Harrisburg, Pennsylvania – October 16, 2026 – In a jump-off 18 horses deep, it took a lightning-fast round from Caitlin Boyle (USA) and Tahiti van’t Klavertje Vier to claim victory in Friday night’s $30,000 Commonwealth Classic 1.30m Grand Prix, presented by Beyaert Farm, at the 80th Pennsylvania National Horse Show.
An initial field of 41 entries took on the first-round course, designed by Bernardo Costa Cabral (POR), and from there, the competition at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, turned into a closely contested race against the clock.
The third pair to return for the jump-off, Samantha Schaefer (USA) and Emely van de Pluimert Z, have been ones to watch all week, and that proved to be the case again on Friday night, October 16. With Schaefer in the irons, the 7-year-old Warmblood mare, owned by R & R Hunter Horses, took over the leaderboard with a time of 33.515 seconds.
That time would hold up for the lead until Boyle and “Tahiti” entered the ring six trips later. With a strong gallop across the course in the Harrisburg Coliseum and some carefully angled slices, Tahiti shaved two-tenths of a second off Emely van de Pluimert Z’s time to ultimately take the win in 33.279 seconds. Schaefer held on to second place, while third place went to Augusta Iwasaki (USA) and Fee des Hermines, owned by Crooked Willow Farms.
“Tahiti is a lovely, lovely mare,” said Boyle of the 7-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare, owned by Beyaert Farm. “She just gave me everything she had all week. I couldn’t be more proud of her. She’s been nothing but perfect this whole time, and she’s just the most game little mare and tries her heart out all the time. We purchased her out of the Youngsters Auction last October, just about a year ago. She jumped a couple 1.30m prior to the auction. So, we took a little bit of a risk on her, and clearly that’s paying off for us!”
Boyle continued, “Right now I would like to keep her a little longer. Everything I ride is always for sale, but she’s just been amazing. I’m in a little bit of a transition period with some horses. My last two that I had that were excellent, excellent partners for me did get sold. So, she’s one that’s a little bit more up and coming. I hope that she’s going to be a nice ranking horse for me to show in some international competition.”
In addition to taking the win on Friday night, Boyle and Tahiti finished as the 1.30m Jumper division reserve champions. With a very narrow margin separating Boyle and Schaefer, Schaefer and Emely van de Pluimert Z earned the championship. Schaefer was also honored with the Leading Lady Jumper Rider Award, sponsored by the Kosloske Family, and the 1.30m Leading Jumper Rider Award. For the overall Leading Jumper Rider title, Schaefer was presented with the Thomas Boyle Memorial Challenge Trophy, donated by Patrick and Nicole Boyle.
“They do an amazing job, and I love this opportunity with the way the 1.30m division’s laid out. I think it’s a really unique show, and the atmosphere was awesome tonight. I mean, it was a 1.30m grand prix, and how often do you get to do that and showcase that with a great crowd? It was awesome. So, we’ll definitely be back. We loved it.”
Final Results – $30,000 Commonwealth Classic Grand Prix – 1.30m
1) Caitlin Boyle (USA) & Tahiti van’t Klavertje Vier – 0 / 0 – 33.279
2) Samantha Schaefer (USA) & Emely van de Pluimert Z – 0 / 0 – 33.515
3) Augusta Iwasaki (USA) & Fee des Hermines – 0 / 0 – 34.057
Source: Press Release by Emily Randolph / Randolph PR for the Pennsylvania National Horse Show
Photos: © Andrew Ryback Photography
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