Toronto, ON, Nov. 5, 2019 – Sabrina Von Buttlar, 18, of Stouffville, ON earned an emotional win in the 2019 Jump Canada Medal National Final to cap off her junior career on Nov. 5 at the Royal Horse Show in Toronto, ON.
Riding her long-time partner, Cinco, Von Buttlar finished her sixth and final junior equitation year on a high note after besting a field of 25 athletes who qualified from four regions across Canada (Atlantic, Ontario, Prairie and British Columbia).
“To win an equitation final is something that I’ve dreamed about ever since I was little,” said Von Buttlar, who is in her final year of high school and plans to take a year off from school after graduation to focus on her riding. “It doesn’t really feel real, it kind of feels like a dream.”
Sabrina Von Buttlar, 18, from Stouffville, ON won the 2019 Jump Canada Medal National Final aboard Cinco on Nov. 5, 2019 at the Royal Horse Show in Toronto, ON.
Photo Credit – © Cealy Tetley – www.tetleyphoto.com
Von Buttlar’s ride to the top began in the jumping phase, which counted for 60% of the total score, and featured a technical course full of challenging bending lines that tested accuracy and rideability. After skillfully guiding Cinco through a smooth performance over all 12 obstacles, Von Buttlar was invited forward into the flat phase, which accounted for 40% of the score. There, she breezed through the curveballs thrown by the judges, including a reverse of direction at the sitting trot, and maintaining trot into the final halt and line-up. This allowed her to once again move forward, this time into a final test for the top five.
A foot-perfect performance in the final test, which asked riders to complete a shortened course while demonstrating their ability to jump from the trot and counter-canter, sealed the deal for Von Buttlar.
“There were years where (the Final) didn’t really go how we planned, but we finished up on a really good note for my last show as a Junior,” said Von Buttlar, who trains with Erynn Ballard and Katie Uloth of Looking Back Farm. “I’ve ridden with Erynn and Katie for 14 years, so they’ve been there since the beginning and through all the ups and downs.”
She also credited her horse, adding, “Cinco is a horse I’ve had for a long time. He’s been a really big constant in my life and is super special to me, so to win with him makes it even more special.”
Following Von Buttlar on the leaderboard in second place was Natalie Popham, 16, of Victoria, BC aboard Cheers, a Canadian Warmblood gelding owned by Ella Cole. Abigail Fox of Fonthill, ON rounded out the top three riding her Canadian Warmblood mare, Revival.
As the 2019 Champion, Von Buttlar was awarded the Leslie P. Usherwood Memorial Trophy, as well as a plate donated by the Usherwood family. She also received a jacket from the Equestrian Canada (EC) Jumping Committee, which also donated a cooler to the top four riders.
In addition to the 2019 Jump Canada Medal Final title, Sabrina Von Buttlar enjoyed a trophy and plate donated by the Usherwood family and a jacket and cooler from the EC Jumping Committee.
Photo Credit – © Cealy Tetley – www.tetleyphoto.com
Up next for Von Buttlar will be the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL, where she will focus on the 1.20m Junior Amateur jumper with the goal of moving up the ranks. Her short- and long-term goals also involve applying her highly developed equitation skills to the jumper ring.
“I’d like to qualify and compete at the FEI North American Youth Championships, and compete in the Under 25 division,” she explained. “My long-term goal is that I would love to represent Canada on a team at some point.”
For full results from the 2019 Jump Canada Medal National Final, visit www.royalfair.org.
About the Jump Canada Medal
The Jump Canada Medal is a hunter equitation series open to Junior competitors. The class features both jumping and flat phases, with jumping worth 60% of the final score and the flat phase worth 40%. Classes are held throughout the season in four regions: British Columbia, Prairie (AB, SK, MB), Ontario and Atlantic (QC, PEI, NB, NS, NF). Each region hosts an annual Regional Final and a total of 25 riders are invited to attend the National Final. For a list of past winners, click here. Further information on the Jump Canada Medal can be found at www.equestrian.ca/sport/jumping/athlete-development.
– 30 –
2019 Jump Canada Medal National Final – Full Results
Placing / Rider / Hometown / Horse / Owner
1st / Sabrina Von Buttlar / Stouffville, ON / Cinco / Sabrina Von Buttlar
2nd / Natalie Popham / Victoria, BC / Cheers / Ella Cole
3rd / Abigail Fox / Fonthill, ON / Revival / Abigail Fox
4th / Leanna Lazzari / Mississauga, ON / UFO De Nisi / Leanna Lazzari
5th / William Martin / Vineland, ON / Quinze Z / William Martin
6th / Olivia Baird / Burlington, ON / Canon D / Olivia Baird
7th / Mikayla Sancho / Kirkland, QC / Balou Velvet / Mikayla Sancho
8th / Sophia Tauro / King City, ON / Dalton Di Arezzo / Sophia Tauro