HARRISBURG, Pa.--Carlee McCutcheon of Aubrey, Texas on Chacco Star won the USEF Hunter Seat Medal Final on Sunday, Oct. 15 at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, beating a field of 206 after two rounds of jumping and one final test.
Carlee McCutcheon on Chacco Star (Photo by Andrew Ryback)McCutcheon comes from a family of champions in western reining, and that family has now expanded to include a champion in the hunter/jumper discipline.
Noah Nelson, 18 of Santa Barbara, Calif., on Quite Cassin, riding in the Medal Final for the first time, was second, and Kate Hagerty of Terrebonne, Oreg., finished third riding Magic Moment.
Beginning at 7 a.m. on Sunday, the 206 juniors who had qualified for the Final competed over the first round track designed by Alan Lohman and one of the Final's judges, Timmy Kees.
Kees and fellow judge Jack Towell then narrowed the field down to the top 25 to return for the second round.
Going into round two, McCutcheon was 14th after what she said, “wasn’t my smoothest first round.”
“I went pretty early this morning, and I usually like to go early so I don’t get in my head,” said McCutcheon, who trains with Max Amaya and TJ O’Mara of Stonehenge Stables. “I ended up getting a little in my head anyway, but Chacco was great. I could have ridden the track a bit better, but he was phenomenal. He’s the best partner I could ask for. I was just looking to come back in a good spot for the second round, and I was very pleased with my second round. We took a chance with an inside turn, and I knew I could trust him. The harder the course is, the better he is.”
McCUTCHEON'S second round shot them from 14th to second place heading into additional testing of the top six.
Among other questions, the second round had riders trot a fence, counter-canter two fences and demonstrate a hand gallop down and over the final fence before immediately coming to a halt.
In the first counter-canter, McCutcheon landed the lead and held it through the turn, and later in the course she executed a flying change to the counter-lead.
After she had a strong hand gallop down to the final oxer and then nailed a definitive halt, the crowd gave a loud cheer of approval.
“I just wanted to do something a little special, so I tried to hold the counter canter from the first jump, and it worked out well,” said McCutcheon. “Chacco was just super. I couldn’t ask anything more of him.”
McCutcheon has been riding the 15-year-old Oldenburg gelding for almost two years, and has seen great success with him.
“He’s truly the best partner I could ask for,” said McCutcheon. “I’m just so grateful to everyone that has allowed this partnership to come together. He’s amazing. He’s one of a kind for me. I don’t think I could do this with anybody else. He just makes me so brave. I know he can do any test, so I’m never overly nervous for any tricky questions that the course may ask.”
“To really see the hard work that me and Max have put in with her pay off today, and to see her partnership with Chaco really develop and flourish after each round, really brought tears to my eyes when they announced her as the winner," said on of her trainers, O'Mara. "It was very emotional for me. My sister, Meg O’Mara, won this in 2012, and then I won in 2016. Carly was one of my first equitation kids that I’ve gotten the pleasure to train. She came to us two years ago. I helped her here at the Medal Final in 2021, and each year she’s gotten better and better with it.”
Chacco Star was awarded the Best Equitation Horse title.
“The quality of the riders is unbelievable, but also the quality of these horses,” said Towell. “These horses are amazing animals, amazing. They’ve got the stride, the scope, it blows me away just watching them. Not that these kids don’t ride great, but you’re only as good as your horse.”
“The vehicles are the catalyst,” said Kees. “The level of instruction, the caliber of the horses and the capability of the kids, it’s all amazing to watch. I’ve seen it for a long time, and it just keeps getting better and better.”
For Kees and Towell, the real difference between the top three was the final test.
“Everybody can have a wonderful first round, but the test in the end is what separates them," said Kees. "That’s exactly how it was done today, and it worked out great.”
Nelson was brought back for the final test in sixth place, but not unlike McCutcheon, he nailed each element while others faltered ever so slightly.
“I really liked the test; it was very well put to together, and I’m very grateful for everything,” said Nelson, who trains with Ken and Emily Smith at Ashland Farms. “Pretty much in March, I started the equitation, and I was introduced to Ashland. I owe everything to them. They taught me practically everything I know about the equitatio. Today, I was just hoping to put some good rounds down, just make myself happy, do the best I can and just have fun.”
“I was very confident on Cassini; he’s competed here and was second in 2019 with Jordan Allen. I owe everything to him,” said Nelson.
For Hagerty, Magic Moment was a newer mount for the 17-year-old.
“I’ve had him since August, and he’s new to the equitation,” said Hagerty.
Hagerty’s biggest jump up the standings came in the second round, when she moved from 21st to fifth.
“My first round was good, but I didn’t come back with a lot of expectations, so I think that let me go in and go for it and be as risky as I could be. Magic Moment was so good and did everything I asked, so I’m really happy with how he was today.”
