Morgan Rosia Rides to Victory in EMO Insurance/USHJA 3’3” Jumping Seat Medal Final – East at Capital Challenge

Eleven new equitation champions were named on Saturday, September 28, during BIGEQ.com Equitation Weekend at the Capital Challenge Horse Show in Upper Marlboro, MD.

Prominent among Saturday’s champions at the Prince George’s Equestrian Center was Morgan Rosia of Germantown, MD, the winner of the third annual EMO Insurance/United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) 3’3” Jumping Seat Medal Final – East.

In securing the victory, Rosia topped a field of 114 entries over three phases of competition, including flat and gymnastics phases held on Friday and a final, jumping phase held on Saturday.

Rosia came into Saturday’s third and final jumping phase in second place with a score of 220, while Sophia Mitchell of Wrightsville Beach, NC, held the lead on a score of 220.6.

With riders contesting Saturday’s class in reverse order of their Friday standings, Rosia was the penultimate rider to jump, and she shot to the top of the overall leaderboard after earning a jumping phase score of 81.90 from judges Jimmy Torano and Steve Wall. That score, multiplied by a coefficient of two and combined with her score from Friday, gave Rosia an overall score of 383.80.

At the end of the round, three riders sat set within two points of each other including Rosia on her score of 383.80, Nicole Dorwart with 383.00, and Texie Loyd on a score of 381.90. With the narrow margin separating them, additional testing was required, but the shortened work-off course would ultimately not change the outcome as Rosia clinched the victory, and Dorwart of Etters, PA, claimed the reserve championship honor, while Loyd of Windermere, FL, finished in third.

“I’m so surprised and shocked,” said Rosia, 17, who earlier this month was named the recipient of the 2019 USHJA Foundation J.T. Tallon Memorial Equitation Grant, which she utilized to help fund her trip to the Capital Challenge Horse Show.  

“It’s really special to win here,” continued Rosia, who lives within two hours of the Capital Challenge Horse Show and the Prince George’s Equestrian Center. “It’s only my second time at Capital Challenge, but I’ve been showing at this facility for over 10 years, so it’s really special to win a final this big and my first equitation final. It really means a lot.”

Rosia earned the win aboard Clearano Z, a nine-year-old Zangersheide gelding owned by Jacqueline Fogel.

“I just got on this horse Thursday for the first time, but he was so good for me all week,” said Rosia. “He was really good today during the test. I couldn’t have asked any more from him; I’m super excited.”

A freshman currently studying finance and riding on the National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA) team at Texas A&M University, Rosia trains with Tiffany Morrissey and Maggie Gould at East Wind Farms, based in Wellington, FL.

“It’s been so fun to train with [Morrissey and Gould],” said Rosia. “I’m a working student, too, so I get to see all parts of the barn. Just being able to ride with them is a privilege. I’m so lucky.”For her victory, Rosia received a vase and pewter plate, a Charles Owen helmet, and a pair of Parlanti paddock boots, in addition to her ribbon and sash.

For her second-placed finish, Dorwart, riding her own Olaf, received gifts from USHJA sponsors Essex Classics and FITS Riding, in addition to her ribbon, sash, and commemorative picture frame from H & H Horse & Home.

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 inaugural 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.

“The Capital Challenge Horse is a great venue, and EMO has been a part of it since the first year,” said Sue Bopp of the EMO Agency. “It’s really a top-quality event, and the 3’3” Jumping Seat Medal is a great division for promoting equitation through the ranks. There was a huge jump from the Children’s divisions to the Medal and Maclay Finals, and I think this gives kids a stepping stone in a venue that really allows them to shine.”  

Prior to the final phase of the EMO Insurance/USHJA 3’3” Jumping Seat Medal Final, the North American Junior Flat Equitation Championship title was awarded to Dominic Gibbs, 15, of Colorado Springs, CO, and nine age group equitation division winners were named as follows:

• Campbell Hudkins of Farmington, CT, in the 12 & Under Equitation

• Kyla Sullivan of Wallingford, CT, in the 13 & 14-Year-Old Equitation

• Grace Debney of Hampden, MA, in the 13 & 14-Year-Old Equitation Section B

• Gwyneth Babington of Blue Bell, PA, in the 15-Year-Old Equitation

• Dominic Gibbs of Colorado Springs, CO, in the 15-Year-Old Equitation Section B

• Olivia Broder of Oyster Bay, NY, in the 16-Year-Old Equitation

• Ellie Ferrigno of Newtown, CT, in the 16-Year-Old Equitation Section B

• Jordan Allen of West Bloomfield, MI, in the 17-Year-Old Equitation

• James Faloni of Essex Fells, NJ, in the 17-Year-Old Equitation Section B

Equitation weekend, presented by BIGEQ.com, at the Capital Challenge Horse Show continues on Sunday, September 29, with the Palm Beach International Academy North American Junior Equitation Championships beginning at 8 a.m. and immediately followed by the Taylor Harris Insurance Services National Children’s Medal Finals.

Learn more about Capital Challenge online at www.capitalchallenge.org.

EMO Insurance/USHJA 3'3" Jumping Seat Medal Finals – East Results

Place / Rider / Horse / Phase I / Phase II / Phase III / Work Off / Overall

1/Morgan Rosia / Clearano Z / 88.00 / 132.00 / 163.80 / 80.00 / 463.80
2/Nicole Dorwart / Olaf / 84.25 / 129.75 / 169.00 / 65.00 / 448.00
3/Texie Loyd / Cashman / 90.00 / 127.20 / 164.70 / 63.00 / 444.90
4/Alexandra Ryden / Calana Von Worrenberg / 79.50 / 126.00 / 174.00 / 379.50
5/Sophia Mitchell / Callahan / 91.00 / 129.60 / 156.00 / 376.60
6/Kyla Sullivan / Lamiros / 80.75 /125.625 / 167.80 / 374.175
7/Samuel Gleason / Aaron / 81.15 / 124.125 / 167.50 / 372.775
8/Ella Frey / Radcliffe / 81.50 / 125.85 / 165.30 / 372.65
9/Maura Lautenbach / High Life / 87.25 / 118.425 / 166.50 / 372.175
10/Julia Hasler / Doreen MH / 87.50 / 121.875 / 160.60 / 369.975