Introducing: The Road to the Top Jumper Challenge

Road to the Top will introduce a new competition series this fall across the United States. The Road to the Top Jumper Challenge is set to debut September 4 and September 5 at the LA Equestrian Center and Traverse City Horse Shows, respectively.

A hybrid jumper/equitation class held in a Table II, 2b format at 1.15m, the Road to the Top Jumper Challenge is open to junior, professional, and amateur riders (age specifications below). Competitors will be evaluated by both an equitation judge and a jumper judge; riders must be clean with no time faults and receive an equitation score of 75 points or higher to proceed to the jump-off round.

The equitation judge’s score for a rider’s jump off round is then added to his or her first-round score. The rider with the least faults and the highest cumulative score is the winner.

"The Road to the Top Jumper Challenge will be an exciting addition to the calendar," said Road to the Top Executive Director Sissy Wickes. "The format of this class will showcase the key characteristics we look for in American show jumping talent: style, precision, and skill. I'm looking forward to watching some great competition and thankful to Traverse City Horse Shows and Pacific Ridge Horse Shows for supporting our inaugural events, as the entirety of each $200 entry fee will be donated to Road to the Top."

The inaugural Road to the Top Jumper Challenge will offer a total of $50,000 in prize money, with $25,000 offered at each location (Prize money per class will be distributed to the listed trainer of the placed entries). Full class specifications can be found at RoadToTheTop.org.

Competition Dates

• Pacific Ridge Horse Shows at LA Equestrian Center: Friday, September 4, 2026

• Traverse City Horse Shows: Saturday, September 5, 2026

Age Criteria

• Pacific Ridge Labor Day at LA Equestrian: Center Open to riders aged 30 and under

• Traverse City Horse Shows: Open to riders aged 25 and under