June 26, 2023 – San Juan Capistrano, CA – Oslo, ridden by Shauna Pennell and owned by Alexis Meadows, was crowned the 2023 USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Southwest Regional Champion on Thursday, June 22, at the Blenheim June Classic II in San Juan Capistrano, CA.
Competing at the 3’6”/3’9” Green Hunter height, Oslo and Pennell earned scores of 90 and 84 over two rounds to finish with a winning total score of 174. The reserve championship, and the distinction of being the highest-placed competitor at the 3’/3’” height, went to Gabriela Pattinson and Sapphira Z, owned by Kim Hall. The pair earned scores of 87 and 83 for a 170 total.
Oslo is regularly ridden in the Amateur-Owner Hunters by Meadows and in the professional hunter divisions by Joie Gatlin, but while Gatlin is out with an injury, her childhood best friend is taking up the reins.
“We used to get in all sorts of trouble together!” joked Gatlin of her longtime friendship with Pennell. “She’s been the one doing the show riding. She just is unbelievably accurate and has been doing a fabulous job at the shows with him. It is a real pleasure to have the horse; he’s amazing.”
After being purchased by Meadows in the summer of 2022 – off of a video and at the suggestion of Gatlin – Oslo was quickly successful in the 3’3” Green Hunters, and then the 3’6” Green Hunters and the 3’6” Amateur-Owner Hunters.
“He’s always just a lovely horse to work with,” said Gatlin of the 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding by Vagabond de la Pomme. “He’s just easy to train. We kept him in the 3’3” last year, and then this year at Thermal, he moved up to the Green Working, and he also showed with his owner, Alexis Meadows, in the 3’6” AOs. She had several championship weeks on him out there. He’s just been improving and improving all through the year.”
In the final weeks leading up to the June Classic Series at Blenheim EquiSports, Oslo and the team at Joie Gatlin – Morley Abey Show Jumping focused on gymnastics work – and their approach paid off.
“We did some gymnastics to really get him snapping his knees,” explained Gatlin. “He always jumped high enough, so we worked on getting the arc and getting everything smoothed out. These last two weeks here, he has jumped like a million bucks. It’s a real privilege to train him and have him.”
Gatlin concluded, “My staff at home has been amazing [while I’ve been out with an injury]. It’s a whole team and I appreciate the whole team; without them, all of these dreams coming true wouldn’t be possible, so I’m very grateful to all of them. I’m also so thankful to Oslo’s owners, the Meadows, for trusting my decision to buy the horse and letting us do our thing and develop him at the pace that he wants to be developed. It’s been an amazing journey so far, and we’re looking forward to the fall.”
For the win, Pennell and Oslo were presented with gift certificates from sponsors Platinum Performance and Essex Classics. For full results of the USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Southwest Regional Championship, click here.
Blenheim EquiSports is the place to jump all season long; to learn more, visit www.ThePlaceToJump.com.
