Lexington, KY – The Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2011 and this year’s competition is a strong as ever. The championship style competition again hosts finals for the top up-and-coming junior and young riders on both the east and west coasts. This weekend all eyes will be on the U.S. Equestrian Foundation Headquarters in Gladstone, NJ for the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Final – East. Two weeks ago Demi Stiegler topped a field of more than 40 riders judged by Sue Ashe and Molly Cawley-Ashe in the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Final – West at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center.
Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Final – East
The Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Final – East will host 84 of the top young competitors from the hunter and jumper ranks. Making up the strong field that descends upon Gladstone October 7-9 are USEF National Champions, Adequan/FEI North American Junior and Young Rider presented by Gotham North (NAJYRC) medalists and highly decorated equitation stars. George Morris and Jimmy Lee will serve as the judges.
Lillie Keenan (New York, NY) heads to Gladstone on a mission after winning at nearly every turn this summer. At the beginning of August, she won both the Reserve and Grand Championship at the 2011 USEF National Junior Hunter Championship – East Coast. Three weeks later in Kentucky, Keenan brought spectators to their feet at the $100,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals as she piloted C Coast Z to a resounding victory. Learn more about the former USEF Pony Finals champion’s win in Lexington here: http://usefnetwork.com/news/7489/2011/8/21/lillie_keenan_and_c_coast_z_win_the.aspx.