HARRISBURG, Pa.--Lauren Gee of Valdosta, Ga., won the USEF/NCEA Junior Hunter Seat Medal Final over46 juniors, and Andee Holland on Lochridge Prince won the Grand Adult Amateur Hunter Championship on Sunday, Oct. 20 at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show,
Lauren Gee on Curb Service (Photo by Andrew Ryback)The Junior Hunter Seat Medal Final – East takes place over three phases in a single day.
The Finals is a test of well-rounded equestrian skills as riders compete over a 3’3” equitation style course, then the top t10 return to compete on the flat and the final phase brings back the top four riders to compete on horses they haven’t ridden before.
The fourth and first place rider compete on the same horse and the second and third place rider compete on the same horse.
The winners of these two rounds then complete a final course on the same horse to determine the championship and reserve placings.
Gee earned excellent scores in the first two phases riding Curb Service, owned by her trainer, Don Stewart, but it was her riding in the final phase that gave her the winl.
“Curb Service is really special. I love to ride him because he’s so smooth and soft to ride,” said Gee. “The first course went really nice. I got an 87.5 and I was really excited because I was sitting third going into the flat phase. The flat phase is exciting because we have dressage things like shoulder-in and haunches-in, and we executed that and got an 88. With those scores combined, we were sitting in second overall.”
GEE IS A senior in high school and has committed to the NCEA equestrian team at Oklahoma State University starting with the 2025/2026 season.
Andee Holland on Lochridge Prince Photo by Andrew Ryback)“The bracket phase was really exciting for me, because it’s practice for college,” said Gee. “The first horse I rode was Acocento, and he was really nice. I was up against Emma Brody, and she did really well in her trip, so I just went in with a clear mind and just did the best I could, and I got an 89. I was really happy.”
Gee went against Nyla Semaan of Tampa, Fla., in the final round, riding Ivy Bonds’ Super Vision.
“For the final championship round, the horse was so much fun. He went around perfectly, and that was probably my favorite part of the class, because he was just really nice and fun to ride, and we got a 90,” said Gee.
“At Don’s barn, he likes to put us on a lot of horses, so we have practice riding unfamiliar horses, and I think that helped me prepare perfectly,” said Gee. “While riding these new horses, I felt confident and prepared to ride the best I could, even without knowing them.”
Andee Holland of Wellington, Fla., on Lochridge Prince won the Adult Amateur Hunters 50 & Over championship and the Grand Adult Amateur Hunter Championship.
“It’s so exciting!” said Holland. “I really have a good time when I’m here.”
Holland, who has trained with Jimmy Torano for nearly a decade, has ridden “Prince” for about four years.
“He was always lovely, but our partnership has meshed; we’ve just gotten really good together,” said Holland. “He’s so adjustable, and he goes from almost any distance; you have a little wiggle room with him. He’s really just so sweet on the ground and just a lovely boy.”
Sofia Hughes on Leo Lamour was the Children's Hunter, 15-17 Champion and the Children’s Hunters Grand Champion, while Kenzie Smith on Sundownws the Children's Hunter 14 & Under champion..
Mary Roth on Bentley was the Adult Amateur Hunters 36-49 champion, and in the Adult Amateur Hunters 18-35, Alexa Bing on Subtil was champion.
Kimberley Simmons on Forte was the Penn National Adult Amateur Hunters champion.