Thermal, CA – February 16, 2025 – It has been eight years since Meg O’Mara was last actively competing in the sport, but when Piper Kulkin wanted to contest the barnstyle Team Equitation Classic, she knew who to call on. Kulkin tapped the 2012 USEF Hunter Seat Medal Final winner to be her teammate, and together the pair bested a field of 16 teams to clinch the win on February 15 at Desert Circuit 6.
The uniquely formatted class pairs two riders, with one rider jumping a course of gymnastic exercises and one jumping a traditional, equitation-style course. For Saturday’s victory, O’Mara took on the gymnastics course aboard Kulkin’s Greyson PH, and Kulkin maneuvered the equitation course with her own Halouet.
Together, they earned scores of 86 and 84 for a winning total score of 170. Second place with a score of 161 (73 + 88) went to Paige Dendiu and Lauren Padilla. Taking home third place were Madilynn Lo Porto and Gabriella Anzelc with a score of 160 (82+78).
“I just actually came back into competing after eight years off in January for this Desert Circuit,” explained O’Mara, who is now part of the training staff at Meadow Grove Farm. “This is my first circuit as a professional. I hadn’t done an equitation round since I was a junior and since I was in college. So, I was definitely a little bit nervous when Piper told me about it this morning – which is when I found out about it! It was fun. I didn’t have much time to think about it, and it just ended up working out!”
Kulkin, who regularly competes in the 3’6” equitation, added, “It was really fun. It was nice to have a team member because you don’t usually get that. It was really nice because the part that I did was also in the Maclay, and I was second in the Maclay so I already kind of do what I was doing. [Halouet] was perfect.”
To view complete results from the barnstyle Team Equitation Classic, click here.
