Las Vegas – November 11, 2026 – The first division champions of the 2026 Marshall+Sterling / USHJA National Championships, hosted by Desert International Horse Park, were named on Wednesday, November 11, at the South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa in Las Vegas.
The National Championships, which continue through Sunday, November 15, will ultimately award more than 50 champion tricolors, and on Wednesday, the day’s top honor went to Nicole Bourgeois and Stout as the Grand Green Hunter Champions.
On their way to the overall Grand Championship, Bourgeois and the 9-year-old Westphalian gelding, owned by Hilary Sosne, earned two wins and a fourth place over fences, as well as a win in the under saddle to take home the 3’6”/3’9” Green Hunter Championship. Stout was also named the High Score Green Hunter with a score of 89, and Sosne was recognized with the Leading 3’6”/3’9” Green Hunter Owner award.
Nicole Bourgeois and Stout. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography
Bourgeois has had the ride on Stout for the past four years, and she has been carefully producing the gelding up through the ranks throughout that time.
“I actually just got a little photo on social media showing his first baby green hunter class was four years ago today,” said Bourgeois. “He’s definitely taken some patience, but I have to say, this last year he’s really gotten it together. We’ve had a very successful 3’9” green year, and I’m very happy with our win. It’s kind of a grand finale of his green years!”
Bourgeois, who hails from Oregon, is a frequent competitor at the USHJA National Championships, and she felt that a trip to Vegas was the ideal year-end learning experience for Stout.
“This is his first indoors, actually, which is kind of why we wanted to come here,” explained Bourgeois. “Unfortunately, most of the indoor shows happen on the East Coast. So, we’re very lucky to have Las Vegas as really our only big indoor competition on the West Coast. I thought it would be fun to bring him here and see what he thought of indoors, and obviously, he loves it. He was also second last night in the derby, so he’s an indoors boy!”
Nicole Bourgeois and Stout earned the Grand Green Hunter Championship. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography
Bourgeois continued, “It’s such a wild experience here. There’s almost no other venue where your horse is stabled literally underneath you, and your hotel room is up above. It’s such a cool experience to come to a venue like this, and it’s fun. You get to go to shows; you get to go out to fun restaurants, but you’re also horse showing. It’s fun to switch it up a little bit.”
Finishing behind Bourgeouis and Stout as the reserve champions of the 3’6”/3’9” Green Hunter division were Jamie Sailor and Love Story, owned by KHC Farms Inc.
In the 3’ Green Hunters, the 3’ Green Hunter Championship Perpetual Trophy, donated by Tapestry Farm and the Struve Family, went to Outspoken, ridden by Kari Swainston and owned by Stacy Nelles. The reserve championship was awarded to Mister Mouse, ridden by Julie Young and owned by Allyson Kardel.
The 3’3” Green Hunter Championship and the 3’3” Green Hunter Division Puissance R’ Trophy, donated by Steve and Lisa Hankin, were awarded to Poseidon, ridden by Hope Glynn and owned by K & L Phillips. Taking the reserve championship in the 3’3” Green Hunters were Matthew Piccolo and Maplecrest, owned by Madeline Johnson.
Live streaming coverage of all classes is available on USEF Network, and complete results are available here.
For more information about the Marshall+Sterling/USHJA National Championships, visit ushja.org/NationalChampionships. To learn more about all Desert International Horse Park events, visit deserthorsepark.com.