Coast Giavanna Rinaldi Social Hour Laura Strasburg[13]
Overall Grand Junior 3'3" Hunter Champions
Year Location Horse Rider Owner
2019 East Coast Lalique Caroline Passarelli Elite Equines LLC[6]
2019 West Coast Crowd Pleaser Grace McReynolds Alexander Miller[7]
2018 East Coast Cupido Z Nicole Dorwart Nicole Dorwart[8]
2018 West Coast Harvard Grad Alexis Sokolov Dynamic Sporthorses LLC[9]
2017 East Coast Park Place Isha Swani Shadowfax Equestrian LLC[10]
2017 West Coast Maldini Hailey Link Star Lane Farms, LLC[11]
2016 East Coast Dress Balou Devin Seek Donald Stewart[12]
2016 West Coast Luisant Stella Buckingham Q of E Farms, LLC [13]


Hunterdon Cup Winners
Year Location Rider Horse
2019 East Coast Madeline Schaefer Correndo[14]
2019 West Coast Violet Lindemann-Barnett Cantoblaco[14]
2018 East Coast Daisy Farish Capital Hamilton[15]
2018 West Coast Kaitlyn Lovingfoss Caracas 89[16]
2017 East Coast Taylor St. Jacques Charisma[17]
2017 West Coast Augusta Iwasaki Vanderpump[18]
2016 East Coast Maya Nayyar Connaro[19]
2016 West Coast Kayla Lott Vancouver[20]

References

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  1. ^ a b "United States Equestrian Federation". Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  2. ^ "US Equestrian Announces Amendments to Qualifications for Junior Hunter National Championships and USEF Pony Finals presented by Collecting Gaits Farm". US Equestrian. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  3. ^ "USEF Junior Hunter National Championship Prize List" (PDF).
  4. ^ "Gladstone Cup :: USHJA". www.ushja.org. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  5. ^ https://www.ushja.org/application/files/6215/7902/3421/2020_Gladstone_Specifications_update_name_1.14.20.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  6. ^ a b "Ellie Ferrigno and Cleopatra's Smile Claim Overall Grand Champion 3'6"at USEF Junior Hunter National Championship – East Coast". Phelps Sports. 2019-07-15. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  7. ^ a b "Allen and Small Occasion Claim Overall Grand Champion 3'6" at USEF Junior Hunter National Championship – West Coast". US Equestrian. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  8. ^ a b "Daisy Farish and Style Claim Overall Grand Champion 3'6" at USEF Junior Hunter National Championship – East Coast". US Equestrian. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  9. ^ a b "Ava Stearns and Bocelli Crowned Overall Grand Champion 3'6" of USEF Junior Hunter National Championship - West Coast". Blenheim EquiSports. 2018-07-25. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  10. ^ a b "Results - HITS East Coast | Show Management System". hits.showmanagementsystem.com. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  11. ^ a b "Hunter Siebel and Boss Crowned Overall Grand Champions of USEF Junior Hunter National Championship - West". US Equestrian. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  12. ^ a b "Kurtz and Seek Capture Grand Champion Titles at US Junior Hunter National Championship East Coast". US Equestrian. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  13. ^ a b "Social Hour and Luisant Crowned Grand Champions at US Junior Hunter National Championship West Coast". US Equestrian. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  14. ^ a b "Madeline Schaefer Claims Hunterdon Cup Equitation Classic – East, Presented by Intermont Equestrian at Emory & Henry College :: USHJA". www.ushja.org. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  15. ^ Carter, Vyla (2018-07-31). "Daisy Farish Sweeps 2018 USHJA Hunterdon Cup Equitation Classic - East Coast". The Plaid Horse Magazine. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  16. ^ Carter, Vyla (2018-07-24). "Lovingfoss Puts in Lovely Rounds to Win the 2018 USHJA Hunterdon Cup Equitation Classic - West Coast". The Plaid Horse Magazine. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  17. ^ Carter, Vyla (2018-07-24). "Lovingfoss Puts in Lovely Rounds to Win the 2018 USHJA Hunterdon Cup Equitation Classic - West Coast". The Plaid Horse Magazine. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  18. ^ Shuman, Mackenzie (2017-07-25). "Augusta Iwasaki Takes First in the USHJA Hunterdon Equitation Cup Classic - West". The Plaid Horse Magazine. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  19. ^ "Maya Nayyar Takes Home Top Honors in Hunterdon Cup on Day One of Junior Hunter Finals". US Equestrian. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  20. ^ Release, Edited Press (2016-07-27). "Kayla Lott Outshines the Competition in Inaugural USHJA Hunterdon Cup Equitation Classic - West Coast". Jumper Nation. Retrieved 2020-05-14. {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
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