Savannah Shaver Take Top Honors in Her First AYR Equitation Challenge at 2026 Lexington National

Lexington, VA – August 9, 2026 – Savannah Shaver made her first time competing in the Amy Y. Reistrup (AYR) Equitation Challenge one to remember, earning an 83 to take the victory on Sunday at the 2026 Lexington National Horse Show’s final day of competition. Kelly Kiser finished second with an 81, while Mila Lieberman earned third place with a 79. 

This unique jumper-style equitation class challenges riders to maintain traditional equitation form while navigating a timed course, this year’s time allowed was 80 seconds. Adding to the pressure, riders were only given the chance to learn their course as they walked into the ring for a timed course walk, warm up, and compete, all without any trainer input. The first round began with a single on the diagonal, followed by another single on the other diagonal bending to an oxer. Riders then tackled an oxer, rolling back to a two-stride combination on the outside, next a combination on the outside involving a four stride to a one stride then bending to an oxer, then rolled back to a diagonal single, and finished by by bending to an oxer at the end of the ring.

For Shaver, the win was meaningful because of the unique opportunity the class presented juniors with by forcing them to execute every step of the process without trainer guidance, allowing Shaver to take responsibility for her preparation and execution in a new way, “so this is my first time competing in the AYR Challenge, and it was a really cool experience to be able to kind of go trainer-less for the class, which is something I’ve never done,” Shaver explained. That independence began with a clear plan. After walking the course, Shaver mapped out her strategy and trusted the plan they had made. “We walked the course and had a really set plan, and we stuck to the plan,” she said.

Shaver partnered with Stapleton, affectionately known as “Muddy” in the barn, for the class. She has been riding the horse for approximately a year, making their AYR Challenge victory an exciting milestone in their partnership. “This is our first big win together, so it’s really special,” Shaver said. The timing of the victory made the moment even more significant. Shaver is preparing to leave for college, and this season marks the end of her junior career. “I leave for college soon. This is my last junior year, so it’s also just a good high note to leave on,” she shared. With a major win alongside a horse she has developed over the past year, the AYR Challenge provided the perfect high note to close this chapter.

The Lexington National has also become a nostalgic destination for Shaver over the years. “We come to this show almost every year I’ve been riding now, and it’s a super nostalgic show,” Shaver said. “I’ve done the VHSA finals multiple times now, and it’s always a lot of fun. I love the Coliseum. It’s a beautiful ring,” she added.

Thank you to every competitor, staff member, and family and friends who made this entire week a success. It was a stellar week at the Festival of Champions’ Lexington National horse show, and we can’t wait to welcome you back to the Virginia Horse Center for the 2027 Festival of Champions show series.