Mill Spring, NC – October 27, 2026 – The future of the hunter sport was on display at the 143rd National Horse Show as talented young horses took center stage in the $10,000 Young / Green Hunter Championship on Tuesday evening, kicking off Week II of competition at Tryon International.
Now in its second year, the championship is designed to support the development of the sport’s next generation of equine athletes, welcoming five-, six-, and seven-year-old horses to showcase their talent and gain valuable experience on a national stage. Each combination competed in two rounds, judged on movement, jumping style, manners, and way of going. Scores from both rounds were combined to determine the overall winner.
Augusta Iwasaki delivered an impressive performance, sweeping the top three places aboard three talented young horses. Iwasaki and Celebration, a six-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by Knees 2 Nose LLC, emerged victorious with a combined score of 175.5, capturing the coveted championship title at the 143rd National Horse Show.
Known as “Frosty” in the barn, Celebration has already made an impression on Iwasaki with the qualities that make a promising young hunter.
“His jump and movement are both beautiful and very flashy, and he’s very cute to watch go around,” Iwasaki explained. “You just like him when you watch him, which I think is important. He has an amazing canter and a great lead change, which I think is hard to find in green horses sometimes.”
Finishing just one point behind with a combined score of 174.5 was Iwasaki aboard Ever So Clear, a six-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding owned by Ava Peck. Rounding out the top three was Iwasaki and El Porvenir Zara, a six-year-old Villa Argentino mare owned by Elle Gibbs, with a final score of 174.25.
For Iwasaki, the remarkable sweep was particularly meaningful as she made her professional debut on the indoor circuit.
“This is my first indoors as a pro, so it’s very exciting,” said Iwasaki. “I knew all my horses would be good, but it’s very lucky to have something like this happen.”
No stranger to the National Horse Show, Iwasaki has been competing at the prestigious event since her junior years, including a memorable victory in the 2022 ASPCA Maclay National Championship. Now returning as a professional, she continues to build on that experience while helping develop the next generation of equine athletes.
Iwasaki also emphasized the importance of providing young horses with opportunities to gain experience in championship settings before advancing to higher levels of competition.
“I think for any big competition, they need to learn how to do it,” she explained. “It’s really great to have something that they can start doing at three-foot, three-foot-three, and start to get used to them so they’re ready for it when you ask them to do three-foot-six in these high-pressure situations.”
The $10,000 Young / Green Hunter Championship continues to establish itself as an important addition to the National Horse Show’s championship offerings. By providing a competitive environment tailored to developing horses, the class gives the sport’s rising equine stars an opportunity to build confidence, gain valuable experience, and showcase the qualities that could carry them to future success.
With three talented six-year-olds sweeping the podium, Iwasaki’s remarkable evening offered a glimpse of the bright future ahead for the hunter sport and the next generation of champions.
