THERMAL, Calif. – For Renee Rodda the USHJA Amateur Festival – West at Desert International Horse Park was the kind of weekend that horse show dreams are made of.
After topping the USHJA Gladstone Cup Equitation Classic for Amateurs – West on Friday, Rodda and her mount, Cheval, returned to also take the win in the USHJA 3’3″ Adult Jumping Seat Medal Final – West, held November 1-2, during National Sunshine Series 1 in Thermal, Calif.
Renee Rodda and Cheval. Photo by High Desert Sport Photo
“It has been a fairytale weekend!” said Rodda. “I’m honestly kind of in shock. I am at a loss for words. I never expected to have a week like this. It’s great.”
Rodda’s road to the Adult Jumping Seat Medal Final-West win started on Saturday morning with the flat phase, which tested riders through exercises including the counter canter, sitting trot and extended trot.
Leading the field after the flat phase with a score of 90 was Robyn Burton aboard Le Touche. Close on her heels was Brianna Hammerman with her own Didorina EZ, scoring an 88. Scarlett Heller and her Golden Boy RW rounded out the top three with an 87, leaving the leaderboard separated by just three points.
Renee Rodda and Cheval. Photo by High Desert Sport Photo
Returning in reverse order of their flat phase scores, riders next took on a technical gymnastics-style course featuring trot bounces, rollbacks and grid lines. Rodda made an impressive comeback, jumping up five places to sit at the top on a score of 216 at the end of Saturday’s two phases of competition. Hammerman held strong in second place with a score of 214, while Burton moved into third with a 213.75, maintaining the tight competition.
Sunday morning saw riders back in the Grand Prix Stadium for the jumping phase. Rodda, last to enter, earned a cumulative score of 378, while Hammerman tallied a 381. With only three points separating each of them, it was on to a final work off of the top two.
Following the final test over a shortened course, Rodda ultimately secured the overall win, as well as topping the 30+ age group, with Cheval taking the Best Equitation Horse award. Hammerman earned the reserve champion distinction, closing an exciting and fiercely contested week.
Renee Rodda and Cheval. Photo by High Desert Sport Photo
“Our flat phase wasn’t our best, we were middle of the pack, but he could not have been better in the gymnastics phase,” said Rodda of the 9-year-old Holsteiner gelding. “It was his first time ever jumping in [the Grand Prix Stadium], and he stepped up bigger than I could have imagined. Even today…he came through huge in the jump-off. He was incredible.”
The USHJA 3’3” Adult Jumping Seat Medal Final is a three-round class that allows adult amateurs to showcase their equitation skills in a jumper style. This includes a flat round, a gymnastics round and a jumper-style course. The USHJA 3’3” Adult Jumping Seat Medal is open to any adult amateur riders 18 and over that has not competed above 1.35m within that competition year. Riders qualify for the Finals hosted on either coast by earning 10 points or completing three classes during the qualifying period and may choose to compete at either location. For more information about the USHJA 3’3” Adult Jumping Seat Medal, visit ushja.com/jumpingseatmedal.