Harrisburg, Pa. – October 13, 2024 – From the first day of the 2024 Turnham Green/USEF Junior Jumper National Championships, 16-year-old Olivia Sweetnam sat just 0.01 points off the gold medal spot. On Saturday night, October 12, at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, she overcame that incredibly small margin to add her name to the history books as the new USEF Junior Jumper National Champion.
Throughout the four rounds and three phases of competition, held Thursday, October 10 through Saturday, October 12, at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, PA, Sweetnam and HDB Quality produced nothing but quick, clear rounds. As rails fell for others over the Anderson Lima-designed course on Saturday, Sweetnam cemented her spot atop the podium.
Earning the additional podium positions also required nothing less than clear rounds all week, with the silver medal going to Clara Propp aboard Cocolina, and Ava Myers and Sparky taking home the bronze.
“This experience has been amazing,” said Sweetnam, who hails from Wellington, FL. “I kind of put a lot of pressure on myself both last night and tonight because I wanted to do good for both my team and my horse. I know that [HDB Quality] is very capable of doing this with ease, so I didn’t want to let her down.”
Sweetnam attributes a good part of her consistency and success at the PNHS to her strong partnership with “Quality,” an 11-year-old Westphalian mare owned by her family’s Sweet Oak Farm.
“This is my heart horse, so it means extra to me,” said Sweetnam of the mare she has been partnered with for the last three years. “I know her very, very well. I’ve moved up from the 1.20m all the way to this level, and she’s taken me around a 1.50m track now. We have a really, really good bond bonth in and out of the barn because she’s one of those mares that, once you connect with them and earn their trust, she’ll do anything for you. I trust her with my life, and she trusts me as her rider. it’s so great that I can walk into the ring every single time knowing that she’s going to give it her all.”
Prestige Proves Best in Pony Hunters
Pony hunter competition concluded in the Harrisburg Coliseum on Saturday, October 12, with championship honors awarded to Carsyn Korotkin and Pepsi, Cisy Zhou and Editorial and Grace Stenbeck-Werner and Prestige.
The third day of competition at the 2024 Pennsylvania National Horse Show began with the Small Pony Hunters, sponsored by the Alban Family, where the top honors went to 13-year-old Korotkin aboard Pepsi, owned by Lily Epstein. The reserve title went to Zhou and Down to a T.
On their way to the tricolor, Korotkin and Pepsi won two over fences classes. Though Pepsi is sometimes “a little cranky,” he and Korotkin have formed a strong partnership over the last two years.
“We started back in December 2022, and we’ve been getting better and better since,” said Korotkin. “Now all of a sudden, we’re getting scores in the low to mid 90s. I’ve been coming here since I was 6, watching my brother do Medal Finals. It’s always been my biggest dream to win here, and to be champion feels unreal.”
After scoring a 90 and 92 in Friday’s rounds, Korotkin felt the pressure returning for the final day of the division, but she leaned on her previous “Indoors” experience to help her stay focused.
“After having such a good day yesterday, I wanted to make sure I just locked in and had a solid round,” explained Korotkin, who, for the championship win, was presented with the Knick Knack Challenge Trophy, donated by Christina & Craig Cook and Cook Forage Company. “At Capital Challenge, I kind of cracked under pressure, but I got all of the kinks out, so I was ready to come here. I just wanted to be prepared.”
In the Medium Pony Hunter division, the championship went home with 10-year-old Zhou aboard Editorial, her own 6-year-old gelding that is still in his green year. The reserve honors were awarded to Lilly Ward and Woodlands Corduroy. For the win, Zhou was presented with the Swamp Girl Challenge Trophy, donated by Brooks and Streett Moore.
“We got him in 2022, and he was imported by David Raposa,” explained trainer Patricia Griffiths. “We left him at home that winter to develop and then broke his green year December of 2023. This is his first time at Indoors.”
“He’s really fun to ride,” said Zhou. “He always does his best, always puts 100 percent into his jump, his lines, and his lead change is automatic. He’s really sweet.”
Even though Editorial, known as “GQ” in the barn, is only 6, Zhou notes that his demeanor makes it easy, even if she’s only able to make the commute from New York City to Heritage Farm in Katonah, NY, to ride on the weekends.
“He’s so brave for a 6-year-old,” said Zhou. “He doesn’t spook at all. He’s never refused; he goes right into the ring. We had my trainers ride him and train him, and then I come on the weekends. He’s my first green pony. It’s a little different than my other ponies, but he’s really made up, especially for his age!”
To conclude the pony hunter divisions, Stenbeck-Werner and Prestige, owned by Swede Ventures LLC, earned the championship title in the Large Pony Hunters, sponsored by Glebe Ventures. The
pair won the handy and were second in two jumping classes to also secure the Grand Pony Hunter Championship, sponsored by Shadow Ridge. Taking the reserve championship in the Large Pony Hunter division were Kenzie Smith and On Tour.
Though this is Stenbeck-Werner’s third year and second tricolor at Harrisburg, she battled nerves before walking into the ring this time around.
“I knew I really wanted to do well, especially because I had a good weekend at Capital Challenge,” said Stenbeck-Werner, who won the WCHR Pony Challenge just days earlier. “I was a little nervous, because I just wanted to continue being consistent.”
And consistent they were, scoring in the high eighties in every class and securing second under saddle to earn the title.
“He’s the sweetest, and he loves cuddles,” said Stenbeck-Werner. “We call him Prince, and he’s the prince of the barn. He is very, very comfortable. He listens a lot, and it’s very nice once I walk in the ring because I feel very confident.”
For the Large Pony Hunter championship, Stenbeck-Werner was presented with the For the Laughter Perpetual Cup, donated by Dr. Betsee Parker. For the Grand Pony Hunter Championship, she received the Francis E. Armstrong Memorial Challenge Trophy, donated by the Bedard Family.
Pony Hunter competition at the 2024 PNHS concluded on Saturday afternoon with the $10,000 Pony Hunter Winners Stake, sponsored by Mr. & Mrs. Gary C. Duffy/Little Brook Farms, Inc.
Any ponies that placed in the top six in the pony hunter divisions’ over fences classes were invited to contest the culminating event, with 34 entries ultimately taking on the stake course. From among them, it was Stenbeck-Werner who put the final exclamation point on an exemplary week, this time earning the win with a score of 91 aboard Cleverist, owned by Swede Ventures LLC.
For the victory, Gary Duff presented Stenbeck-Werner with the Little Brook Farms, Inc. Perpetual Trophy.
Additional award recipients on Saturday afternoon included the following:
§ The EMO Agency Pony Hunter High Five Award – Reilly Robertson and Clovermeade Heartthrob and Carsyn Korotkin and Pepsi (tied with a high score of 92)
§ The PNHS Pony Rider Sportsmanship Award – Finley Baras
§ The Best Junior Rider on a Pony title and the Sunnyside Up Challenge Trophy – Cisy Zhou
For full results of all pony hunter competition at the 2024 Pennsylvania National Horse Show, click here.
