Campbell Hudkins Rises to the Top in EMO Insurance/USHJA 3'3" Jumping Seat Medal Final - East

Wilmington, OH – Saturday, September 16 - Prominent among Saturday’s champions during BIGEQ.com Equitation Weekend at the Capital Challenge Horse Show at the World Equestrian Center was Campbell Hudkins, of Farmington, CT. She won the fourth annual EMO Insurance/United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) 3’3” Jumping Seat Medal Final – East.

On her path to victory, Hudkins topped a field of 120 entries over three phases of competition, including flat and gymnastics phases held on Friday and a final jumping phase on Saturday.

Hudkins finished the flat phase in 75th place, but her score of 89.50 in the gymnastics phase launched her into third for the round and eighth overall on a score of 209.75. Her score of 89.50 in the final round, multiplied by a coefficient of two and combined with her score from Friday, gave Hudkins an overall score of 388.75, awarded by judges Keri Kampsen and Bill Ellis.

Rylee Shufelt, of Albuquerque, NM, took home the highest score in the gymnastics phase and finished with reserve championship honors after all three rounds on a score of 383.70. Kyla Sullivan, of Wallingford, CT, placed third.

“After I went today, I got the highest score I’ve ever gotten,” Hudkins said of her win. “That was really exciting in itself. After that, I was hoping that I could at least get a ribbon. I’m so happy that I got first; I couldn’t even believe it.”

Hudkins has attended the Capital Challenge Horse Show since 2015 and has competed in this championship once prior.

“I think the last line in the course – the triple combination to the last jump in eight strides – a lot of people had trouble with,” Hudkins said of the course, designed by Ken Krome. “Some people got up there really early in eight, so I was really happy I stayed out and got to that jump straight and had a good distance. That was my favorite part of the course, and I feel like I executed it well.”

Hudkins earned the win aboard Canterbury, owned by Maverick Helmer. Helmer also won this class in 2017 aboard Canterbury, known in the barn as “Fruit.”

“He’s the best horse I could ever ask for,” Hudkins said of Canterbury. “He really understands and tries to help you. Since I’ve been riding him for two and a half years now, I’ve really gotten to know him, and he’s helped me come up from 3’ to 3’6”. I’ve even qualified for Medal and Maclay Finals my first year doing the 3’6” on him. I’m so thankful to Maverick for trusting me with him.”

At 13 years old, Hudkins is applying to high schools in her hometown and rides with Max Amaya at Stonehenge Stables and Stacia Madden at Beacon Hill Show Stables, both located in Colts Neck, NJ.

For her victory, Hudkins received a trophy, a Charles Owen helmet, an Essex Classics show shirt, and a certificate for FITS Riding in addition to her ribbon and sash.

For her second-placed finish, Shufelt, riding her own Celsius 20, received a ribbon, sash, and commemorative picture frame from H & H Horse & Home. The top 10 riders received saddle pads embroidered with the EMO Insurance logo.

On hand to help present the awards to the top finishers was Sue Bopp from EMO Insurance. This year marks the EMO Insurance Agency’s second year sponsoring the 3’3” Jumping Seat Medal Final classes, first introduced in 2017, but the equine insurance agency has been an integral part of Capital Challenge since the show’s inception.

27th Annual Capital Challenge Horse Show Made Possible by Generous Sponsor Support

By Jump Media

Wilmington, OH – The Capital Challenge Horse Show owes its success to the show's longstanding, generous corporate and patron sponsors. This year, the support has been tremendous.

In total, more than 100 sponsors and donors have contributed to the 2020 Capital Challenge Horse Show, to be held Friday, September 25, through Sunday, October 4, at the World Equestrian Center – Ohio.

Of those numerous supporters, dozens have been generously contributing to the Capital Challenge Horse Show for more than a decade. Many have also been a part of the horse show since its inception, such as equine insurance company, the EMO Agency, Inc., which supports the EMO Insurance/United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) 3'3" Jumping Seat Medal Final and the EMO Trip of the Show awards.

“We’ve been with the show for 27 years; I still remember that because it’s the year that I got married – 1993!” said Sue Bopp of the EMO Agency. “Before they had the World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR), we sponsored the adult hunter classic. Then when CCHS started holding the WCHR classes, EMO started awarding the Trip of the Show and the Trip of the Day.

“The USHJA approached us to support the Jumping Seat Medal, and we are proud to be the title sponsor,” continued Bopp. “Capital Challenge is one of the premier indoor shows, so we felt that it would be a good match for EMO. The show gets top quality horses and riders from both the West Coast and the East Coast. You don’t have to qualify, but everyone knows that if you win at Capital Challenge, it’s a really big accomplishment.”

This year’s EMO Trip of the Show awards, given to the horse with the highest scoring round in its division, will be presented across 10 divisions, and the winner of the EMO Insurance/USHJA Jumping Seat Medal Final will be named on Saturday, September 26.

“I love what I do,” said Bopp, who has been in the equine insurance industry for 34 years. “We have great clients, and we want to support the industry and to give back.”

Of the Jumping Seat Medal Final in particular, Bopp added, “I really like the fact that there’s a stepping-stone for kids to do the equitation.”

Kyle Cline Claims 2020 EMO Insurance/USHJA 3'3" Jumping Seat Medal Final - West

Kyle Cline piloted Cazz C to victory in the EMO Insurance/USHJA 3’3” Jumping Seat Medal - West.

San Juan Capistrano, Calif.—Sept. 22, 2020 - The West Coast iteration of the EMO Insurance/USHJA 3'3" Jumping Seat Medal wrapped up on Sunday, September 20 after two days and four rounds of competition at Blenheim Equisports' International Jumping Festival. Moving up to the leading spot in the final phases, Kyle Cline rode Cazz C to claim the title and take the victory gallop around Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park's Grand Prix field.

The first day of the Final's competition, Saturday kicked off with the Flat Phase. All 36 riders and their horses were put through their paces, demonstrating lengthening the stride and counter canter among other advanced flatwork. Charley Stowell took an early lead with Elvenstar Farm's Milan, topping the first phase with a score of 90, and Cline followed closely with an 88 on Linda Levorchick's Cazz C.

Riders then took to a tough Gymnastics Phase, which shuffled the bottom half of the leaderboard by the end of the day. Stowell found herself holding onto the lead heading into the second day. Her two-phase score of 223.5 put her slightly ahead of Cline's 217, which left him still sitting in second.

Sunday held the Jumping Phase, where riders returned in reverse order from the previous day's results. Held over a course designed by Anthony D’Ambrosio, the final phase shook up the rankings again, but Cline and Stowell remained the top two by the time the last rider left the ring. With scores of 391 and 388.5, respectively, across all three phases, Cline and Stowell were called back for a work-off to decide the final placings. In the eyes of judges Tony Sgarlata and William Sparks, the shortened course secured the win for Cline.

"Over the course of the two days I felt that my rounds stayed fairly consistent with no large gap between the scores. I enjoyed competing in the Final since it’s such a competitive and well-organized class. The three phases are definitely one of the best aspects, pushing the riders at the top to stay consistent or giving others who didn’t do as well in one phase the chance to make it up in the next," said Cline, of Laguna Hills, California. "Usually I don’t really feel pressure, but going into the final phase, there was definitely some inner tension to have a nice, smooth round."

"I feel incredibly privileged to have been this year's winner and am eternally grateful for Cazz C, who always tries his heart out, and the whole team at Bridgeport Farms for their constant hard work to better us," he continued.

For his victory, Cline received a pair of Parlanti paddock boots, a Charles Owen helmet, a gift from Straight Arrow, an Essex Classics Show Shirt and a certificate for FITS Breeches, in addition to his ribbon and sash.

The award for Best Equitation Horse and a CWD halter went to Shiloh Roseboom's mount, Venice, owned by Enchantment Farms, LLC.

Charley Stowell topped the flat phase aboard Milan and placed second overall.

The EMO Insurance/USHJA 3'3" Jumping Seat Medal provides Junior exhibitors with the opportunity to develop their equitation skills over a jumper-style course, aiming to help riders gain experience in a format similar to that of the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Program. The Medal is open to Junior active members of US Equestrian and USHJA who have not reached their 18th birthday as of December 1 of the current competition year.

For 2020 only, the 130 highest pointed riders on the East Coast and 100 highest pointed riders on the West Coast were accepted to compete in the EMO Insurance/USHJA 3'3" Jumping Seat Medal Finals hosted on either coast. The EMO Insurance/USHJA 3'3" Jumping Seat Medal Finals - East will take place September 25-26, 2020, at the Capital Challenge Horse Show in Wilmington, Ohio.

The USHJA extends special thanks to the entire Blenheim EquiSports team for hosting the event. USHJA also thanks Title Sponsor EMO Insurance; Official Sponsors CWD Sellier, Parlanti and Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital; Championship Official Sponsors Straight Arrow, Charles Owen; and Awards Sponsors Essex Classics and FITS Riding.

Photos by McCool Photography.

EMO Insurance/USHJA 3'3" Jumping Seat Medal Final - West Results

Placing - Name - Horse - Trainer

1 - Kyle Cline - Cazz C - Lee Flick

2 - Charley Stowell - Milan - James Hagman

3 - Quinn Ferreira - Crack One - Tina Yates

4 - Londyn Samlaska - Quadro d'Ag - Emily Esau Williams

5 - Sienna Gustafson - Unique de la Chesnee - Heatherly Davis

6 - Isabel Coxe - Alant - Kate Considine

7 - Makenzie Damus - Coolman - Georgy Maskrey-Segesman

8 - Madison Sanders - Calvandani Z - Heatherly Davis

9 - Shea Brown - Emontro - Emily Esau Williams

10 - Shiloh Roseboom - Venice - Christa Endicott

11 - Della Walker - Twizzler - Cassandra Karazissis

12 - Mia Jones - Friedrich the 3rd - Carolyn Biava

Daniel Geitner Sweeps the $25,000 Marshall & Sterling Grand Prix, Presented by EMO

Aiken, South Carolina - As the first show back after the Covid-19 shut down, Daniel Geitner made up for lost time bringing home four ribbons, including the blue with November Hill's Vesta De Lavardin in Saturday’s $25,000 Marshall & Sterling Equisport Insurance Grand Prix, presented by EMO. “It was great to be back in the show ring,” he said. “We really missed it!”

Twenty-six entries competed over the course designed by Micheal Vaillancourt and only eight of the horse-and-rider teams advanced to the jump-off round.

“It was a nice class and a really well-designed course,” commented Geitner. “You want a third to a quarter of the class clean, and Micheal [Vaillancourt] hit that number. He [Vaillancourt] is so good; he’s an excellent judge of how tough and technical he can make the course,” said Geitner.

Geitner rode four of the eight jump-off qualifiers! His first ride, Cilia M, owned by November Hill, took two rails at the final combination for a combined 8 jump faults in a time of 35.580 seconds. “She was great, but she lost a shoe after the fourth jump and that kind of threw her off a bit. We all knew it would be a fast jump-off and a tight turn to the final combination, which gave some of us problems,” said Geitner.

Kyle Dewar, of Ocala, Florida, and his own Clever Van De Helle were next to tackle the course, but the same combination earned him four jump faults and he finished in 35.963 seconds.

Geitner returned to the arena, this time in the irons of his own Gigolo. The pair turned in a fault-free round in 36.662 seconds.

“He’s [Gigolo] a new mount for me, and this is actually his first Grand Prix. I wanted to be quick enough but make sure I was clean, and we accomplished that goal, which put a little pressure on everyone after me,” he said.

Jamie Gibson, of Ocala, Florida, in the irons of Lucky Horses, LLC’s Caddie R followed in the order. The pair grabbed the same rail at the last combination for a total of four jump faults in a time of 35.521 seconds.

Hanna Toering, of Waterford, Virginia, and her own Balou Moon BHF followed in the order with four jump faults in a time of 37.515 seconds, which would see them finish in seventh place.

Geitner returned with this third ride in the jump-off, November Hill’s Vesta De Lavardin, and turned in another fault-free round in a time of 34.043, setting the new time to beat.

Geitner commented, “She’s [Vesta De Lavardin] is really fast and very experienced. I knew I could take some chances with her, and the only person I needed to get pressure on at that time was Grant Seger. That’s her game going fast...she’s naturally quick and is as competitive as I am,” he said.

Grant Seger, also of Aiken, and his own Catogi, followed Geitner and Vesta De Lavardin with a fault-free round, but their time of 35.327 would keep Geitner in the lead.

Geitner was last to go in the Grand Prix with Oak Ledge Farm’s Fazous. Four jump faults in a time of 34.425 seconds would earn them a fourth place ribbon overall. “He’s [Fazous] a younger horse and I knew there were only three double cleans so I went as quick as I could, but knew that even with a rail I could still get a fourth,” Geitner commented.

The final results had Geitner awarded the blue ribbon with Vesta De Lavardin, third with Gigolo and fourth with Fazous as well as an eighth with November Hill’s Cilia M. Seger and Catogi earned second place as well as a tenth and eleventh with Hillary Drummond Sport Horses’ Idalgo and Grey Fox Crossing’s Cantucchini, respectively. Gibson finished in fifth place with Caddie R and Dewar earned a sixth place with Clever Van De Helle. Doug Payne finished in ninth with Jane Dudinsky’s Quintessence and Penny Brennan of Buhl, Alabama, wrapped up the class in twelfth place with her own Vertigo Delorme.

COVID-19 Update

March 18, 2020

As news of the global coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak continues to unfold, I wanted to take this opportunity to share with you the steps The EMO Agency is taking to maintain our commitments to our clients, while protecting the health and safety of our employee-owners.

At the onset of the outbreak in January, we established a coronavirus response task force to help ensure high levels of coordination and response. This team, in conjunction with our senior management, quickly realized that we would need a much larger distributed and remote workforce soon.

Our existing 150 laptops in the field were clearly not enough. As the situation worsened over time, we began buying, configuring and distributing laptops at a rapid pace. An initial order of 20 was expanded to 48, then to 75, then to 190, then a final decision was made to order another 140 which assured us that every one of our 475 employees would have the ability to work remotely if required. As of today, we will have distributed all but 50 of those to employees with the balance getting delivered over the next few days.

Standing in front of a conference table covered in laptops, our dedicated Information Services Division staff working through the night to outfit our service professionals with remote systems.

As most of our employees are now working remotely, we encourage you to communicate your needs for service via E-mail as a first option. Employees will also be checking their office voice mail regularly. We will do our best to respond to your requests as quickly as possible, using best efforts to identify urgent and priority needs. Please try and refrain from visiting our offices to the greatest extent possible to reduce your risk of exposure and ours. If you must come in, please email or call us with your need and arrange a specific time so we can be prepared for your visit and limit your exposure time in our office to the greatest extent possible. We eventually may have to eliminate all office visits.

We are confident that the plans we have in place will enable us to continue to provide you with the level of service and support you have come to expect. On Monday, we faced our first COVID-19 contingency plan stress test in New York due to a direct exposure of one employee to a relative with confirmed infection. This exposure caused us to immediately close two offices based on employee contact patterns. I am proud to say that the staff in those two offices immediately adopted their contingency plans and are taking care of all clients from remote locations without missing a beat. We hope and pray that we will get through the 14-day quarantine without any further sickness or illness.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us. You can also visit our website at www.marshallsterling.com, and note at the top of each page a special "COVID-19 Update" banner. Here you can find valuable information and links to help with a host of different tasks from making E-check or online payments, claims reporting and other updates, tips and services.

We ask for your patience and understand and will do everything we can to continue serving you while also complying with increasing restrictions designed to limit the spread of this challenging disease. The next few weeks are critical.

Be safe, be well.

EMO Sponsor Spotlight

The EMO Agency’s Sponsor Spotlight is the Pink Buckle Futurity!

Pacific Coast Horse Shows Association Banquet

Holly Scapa and Archie Cox stand with the EMO/PCHA Derby Horse of the Year Award and ribbon presented to Hiller Farms/Kristen Hiller’s Center Court

The Pacific Coast Horse Shows Association held its 2019 Year-End Awards Banquet January 3-5 at San Diego at Mission Bay Resort & Spa in California.

With 250 guests attending, it was a great success. The PCHA gave out more than 300 awards between the English and Western divisions and regional and national awards.

This was the 29th consecutive year that EMO was a major sponsor. “I started it in 1991 with the Grand Prix Horse and Rider Awards,” said EMO’s Mike Moran. “We also sponsor awards for six other divisions in the program.”

This year debuted a new trophy for the West Coast PCHA Derby Horse of the Year, a custom bronze titled "Regal.” PCHA Board Member Holly Scapa and PCHA President Archie Cox presented the trophy to Center Court, owned by Hiller Farms/Kristen Hiller and ridden by John French.

Archie Cox and Mike Moran presented the EMO/PCHA Grand Prix Horse of the Year Award and red roses to Carol Wright for her horse Conejito’s efforts.

EMO also congratulated Conejito, owned and ridden by Carol Wright, for earning the EMO/ Pacific Coast Horse Shows Association - PCHA 2019 Grand Prix Horse of the Year Award! Special thanks to Archie Cox and EMO's Mike Moran for presenting the award.

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EMO Sponsors The Pennsylvania National Horse Show

EMO was a proud title sponsor at this year's PNHS! So many wonderful highlights!