Luke Jensen made it through three difficult tests in the Dover Saddlery/U.S. Equestrian Hunter Seat Medal to top a field of 230 at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show yesterday.
The Texan had been second in the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals East earlier this month, but he was never after anything except victory this time around.
Luke Jensen on Jamaica. (Photo by Leslie Potter for U.S.Equestrian)
Second place went to Californian Skylar Wireman , while Kate Egan of Glen Gardner, N.J, rounded out the top three.
“The prestige of this horse show is incredible, so I’m very grateful to be able to compete here and to be here and show at the highest level,” said Luke, a working student with John Brennan and Missy Clark of North Run.
“The competition is incredible. Every rider here earned their spot, and they’re all incredibly talented – all the horses, all the riders. To be able to win it is very special to me and the prestige just makes me all the more grateful to be here.”
The opening round of competition got underway at 7 a.m. with a challenging course set by designer Thomas Hern,Jr., with input from judges Karen Healey and Mark Jungherr. The technical track posed narrowed the field to the top 25 who would then return for a second round.
From there, the top four of Kate Egan, Schuyler Wireman, Luke and Isabella David returned for further testing. Each of them was handed a slip of paper listing the test – which included two counter-canter fences, a trot jump and a hand gallop down to the final triple bar fence. They were given time to review the test while mounted in the ring before being asked to exit so as not to see any of the other riders’ tests.
Returning in reverse order of their standings, Isabella and Kate each had some minor bobbles in their counter-canter work, but Wireman returned in the penultimate position. Luke was able to hold onto first place.
“They were both very, very close at the end,” said judge Karen Healey.
“The first course was not easy, and at first, I thought the second one was going to be way too easy. Then it kind of took care of itself a little bit. Then, it ended up working out the way we wanted it to at the end.”
Judge Mark Jungherr added, “[Luke] came in winning both rounds, and then their work-offs were very close. He had a great connection with his horse, and he kept the same weight in his hands all the way through the three rounds over a lot of jumps.
Luke has had the ride on Jamaica, owned by North Run, since the beginning of the year when he began taking care of the 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding in his working student role.
“Getting to [take care of him] is very, very special to me,” said Jensen, whose name will be added to the Adrian Van Sinderen Memorial Perpetual Trophy for the win.
“I’m so grateful to do it, and I think it makes a big difference to know the personality of your partner.”
Earning the title of the Best Equitation Horse and the Doris H. Clark Memorial Perpetual Trophy, donated by Missy Clark, was Castlefield Spartacus, ridden by fourth-place finisher David and owned by West Hill.