Parker, Colorado — September 12, 2016 — Zone 8 riders were well matched in the USHJA Zones 7 and 8 Children’s and Adult Amateur Jumper Championships with close finishes across both team and individual competitions.
The Championships kicked off Thursday with riders participating in the horse inspection, riders’ meeting and a training session to prepare for the first day of competition.
Friday’s First Individual Qualifying Class saw a field of 13 Zone 8 horse-and-rider combinations compete for the fastest time. Children’s rider Stephany McConnell, 12, of Littleton, Colorado., rode James McConnell’s A Twist Of China to the first spot with a time of 66.97. Close behind McConnell and also riding as a Children’s competitor, in second place was Elise Vandamme, 16, of Bountiful, Utah, aboard her own Bonjorno with a time of 67.451. Rounding out the top three was Adult Amateur Kristina Matthews of Denver, Colorado, aboard her own Neolisto Van Het Mierenhof with a time of 70.144.
Saturday featured the team competition with three combined Children’s and Adult Amateur teams of four riders, all from Zone 8, competing. Zone 8 Team 3 (Ashley Buchanan riding Kristin Buchanan’s Saterland, Julia Fischer riding her own Amedeo, Sydney Matteson riding her own Galina 177, and Elise Vandamme riding her own Bonjorno) earned the gold medal fault free.
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Zone 8 teams finish strong in their Children’s and Adult Amateur Jumper Championships. Photo credit: Bianca McCarty Photography |
Silver and bronze medals came down to a jump off with both Zone 8 Team 1 (Devon Eret riding her own Cabriolet, Courtney Benjamin riding her own Vicky, Allison Pelzel riding Jill Pelzel’s Vis A Vis, and Kristina Matthews riding her own Neolisto Van Het Mierenhof) and Zone 8 Team 2 (Jane Dunbar riding her own Everwolf, Katie Pelzel riding Jill Pelzel’s Ravissant, Devon Weigers riding Debbie Weigers’s Little Lucia, and Stephany McConnell riding James McConnell’s A Twist Of China) ending up with 8 faults over the two rounds of competition. Zone 8 Team 2’s Stephany McConnell had the winning time of 43.519, earning that team silver. Zone 8 Team 1’s Kristina Matthews was not far behind in the jump off finishing with a time of 46. 934, garnering her team bronze.
“They all rode great; it was very close!” said Zone 8 Chef d’Equipe JJ Atkinson about the team phase of the competition. “And, the team aspect is huge for these riders. They all come together and really root for each other.”
Atkinson was complimentary of the Championship courses, designed by Meghan Rawlins of Victoria, British Columbia. “The course on the first day was very straightforward, and [the courses] got steadily more technical each day,” said Atkinson. ” [The Individual Championship] course was very technical; it was virtually the same course for the Grand Prix, and the girls rode it so well!”
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From left to right: Stephany McConnell, Elise Vandamme and Kristina Matthews on the podium. Photo credit: Bianca McCarty Photography
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The individual competition was as close as the team competition with the top three riders finishing just five faults apart. Claiming the gold medal and finishing with no jumping faults and a near-perfect score of 0.24 faults from the First Individual Qualifying Class was individual champion and gold medalist Elise Vandamme. Stephany McConnell picked up an unlucky 4 faults in the team competition to earn the individual silver medal, and Kristina Matthews, a mere 1.5 faults behind McConnell took home the individual bronze medal with 5.587 faults.
“It’s a dream come true,” said Vandamme of her win. “It is the biggest moment in my career so far. Bonjorno and I have been working so hard on becoming a better team; it feels amazing to see all of the sweat, tears and hard work pay off. With the help and support from my coach, Denise Tilley, my teammates at Tilley Show Stables and my parents, we have truly started to click.”
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| Gold medalist Elise Vandamme aboard Bonjorno. Photo credit: Bianca McCarty Photography |
As individual champion, Vandamme received Professional’s Choice boots, a cooler, a ribbon and a gold medal, as well as a spot at a 2017 USHJA Emerging Athletes Program Regional Training Session, presented by Dover Saddlery, of her choice.
Vandamme, who attended an EAP Regional Training Session in Wilsonville, Oregon in 2015 was excited to return to the program. “I’m excited to do it again! I loved getting to meet so many awesome people who rode with me. Those friendships last forever.”
USHJA extends a special thank you to the Langer Equestrian Group for hosting the Championships at the Colorado Fall Preview. The final Championships of the year, the USHJA Zones 9 & 10 Children’s and Adult Amateur Jumper Championships will be September 14-18 at Blenheim Fall Tournament in San Juan Capistrano, California.
For more information on the USHJA Children’s and Adult Amateur Jumper Championships, visit www.ushja.org/ChAAJumper . Comprehensive results follow.
Team Results:
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Gold:
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Zone 8 Team 3 (Ashley Buchanan riding Kristin Buchanan’s Saterland, Julia Fischer riding her own Amedeo, Sydney Matteson riding her own Galina 177, and Elise Vandamme riding her own Bonjorno)
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Silver:
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Zone 8 Team 2 (Jane Dunbar riding her own Everwolf, Katie Pelzel riding Jill Pelzel’s Ravissant, Devon Weigers riding Debbie Weigers’s Little Lucia, and Stephany McConnell riding James McConnell’s A Twist Of China)
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Bronze:
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Zone 8 Team 1 (Devon Eret riding her own Cabriolet, Courtney Benjamin riding her own Vicky, Allison Pelzel riding Jill Pelzel’s Vis A Vis, and Kristina Matthews riding her own Neolisto Van Het Mierenhof)
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| Placing | Horse | Rider | Owner | City, State |
| Gold | Bonjorno | Elise Vandamme | Elise Vandamme | Bountiful, UT |
| Silver | A Twist of China | Stephany McConnell | James McConnell | Littleton, CO |
| Bronze | Neolisto van het Mierenhof | Kristina Matthews | Kristina Matthews | Denver, CO |
| 4th | Galina 177 | Sydney Matteson | Sydney Matteson | Colorado Springs, CO |
| 5th | Vis A Vis | Allison Pelzel | Jill Pelzel | Fort Lupton, CO |
| 6th | Cabriolet | Devon Eret | Devon Eret | Aurora, CO |
| 7th | Vicky | Courtney Benjamin | Courtney Benjamin | Parker, CO |
| 8th | Everwolf | Jane Dunbar | Jane Dunbar | Castle Pines, CO |