The 2020 Adequan®/USEF Junior Hunter National Championship – East Coast, which was hosted by Traverse City Horse Shows, reached its pinnacle Monday, August 24 as eight champions and two Grand Champions were crowned at Flintfields Horse Park. At her first East Coast outing after a number of appearances in the West Coast event as a native Californian, Augusta Iwasaki rode right to the top of the standings ahead of more than 70 junior hunters at the 3’6” height to emerge as the Overall Grand Champion aboard Small Occasion, owned by Chris Iwasaki and Elizabeth Reilly. At their debut USEF Junior Hunter National Championship, Riley Hogan and Donald Stewart’s Keebler emerged as the next major victors of the afternoon as the top point-earners in the 3’3” divisions to capture the Overall Grand 3’3” Championship.
Augusta Iwasaki on Small Occasion. Photo by Elaine Wessel/Phelps Sports.
Iwasaki and Small Occasion started the day as the frontrunners in the Large Junior Hunter 15 & Under division with two blue ribbons under their belt thanks to winning performances in the $3,000 Large Junior Hunter 15 & Under Classic and the $1,500 Large Junior Hunter 15 & Under Under Saddle. Returning to the Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel International Ring for the third time, the duo once again showcased their skills with a stellar performance for which they were rewarded with third position and 250 points in the class. Thanks to that result, the partnership managed to retain the lead in the division standings and ultimately claimed the Overall Grand 3’6” Champion honors as the highest-scoring team of all the 3’6” entries across four divisions with a cumulative weighted score of 258.90.
Augusta Iwasaki and Small Occasion in their presentation ceremony. Photo by Allyson Lagiovane/Phelps Sports.
To honor their efforts, the victors were presented with the Monarch International Perpetual Trophy. Small Occasion, an 11-year-old Holsteiner mare, is no stranger to the winner’s circle, and in 2019 carried Jordan Allen to the Overall Grand Championship in the 3’6’’ section at the Sonoma Horse Park for the USEF Junior Hunter National Championships – West Coast. For her triumph Monday in Michigan, Small Occasion was awarded the War Dress Memorial trophy, donated by Cleta S. Turbow and Pamela J. Rush, as the Best Mare, a distinction she also earned in 2019 in California.
Grace Debney on Quimby. Photo by Allyson Lagiovane/Phelps Sports.
Just one point off the leaders with 257.90 on the cumulative scorecard, Grace Debney and Quimby, owned by Temple Equestrian LLC, concluded the day as the Overall Grand 3’6” Reserve Champions and the tricolor winners in their 3’6” division, the Small Junior Hunter 15 & Under. Debney piloted Quimby, a 9-year-old Holsteiner gelding, to back-to-back blue ribbons Sunday in the Classic and Under Saddle classes to jump to the early lead in the division, then continued their success Monday in the Handy phase with a score of 260 and a second-place finish, which helped them to capture the division title.
Riley Hogan on Keebler. Photo by Elaine Wessel/Phelps Sports.
Over the 3’3” fences, Hogan and Keebler shone the brightest of the field of 74, ending the day with a new distinction to their name. With a total weighted score of 253.50, the combination secured the Overall Grand 3’3” Championship, an added bonus following their division tricolors in the Large Junior 3’3’’ Hunter 16-17 division. On Sunday, the skilled duo earned first prize in the $2,000 Large Junior Hunter 3’3″ 16 – 17 Classic to claim the early lead, then solidified themselves as the overall champions following a ninth-place finish on the flat and first place with 258 points in the Handy phase. Hogan and Keebler led their division’s victory gallop, then returned to the ring with a brand new cooler as the highest-scoring 3’3” pair. For their Grand Championship victory, Hogan and Keebler were awarded the Montserrat Perpetual Trophy, donated by the Sonoma Horse Park.
Janet Hedges and Casillas CH in their presentation ceremony. Photo by Allyson Lagiovane/Phelps Sports.
Janet Hedges accumulated an impressive list of results Monday, hacking her own Casillas CH to eighth position and jumping to second place with a 252-point ride in the Handy class. Due to their consistent rankings, Hedges and Casillas CH were awarded the reserve championship in the Large Junior 3’3’’ Hunter 16-17 division just behind Hogan and Keebler, as well as the Overall Grand Reserve 3’3” Championship with a composite score of 242.80.
Additional Results – Section Champions
Rider / Horse / Owner / Score
Small Junior Hunter 15 & Under Champion:
Grace Debney / Quimby / Temple Equestrian LLC / 257.90
Small Junior Hunter 16 – 17 Champion:
Christopher Coberley / No Introduction / Fox Meadow Farm / 251.30
Large Junior Hunter 15 & Under Champion:
Augusta Iwasaki / Small Occasion / Chris Iwasaki and Elizabeth Reilly / 258.90
Large Junior Hunter 16 – 17 Champion:
Sophia Mitchell / Chevito / Sophia Mitchell / 255.90
Small Junior Hunter 3’3” 15 & Under Champion:
Raina Swani / Knightly / Brendan Williams / 250.10
Small Junior Hunter 3’3” 16 – 17 Champion:
Elizabeth Nestor / Covert / Elizabeth Nestor / 246.60
Large Junior Hunter 3’3” 15 & Under Champion:
Sterling Malnik / Rockette / Sterling Malnik / 251.60
Large Junior Hunter 3’3” 16 – 17 Champion:
Riley Hogan / Keebler / Donald Stewart / 253.50