Pennsylvania National Horse Show 2026: 80th Show and Junior Weekend

JJ Torano and Vitus K came from second to win gold in the USEF Junior Jumper National Championship with a fourth straight clear round. Here's how it played out, how the big indoor show works and what to watch through Oct. 18.

Updated Oct 12, 20266 min read

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JJ Torano and Vitus K won the USEF Junior Jumper National Championship on Saturday night, Oct. 10, at the 80th Pennsylvania National. Junior Weekend is over, and the professional week and the $100,000 Grand Prix on Oct. 17 are still ahead.

TL;DR

The 80th Pennsylvania National Horse Show runs Oct. 8–18, 2026, at the PA Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg.
JJ Torano and Vitus K won gold in the Turnham Green/USEF Junior Jumper National Championship on Oct. 10. Kalea Iuliano and Arlecchino du Soleil Z took silver, and Alice Goodwin and Rockefeller G took bronze.
Violet Tatum and BP Swifty won Phase I on Oct. 8, and Tatum received the William C. Steinkraus Style of Riding Award.
The professional and amateur week starts Oct. 12. The new PNHS Adult and Children's Medal Finals are on Oct. 16 and 17.
Only two evening sessions are listed as ticketed: the Commonwealth Classic (Oct. 16, from $10) and the $100,000 Grand Prix de Penn National (Oct. 17, $25–$50).

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Pennsylvania National Horse Show 2026: what's happening now

Update (2026-10-12): JJ Torano and Vitus K won gold in the USEF Junior Jumper National Championship on Saturday night, Oct. 10.

The Pennsylvania National Horse Show 2026 is the 80th edition, and it runs Oct. 8–18 at the PA Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Junior Weekend is over, and the professional and amateur week starts today, Oct. 12, building to the $100,000 Grand Prix on Oct. 17.

The show uses two rings. The Harrisburg Coliseum hosts the feature classes, and the Keystone Arena runs alongside it. The show benefits the PNHS Foundation, a nonprofit that supports therapeutic riding and equine rescue programs.

If you're new to horse shows, the short version is this: the first long weekend belonged to junior riders (under 18), and the week that starts Oct. 12 shifts to professionals, amateurs and the big-money jumper classes.

Junior Weekend results

USEF Junior Jumper National Championship: Torano and Vitus K win gold

JJ Torano, 16, of Wellington, Florida, and Vitus K, a 16-year-old Hanoverian gelding, won the Turnham Green/USEF Junior Jumper National Championship on Saturday night, Oct. 10. They went into the final phase second, just 0.17 behind the leader, and jumped their fourth straight clear round to take gold on 0.17 penalty points.

Medal	Rider and horse	Final score
Gold	JJ Torano and Vitus K	0.17
Silver	Kalea Iuliano and Arlecchino du Soleil Z	2.86
Bronze	Alice Goodwin and Rockefeller G	4.2

Iuliano moved up from fourth on the final night, and the show's report says Goodwin climbed from sixth. Torano also helped Zone 4 win the Prix des States team gold on Friday with a clear round, according to US Equestrian. Two years ago, at 14, he became the youngest rider to win the USEF Hunter Seat Medal Final.

How the championship started: Phase I

On Thursday, Oct. 8, Violet Tatum and BP Swifty won the $5,000 Turnham Green/USEF Junior Jumper National Championship Welcome Phase I. It was a 1.35m course designed by Kevin Holowack, and US Equestrian listed 26 horse-and-rider pairs for the championship.

Tatum and BP Swifty stopped the clock in 63.377 seconds. JJ Torano and Vitus K were second in 63.715, and Scarlett Samuels and Confidence were third, according to Chronicle of the Horse.

Phase I only set the early order. The Prix des States team competition and Individual Phase II ran Friday night, Oct. 9, and Phase III decided the medals on Saturday night. Tatum didn't medal, but she received the William C. Steinkraus Style of Riding Award for the junior who best shows American equitation and sportsmanship.

3'3" junior hunters

On Friday, Oct. 9, Payton Flanders and My Style were champions in the 3'3" Large Junior Hunter 16-17 division, with Quinn Hunter and Rainier reserve. Other 3'3" division champions were:

Small Junior Hunter 16-17: Annabelle Brown and Kindly, who were also Grand Champion 3'3" Junior Hunter
Large Junior Hunter 15 & Under: Bridget Harris and Chaperone
Small Junior Hunter 15 & Under: Kathryn Padilla and Cornerstone
$10,000 3'3" Junior Hunter Winners Stake: Sloane LaFrance and Styled

How the USEF Junior Jumper National Championship works

This is a three-phase test, so one fast round doesn't win it. US Equestrian's format for 2026:

Phase I (Thursday): a 1.35m welcome class where faults convert to seconds. The result then turns into penalty points that carry forward.
Prix des States + Phase II (Friday): riders compete on teams for their USHJA zones in a Nations Cup-style format, with two rounds at 1.40m. Their scores also count individually.
Phase III (Saturday): the top 20 combinations jump a 1.40m Table II course with a time allowed. The rider with the fewest total penalties across all three phases is champion.

Ties for medals go to a short jump-off. The 2026 final showed why the format matters: the Phase I winner didn't medal, and the champion came from second place on the last night.

Hunters, jumpers and equitation: what you're watching

Harrisburg is a hunter/jumper show, so you'll see three kinds of classes. They look similar from the stands, but they're judged very differently.

Class type	What's judged	What to watch for
Hunters	The horse	Smooth rhythm, even pace, neat jumping form
Jumpers	The clock and the rails	Clear rounds, tight turns, fastest time
Equitation	The rider	Position, accuracy, quiet effective aids

Hunters are scored by judges on style. Jumpers are objective: a knocked rail or refusal adds faults, and time breaks ties. Equitation judges the rider, which makes it the classic test for young riders. Read our full explainer on what equitation is.

You'll also see heights quoted two ways. Hunters use feet and inches (3'3" is about 1m), and jumpers use meters (1.10m to 1.45m here).

Junior Weekend vs. professional week: key 2026 dates

Junior Weekend ran from Oct. 8 through Sunday, Oct. 11, when the USEF Hunter Seat Medal Final was held in the Coliseum. From Oct. 12 the show turns to green and professional hunters, amateur-owners and open jumpers.

Highlights on the official schedule:

Sat., Oct. 10 (done): pony hunters, Junior Jumper Phase III and awards, plus a Free Family Fun Day
Sun., Oct. 11 (done): USEF Hunter Seat Medal Final
Mon., Oct. 12 (tonight): Hunt Night with field hunters, hunt teams and the Parade of Fox Hounds (admission and parking free)
Fri., Oct. 16: $30,000 Commonwealth Classic (1.30m) and Team Night, plus the new PNHS Adult Medal Finals
Sat., Oct. 17: $100,000 Grand Prix de Penn National (1.40–1.45m), Classic Leadline and the new PNHS Children's Medal Finals
Sun., Oct. 18: USEF/NCEA Medal Final and closing championships

The new Children's and Adult Medal Finals matter because they give riders outside the top junior pipeline an equitation final of their own at a famous venue.

Visiting with family: tickets, free events and a checklist

The official tickets page lists only two ticketed sessions. Daytime sessions aren't listed there, so check panational.org for current admission and parking details before you go.

Commonwealth Classic & Team Night (Fri., Oct. 16): $10, a 4-pack for $30, or $6 each for groups of 10 or more. Doors open at 5 p.m. and competition starts at 6.
Grand Prix de Penn National (Sat., Oct. 17): $25 general admission, $40 or $50 reserved. Doors open at 5 p.m. Double Dan Horsemanship performs, and riders sign autographs after the class.

Family checklist

Print or screenshot the day's schedule. Classes run long, so start times are estimates.
Pack layers. Barns and arena aisles can be cool in October.
Wear closed-toe shoes. You'll be walking near horses.
Teach kids the barn-aisle rules: walk, don't run, and never approach a horse without asking. Our safety hub covers the basics.
Stay quiet during rounds. Clap after a rider finishes, not while they're jumping.
Bring snacks and plan a break. A full show day is a lot for little kids.

If your child wants to compete one day, start with our guide to a first horse show for kids and our show prep pages.

What to watch next

Monday night, Oct. 12: Hunt Night, with field hunters, hunt teams and the Parade of Fox Hounds. Admission and parking are free.
Oct. 13–15: green and professional hunters, amateur-owners and open jumpers as the professional week builds.
Oct. 16–17: the Commonwealth Classic, the first PNHS Adult and Children's Medal Finals, and the $100,000 Grand Prix de Penn National.
Sunday, Oct. 18: the USEF/NCEA Medal Final and the closing championships.

For live Pennsylvania National Horse Show results, plus the full results of the Oct. 11 USEF Hunter Seat Medal Final, use the official entries and results link on panational.org. For other big fall shows, see our Horse of the Year Show 2026 guide or browse more trends.

Hunters, jumpers or equitation: which do you love watching most?

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@FarmShowComplexOct 9, 2026
The venue noted that the Pennsylvania National Horse Show is under way at the complex through Oct. 18.
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@EquineInfoExOct 7, 2026
Equine Info Exchange shared a preview of the 80th show with the day-by-day schedule and ticket information.
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@UGAEquestrianOct 8, 2026
Georgia's college equestrian team wished its current and future riders luck at the show.
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Frequently asked questions

When is the Pennsylvania National Horse Show 2026?

Oct. 8–18, 2026, at the PA Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg. Junior Weekend ran Oct. 8–11, and the professional and amateur week runs Oct. 12–18.

Who won the USEF Junior Jumper National Championship in 2026?

JJ Torano, 16, of Wellington, Florida, and Vitus K won gold on Saturday night, Oct. 10, on 0.17. They started the final phase second and jumped a fourth straight clear round. Kalea Iuliano and Arlecchino du Soleil Z took silver (2.86), and Alice Goodwin and Rockefeller G took bronze (4.2). Violet Tatum and BP Swifty had won Phase I on Oct. 8.

Do you need tickets for the Pennsylvania National Horse Show?

The official tickets page lists two ticketed evenings: the Commonwealth Classic on Oct. 16 ($10, or less in packs and groups) and the $100,000 Grand Prix de Penn National on Oct. 17 ($25–$50). Hunt Night on Oct. 12 has free admission and parking. Check panational.org for daytime admission and parking.

When is the Grand Prix de Penn National?

Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, in the Harrisburg Coliseum. Doors open at 5 p.m., and top show jumpers face fences of 1.40–1.45m for $100,000.

What's the difference between hunters, jumpers and equitation?

Hunters judge the horse's style and smoothness. Jumpers are scored on faults and time. Equitation judges the rider's position and accuracy.

What is new at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in 2026?

The PNHS Children's Medal Final and PNHS Adult Medal Final are new. The adult final is on Oct. 16 and the children's final on Oct. 17, both in the Keystone Arena. Trainer bonuses also doubled, from $20,000 to $40,000.