A quiet intensity came over the New Holland Arena as Emma Catherine Reichow and Forever Alve entered the ring in the final phase of the 2019 Neue Schule/USEF National Junior Jumper Individual Championships at the 74th Pennsylvania National Horse Show (PNHS). After a perfect final round, Reichow can now add 2019 Neue Schule/USEF National Junior Jumper Individual Champion to her résumé.
2019 Neue Schule/USEF National Junior Jumper Individual Champion Emma Catherine Reichow (c) Al Cook Photography
Coming off a brilliant performance winning the 2019 Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals – West in September, 17-year-old Reichow (Menlo Park, CA), ends the year and her Junior career as the 2019 Neue Schule/USEF National Junior Jumper Individual Champion and recipient of the AHSA National Show Jumping Individual Championship Memorial Trophy aboard Forever Alve, Reichow’s own nine-year-old KWPN mare.
“I’m very thankful to have such an amazing horse. It’s been an incredible year,” said Reichow, noting this was her last year in the Juniors. “It definitely has been the best year of my life; I’ll never forget it. With Talent Search and now this (Neue Schule/USEF National Junior Jumper Individual Championships) I didn’t expect this to happen, I’m over the moon.”
The final course, designed by Ken Krome of Westminster, MD, featured eleven jumps with fourteen jumping efforts at 1.35m with a time allowed of 69 seconds. Reichow and Forever Alve represented Zone 10 and produced three brilliant rounds in the 2019 Neue Schule/USEF National Junior Jumper Championships. The duo only incurred one rail in Phase II to remain in the top three heading into the final phase, where they produced a double clear round and ended the weekend on a final score of four penalty points.
Emma Catherine Reichow and Forever Alve (c) Al Cook Photography
“It’s such an honor and such a prestigious class and I don’t think someone from Zone 10 has won it in a couple years, and I’m truly honored I was able to do that this year,” said Reichow. “It has always been a goal of mine to come here (PNHS) and do well.”
Battling for the Silver medal in a jump-off was Zone 2 USEF Prix de States Team Champions Ned Cunniffe (South Salem, NY) with Buckle Up, Whipstick Farm Ltd’s 13-year-old KWPN gelding, and Mimi Gochman (New York, NY) aboard Street Hassle BH, Gochman Sport Horse LLC’s 13-year-old Selle Francais stallion. Both entering the jump-off with a penalty score of nine, Krome’s abbreviated jump-off course allowed Cunniffe and Gochman 42 seconds. Cunniffe and Buckle Up rode first in the jump-off producing a quick clear round for a final score of nine penalty points. Teammate Gochman and Street Hassle BH rode second, pulling an unlucky rail early in the jump-off and securing a third place position.
Catherine Reichow with Ned Cunniffe (left) and Mimi Gochman (right) after the Neue Schule/USEF Jr. Jumper Individual Championships (c) Al Cook Photography