United States Eventing Association

13 New USEA Area VII Champions Crowned

This year’s USEA Area VII Championships took place across two weekends with the Intermediate, Preliminary, Training, Novice, and Beginner Novice levels taking place at the Aspen Farm Horse Trials in Yelm, Washington, from Sept. 13-15, and the Starter level running as part of the Spokane Sport Horse Farm Horse Trials in Spokane, Washington, from Sept. 27-29. There were 13 new Area VII Champions crowned across the various championship divisions. Get to know each of them a little bit better below!

Open Intermediate Champions: Marc Grandia & GHS Calexico

Nine horse and rider pairs contested the Area VII Open Intermediate Championship, and it was Marc Grandia (Duvall, Washington) and the Calexico Syndicante LLC’s 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding GHS Calexico (Van Gogh x Penhaligon Cairo) who led the division from start to finish.

Prior to the championship, GHS Calexico and Grandia successfully completed their first CCI4*-S where they finished in third at The Event at Rebecca Farm (Kalispell, Montana). They started their weekend on a dressage score of 28.6 and added 8 time penalties on cross-country to then stand in a tie with the second-place pair of Devin Robel and Gillou on a score of 36.6. But it was their double-clear cross-country round that secured the win for the duo.

Open Preliminary Champions: Chloe Kischuk & Dassett Endeavour

Chloe Kischuk’s (Agoura Hills, California) partnership with Dassett Endeavor (Ricardo Z x Clooneen Cavalier Countessa) is still a fairly new one, having only been working together for just over a year. But that didn’t hinder Kischuk from falling head over heels for the 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding.

“'Ricky’ is genuinely one of the most special horses I’ve ever met,” she shared. “When I got him, I had only ever run Training level, and despite having the desire to go further in the sport, I just wasn’t sure if I would be good enough. Since our partnership started last year, he’s successfully taken me around my first Modified, my first Prelim, my first FEI ever, and even my first CCI2*-L at Rebecca Farm in July. He is genuinely the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I’ll never be able to thank my family and trainers enough for allowing this partnership. He’s one of a kind.”

Kischuk describes cross-country as Ricky’s favorite phase and felt that is where they truly excelled at Aspen.

“Sometimes, I feel a bit like a passenger along for the ride,” said Kischuk. “This time, however, he was so attentive and heard every aid I had for him. He helped me out wherever I needed it, and I was able to place his feet when the time was right. It was so much fun the whole way through. By the time I hopped off, there was no way to wipe the smile off my face. Ricky made a well-designed, challenging course feel like a breeze!”

Kischuk and Ricky started their weekend in second place on a dressage score of 29.3 and added just one rail in show jumping to secure first with a score of 33.3.

Junior Training Champions: Dakota McGill & NSC Mettaphor

Dakota McGill traveled to Aspen Farms from Aldergrove, British Columbia, Canada, to take part in the Area VII Junior Training Championship with Lesley McGill’s 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding NSC Mettaphor.

"'Patrick' is my zen animal," said Dakota. "He’s calm and cool, and that helps me deal with competition nerves. He’s a real gentleman. We call him Perfect Patrick."

This was McGill’s first season competing with Patrick, and they came into the event with a win at the Training level at the same venue earlier this summer.

"This has been an amazing year for us. We have been so successful in almost all the competitions we’ve been to," shared Dakota. "We have been wanting to move up Prelim so we had to get through six Training with clear cross-country rounds. Winning both Aspen Horse Trials this season and the championships is definitely a highlight!"

They started their weekend in the lead on a dressage score of 32.6 and managed to hold onto it despite adding a rail to their score to finish on 36.6.

The pair plan to make that move up to Preliminary at the end of this month at Galway Downs (Temecula, California).

"It will be my first time riding that level, but I know Patrick is going to help me achieve many more goals."

Training Amateur Champions: Reese Blinks & Lowmax

In June of 2023, Reese Blinks (Chehalis, Washington) visited a barn to see a horse for sale when she laid eyes on the Hanoverian gelding Lowmax (Light My Fire x Hauptstutbuch Fine Merry) and fell in love. They spent the rest of the season competing at the Training level and even moved up to Modified, but with their partnership still fairly new, Blinks decided to focus on building a partnership with “Mack” for the 2024 season.

“I spent the winter getting to know Mack and really building a relationship with him,” shared Blinks. “This year I started off competing at the Training level and getting confident there before moving back up to Modified at the end of this year.”

A dressage score of 29.3 put the pair in third at the start of the weekend, but a brilliant, double-clear cross-country round would put them at the top of the leaderboard. Blinks was very proud of how their cross-country round played out.

“The most memorable phase was cross-country because a lot of skills we have been working on really came into play at Aspen. He's a pretty spooky horse, but I've worked hard to learn how to focus that energy and he tried so hard at the show. It just felt like so much fun and he just loved his job during that course," she said.

They concluded their weekend with a double-clear show jumping round to earn the Area VII Training Amateur champion title.

Open Training Champions: Erin Grandia & Riptide Rio

Erin Grandia has one word to describe the 7-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Riptide Rio (O.B.O.S Quality 004 x Thornhill Hazel): consistent.

“Riptide is pretty much the same horse all the time,” said Erin (Duvall, Washington). “He can be a little pushy and a little cheeky at times, but generally so easygoing and consistent. He’s the same horse to ride every day.”

Erin and Riptide kicked off their career together at the Novice level last year and after a solid season, moved up to Training in May of this year.

“This season he’s grown up a ton, and is truly a professional at the shows,” said Erin. “I think he’s funny because he’s just a quiet, little, plain bay horse in the stall, but once you’re in the tack he steps into the ring like he owns it. He’s won five events this year!”

At the Area VII Championships, Erin was especially proud of his cross-country performance.

“He was faster than at the previous shows and feels like a car on tracks–he doesn’t question anything," she said. "He also had a super nice show jumping round and gave big jumps over everything, so that’s a close second best phase.”

The duo moved up from third to first thanks to two double-clear efforts over fences to finish on their dressage score of 25.0.

Junior Novice Champions: Flynn Patinkin & Black Cape Hero

When Flynn Patinkin (Gig Harbor, Washington) first sat on Black Cape Hero in Ocala, Florida, two years ago, they just clicked.

“He was the last horse I was trying before flying back to Washington,” recalled Patinkin. “As soon as I hopped on and started jumping with him I could tell I had found the horse a great horse. He's such an easy horse to ride and so goofy. He's such a willing partner when it comes to eventing. He always tries his hardest and loves cross-country.”

They spent their first winter together getting to know one another before completing two horse trials in 2023. They then spent this last winter focusing on areas of opportunity for their partnership so they could have the best scores possible going into the 2024 season. And that homework paid off–the pair finished double-clear on their personal best dressage score at the time earlier this season to win their division at the Area VII Young Rider Benefit H.T. at Caber Farm (Onalaska, Washington).

That win at Caber Farm secured their spot in the Area VII Championships where Patinkin and Hero were able to, yet again, hit a personal best in the dressage ring.

“We had a lot of ups and downs working on dressage, and it finally came together,” he noted. “We peaked at the right time.”

Patinkin was so excited about how the test was playing out, that he had a bit of an “oops moment” in the ring.

“We had put so much effort into the test, and I was really worried that I was going to mess it up. I was so anxious that I stopped midway through the test thinking I had forgotten a circle. I asked the judge if this was the case, and it wasn't, so I continued on and still got a personal best dressage score.”

Novice Amateur Champions: Kimberly Johnson & Ascendance

If you were to ask Kimberly Johnson (Spokane, Washington) what her favorite thing about her 8-year-old grade mare Ascendance is, her reply would be her work ethic.

“She genuinely wants to please and be the best teammate for me,” noted Johnson. “She gets excited when she’s praised, and she wants to repeat her efforts, which allows her to improve rapidly. Numerous professionals have commented about the concentration in her eyes during her work. She’s a thinker and one heck of an athlete!”

Ascendance is a rescue that Johnson first made her eventing debut with in 2021. Competing at the Area VII Championships was the mare’s first time at Aspen Farms.

“She handled the new venue and the bustling environment beautifully,” shared her proud owner. “She began each day stretching her legs–and any strong feelings–on the longe line in the big open field, but she always was able to dial it in for competition. She’s quite the performer, and her intelligence allows her to sense when it’s show time.”

Johnson stated that Ascendance performed like a “dressage princess” in the first phase to kick off the weekend in first place on a score of 25.6. They continued throughout the weekend on the same score to secure the win.

“For Saturday’s cross-country phase, she was a brave and focused teammate, hitting her grove early in the run. She finished with an all-star tidy stadium round that was probably one of our best together. It was just one of those weekends where all three phases worked out well for us, and we had a tremendous show. Not too bad for a grade rescue mare!” she said.

Open Novice Champions: Anna Stein & Our Theodore

Anna Stein of Redmond, Washington, piloted Lisa Escobar’s 8-year-old Holsteiner gelding Our Theodore (Chester 053 x Grammar Girl) to the win in the Area VII Open Novice Championship in only their second event together.

They started their weekend in third on a dressage score of 27.8, but their double-clear cross-country round saw them take a small shift up the leaderboard to second. After producing another double-clear in the final phase, however, their victory was secured!

Junior Beginner Novice Champions: Addisyn Parahoniak & ADR’s Fausto

Addisyn Parahoniak’s (Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada) partnership with Michelle Stewart’s 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding ADR’s Fausto (Florianus II x Winsong) only began in February of this year, but the pair quickly earned their qualification for the Area VII Championships in their first event together.

“What I love about Fausto is he always tries his hardest,” shared Parahoniak. “He is a real character and likes to strut around and show off, especially in the dressage ring.”

And show off he did, as the pair’s dressage score was impressive enough to earn them a score of 27.8 and the early lead in the division. They produced two double-clear show jumping rounds to seal the deal.

“Winning the event was the highlight of the year and to be able to finish on our dressage score shows that all our hard work over the last few months growing our partnership has paid off,” reflected Parahoniak.

Beginner Novice Amateur Champions: Gabrielle Hansen & Kealah D

West Linn, Oregon, resident Gabrielle Hansen purchased the 9-year-old Anglo-European mare Kealah D (Caretino Gold x Fast Revel D) from Anna Collier four years ago, and she hasn’t regretted it a day since.

“She’s honestly the best,” she shared. “She’s a total queen, and she’s absolutely my heart horse. She’s taught me so much in and out of the saddle. I love her.”

A dressage score of 28.1, the pair’s personal best, had them leading the division from day 1 on a 3-point lead. After a double-clear cross-country round, the duo didn’t have a rail in hand going into the final phase, but they wouldn’t wind up needing it as they concluded their weekend on the same score that they started on.

“The best part of the weekend was a whole weekend with my horse, family, friends, and Trinity Eventing barn group at the gorgeous Aspen Farms," shared Hansen. “And of course finishing on my dressage score. Big thanks and kudos to Jonathan and Suzy [Elliott] for creating such a world-class event!”

Open Beginner Novice Champions: Sarah Sullivan & PD Badger

PD Badger is a 6-year-old BLM mustang that was rounded up out of the Paisley Desert herd in 2020 before being adopted by Megan and Shelly Weber. Megan grooms for professional rider Sarah Sullivan (Snohomish, Washington), and after gentling Badger, brought him to Sullivan in 2023 so he could learn the sport of eventing.

“My Favorite thing about Badger is his story,” shared Sullivan. “He is the smartest little fun-loving guy who has taken to eventing and is loving all three phases. This was our third event and him winning was icing on the cake to a successful year.”

They won the division by a clean sweep. Sullivan was so proud, that she couldn’t pick a favorite moment from the weekend.

“I enjoyed all three phases with him ending on his very competitive dressage score!”

Open Starter Champions: Virginia Bryant & King Of The Bramble

Virginia Bryant (Port Orford, Oregon) imported the 7-year-old Connemara cross King Of The Bramble from Ireland just over a year ago. When they aren’t eventing, they are exploring the world together.

“I live in coastal Oregon, and ‘Jimmy’ loves going to the beach and forests that are close by with friends,” shared Bryant. “He’s my buddy. He lives at home, and he’s a great character. Sarah Moore [who Bryant imported him from] called him a wee rascal!”

They just kickstarted their eventing career together earlier this year and have never placed outside of the top-4. They won their division on a score of 30.1.

“We’ve enjoyed going to some events this season, and he’s proved to be a consistent competitor,” she shared. “Finishing the season winning the championships was a lovely way to end the year. We’ll go back to beach adventures for the rest of 2024 just enjoying each other’s company.”

Junior Starter Champions: Brickelle Miller & Merlin

Brickelle Miller (Puyallup, Washington) won the Area VII Junior Starter Championship division aboard her own 14-year-old Welsh gelding Merlin (Smoke Tree Gold Fever x Meridian Brooke). The event was only their second event together, having qualified for the Championships back in September after finishing second in their Starter division at the Equestrians Institute H.T. (Cle Elum, Washington).

They scored a 28.3 in dressage to take the early lead and had a 10-point lead over second place. They used a bit of that lead in cross-country, adding 3.2 time penalties to their score, but a double-clear show jumping round earned them the overall victory.