Ashlee Steffens, 15, of Harriston, ON, won the Jump Canada Medal Final on November 6, 2012, during the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, ON.
Following the completion of regional and provincial Jump Canada Medal Finals, the top finishers from across Canada were invited to contest the Jump Canada Medal Final Championship at the Royal Horse Show.
At the Royal, Steffens, 13, navigated the challenging 10 obstacle course effortlessly riding Double C Stables’ Belgian Warmblood gelding, Beau van het Keysershof.
“I have really practiced a lot to prepare for this final,” said Steffens. “My horse is originally a jumper that my sister competed in the talent squad, so going into a hunter medal, I wanted to be really ready with him. I am really thrilled to win.”
The Jump Canada Medal Championship course, set at a height of 1.09m (3’6″), rode forward while incorporating two broken lines, tight rollbacks, a two stride combination and natural jump. Out of the 25 entries, eight riders were invited back for the flat phase where riders were required to show a sitting trot, as well as the three gaits of walk, trot and canter in both directions.
For the final test to determine the overall placings, the top four riders remained in the ring for a ride-off over a shortened course, which included a canter fence to start, a jump at the counter-canter, a trot jump and the final fence at the hand-gallop. Steffens, last to go, demonstrated all the elements perfectly to remain the judges’ top pick.
Finishing in second position was Kendra Martenfeld of Toronto, ON, with her own horse, Ferrari, a 10-year-old South American Warmblood gelding.
Nora Gray of Owen Sound, ON, earned third place riding Famous, owned by Jennifer Sarsfield, while Jessica Blum of Gormley, ON, and Carnell, owned by Kaitlyn Blum, rounded out the top four.
Jump Canada Medal Championships
Placing / Rider/ Hometown
1 / Ashlee Steffens / Harriston, ON
2 / Kendra Martenfeld / Toronto, ON
3 / Nora Gray / Owen Sound, ON
4 / Jessica Blum / Gormley, ON
5 / Katelyn Burke / Caledon, ON
6 / Sarah Barker / Hamilton, ON
7 / Luanna Veldman / Uxbridge, ON
8 / Alicia Gadban / Delta, BC
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