Happy New Year! We are thrilled to see our members jumping into the 2022 season. Congratulations to the Zone 10 riders who took part in the USEF Horsemanship Training Series (Jan.6-9) in Wellington, Florida. Way to go Elena Haas, Caroline Mawhinney, and Skylar Wireman!
During 2022, we will be spotlighting educational opportunities within our zone and sharing some of our favorite educational books with you. First up, we are featuring the USHJA Gold Star Clinic that took place January 12-16 at Desert International Horse Park. Read on for an interview with one of the clinic participants, Lauren Kolbe of Hidden Hills, California.
We also want to remind you about upcoming educational webinars from USHJA. These fun webinars are a great way to brush up on your knowledge on a variety of topics. Click here to visit the USHJA website and learn more.
Best of luck in 2022!
Katie Taylor, Co-Chair and Ellen Gates, Co-Chair
Congratulations to Members Participating in USHJA Gold Star Clinics
The USHJA Gold Star Clinic - West was held January 12-16 at Desert International Horse Park in Thermal, California. The clinic will be available to watch On Demand at USHJA Channel on Horse & Country.
Congratulations to participants from our zone:
Emmeline Adamick, San Francisco, Calif.
Hannah Attar, Pasadena, Calif.
Emelie Bell, Lodi, Calif.
Amelie Bittar, Los Angeles, Calif.
Zoie Brogdon, Los Angeles, Calif.
Tyra Cleary, Petaluma, Calif.
Giacomo Drago, Beverly Hills, Calif.
Zacko Hardin, New Cuyama, Calif.
Lauren Kolbe, Hidden Hills, Calif.
Valentina Lehner, Watsonville, Calif.
Bobby Malmrose, Washoe Valley, Nev.
Katie Murray, Anaheim, Calif.
Julia Nickl, Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.
Rowan Smark, Laguna Niguel, Calif.
Scarlett Wallis, Royal Oaks, Calif.
The USHJA Gold Star Clinic - East will be February 9-13 at Jim Brandon Equestrian Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, and will be live streamed on Horse & Country.
Congratulations to the participants from our zone:
Apply for the Markel/USHJA Zone Jumper Team and Platinum Jumper Championships
If you are interested in participating in one of these great USHJA jumper programs in 2022, be sure to apply to have your points count toward qualifying!
The 2022 Championships will be:
November 9-13
USHJA Zones 9 & 10 National Sunshine Series II Thermal, Calif.
New this year: The 1.30/1.35m height section of the Zone Jumper Team Championships will now be moved to the Platinum Jumper Championships, allowing Professionals to compete at the height in addition to Juniors and Amateurs.
The USHJA is helping members Know Before You Show with a simple guide of rule changes taking effect for the new competition year.
Click here for a comprehensive list of rule changes that were approved in 2021 for the 2022 competition year and here for the complete 2022 USEF Rulebook.
Meet Lauren! Seventeen-year-old Lauren Kolbe is taking opportunity by the reins. Last fall, she competed in the Markel/USHJA Zone Jumper Team Championships, and earlier this month she participated in the USHJA Gold Star Clinic (Jan. 12-16) at Desert International Horse Park. She is also a 2022 recipient of the Michael Nyuis Foundation Grant, a program intended to offer support for young riders who have the passion to compete but lack the financial resources to do so consistently.
“I’ve been a working student my whole life,” she commented. “I try to take every opportunity and ride every horse that I can. Even if it’s a green horse or a challenging horse, my answer is always ‘yes.’”
Lauren loves being part of the West Coast community of riders. “As a member of Zone 10, I feel like we are all really supportive of one another and we all want each other to succeed,” she said. “My biggest takeaway from participating in the Gold Star Clinic was making connections with other young riders who share my passion for horsemanship.”
During the recent Gold Star Clinic, Lauren enjoyed connecting with her fellow participants. “There was a very collaborative energy in the barns,” she added. “We all worked together to get things done. Sometimes we had educational sessions and had to quickly put our horses away. Riders who had already put their horses away helped riders from the later groups. Through working in the barns, we really got to know each other and form special bonds.”
In addition to riding, there were hands-on and horsemanship related parts of the clinic. “We do our own grooming and clean our own stalls,” she recounted. “We also talked with veterinarians and stewards about safety, stable management, and lameness issues. They brought in various speakers and the entire multi-day experience was so engaging.”
It was Lauren’s first time being part of the Gold Star Clinic and she was very impressed with the program. “The clinicians, Kirsten Coe and Schuyler Riley, were amazing,” she said. “They helped me gain new perspectives on my riding. We worked a lot on position and adjustability. My favorite part was how we got feedback then we were able to re-do our rounds and incorporate that feedback.”
Lauren is looking forward to a great season ahead and plans to continue her riding into college at Southern Methodist University (SMU) this fall.
Good luck to Lauren and all our members in 2022!
Photo credit: Julia B
Specifications Changes for the USHJA Hunter Team Challenge
The USHJA Hunter Team Challenge will return in 2022 with a few changes. Save the date for the Challenge near you:
Hunter Team Challenge - West
November 8-13 National Sunshine Series II Desert International Horse Park Thermal, Calif.
Galway Downs will again host the IEHJA Fall Festival Year End Show on November 11th-13, 2022. Except for the IEHJA Medal Finals there is no pre-qualifying for classes. All riders are welcome. A full complement of Hunter, Jumper and Equitation Divisions are offered. Jumpers start at .70m and progress through a meter 1.10 level. A very competitive Hunter Derby, two min prix, and a hunter classic are on the show schedule. The Showdown Perpetual Medal, GSDHJA and USHJA medal classes are also offered. Call Gretchen Clark for more info at (909) 809-0131.
Los Angeles Hunter Jumper Association
The Los Angeles Hunter Jumper Association (LAHJA) is proud to congratulate all the participants in the 2021 $5,000 Horsemastership Scholarship Competition. All competitors put their horsemanship knowledge to test across three phases: a written phase, a hands-on phase, and a riding phase. Click here to watch a video announcing the winners.
We would also like to congratulate all LAHJA 2021 Year-end Champions and Reserve Champions.
Looking forward to competing in 2022? You can click here to join online or renewal your membership. You can also click here to download and print the membership form.
Remember, we also have a special membership category for Introductory Members. This category costs $35, allows for participation in our $5,000 LAHJA Horsemastership Scholarship Competition, and includes a subscription to our monthly e-newsletter. Introductory Members can upgrade their membership by paying the difference to earn points toward year-end awards and participate in the LAHJA medal classes. Introductory
Best of luck to our members in 2022!
Photo credit: Equine Clicks
LEGIS League
The LEGIS League is gearing up for its finals at West Palms Events LA April (April. 22-24, 2022) at Hansen Dam Horse Park. LEGIS League offers opportunities for riders of many levels from beginners through 3’6’’ hunters and 1.10m jumpers. We have worked with the show management to create a fun experience for riders planning to compete at the LEGIS League Finals. It will be an unforgettable event. Don't miss out on the fun!
Not a member yet? There's still time to join now. Click here to check your membership status. Visit LEGISleague.com or contact info@legisleague.com to learn more about the program.
