Australian eventer Sophia Hill, 28, riding Humble Glory, secured third place in the $100,000 LiftMaster Grand-Prix Eventing Showcase—equivalent to FEI CCI4* level—at Bruce’s Field in Aiken, South Carolina, on 27-28 February. The 28-year-old, balancing a business, horse yard, and young family in Australia, relies on US-based rider Monica Spencer to stable and ride her horse during frequent trans-Pacific travels.
Sophia Hill started in tied 19th place after dressage with a score of 35.1, matching Monica Spencer's result on Artist. A clear showjumping round advanced her to eighth before she delivered the fastest cross-country time over Jay Hambly’s 30-jump course on Saturday, finishing faultlessly in under four-and-a-half minutes—one of only two clear rounds under time. This allowed Hill to hold her dressage score for third place, behind winner Phillip Dutton on Denim (30.3 after 1.2 showjumping time faults) and second-placed Elisa Wallace on Lissavorra Quality.
Hill, from Bluebell Park near Mansfield, Australia, praised her off-the-track Thoroughbred Humble Glory (by Bernardini out of Shovhog, known as Hughie): “That was so much fun. I’ve never done a cross-country quite like that. It was just like, jump, jump, jump, and everything came up so fast, but I couldn’t have been sat on a better horse for it. He’s just so agile, has such quick acceleration, just loves to gallop.”
Humble Glory has been stabled with New Zealand's Monica Spencer—herself a top rider with placings at Maryland and Kentucky—in the US since the Maryland 5 Star last autumn, where Hill and Hughie placed sixth after the fastest cross-country. Spencer rides the horse during Hill's absences, enabling her packed schedule: after a recent combined event in Ocala, Florida, Hill returned to Australia, plans The Event at TerraNova CCI4*-S (26-29 March), the Adelaide CCI5* (16-19 April), and the Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5*-L (23-26 April). The Aiken entry aligned with Spencer's Kentucky prep and helped fund Hughie's US stay.
Hill, who manages a competition yard and cares for her two-year-old child, said of the arrangement: “It’s a lot of flying, but it’s actually easier for us doing it like this... We’re great friends with Monica and really trust her to leave Hughie with her. If it wasn’t for her, this wouldn’t be possible.” She also finished 22nd at the 2024 Burghley Horse Trials with Humble Glory.
Fellow Australian Ema Klugman placed eighth on Chiraz (50) and 12th on Bronte Beach Z (55.1).
