Nicole Walker Wins Jump Canada Medal Final

Nicole Walker of Aurora, ON, won the Jump Canada Medal Final held during the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, ON, on Tuesday, November 9.

Following the completion of regional and provincial Jump Canada Medal Finals, the top finishers from across Canada were invited to contest the Jump Canada Medal Final Championship at the Royal. Walker came out on top following skillful rides in both the jumping and flat phases aboard SS San Reno, a nine-year-old Argentinean Warmblood gelding owned by Britland Hughes and Chris Sorensen.

“It is a really big deal to win the Jump Canada Medal Final here at the Royal,” said Walker, 17, who prepared for the Jump Canada Medal by competing south of the border in the ASPCA Maclay Final at the Syracuse Invitational Horse Show and the USEF Equitation Finals at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show. “I have been working really hard and it is great when it pays off. I really liked the final test, which was really flowing and had a trot and a hand gallop in it.”

All of the Jump Canada Medal Championship riders competed over a course set at a height of 1.09m (3’6”) that rode forward while incorporating broken lines, tight rollbacks and natural jumps. Out of the 29 starting entries, eight riders were invited back for the flat phase where riders are required to show a sitting and lengthened trot, as well as the three gaits of walk, trot and canter in both directions and a halt. For the final test, the top four riders were invited back for a ride-off over fences to determine the overall placings. Walker was sitting in fourth, but a flawless performance in the ride-off, which included counter canter and a trot fence, a rollback, a jump at the hand-gallop and a halt, saw Walker become the judges’ top pick.

“Nicole has been working so hard and has been so dedicated since she was just 12 years old,” said Walker’s coach, Darcy Hayes. “My own daughter, Quincy Hayes, won two years ago, and now to have Nicole win is just incredible. I have been very blessed with my students.”

Finishing in second position was Zoe Beckerman of Toronto, ON, with her own horse, Barrichello DDH. Toronto’s Kendra Martenfeld earned third place riding The New Yorker, owned by Christine Biederman, while Miranda Coon of South Surrey, BC, and her horse, Candid Z, rounded out the top four.

Jump Canada Medal Championships
Placing / Rider/ Hometown
1 / Nicole Walker / Aurora, ON
2 / Zoe Beckerman / Toronto, ON
3 / Kendra Martenfeld / Toronto, ON
4 / Miranda Coon / South Surrey, BC
5 / Paige Russell / Cochrane, AB
6 / Vickie Robert / St-Eustache, QC
7 / Rachel Schnurr / Waterloo, ON
8 / Madison McDougall / Langley, BC