Long and Casual Acquaintance claimed the win, with Darc Blue LF finishing second to give Long the top two places in the final.
TRAVERSE CITY, MI — September 3, 2026 — Rachel Long had twice the reason to celebrate Thursday morning at Flintfields Horse Park, sweeping the top two places with a pair of U.S.-bred young horses in the $4,000 North Star 4-Year-Old Jumper Final during the USHJA Young Jumper Championships presented by North Star Sport Horses.
Long claimed the win aboard Casual Acquaintance, with Darc Blue LF finishing second to complete a one-two finish for Long Farms.
For Long, who operates Long Farms in Horseshoe Bend, Idaho, the result represented her dedication to two different young horses whose development she has been closely involved with from the beginning.
Both are U.S.-bred.
Casual Acquaintance was bred by Alyssa Lask and is owned by Mike Kvistad, who purchased the horse as a foal. Long has ridden him since he was three.
“He’s so cool; he’s so clever, and he wants to do so good,” Long said. “It’s lovely to work with.”
Darc Blue LF carries an even more direct connection to Long Farms as a homebred by Long’s stallion HH Diamant Blue, whom Long said has competed through the 1.50m and 1.60m levels. Long has worked with Darc Blue LF from day one of the horse’s career development.
Developing horses from an early age has long been part of Long’s path in the sport.
“I’ve been riding young horses for most of my life. That’s part of what we’ve done,” the 25-year-old said. “My chance to have a horse to jump the grand prix was to develop it from a young horse.”
She has since brought horses along from their earliest years into FEI competition and national grand prix classes, making Thursday’s championship another step in a process she knows well.
Building Experience for the Future
For four-year-old horses, the championship is about more than the result. Competing at Flintfields Horse Park introduces developing horses to many of the elements they will encounter as they progress through the sport.
“I think it’s so important,” Long said of the four-year-old division. “For them to get in an environment like this that’s at such a high level at a young age, I think it’s so valuable for them.”
The four-year-old championship is intentionally brief, lasting two days. Long sees this as an advantage for horses at this stage.
“It’s also a nice way for them to just start with two days and make it a little bit casual, but still give them that experience at the end of the day,” she said. Asked what young horses need from their rider as they encounter those experiences, Long’s answer was simple: “Consistency. Give them what they need and meet them where they are.”
North Star Sport Horses’ support of the championships reflects that same philosophy. For owner Joan Jacobs, creating opportunities specifically for young horses is an important part of developing the sport.
“A lot of these horses come out here, and they’re very, very green, so you kind of have to put the blinders on when horses might have a refusal, or they’re looking at something,” Jacobs said. “That’s just a greenness coming in.”
Instead, Jacobs looks beyond those moments to the qualities underneath them.
“I look for the essence of the horse, which is their attitude, their willingness, their athletic ability,” she said.
For Jacobs, exposing young horses to an environment like Flintfields Horse Park is itself part of their education, from walking to and from the competition ring to learning to work around unfamiliar horses and activity.
“It’s a huge journey, and coming out for the first time in a venue like this, even just getting to go around, is a reward,” Jacobs said.
Her philosophy for young horses is perhaps even simpler: “We’re getting ready for life, not tomorrow.”
Young Jumper Championships Continue Saturday
Thursday’s 4-Year-Old Final was the first championship title of the week for the USHJA Young Jumper Championships presented by North Star Sport Horses.
Attention now turns to the 5-, 6-, 7-, and 8-year-old divisions, with their championship finals taking place Saturday at Flintfields Horse Park.
The Young Jumper Championships run alongside the Silver Oak Jumper Tournament presented by the Davis McCullough Foundation, which continues CSI3* competition through Sunday, September 6.
Find daily sport coverage, results, photos, schedules, and more throughout the Tournament of Champions at TraverseCityHorseShows.com and the TCHS Mobile App.
