Kat Fuqua Rounds Out 2022 with Nationwide Honors in Hunters, Jumpers, and Dressage
Fuqua leaping Nate Archibald to a third place end within the Zone 4 HOTY Medium Jr./Newbie Jumpers (Picture by Sportfot)
Atlanta, GA (December 3, 2022) – It’s uncommon for an equestrian to be versatile and multi-talented sufficient to compete in a number of disciplines; much more uncommon is the ability to put on the high of the game in a number of disciplines in the identical yr. However Atlanta, Georgia’s Kat Fuqua has achieved simply that in 2022, ending off her busy present season with a number of accolades on the 72nd Annual South Florida Hunter Jumper Affiliation Charity Present, and including to a formidable resume of multi-discipline wins. Her 2022 successes embody a Reserve Champion end within the FEI Prix St. Georges on the US Dressage Finals, a number of Grand Champion Junior Hunter wins, a high 3 end within the Zone 4 Horse of the Yr (HOTY) Medium Junior/Newbie Jumpers, and even a Reserve Champion end on the 2022 Kentucky Maclay Regional Championships. Fifteen-year-old Fuqua was additionally named a USEF Dressage Rising Athlete for 2022, was the primary younger rider to compete in each Leaping and Dressage on the 2021 North American Younger Rider Championships (NAYC), and for 2023 goals to make the USEF European Younger Rider crew in dressage.
With the classical dressage as her basis, and below the tutelage of Olympic Bronze Medalist Michelle Gibson, Fuqua stepped onto the dressage scene formally in 2021. In 2022, she and Dream Lady, a 14-year-old KWPN mare, rocketed up by means of the stratosphere to take Reserve Champion on the US Dressage Finals, only a few share factors off the win within the FEI Prix St. Georges Open division. The mare was additionally awarded the Lloyd Landkamer Perpetual Trophy, honoring the best scoring FEI mare. Previous to the US Dressage Finals, Fuqua was named a 2022 USEF Dressage Rising Athlete, and was ranked 4th within the nation for USDF Horse of the Yr FEI Intermediaire I Open.
As her inaugural aggressive self-discipline, Fuqua’s 2022 resume within the Hunters is not any much less stellar. With the elegant bay gelding Grand Remo, Fuqua received Junior Hunter Grand Champion at Devon, Grand Champion on the USEF Jr. Hunter Finals in 2021, Reserve Champion Junior Hunter Youngers on the Pennsylvania Nationwide Horse Present, Reserve Champion Junior Hunter on the Washington Worldwide Horse Present, and was chosen as the quilt of this summer season’s Chronicle of the Horse June problem. Simply this previous week, they have been additionally the 2022 Finest Junior Hunter Champion on the 72nd Annual SFHJA Charity Horse Present. Along with Grand Remo and her different hunter companions, Fuqua has amassed 8 USEF Horse of the Yr titles, 2 Grand Champion titles on the Nationwide Horse Present, Grand Champion at Harrisburg, 10 WEF Circuit Championships, Grand Champion at Pony Finals, and so far is the best incomes Pony Derby Rider.
With the Junior Hunters in a sweep and Dressage a new-found success, the jumpers have been the following goal for Fuqua to set her sights on. She started attempting her hand within the self-discipline lower than 2 years in the past, and in 2022 completed third within the Zone 4 Horse of the Yr Medium Jr./Newbie Jumpers together with her personal Nate Archibald. In 2021 she made historical past as the primary rider to compete in each the Jumpers and Dressage on the North American Younger Rider Championships, and was tenth within the Nationwide Devon Championship for Excessive Junior Jumpers together with her jumper Gargarin. This indoor season she competed within the Excessive and Medium Junior Jumpers on the Washington Worldwide Horse Present, ending eighth within the $5,000 Excessive Jr./AO 1.40m Jumpers with Nate Archibald.
As icing on her triple risk cake, Fuqua additionally has been a up-and-coming competitor within the ASPCA Maclay Medal Finals. In 2022 she completed as Reserve Champion on the Kentucky Maclay Regional Championships and was within the Prime 25 on the 2021 USEF Dover Seat Medal Finals in 2021.
Simply this previous week, Fuqua rounded out her 2022 competitors schedule on the 72nd Annual SFHJA Charity Horse Present, claiming a number of accolades together with her horses. She received the USET Expertise Search with Class Act, owned by Emily Smith, and likewise took the general win with Smith’s Fairly Cassini within the Washington Worldwide Horse Present Equitation. Grand Remo remained worthy of his identify with Champion within the Junior Hunters Beneath 15, Champion within the Jr./AA Traditional Hunters, Champion Zone 4 Jr. Hunter, and earned Fuqua the title of Finest Jr. Hunter Rider.
“Driving horses is what I really love, whether or not it’s in a serious competitors or simply having fun with their firm on the farm,” stated Fuqua. “This fall I started working with Emily & Ken of Ashland Farms, and love their calm however efficient coaching. My targets are to proceed to degree up within the Jumper ring and get the Equitation down! My coronary heart for the Hunters won’t ever change, remembering again to huge pony coach and decide Mindy Darst who introduced me to my first WEF in 2014 and was one of many founders of the USEF Pony Finals. I’ll by no means quit being a job mannequin for the brand new pony children comping up and my objective is to be a high rider in all of my disciplines.”
Kat Fuqua is changing into a family identify in a number of equestrian disciplines, recognized not just for her versatility as a rider but additionally for the standard of her rides. She started competing at double AA Hunter/Jumper exhibits on the age of 6, and at 11 years outdated received the USEF Pony Finals & Grand Champion. She repeated the dignity the next yr as a 12-year-old, and added the USEF Marshall & Sterling Pony Medal. Her Junior Grand Hunter Championship wins embody the 2022 Devon Jr. Hunter Grand Champion, 2021 USEF Jr. Hunter Finals Grand Champion, 2020 & 2021 Nationwide Horse Present Jr. Hunter Grand Champion, and 2021 Pennsylvania Nationwide Horse Present Jr. Hunter Grand Champion. Within the Equitation, she received 2022 Reserve Champion on the Kentucky Maclay Regional Championships and completed Prime 25 on the 2021 USEF Dover Seat Medal Finals.
In 2020 she started actively competing in each dressage and leaping, in addition to the hunters. She made historical past as the primary rider to ever compete in each disciplines on the 2021 NAYC, the place she acquired 3 Bronze Medals in dressage and completed 4th general within the Kids’s Jumper Crew competitors. She earned her USDF Bronze and Silver Medals for USDF Prix St. Georges and Intermediaire I in 2021, and was named the USEF Dressage Competition of Champions Junior Champion that yr. In 2022 she was named a USEF Dressage Rising Athlete.
Fuqua is presently a full-time freshman at Holy Innocence Episcopal Excessive Faculty in her hometown of Atlanta, Georgia. She is also a contributor to Elite Equestrian Journal, writing her personal Kat’s Korner column about her horses and life as an upcoming younger equestrian.
“I prefer to encourage riders however exhibiting how although being a aggressive equestrian is hard and a fail usually, I get again up and check out once more to realize my targets and desires,” stated Fuqua. “I’ve loads of strain going into 2023, however I spend loads of time at my dwelling base, Gathering Gaits Farm, personally taking good care of my horses once I can to construct the bond that I feel leads them to work more durable for me within the present ring. I really feel very fortunate that so many individuals need to assist me succeed.”
For extra data on Kat Fuqua, go to her web site at www.KatFuqua.com.
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Holly Johnson
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