October 17, 2026 – Harrisburg, Pa. – Victoria De Jong and her horse Yours Truly made their Pennsylvania National Horse Show (PNHS) debut one to remember, capturing the Penn National Grand Children’s Hunter Championship, presented by Marshall+Sterling.
“This is an insane opportunity,” said de Jong. “This is actually [Yours Truly’s] first final and my first final too. We’ve come a long way since doing the 2’6″ a year ago. Winning this means a lot to us.”
In the Penn National Children’s Hunter 15–17 division, presented by Marshall+Sterling, de Jong and Yours Truly were the sole pair to earn points from every class to claim the championship after finishing sixth, first and second over fences and then second again under saddle. Their consistent efforts ultimately earned them the overall title as well as the PNHS Foundation Perpetual Trophy, donated by the PNHS Foundation.
“The first day, we went in for our first trip, and he was awesome,” said de Jong. “He didn’t bat an eye at anything. He was so good. We ended up having an 85 in the first trip, and then I came in a little bit more nervous for the second trip seeing if I could top that. He ended up getting an 86, and he got first in that trip. Then [Saturday], we came into the hack, and he was awesome. He strutted to second place and finished off second in [the last over fences] with another 86.”
Yours Truly’s path to the hunter ring was anything but ordinary. Purchased by de Jong and her family as an unbroken 3-year-old, he began his training in Argentina before making his way to the United States.
“We brought [Yours Truly] up here as a 4-year-old, and my sister did all of the training for him,” said de Jong. “He is now 7. He’s been super good, and we’ve had so much success with him. He’s been awesome. I will become an amateur soon in December, so hopefully we’ll be moving up to the 3’3″ amateur-owners with him.”
The reserve championship went to Allie-Ross Thomas and her own Leandro, who won a first and third over fences.
Earlier in the day in the Keystone Arena, Darby Mullally and Judgment Farms LLC’s Glasgow were crowned champions in the Penn National Children’s Hunter 14 & Under division, presented by Marshall+Sterling. Riley Treace and Paisley Park, owned by Tracy Treace, took home the reserve.
