Emily Corkhill Crowned Champion of the WEC Professional Medal at Christmas in the Midwest 2025

Wilmington, Ohio – The R+L Arena at World Equestrian Center – Wilmington played host to the annual WEC Professional Medal, where 14 athletes met for a unique opportunity to show off their equitation skills.

The class consisted of an over-fences phase and a flat phase. Joe Carnicom designed a course that asked each horse-and-rider combination to demonstrate rideability and finesse. The judging panel then asked the field of riders to perform without stirrups on the flat, demonstrating a sitting and rising trot, shoulder-in, haunches-in, and a lengthening of stride in each direction.

After two impressive phases, it was Emily Corkhill of Kimber-View Stables who came out on top riding Elizabeth Lile’s 13-year-old Warmblood gelding, Torento (Tornesch x La Pomme V’T Gelutt Z). The class offered a unique opportunity for professionals to step into a different role, something Corkhill said she genuinely enjoyed.

“This is super fun. I really enjoy this,” she shared. “It’s nice to show the kids that the trainers are still involved and have to do some of the same things as well. I have a whole new appreciation after doing the flat without stirrups, and I feel like my kids are doing a great job,” she laughed. “I’m very proud of them.”

In the first round, the track presented a few questions for competitors, particularly in the first five-stride line, but Corkhill felt confident in her plan.

“The horse I was riding does the 3’6”, so I can trust him completely,” she explained. “I know his step is big, I know his scope, so it didn’t bother me. I think the track worked out very nicely — just a little bit in and up to the five. The two-stride rode really well because you could have a good canter going into it. Overall, the track rode nicely and flowed. There was some opportunity to do a couple of turns, but it was just smooth and made for a nice riding round.”

Following the jumping portion, competitors were tested again during the flat phase, which added another layer of challenge and plenty of laughs from the sidelines.

“That was hard,” she said with a laugh. “But it’s good for the professionals to come in and have to do this because we work on it with our kids all the time. We reiterate the no-stirrup work constantly. The owner of the horse I rode was in the top four or five at Hamel Finals, and they had to go back in and do a jump test without stirrups. You definitely see this in finals, so it’s really important to practice no-stirrup work. It’s hard, but it’s very important, and I think it’s a big part of this class.”

Congratulations, Emily, and thank you to all of our professional’s for their hard work!