07/01/2022 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/01/2022 19:15
Traverse City, Mich. - The second day of competition at the 2022 Adequan®/USEF Junior Hunter National Championship - East brought horse-and-rider combinations into the ring for the under-saddle phase to be judged on their performance on the flat.
For flatwork, the classes were divided into groups of no more than 12 entries at a time with awards given for four sections in each of the two heights. Their scores for the flat phase count for 20% of the final overall score, which will be determined after Saturday's final phase, the handy round.
Junior Hunter Finals introduced a new element for the flat phase this year with the under-saddle work-offs. The work-offs invited the top three highest-scoring entries from each section for a final flat class to determine placings. Nightfall and Olivia Sweetnam took the top spot in the 3'3" division and Clara Propp and Arabesque finished first in the 3'6" work-off.
This year is the second time Junior Hunter Finals has been held at Traverse City's Flintfields Horse Park, and it comes in the midst of a busy show season between Traverse City Horse Shows and Great Lakes Equestrian Festival series.
"We like to host upper-end, championship style events. We always try and showcase top-end horses," said Matt Morrissey, a partner at Traverse City Horse Shows. "Junior Hunter Finals is a great week. It's rare only operating two rings; we normally have six or seven rings operating all at once. Being able to do this and just focus on two rings and focus on a championship and the details of it is what we enjoy.
"Doing this championship in two rings, it doesn't feel so fast," said Morrissey. "You can take your time a little bit and then people can go and enjoy the town."
Current Standings
Small Junior Hunter 3'3" 15 & Under
Small Junior Hunter 3'3" 16-17
Large Junior Hunter 3'3" 15 & Under
Large Junior Hunter 3'3" 16-17
Small Junior Hunter 3'6" 15 & Under
Small Junior Hunter 3'6" 16-17
Large Junior Hunter 3'6" 15 & Under
Large Junior Hunter 16-17
Watch the Adequan®/USEF Junior Hunter National Championship - East on USEF Network.
Stay Connected
Keep up with the competition by following USEF Junior Hunter National Championship on Facebook. Follow USEF Network on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and US Equestrian on TikTok.