Jayne, Kurtz Stand Out at Inaugural Road to the Top Jumper Challenge Weekend
Unveiling an innovative format rewarding style for the jumper ring, the inaugural Road to the Top Jumper Challenge weekend brought out the best in Ellie Kurtz and Natalie Jayne at events in Burbank, CA and Traverse City, MI, respectively.
With entry fees benefitting Road to the Top, the unique $25,000 hybrid jumper/equitation competition was created to showcase the values of the foundation: skill, precision, and horsemanship. Competitors—juniors, amateurs, and professionals—were challenged to jump clear and against the clock, while maintaining good style. With both a jumper and equitation judge in the jury box, an equitation score above 75 was required to advance in the class—in addition to navigating a clear round.
With a combined $50,000 in prize money up for grabs across the two events thanks to the generous support of TJ Coveyou/Capistrano Ranch, Pacific Ridge Show Jumping, and Lasorda Holdings in California and Don Stewart Stables in Michigan, top performers also received awards from sponsors LeMieux, Kelcie's Treats, Walsh, and EquiTex.
Friday, Sept. 4 at LA Equestrian Center:
Kurtz Kicks Off Challenge Weekend with West Coast Win
Ellie Kurtz & Aman Z. Photo by Cathrin Cammett/Showfolio
It was a whirlwind 18 hours, as the festivities kicked off Friday evening at the LA Equestrian Center during Pacific Ridge Labor Day, where 34 riders took on an indoor-style track set by FEI Level 3 Course Designer Florencio Hernandez (MEX) and judged for equitation by Bobbie Reber. Eight advanced to the second round, and as riders weighed speed against precision, Ellie Kurz found the right formula. She navigated a quick yet seamless track aboard the 12-year-old Zangersheide gelding, Aman Z, who normally competes in the 1.30m Amateur Jumpers with his owner, Evan Bronfman.
"It feels incredible [to have won]," said Kurtz, a professional for Elvenstar Orange County. "I came to the show just for this class, and I rode the horse for the first time [in the] morning...I'm just thrilled with how I was able to prepare myself and feel like I was ready for this moment."
The horsemanship component of the competition was appealing to Kurtz, who grew up riding Off-Track Thoroughbreds and breaking young ponies before getting an opportunity to ride with Elvenstar during the last year of her junior career. She was later offered a job with Elvenstar Orange County.
“The fact that we had a wonderful format like this, that not only encourages correct riding, but correct jumper riding, will help support this generation now to be the great jumper riders of the future.”
RESULTS - LA EQUESTRIAN CENTER
Ellie Kurtz & Aman Z
Bailey Rose & Marnick
Deni Hird & Diacco-Blue
Saturday, Sept. 5 at Traverse City Horse Shows:
Jayne Makes Mark as Young Professional
Natalie Jayne & Hoxyluna-N show off their style over the new Road to the Jump jump, created by Dalman Jump Co. Photo by Natalie Suto Photography
The following afternoon in Traverse City, Natalie Jayne bested a competitive field in Traverse City's Jumper Challenge leg, held during Traverse City Horse Shows' Silver Oak Jumper Tournament.
Just four riders advanced to the second round after navigating Andy Christiansen's (FEI Level 3, ECU) 1.15m track in the expansive Turtle Creek Casino International Ring. It was quickly apparent that the class would be a duel between Jayne and fellow young professional Eleanor Rudnicki—both former winners of the USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals—as the two received scores of 88 and 93, respectively, from equitation judge Lauren Schweppe. They were joined for Round 2 by junior riders Luca Endzweig and Ella Endzweig.
First to go in the second round, Jayne set herself apart with pace, putting down a standard that couldn't be matched. She and the 14-year-old KWP Hoxyluna-N crossed the timers of the short course in 34.409 seconds while also scoring above the required mark of 75.
"I thought it was a great class," said Jayne, who only began her professional career in May after graduating from the University of South Carolina. "It also benefits a great cause in Road to the Top, and that's something that's important to me as an up-and-coming professional.
"I like that it was jumper based," she added. "It rewarded good, effective riding, but if a horse cross-cantered, you weren't penalized for something that wasn't affecting the round overall and the quality of the jump."
Jayne is currently working alongside her mother Lynn at Our Day Farm in Elgin, IL. Both Lynn and Berry Porter, Rudnicki's trainer/employer, pledged a portion of their winnings back to Road to the Top.
“The equitation can be quite expensive for a rider. You have to have a horse that really suits the division, and they’ve become so expensive. This class allows riders to show that they are talented and able to ride maybe a more difficult horse or a green horse and still be quite competitive.”
RESULTS - TRAVERSE CITY HORSE SHOWS
Natalie Jayne & Hoxyluna-N
Eleanor Rudnicki & Kensington
Luca Endzweig & Lexicon van't Steentje