US set to defend saddle seat world cup

Lexington, Kentucky ­– The United States Saddle Seat Equitation World Cup teams are preparing to head to South Africa once again. The teams were selected at a trials event held at William Woods University in Fulton Missouri last weekend. Five riders and an alternate were selected from twenty three-gaited and ten five-gaited finalists. The World Cup of Saddle Seat Equitation is held every other year alternating between the United States and South Africa. This year, the prestigious international competition will be held from September 21-28 in Tulbagh, South Africa. 

The United States teams will be working hard to repeat the strong performances turned in by the 2006 teams, which captured the gold medals and coveted World Cup trophies in both the three-gaited and five-gaited divisions.

“The 2008 World Cup trials were a tremendous example of the depth of exceptional saddle seat athletes we have here in the United States,” said Ellen Beard, Executive Director. Adding, “The combination of talent from both the equitation and horsemanship aspects of the discipline leave me quite confident that our teams are up to the challenge of taking on the best saddle seat riders from around the world in 2008.”

The U.S. teams will face competition from Canada, Great Britain, Namibia and South Africa. All five countries compete in the three-gaited event, while Canada and Namibia join the U.S. and South Africa in the five-gaited competition. Representing the United States will be: 

THREE-GAITED

• Emily Abbott (Whitestown, IN)
• Jacqueline Beck (Aliso Viejo, CA)
• Brittany McGinnis (Fishers, IN)
• Victoria McHenry (New Orleans, LA)
• Eleanor Watkins (Louisville, KY)
• Angela Darrow (Alternate) (Hartland, WI)

FIVE-GAITED

• Brittany Baird (Hinsdale, IL)
• Brooke Jacobs (Georgetown, KY)
• Mackenzie Lyttle (Huntington Beach, CA)
• Jessica Moctezuma (Hardwick, NJ)
• Cydni Simmons (Burlington, KY)
• Calee Dillon (Alternate) (Dallas, TX)

The USWC welcomes donations from individuals and organizations who wish to contribute in support of Team USA as they work to defend their 2006 titles and retain possession of the coveted Saddle Seat World Cup trophies. The mission of the U.S. Saddle Seat Equitation World Cup is to expand the presence of Saddle Seat Equitation on both national and international levels through team-based competition and promotion of the discipline by U.S. athletes and officials.  The U.S. Saddle Seat World Cup is a registered 501(c)(3) corporation.

Ladies and Gentlemen we have a Triple Crown Winner! 

14 year old Brittany Ann McGinnis the youngest rider ever to win the Triple Crown.

1.     Brittany McGinnis

2.     Emily Abbott

3.     Eleanor Watkins

4.     Ali Judah

5.     Emma Nichols

6.     Sarah Jane Smith

7.     Ellen Medley Wright

8.     Emily Scharpf

9.     Jessica Moctezuma

10.  Linsday Haupt

Senior UPHA Final

1.     Brittany McGinnis

2.     Emily Abbott

3.     Eleanor Watkins

4.     Ali Judah

5.     Emma Nichols

6.     Sarah Jane Smith

7.     Ellen Medley Wright

8.     Emily Scharpf

9.     Jessica Moctezuma

10.  Linsday Haupt

Junior UPHA Final

1.     Callie Smith

2.     Nick Maupin

3.     Natalie Armstrong Grunnan

4.     Kristen Gardner

5.     Olivia Prentiss

6.     Taylor Newton

7.     Taylor Haas

8.     Hallie Sanabury

2007 NHS Good Hands Final

1.     Brittany Ann McGinnis

2.     Jacqueline Beck

3.     Sarah Jane Smith

4.     Ali Judah

5.     Emily Abbott

6.     Jessica Moctezuma

7.     Kyle Gagnon

8.     Ellen Medley Wright

9.     Alexandria Simpson

10.  Lindsay Haupt

1. Sarah Lawson
2. Victoria McHenry
3. Deanna Lanigan
4. Cori O’Brien
5. Mallory Hartigan
6. Caroline Jonsson
7. Hali Steenhoek
8. Alexandria Simpson
9. Sally McEwen
10. Katie Kirkland

1. Nick Maupin
2. Kristen Gardner
3. Elisabeth Hunziker
4. Amberly Hines
5. Caitlin Donohue
6. Samantha Thomas
7. Maggie Schuh

UPHA Senior Pleasure Challenge Cup National Championship             17 Entries

Champion      Emily Abbott

Reserve          Victoria McHenry

Remaining Top Ten

3.     Caroline Jonsson

4.     Amber Lynn Lowry

5.     Toria Heck

6.     Hannah Stilwell

7.     Natalie Combs

8.     Reagan Huguley

9.     Sarah Lawson

10.  Cori O'Brien

UPHA Junior Pleasure Challenge Cup National Championship             11 Entries

Champion      Kristen Gardner

Reserve          Nick Maupin

Remaining Top Ten

3.     Amberly Hines

4.     Elisabeth Hunziker

5.     Sarah Thomas

6.     Cara Swara

7.     Allison Harpole

8.     Cheyenne Mabey

9.     Megan Donohue

10.  Allison Shuh

UPHA Adult Challenge Cup National Championship                  8 Entries

Champion      Michelle Krentz

Reserve          Dr. Morgan Wolin

Remaining Top Ten

3.     Kevin Ingram

4.     Kristen Jurkynas

5.     Linda Quinn

6.     Victoria Willock

7.     Sarah Russell

8.     Brooke Jacobs

2007 World Championship Horse Show Results

Senior Saddleseat Equitation World Grand Championship

1.     Ali Judah

2.     Jacqueline Beck

3.     Ellen Medley Wright

4.     Emily Abbott

5.     Brittany McGinnis

6.     Kyle Gagnon

7.     Eleanor Watkins

8.     Lindsay Haupt

Junior Saddleseat Equitation World Grand Championship

1.     Taylor Newton

2.     Nick Maupin

3.     Natalie Armstrong-Grunnan

4.     Callie Smith

5.     Caroline Skinner

6.     Abigail Mutrux

7.     Belle Owen

8.     Courtney McGinnis

Equitation Open Riders 17 Years Old

Ali Judah

Equitation Open Rider 16 Years Old

Jacqueline Beck

Equitation Open Rider 15 Years Old

Eleanor Watkins

Equitation Open Rider 14 Years Old

Brittany McGinnis

Equitation Open Rider 13 Years Old

Nick Maupin

Equitation Open Rider 11 Years Old

Belle Owen

Equitation Open Rider 10 & Under W/T/C

Courtney McGinnis

Equitation Open Walk & Trot 9-10 Championship

1.     Caroline Cherry

2.     Aleia Brown

3.     Elizabeth Cagle James

4.     Margaret McCool

5.     Kirwan Kennedy

6.     Ellie Kangur

7.     Trey Watson

8.     Holly Hein.

Equitation Open Walk/Trot Rider 10 Years Old

Elizabeth Cagle James

Equitation Open Walk/Trot Rider 9 Years Old Div. I

Ellie Kangur

Equitation Open Walk/Trot Rider 9 Years Old Div. II

Caroline Cherry

Equitation Open Walk/Trot Rider 8/Under Div. I

Macey Joan Miles

Equitation Open Walk/Trot Rider 8/Under Div. II

Kaitlyn Creekmore

Equitation Open Walk & Trot 8 & Under Championship

1.     Rose Marie Wheeler

2.     Macey Joan Miles

3.     Kaitlyn Creekmore

4.     Molly Codeanne

5.     Jordan Haynes

6.     Ariana Cerecedes

7.     William Nalty

8.     Clara McCool