Stiegler Tops USEF Talent List

By Staff Report September 29, 2011

Demi Stiegler was tops among 41 entries in the United States Equestrian Federation Show Jumping Talent Search Finals West, which concluded Sept. 24 at the L.A. International Jumping Festival in Burbank.

“It was amazing!” said Stiegler, who trains with Archie Cox and Robyn Stiegler. “I was sixth coming into Phase III, and I knew from the Flat and Gymnastics Phases I just had to stay consistent. I tried to just concentrate on what would work best for my horse and myself and not worry about the pressure, and it paid off.” This was the second Talent Search Final for Stiegler, who competed in 2009 with a cracked rib.

The USEF Talent Search Final is a four-part equitation contest open to junior riders (under 21 years of age). Phase I is over the flat, Phase II is gymnastic, and Phase III is show jumping, with the top four advancing to a work-off. Riders qualify to enter the final by winning 20 Talent Search classes throughout the year, earning them a Gold Medal. (Ten wins earns a Silver Medal, five a Bronze.)

Phase III was held on the LAEC’s grass Cricket Field over 10 fences 1.10-1.15M (3’7” to 3’9”) with spreads of up to 1.50M (4’11”). The course, which had some natural features, was set fairly straightforward, with long distances between jumps to give riders a chance to think through each element

The two trickiest spots were the eighth jump, a skinny vertical after a sharp bending line, and the last line that started with a water jump followed by a bending line to a short one-stride combination. Stiegler sailed gracefully through the course, earning a score of 89. Scores in the multiplier for this phase was “2”, and added to the two earlier phases, and Stiegler’s overall score of 389.5 moved her from sixth into third place going into the final phase.

Sage Flynn (Hap Hansen, trainer) executed the Phase III course beautifully and earned the top score for the round of 92, which kept her in second place with 401 overall. Zoie Nagelhout (Archie Cox, trainer) went into Phase III in the lead, and her smooth and capable trip earned her a score of 88.5 and just kept her in the lead with 402. Taylor Harris (Elvenstar, trainer) joined them in the final round work off with a combined score of 380.5.

Nagelhout, Steigler, Flynn, and Harris next tackled a shortened course designed by the judging team mother and daughter judges Sue Ashe and Molly Ashe-Cawley, with the assistance of renowned course designer and Olympian Conrad Homfeld. Riders first rode their own horses, then each of the other three.

Flynn found that her jumper experience really paid off. “If anything, I over-corrected on Demi’s horse,” she remarked. “She said he was really strong, so I overcompensated in one line and it wasn’t as smooth. It turned out he wasn’t that strong for me. I just think that Demi isn’t as used to a jumper since she mostly rides in the equitation.”

Harris had an unfortunately stop on Nagelhout’s Y2K, relegating her to fourth, while a smooth, consistent performance propelled Stiegler to victory. Her mother, Robyn, who trains at Citrus Hill Farms, based at The Oaks in San Juan Capistrano, couldn’t be more proud. “It was good for her to learn confidence and composure in a high pressure situation, and she handled it beautifully,” Robyn Stiegler said.

Cox, whose Brookway Stables is based at Middle Ranch at Lakeview Terrace and who coaches Stiegler at shows, was also beaming. “The Show Jumping Phase was for sure the strongest part for Demi,” coach Archie Cox explained. “The horse is a grand prix horse, so he was confident on the field. Demi was consistent through the Flat and Gymnastic Phases so she stayed in there, and then she did a fantastic job on the last day.”

In the work-off, Stiegler rode Parrandero (Katie Harris, owner), a horse she sat on for the first time just two days before the first phase of the final.

The Platinum Performance/USEF Talent Search is recognized by many top riders and trainers as an excellent test of horsemanship, as well as giving the riders a taste of all the things they need to be solid on in order to step up to the next level. “It was a great life experience for her,” said Robyn Stiegler of the Final West, produced by the Langer Equestrian Group.

In 2006, wishing to acknowledge the important part the horses play in the Talent Search, Karen Healey donated the Gulliver Trophy to be awarded to the horse in the Finals that the judges determined to be the Best Horse. This year Flynn’s mount Punkt (Melissa Doddridge, owner) earned the honor. “He really deserved it,” Flynn said. “He is so fun and straightforward to ride.”

The USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Final East will be held Oct. 7-9 at the United States Equestrian Team Foundation headquarters in Gladstone, N.J. The USEF Talent Search was launched in 1956. Past West Coast final winners include Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (1986), Richard Spooner (1988), Kirsten Coe (1996), Kasey Ament (2004), Hannah Selleck (2008) and Theodore Boris (2009).

Final Four results.

Phase I, II and III results.

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