Pennsylvania National Horse Show
The Pennsylvania National Horse show has been an iconic event in the hunter/jumper industry for decades, dating all the way back to 1946. The first weekend of the event is reserved for junior riders to showcase their talents in all three disciplines: hunters, jumpers, and equitation. Hunter and jumper divisions are held toward the beginning of the weekend, with Sunday used exclusively for the prestigious USEF Hunter Seat Medal Finals. Junior riders from all over the country show in qualifying classes all year to have a chance to get to Harrisburg and demonstrate their understanding of what classic hunter seat riding should be. The format is simple: all competitors are given a chance to complete over a first round course consisting of 10-12 jumps. The course is designed specifically to highlight soft, forward riding, with a subtle nod to the history of the hunter seat discipline. From the starting group, 25 riders are chosen to compete over a second, more difficult course of fences that is designed to test the rider’s ability to invisibly guide their horses over a more challenging track while maintaining the style of classic American equitation. From there, the judges are allowed to test the top 4-6 riders in an additional third round if they find it necessary to do so before pinning the top twelve riders.
This year, True North Stables attended the Medal Finals with one of their equitation students, Olivia Galley. Trainers Caitlyn Shiels and Cody Wooten both made the trip to Harrisburg to train Olivia and her equitation horse, a 14 year old warmblood gelding named Cashman. Olivia and Cashman started out their week with a great warm up round in the main colosseum, their first time stepping foot into the arena that would host the Medal Finals. Later in the day. They posted an 80 score in the 15 year old equitation division, putting them just outside of the ribbons, but having them feeling prepared and ready to compete on Sunday.
The day started with the 6:00 am course walk, where all Medal Finals riders and their trainers were able to check out the beautiful jumps, walk the tracks, and come up with a plan that would best suit their horse. Caitlyn, Cody, and Olivia walked the course, came up with a plan, and spent the remainder of the time going over which parts of the course seemed tricky and which parts were more straight forward. Cashman is a seasoned equitation horse, so Olivia’s plan consisted more of how to ride the lines to accommodate for his large stride, and how to give him the best ride possible to jump a clean, consistent round. The pair was lucky enough to draw a later number in the order, 124th, so Olivia was able to watch multiple rounds, see how the course was riding for others, and adjust her plan as necessary.
Olivia entered the ring the 124th of 208 competitors. Once they jumped the first fence in perfect style, with Cashman as focused and relaxed as can be, the rest was smooth sailing. They rode the bending five stride line to a one stride combination to another bending six stride line in textbook fashion, and answered the most difficult question on course, the short bending five stride to a triple bar to a forward four stride line, the ease. The nervous anticipation among everyone was palpable, but Olivia handled the pressure and came out of the arena with a smile on her face. The standby list of 25 riders being held to compete in the second round was updated after 150 had gone, and Olivia found herself in the 10th place position.
After the remaining riders had completed the first round, it was time for the top 25 riders to compete in the second round. Olivia was called back in 19th place, which had her as 7th to go in the reserve order of placings. After walking the course and watching the first few riders go, Olivia and her trainers had a clear idea of the track and striding that would work best for Cashman. With one final review of her plan at the ingrate, Olivia headed into the ring and immediately struck up a canter to fence one, a bold start to let the judges know she meant business. The second round went according to plan, with the pair taking the inside turn to the last bending line, something no one before her had attempted. After finishing the last fence, the crowed applauded Olivia and Cashman for a job well done. From then on it was time to wait to see if the chances she took in the ring would pay off.
When the dust settled, Olivia and Cashman moved up 7 placings to finish in 12th. They were invited into the ring for the awards ceremony, along with the other ribbon winners, for pictures and a final victory gallop. What a way to show up and compete at her first 3’6” equitation final. Everyone at True North is beyond proud of her hard work, mental toughness, and most of all, for her love and admiration for the best partner she could ever ask for, the one and only, Cashman.
