United States Eventing Association

USEA Area II Championships Crowns 10 Winners at The Maryland Horse Trials

The USEA Area II Championships saw a 50% increase in entries this year at The Maryland Horse Trials at Loch Moy Farm. Running alongside regular horse trials divisions from Oct. 4-6 in Adamstown, Maryland, the championships saw 10 winners crowned. Meet some of them below!

Preliminary Champions: Rylie Nelson & Galloway Sunrise

Rylie Nelson and Fylicia Barr, Shannon Barr, and Daniel Barr’s Galloway Sunrise took home the Preliminary championship title, finishing on their dressage score of 28.4.

The 16-year-old American Warmblood mare (Duty Officer x Coco Chanel) was Fylicia’s former five-star horse and is now showing Nelson the ropes. They recently won the Preliminary Junior division at the USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds (Lexington, Kentucky).

“I have been riding her for about a year and a half now, and she has helped me accomplish so many of my goals,” said Nelson, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. “It took a while to earn her respect, but at this point I feel like we have a very special relationship. She’s the most competitive horse I’ve ever met and loves her job more than anything. Nobody wants to win as badly as she does.”

Nelson enjoyed the cross-country at Maryland and said it rode well and was, “truly just a lot of fun. Winning this championship at the end of the 2024 season is the perfect way to end an amazing season, and it’s nice to see all the hard work and dedication pay off. This result leaves me motivated and confident for next season, and I cannot wait to get back out there.”

Modified Champions: Alexandra Wikstrom & Viking Navigator

In the Modified championship, Alexandra Wikstrom and her own 7-year-old Thoroughbred gelding Viking Navigator (I Want Revenge x Bramley) moved up from fourth after dressage to first to win on a score of 35.4.

Wikstrom’s had “Gunnar” since he was 3 and has done all of his training since bringing him home from Finger Lakes Racetrack (Farmington, New York). The pair has competed in the Retired Racehorse Project (Lexington, Kentucky), the Dutta Corp./USEA Young Event Horse East Coast Championships (Elkton, Maryland), and the Waredaca Training Three-Day (Laytonsville, Maryland).

“We’ve had a steady progression in our end of the year goals which has helped strengthen our partnership, but I feel this year we have really started to click as a team and trust each other,” said Wikstrom. “There have been plenty of challenges along the way, but developing this horse from the beginning has been a very rewarding experience, and we know each other very well now. I've taken my time moving Gunnar up the levels because he’s a horse that needs time to process and understand each new challenge, but once he does he really gives it his all.”

Wikstrom counted her cross-country round at Maryland as her favorite memory of the weekend.

“The Modified championship course asked good questions, rewarded forward riding, and was a blast to jump around,” she said. “We didn't quite make the time, which was tough to get, but I felt like Gunnar tried his heart out for me, and it was one of our smoothest rounds of the season. I think Gunnar has come into his own this year as a much braver cross-country horse, and he now really understands and enjoys his job. Sharing the thrill of cross-country with a horse you know and trust is what eventing is all about.”

The pair will be aiming for a CCI*-L at Virginia in November. “I was excited to do the Area II Championships as one of our final runs over a more challenging cross-country track and have the opportunity to practice show jumping after cross-country on the final day,” said Wikstrom, Clifton,Virginia. “Winning the Modified championship makes me feel like we have really solidified our partnership and are ready to tackle a CCI* as well as moving up to Preliminary as our next challenge.”

Junior Training Champions: Lillian Oakley & Hidden’s Clover

In the Junior Training championship, Lillian Oakley (Pfafftown, North Carolina) and Michelle Hargreaves’ 6-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Hidden’s Clover (Olympic Lux x Imp Clover) took home the win on a score of 37.0, adding just 2 time penalties on cross-country.

Oakley's family imported "Clive" in conjunction with her trainer, Hargreaves, when he was just 4. At that time, Clive had only been under saddle for four weeks.

"Starting our journey together was a huge learning curve for me," said Oakley. "While I had been riding since I was five, but this was my first experience with actually training a horse. I spent hours after school with Michelle learning how to communicate well with Clive and build his confidence as a competitor."

During their 18 months together, Oakley and Clive have taught each other a lot. While the early part of their season had its challenges, it made ending their season on such a high note even that much more special.

"Winning the Junior Training championship feels surreal. I have had a pretty rocky show season with Clive this year," noted Oakley. "In fact, this summer we got really focused on show jumping for the USPC Championship in Kentucky. Clive responded very well to the summer work, and he won in the 1.05-meter division. After that, I really wanted to come back to eventing and finishing strong with him at Loch Moy reminds me that putting in the hard work will always pay off. With my USPC B-Rating coming up next weekend, this gave me a real confidence boost on my ability to perform and train with Clive."

Training Champions: Kendyl Tracy & Dublin ZR

Kendyl Tracy and Leslie Mintz’s Dublin ZR led the Training championship from start to finish, ending on a score of 22.0. Mintz purchased the 5-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Diancontinus x Christin) last spring. While she’s been busy with a career and family, she’s given the ride to Tracy.

“We spent his 4-year-old year getting to know him, focusing on giving him a solid foundation, and building our partnership,” said Tracy. “He did his first recognized event earlier this year and has really excelled as he gains more miles. He has an amazing brain, great character and is such a great student.”

Tracy (Round Hill, Virginia) said “Dublin” stepped up to the challenge at the championships and was complimentary of the event.

“Dublin's goal this year is the 5-year-old [Dutta Corp./USEA] Young Event Horse Championships at Maryland 5 Star, so getting to be in the championship atmosphere was a great experience for him, and the timing was perfect to prepare him for YEH,” she said.

Junior Novice Champions: Kendal Fansler & Curioso

A little more than a month after finishing third in the Novice Junior, 15 & Under, division at the AEC with Curioso, Kendal Fansler (Clarksville, Maryland) brought Hedgerow Farm’s 20-year-old Andalusion/Appendix Quarter Horse gelding to Maryland and won the Junior Novice championship. They finished on a score of 26.1.

Fansler and Curioso paired up in 2021. “From the very start he was a perfect gentleman– kind on the ground, loving in the barn, and always game under saddle,” she said. “He quickly became a barn favorite. My favorite memories of the Area II Championships were clearing the last show jump, realizing we won, and leading the gallop. As we close out the 2024 season it feels great to share this win with ‘Curry.’ He is a very special horse. It was very exciting to share the podium with two other amazing riders, one being my cousin, Emma Whitaker, the reserve champion. We train together daily with Michala Nathlar, and it felt amazing to celebrate our win as a team!”

Novice Champions: Meghan Fillius & Dress Blues

Meghan Fillius (Powhatan, Virginia) and her own 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse/Belgian Warmblood gelding Dress Blues (Touch of The Blues x Dawns Early Light) finished first in the Novice Championships on a score of 25.8 ahead of 30 other pairs.

Fillius bought “Kieran” when he was 5 from his breeder, Tracey Leftwich, in Virginia. “He is very intelligent but also kind, which makes up for the fact that, at 17.2-hands, he is taller than I would otherwise prefer,” she said. “He’s extremely willing, but sometimes a bit too laid back, so I’ve found that busy environments help to wake him up enough to really shine. Even though we hadn’t competed since May, our coach, Emily Mastervich Beshear, felt like this would be an ideal opportunity for us both to get back out and get one more Novice under our belt before moving up to Training.”

Fillius was thrilled to be able to lead her first victory gallop with her husband and son cheering her on from the rail. “The fact that it coincided with a fantastic venue, beautiful weather, great footing even after all the rain, and really friendly staff and volunteers made it all the more incredible!” she said.

Fillius said her partnership with Kieran has developed a lot over their seven years together, but this year has brought significant improvements across all three phases.

Although I hope to continue our success at Training level, Kieren has already helped me check off so many boxes on my bucket list that I will be forever grateful no matter what our future holds,” she said.

Beginner Novice Champions: Sarah Kane & Jamdolin

Sarah Kane still can’t quite believe she and Gretchen Ruby’s 9-year-old Hungarian Warmblood of unrecorded breeding, Jamdolin, topped the Beginner Novice championship at Maryland.

They overcame a tough show jumping round at the AEC and jumped clear to finish in their dressage score of 21.5

“My relationship with ‘Jam’ is a very special one,” said Kane, of Street, Maryland. “He belongs to an incredible friend of mine who trusts me to get him experience showing. He is a goofy, sweet, treat-loving dude that is hard not to love! I would like to think I am his favorite ‘aunt’ who gives him too many treats and tells him he is a good boy even when he might not be!”

Kane’s favorite moment from the Championships was when she cleared the last show jump, and, “I also loved the victory gallop! It’s one of my favorite things!”

Junior Beginner Novice Champions: Olivia Hicok & Huckleberry

Olivia Hicok (Califon, New Jersey) and Eve Kaplan-Walbrecht’s Huckleberry won the Junior Beginner Novice championship on an impressive score of 20.6.

Hicok has been leasing the Morgan gelding of unrecorded breeding since last year. She thought he would be the perfect horse to move up to Beginner Novice on.

“‘Huck’ was the perfect fit who had been there, done that to support that step up,” she said. “Huck is a one-in-a-million pony. Although he’s not an easy ride, he has taught me to never give up even when things don't go as expected. He always supports me and takes care of me in and out of the ring. He has helped me improve my dressage so much, and it was shown at this event when we scored a 20.6 in dressage. This score had left me speechless and really showed how hard Huck and I have worked together to achieve a score like this.”

Hicok was proud of Huck and how much they’ve accomplished together. “Winning the championship division feels amazing because of all the hard work that I put in, and I’m grateful to have the support of my trainer, family, and friends,” she said.

Junior Starter Champions: Emma Briles & Pretty in Pink

After an 11th place finish in the Junior Starter division at the AEC, Emma Briles (Berlin, Maryland) and her own 16-year-old Connemara/Thoroughbred mare of unrecorded breeding, Pretty In Pink, won the Junior Starter championship at Maryland on a score of 32.0.

Starter Champions: Lucy Leff & Amarillo

2024 has been a good year for Lucy Leff and Amarillio–they haven’t finished outside of the top 3 in any competition. They continued their season with a win in the Starter championship on a score of 24.3

Leff (Menlo Park, California) first met “Milo” in 2017 on the East Coast and then brought him to California with her for six years.

“He became my best friend and taught me so much for six years until he went lame and needed to be retired,” she said. “After almost a year of retirement, my trainer Amanda Fisher said he looked sound in the field and that we should start working him again. I never thought I would ever be able to ride him again, but after a slow and careful rehab journey we brought him back into work, and he defied odds and is now back to eventing.”

Leff moved east to join the Randolph-Macon Eventing Team in Virginia and set her eyes on possibly competing the 19-year-old Welsh gelding (Rocky Creeks Sail Away x Daisy) again.

“This is now only our fourth show back from retirement together, and it’s the best feeling in the world to be able to ride and compete my best friend again,” she said. “Milo really is the best pony a kid could ask for and is the best thing that has happened to me.

“One of my favorite memories about the Championships was turning down onto the centerline of my dressage test,” she continued. “ I had a big smile on my face, knowing that our work had paid off and that it was a good test. My other favorite memory was finishing up my show jumping round realizing that I actually won, and then being handed my ribbon after coming out of the ring.”

Check out the full results here.