The USHJA Gladstone Cup Equitation Classic for Amateurs – West made its Desert International Horse Park debut on Friday, October 31, and it was Renee Rodda who wrote her name into the history books as the winner of the 2025 class. The Villa Park, Calif., rider piloted RMR Consulting’s Cheval to a two-round score of 177.
Getting underway with the Hunter Style Equitation Round, judges Cynthia Hankin and Jill Worman saw 40 riders take to Michael Roy Curtis’ course as the top four riders finished tightly grouped with just one point separating each. Bailey Rose, of Shadow Hills, Calif., took an early lead aboard Rose Hill Farm LA LLC’s Vegas De La Joux, garnering a score of 89 to sit at the top of the leaderboard. She was followed closely by Rodda on an 88. Jameson Roberts, of Agua Dulce, Calif., rode her own Clever Boy to an 87, while Jaime Krupnick, of Westlake Village, Calif., and her own Conux sat on an 86.
The top 20 riders returned in reverse order for the Handy Hunter Round, where Rodda and Cheval added an 89, rising to the leading spot on a two-round score of 177. An 83 slid Rose into second with a 172 overall, followed by Aedan Mooney, of Golden, Colorado, who moved up from tenth to sit third on 168 with Stable Assets LLC’s Lifetime. Halving her original position of eighth was Marin Gilliland, of Palm Desert, California, on Oak Creek Farms LLC’s Al Capone with a 167.75. Roberts and Krupnick rounded out the top six spots with 166.5 and 166, respectively.
With the top six riders in close contention, they returned for a Final Round work-off, which included a trot fence, counter canter, and simple change through the sitting trot.
Through the test, Rodda again delivered a seamless ride, ultimately further cementing her spot as the winner. Gilliland continued to climb the ranks to take home second place, and Roberts rode away with the third-place honor.
“It was a fun day!” said Rodda. “There are a lot of us amateurs that really enjoy the equitation. A lot of us that work and get to do this, we’re very Type A personalities, and the equitation just gives it that little bit of an extra test for us. To make it important, like some of the junior classes, is really a big deal for us, and we really enjoy it.”
Rodda continued, “I rode as a junior, and then when I went to law school, I quit riding. I didn’t ride for about 16 years, and I started riding again about 15 years ago. Jaime [Krupnick] and I were telling the other girls in the work off that they were young enough to be our children! It’s been fun. It’s nice to have a horse that’s super competitive and be able to do some of this stuff again.”
That horse, Cheval, owned by RMR Consulting, is a 9-year-old Holsteiner gelding that Rodda first partnered with in March of this year. Together, they have already seen great success – which, on Friday, included Cheval being recognized as the Best Equitation Horse.
“He’s pretty straightforward,” said Rodda, who trains with Kim Tasker of Rainbow Canyon Ranch. “He tries really, really hard to do exactly what we ask of him. So, for the counter canter, he still thinks that maybe that’s the wrong thing, but he is a really good guy! He’s very smart.”
The USHJA Gladstone Cup Equitation Classic for Amateurs is a three-round class that combines the precision of Equitation and the handiness of Hunters over a course set at 3’. The USHJA Gladstone Cup Equitation Classic for Amateurs is open to any Amateur rider that has placed first, second or third in Adult Equitation classes at 2’9” or higher, or 3’3” Adult Jumping Seat Medal class, Taylor Harris Insurance Adult Medal class, and Ariat National Adult Medal class at a competition with a start date of June 1 and an end date 45 days prior to the Championship date. Riders must be an active USHJA Amateur member at the time of competition in order to compete.
The USHJA sends special thanks to the entire Desert International Horse Park team for hosting the Championships; to Official Sponsors Herm Sprenger, Nutrena, and Parlanti; and Supporting Sponsor Essex Classics.
For more information about the USHJA Gladstone Cup Equitation Classic for Amateurs visit ushja.org/Gladstone.