Skylar Wireman Crowned Champion in the NCEA Junior Hunt Seat Medal Finals

by | Nov 8, 2020 | Equitation, Press Release | 0 comments

Photo © ESI Photography

For Immediate Release:

THERMAL, Calif. – November 7, 2020 – Junior riders rose to the occasion today in the NCEA Junior Hunt Seat Medal Final Championships. Three different phases weeded out the best of the best and it was Skylar Wireman (Bonsall, CA) who took home the champion title. Reserve champion was awarded to Madison Nadolenco (Calabasas, CA) and Bella Primavera (Aptos, CA) rounded out the podium in third. 

Riders were tested three different times during the duration of the class. The first round was a jumper style equitation course consisting of fifteen obstacles. For phase two, the top ten riders were asked back to compete on the flat. The judges asked for shoulder in and haunches in while at the trot as well as demonstrating the counter canter. The top four riders were then challenged by switching horses and competing over fences. 

Photo © ESI Photography

“My first round was really great,” explained Wireman. “I loved the course, it was a good course. I felt like it was very forward which is great for me because he is really big. The flat phase was super; Laurie has done a lot of dressage with him so he is very well schooled with the shoulder and haunches in.”

For Wireman, she felt very comfortable during all phases of the class. Catch riding is a common occurrence for her as she mentioned how, on average, she rides ten horses a day. Her mount for the class was even a catch ride kindly loaned to her by Laurie Cunningham. 

“The horse I was riding, Connor, he is a catch ride that was graciously loaned to me by Laurie Cunningham and I can’t thank her enough. He was awesome. He is a little bit greener to the equitation, he hasn’t done a lot of it but he was super and it was a ton of fun,” mentioned Wireman. 

 

 

 

About the Desert International Horse Park

With nearly 1.3 million square feet of competition and riding space, the Desert International Horse Park is one of the largest equestrian facilities in North America. Offering multiple weeks of world-class equestrian competition from October through March, the facility is a destination location for thousands of equestrians, their horses, family and friends for several months annually. Competitors from all over the world travel to Thermal, CA to not only compete but to enjoy everything the desert has to offer.