McLain Ward and HH Carlos Z. Photos copyright Sportfot.
Ward and Andrew Kocher Tie for Win in $50,000 Engel & Völkers Puissance; Daniel Coyle Tops $25,000 U.S. Open Hollow Creek Farm Under 25 FEI Grand Prix
September 22, 2016 – New York, NY – Day two of the 2016 Rolex Central Park Horse Show (RCPHS) featured international show jumping set to the backdrop of the New York City skyline on Thursday, September 22, in Central Park’s Wollman Rink.
Thursday was deemed “Canadian Pacific Day”, as competition highlighted the $40,000 U.S. Open Canadian Pacific FEI Speed Class, which saw a win for McLain Ward (USA) aboard HH Carlos Z. The evening’s competition also featured the $50,000 Engel & Völkers Puissance, where Ward and Andrew Kocher (USA) tied for victory by clearing the impressive wall in four rounds, and jumping off at 6’9″ inches. The $25,000 U.S. Open Hollow Creek Farm Under 25 FEI Grand Prix was held on Thursday as well, with a win for Daniel Coyle (IRL) aboard Fortis Fortuna.
The Rolex Central Park Horse Show runs through Sunday, September 25, with five days of multi-discipline equestrian sport for Arabians, jumpers, dressage, and hunters. The $216,000 FEI Grand Prix CSI 3*, presented by Rolex, and Friday night ceremonies will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network on Sunday, September 25, from 9-10:30 p.m. EST.
The course designer for international show jumping competition in Central Park is this year’s Rio Olympic Games designer Guilherme Jorge (BRA). In the $40,000 Canadian Pacific Speed class, which was held in a faults converted format, Jorge saw 34 horse and rider combinations that included some of the world’s very best.
Two-time Olympic Team Gold Medalist and Rio Olympic Team Silver Medalist McLain Ward was the winner in a blazing fast time of 58.63 seconds aboard the 14-year-old Zangersheide gelding HH Carlos Z (Chellano Z x Voltaire). Ward and ‘Carlos’ have won in some of the greatest destinations and biggest competitions in the world and led the victory gallop for the first time this year in the world-famous Central Park event.
Conor Swail (IRL) won the class in the first two years of RCPHS competition, but settled for second place this year, with a time of 60.26 seconds riding Ariel and Susan Grange’s Cita. Hardin Towell (USA) and Evergate Stables’ Lucifer V finished third in 60.45 seconds. Emanuel Andrade (VEN) and his own Hardrock Z placed fourth in 64.77 seconds.
Commenting on two victories in one night, Ward noted, “For me, it is a good comeback, because my record here is not so good. I think my best score is 16 and I think I have fallen off twice, so I was actually having a little nervous laugh about that on the way down to the ring tonight.
“Carlos is a great campaigner for me,” Ward stated. “He just does every job at the horse show – other than the Puissance. If he is in form, he really is tough to beat against the clock, and I was thrilled with the way he handled the evening. It is a unique atmosphere and some horses handle it better than others, so I was thrilled that he handled it well, and I think I have a nice set up for tomorrow night.”
Remarking on his second place finish, Swail detailed, “I think right from the start Hardin put up a very good time. It seemed that it was going to hold quite well throughout the class, but there are a lot of world-class competitors here this year. McLain went in, and he is a very fast rider and he has a very fast horse, so I think everything came off very well for him.
“It was a little bit the same for me,” Swail continued. “I was trying to etch out somewhere that I could maybe leave out a step that no one else did. Even my turn to the last fence, I thought I could try something a little different just to try and pip McLain, but I did not quite get it.”
Swail started riding Cita this time last year and was happy with the mare’s performance Thursday night.
“She is an extremely careful horse, and she has proven to be a very good jumper,” he praised. “I was very pleased with her tonight. She did everything I asked of her, and second place was a good result for us tonight.”
Though his time did not hold up for the win, Hardin Towell had a great experience with his mount Lucifer V and feels confident in his horse heading into Friday’s grand prix competition.
“The last place I showed was Spruce Meadows, and this is definitely a lot different jumping,” Towell noted. “I knew it was going to be a fast class, and my plan was to be quick. I hoped to be top three, and I could not have done anything different at the end. Maybe I could have been a little smoother, but I know my horse, and I was happy with how he jumped.”
Ward and Kocher Attempt 6’9″ in the Puissance
The evening’s competition concluded with the $50,000 Engel & Völkers Puissance, which saw a tie for McLain Ward riding Evergate Stables’ ZZ Top VH Schaarbroek Z and Andrew Kocher aboard Eagle Valley Partners’ C’Havinia. Seven entries started over the imposing Puissance wall set at a height of 5’3″, and the competition continued up through four more rounds as Ward and Kocher jumped head-to-head at the final height of 6’9″. Neither rider was able to clear the wall at that height, leaving them tied for the win.
Ward rode ZZ Top VH Schaarbroek Z in the Puissance competition after the gelding also competed in the Under 25 class with young rider Oliver McCarthy. It was a last minute decision to enter the class, but Ward already knew the horse well and got a little encouragement from longtime manager Lee McKeever.
“We had the horse here with my rider Oliver, and I have actually sold this horse a couple of times and bought him back a couple of times,” Ward explained. “I have not ridden the horse in five years, but he is an easy catch ride. He is a wonderful grand prix horse who really knows his job.”
Ward continued, “Everyone knows the story of Lee and me – we have been together 30 years – and when we were driving here tonight, he said, ‘Why don’t you want to do the Puissance? Are you getting a little chicken?’ I said we didn’t really have a Puissance horse, and he said that horse could do it. I thought about it for a few miles, and I said, ‘Do you think we can still enter?’ He kept saying that I was afraid, and we went back and forth for about 10 miles, and so I told him to enter me in the class.”
Ward is no stranger to Puissance competitions. In fact, he has won many (including seven times at the Washington International Horse Show), and noted that the highest he has cleared is a staggering 7’3″.
“I also attempted to jump an 8-foot wall six different times, but never cleared it. I have no intention of doing that again!” Ward laughed. “The last round I thought looked quite big tonight. It jumped up a little bit in the last round (from 6’3″ to 6’9″). It was interesting though, because I thought in the second to last round my horse jumped it better, and I thought in the last round Andy’s horse jumped it better. So it was pretty even at the end. I thought it was a nice, exciting class with horses jumping very well.”
Commenting on the Puissance class in general, Ward added, “It is a fun way to end the evening. It gets everybody into the competition, and I think the draw of this class is that it is something that everybody can easily understand – how high can you jump?”
Andrew Kocher and C’Havinia
For Andrew Kocher, this was his first time competing at the RCPHS and one of few times he has attempted the Puissance.
“This is my first time here, so we are having a really good time and we were excited to get invited for sure,” Kocher acknowledged. “That mare (C’Havinia) has never done anything like that. I have done the Puissance three times at Washington, and the first time was really bad, but this time I have been practicing for a few weeks. I didn’t have a big enough wall, so I put some hay bales in there to stack it up. It was fun.”
International Equestrian Group and RCPHS founder Mark Bellissimo enjoyed all of Thursday evening’s competition and spoke after the event, thanking riders and sponsors.
“We had great competition tonight. It is interesting to see classes like that happen on a night like this, with perfect weather and a perfect backdrop, so I thank all of the participants for their great effort,” Bellissimo stated. “We want to thanks Canadian Pacific – Hunter Harrison, Keith Creel, and Mark Wallace – they have been very generous supporters of the sport. Events like this are very complex and take a lot of support, and Canadian Pacific has been a great partner with us on this event and we really appreciate. We also have to thank Rolex, who is the title sponsor of the event since the first day. Also Land Rover and Adequan®, who have supported this event for three years. Those four have been stalwarts in making sure that this event has been successful, so I really want to thank them for that.”
Mark Wallace, Vice-President, Corporate Affairs and Chief of Staff of Canadian Pacific, added, “It was great being here this week in New York. I was in Calgary last week for the CP International, and it was a different experience than this was under the lights in Central Park. It is a great event, and we have been a partner here for the last three years. It was fun to watch tonight, and McLain is a little bit a part of our family at CP. He has a close relationship with our CEO Hunter Harrison, so it was exciting to watch him win. Congratulations to everybody, and we are thrilled to be a part of this.”
Ireland’s Daniel Coyle Tops U25 Grand Prix
The $25,000 U.S. Open Hollow Creek Farm Under 25 FEI Grand Prix was the first competition held on Thursday evening with a win for Daniel Coyle of Ireland riding the 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare Fortis Fortuna (Quidam de Revel x Carthago).
Course designer Guilherme Jorge saw 14 competitors in round one, with three advancing to the tie-breaking jump-off. Bryn Sadler (USA) and Showcase 81 LLC’s Bon Giorno were first to return over the shortened course, with one rail down in a time of 40.28 seconds to finish third. Coyle followed aboard Susan and Ariel Grange’s Fortis Fortuna, also dropping one rail, but in a faster time of 35.57 seconds for the win. Alexandra Crown (USA) and her own Von Cim were last to go, but were also unable to complete the course without fault, clocking in at 37.35 seconds to finish in second place.
Commenting on his win, Coyle stated, “It is great for me to be here, and to be here for my first time and win. It is the horse’s first time here as well, so I just tried to concentrate on getting a clear round to start off, and I did. It just kind of went my way in the jump-off, so I am really happy.”
Coyle continued, “Conor (Swail) rode the horse and very nicely gave her to me to ride. I won a few classes at Spruce Meadows and Angelstone with her this year, so she has been a very good one for me to get, and I am happy to have her. I had a plan tonight, and I tried to just stick to it.”
Competition in Central Park’s Wollman Rink continues through Sunday, September 25, with more multi-discipline equestrian sport for jumpers, dressage, and hunters. Friday features the U.S. Open Dressage Grand Prix CDI 4*, presented by Axel Johnson, at 1:30 p.m. The evening session includes the $5,000 Junior/Amateur 1.20m Jumper class and the $216,000 FEI Grand Prix CSI 3*, presented by Rolex. For more information, visit www.centralparkhorseshow.com.
About Rolex Central Park Horse Show Launched in September 2014, Rolex Central Park Horse Show is the first-ever outdoor, multi-day equestrian sporting event in New York City, showcasing some of the best show jumpers and dressage riders in the world as they vie for top prizes against a backdrop of skyscrapers in one of the world’s most iconic venues. As the event founder, Mark Bellissimo is the CEO of Equestrian Sport Productions and International Equestrian Group LLC; Managing Partner of Wellington Equestrian Partners (WEF), Tryon Equestrian Partners and Colorado Equestrian Partners; and Publisher of The Chronicle of The Horse magazine. The Rolex Central Park Horse Show will feature five days of multi-discipline equestrian sport and performances, ranging from Arabians and Dressage to Hunters and Show Jumping. The Rolex Central Park Horse Show will also host the second annual U.S. Open in the following categories: Jumpers; Dressage; Hunters; U25 Jumpers; and Arabians. For more information, visit www.centralparkhorseshow.com or Facebook at www.facebook.com/CPhorseshow and follow @cphorseshow on Twitter and Instagram.
Jos Verlooy and Sunshine clearing 6’11” on their way to winning the Puissance at WIHS. Photo by Lauren Fisher/Jump Media.
Hollow Creek Farm Presents U.S. Open $25,000 Under 25 FEI Grand Prix; Engel & Völkers Sponsors First Annual Puissance
New York, NY – September 20, 2016 – The Rolex Central Park Horse Show will bring together power and speed on Thursday, September 22, at Wollman Rink in Manhattan. Dubbed “Canadian Pacific Day”, the schedule features the U.S. Open $25,000 Under 25 Hollow Creek Farm FEI Grand Prix, the U.S. Open $40,000 FEI Canadian Pacific Speed Class, and the $50,000 Engel & Völkers Puissance.
“We look forward to everyone enjoying ‘Canadian Pacific Day’ at the Rolex Central Park Horse Show,” said Mark Bellissimo of International Equestrian Group. “It will be a thrilling night of competition showcasing the best of equestrian sport. We hope that we can set new world records in the Puissance and provide a fantastic event for spectators too.”
“Canadian Pacific Day” begins with gates opening at 6 p.m. The U.S. Open $25,000 Under 25 Hollow Creek Farm FEI Grand Prix kicks off at 6:30 p.m. Some of the best young show jumpers in North America will compete under the lights in Wollman Rink to determine the U.S. Open champion.
Following the U25 competition is the U.S. Open $40,000 FEI Canadian Pacific Speed class at 8 p.m., where international show jumpers like McLain Ward, Kent Farrington, Georgina Bloomberg, and Todd Minikus will go head to head against the clock. The fastest horse and rider combination will be awarded.
“CP is proud to be back as a sponsor for the Rolex Central Park Horse Show and a partner in putting on a tremendous show in one of the sport’s most unique venues,” said CP CEO E. Hunter Harrison. “We wish all the horses and riders well as they face off in front of enthusiastic fans in the heart of New York City.”
The $50,000 Engel & Völkers Puissance is a new addition to the Rolex Central Park Horse Show in 2016 and will start at approximately 9 p.m. The unique event requires a special horse with power to clear a wall that is raised in height with each round. Phenom rider Jos Verlooy of Belgium, who is just 20 years old, won the $50,000 Boeing Company Puissance at last year’s Washington International Horse Show (WIHS). He will contest the Puissance and hopes to have the opportunity to set the new world outdoor puissance record, breaking the current height of seven feet, three inches.
Irish rider Susan Oakes and her horse Cicero will also tackle the Puissance wall in a special addition to Thursday evening. The pair, who compete in side saddle style, will try to set a new world record as well.
Oakes currently holds the world record for jumping six feet, eight inches in a puissance side saddle, and she hopes to break the seven-foot barrier on Thursday.
For more information and a full schedule of events for the Rolex Central Park Horse Show, please visit www.CentralParkHorseShow.com.
Want to see high-flying jumpers, dancing dressage horses, stunning Arabians, and elegant hunters? Tickets are selling fast! To get yours, go to http://bit.ly/29LwkkD.
The official hotel is the JW Marriot Essex House and special rates are available for a limited time at http://bit.ly/1qV3FBt. In the “Please Select Guest Type” box, select “Attendee” when making a reservation.
About Rolex Central Park Horse Show
Launched in September 2014, Rolex Central Park Horse Show is the first-ever outdoor, multi-day equestrian sporting event in New York City, showcasing some of the best show jumpers and dressage riders in the world as they vie for top prizes against a backdrop of skyscrapers in one of the world’s most iconic venues. As the event founder, Mark Bellissimo is the CEO of Equestrian Sport Productions and International Equestrian Group LLC; Managing Partner of Wellington Equestrian Partners (WEF), Tryon Equestrian Partners and Colorado Equestrian Partners; and Publisher of The Chronicle of The Horse magazine. The Rolex Central Park Horse Show will feature five days of multi-discipline equestrian sport and performances, ranging from Arabians and Dressage to Hunters and Show Jumping. The Rolex Central Park Horse Show will also host the second annual U.S. Open in the following categories: Jumpers; Dressage; Hunters; U25 Jumpers; and Arabians. For more information, visit www.centralparkhorseshow.com or Facebook at www.facebook.com/CPhorseshow and follow @cphorseshow on Twitter and Instagram.
A new addition to the program this year is the $50,000 Puissance high-jump competition on Thursday night. Photo by Sportfot.
Inaugural Puissance competition slated for Thursday evening highlights show jumpers and a bid for Irishwoman Susan Oakes to break world side-saddle record
New York, NY – August 31, 2016 – The third Annual Rolex Central Park Horse Show announces an exciting line-up for show jumping fans at its event in New York City on September 21-25, 2016. U.S. Show Jumping Team Silver medalists from the Rio Olympic Games, McLain Ward and Kent Farrington, come to New York to battle for the prestigious title of U.S. Open Champion on Thursday, September 22, and Friday, September 23, 2016. They will be joined by some of the top riders in the world, including hometown hero and former Central Park Grand Prix winner Georgina Bloomberg (USA), and veteran superstar Todd Minikus (USA).
A new addition to the program this year is the $50,000 Puissance on Thursday night, where leading Belgian rider and winner of the Washington International Horse Show Puissance, Jos Verlooy, will try to break the outdoor record height of 7 feet 3 inches over the big wall. He will be joined by some of the best high jumpers in the country all pushing to clear that great height.
To add extra excitement to Thursday night, Irish Rider Susan Oakes and her Dublin Puissance winner Cicero will attempt the world record for side-saddle high-jump.
Since its inception in 2014, the Rolex Central Park Horse Show has grown significantly to embrace a global reach and attract some of the best competitors in equestrian sport. The event, highlighted by the impressive backdrop of the New York City skyline, showcases numerous equestrian disciplines with exciting competition for the enjoyment of spectators and participants alike.
For international show jumping fans, Thursday, September 22, highlights the U.S. Open $40,000 FEI Speed Class at 8:00 p.m., followed by the thrilling $50,000 Puissance high-jump competition at 9:00 p.m. Friday, September 23, features the U.S. Open $216,000 Grand Prix CSI 3*, presented by Rolex.
The official hotel is the JW Marriot Essex House and special rates are available for a limited time at http://bit.ly/1qV3FBt. In the “Please Select Guest Type” box, select “Attendee” when making a reservation.
About Rolex Central Park Horse Show Launched in September 2014, Rolex Central Park Horse Show is the first-ever outdoor, multi-day equestrian sporting event in New York City, showcasing some of the best show jumpers and dressage riders in the world as they vie for top prizes against a backdrop of skyscrapers in one of the world’s most iconic venues. As the event founder, Mark Bellissimo is the CEO of Equestrian Sport Productions and International Equestrian Group LLC; Managing Partner of Wellington Equestrian Partners (WEF), Tryon Equestrian Partners and Colorado Equestrian Partners; and Publisher of The Chronicle of The Horse magazine. The Rolex Central Park Horse Show will feature five days of multi-discipline equestrian sport and performances, ranging from Arabians and Dressage to Hunters and Show Jumping. The Rolex Central Park Horse Show will also host the second annual U.S. Open in the following categories: Jumpers; Dressage; Hunters; U25 Jumpers; and Arabians. For more information, visit www.centralparkhorseshow.com or Facebook at www.facebook.com/CPhorseshow and follow @cphorseshow on Twitter and Instagram.
New York, NY – June 8, 2016 – Want to jump to new heights in the Big Apple? The 2016 Rolex Central Park Horse Show, one of the most highly anticipated equestrian events of the year, is seeking interest from competitors for a potential $50,000 Puissance class to be hosted in the iconic Wollman Rink on Thursday, September 22. An additional $50,000 Rider Bonus will be offered to the combination who can break the international outdoor Puissance record. The 2016 Rolex Central Park Horse Show will begin on Wednesday, September 21, and continue through Sunday, September 25, featuring U.S. Open competition for Show Jumping, Dressage, Hunter, and Arabian disciplines.
The Puissance is a special opportunity for riders to compete in Central Park and be a part of the Rolex Central Park Horse Show. A favorite class with spectators for its entertaining and electric atmosphere, the Puissance starts with a wall set at 4 feet, 6 inches high. As horses clear it, the wall is raised, and the thrilling competition continues with each round, showcasing the versatility and athleticism of the horse. Fans hold their breath to see who can clear the towering jump as horses gallop down to the wall.
The Rolex Central Park Horse Show has amassed a significant global media presence since its inception in 2014 and is highlighted by the impressive backdrop of the New York City skyline. The event showcases numerous equestrian disciplines, while the addition of specialty competition opportunities this year will bring an intriguing element of excitement for spectators and participants.
Those interested in participating in the $50,000 Puissance class at The 2016 Rolex Central Park Horse Show, please contact Michael Stone at mstone2811@gmail.com.
Two riders fought all the way to share a thrilling Alltech Puissance at Olympia, The London International Horse Show, after both their horses jumped superbly over five rounds.
Jos Verlooy from Belgium and Germany’s Hilmar Meyer were the only two to make it through to the fifth round and shared the spoils – which were presented by HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, paying her annual visit to Olympia – after soaring over the famous wall at 2.15m (7ft 1in).
Meyer first came to Olympia a couple of years ago as a groom; now, on his first visit as a competitor, he is celebrating winning one of the most prestigious classes. His horse, the 13-year-old Continuo by Contendro, is a puissance specialist and has taken many classes in Europe.
“I’m very proud of my horse,” said Meyer. “It’s an unbelievable feeling jumping that high, but only with the right horse. It’s been great to ride here at Olympia; it’s such a great atmosphere.”
Unusually, Verlooy, 20, was using the class as a warm-up for the Longines FEI World Cup qualifier on Sunshine, a nine-year-old chestnut gelding. “I think that jumping a puissance can work well as a warm-up before a really big class,” he explained. “It was really exciting. I couldn’t believe how easily my horse jumped.”
Swiss rider Pius Schwizer riding Leonard de la Ferme CH, Victoria Gulliksen (Grand Balou), daughter of Norwegian Olympian and perennial Olympia visitor Geir Gulliksen, Ireland’s Trevor Breen on the dual Hickstead Derby winner Loughnatousa WB and last year’s runner-up, Karline De Branander from Belgium on her gallant mare Fantomas de Muze, all crashed out in the fourth round when the wall was 2.10m (6ft 11in).
ROBERT WHITAKER TURNS UP THE HEAT
Earlier in the evening there was a British one-two-three in the Porsche Cayenne Challenge, a speed class. The third last rider, Robert Whitaker, made an audacious turn to the water tray on Usa Today to grab the spoils by 0.15sec from William Funnell (Billy Angelo) and Laura Renwick (Heliodor Hybris).
“I’ve been coming to Olympia since I was a kid, watching my father [John], so it’s always fantastic to win,” said Robert. “Usa is not actually that fast, but he definitely likes the atmosphere.”
Drawn near the end of the starting order, Whitaker had spotted an opportunity earlier during the round of another of the challengers.
“Jos Verlooy (BEL) almost made it but it didn’t quite come off,” said Robert. “When I jumped the fence before the turn, USA Today landed in a way that gave me enough space to get the tight right-handed turn in.”
Robert pointed out that winning at Olympia, The London International Horse Show is particularly special for the world’s top riders.
“Everyone wants to win here, regardless of whether they are British or foreign riders,” he said.
Italian rider Emanuele Gaudiano was the first rider to chalk up an Olympia winner when taking the opening Santa Stakes on Caspar.
EXELL SETS THE BAR HIGH IN OLYMPIA’S EXTREME
In the Dodson & Horrell Top Score Extreme Carriage Driving competition, Australia’s Boyd Exell showed, yet again, why he is the current world horse four-in-hand champion, both indoors and out. His thundering round, in which he gave a dazzling performance of rein handling, through the course that featured two obstacles and a bridge, recorded a time some seven seconds faster than his fellow contestants.
Speaking after the competition, Exell remarked that his horses felt like ‘magic’ in his hands. “I had to constantly slow them down rather than urge them on,” he remarked. He was disappointed, though, to incur a five-second penalty when a ball fell. “It had felt like a clear round,” he said.
Today’s contest was a forerunner to the two qualifying legs of the FEI World Cup Driving, the first of which features tomorrow with the Final on Saturday evening. The Olympia crowd was treated to the thrilling spectacle of this competition – the finale of the afternoon performance – as each driver pushed their horses to their limits round the tight course. Exell’s closest challenger, Ijsbrand Chardon from the Netherlands – himself a previous World champion indoors and out, was the only competitor to drive clear. Seven seconds slower than Exell, however, meant the Australian claimed the crown by a less than two second margin. Jozsef Dobrovitz from Hungary, driving at Olympia for the first time, was third.
For more information, please contact Gayle Telford, Revolution Sports + Entertainment
E: gayle@revolutionsports.co.uk T: +44(0)778 757 6490 or +44(0)207 592 1207
Olympia, The London International Horse Show The first international horse show took place in the Olympia halls in 1907. Olympia, The London International Horse Show, the event we see today, was started by Raymond Brooks-Ward in 1971. This year’s show takes place on 15-21 December 2015 in the Olympia Exhibition Hall, located in West Kensington London. The show will play host to a packed timetable of all things equestrian and is expected to welcome over 90,000 visitors. It is regarded as one of Europe’s oldest and most prestigious equine competitions. The show mixes top class equestrian action, including FEI World Cup™ Jumping, Dressage and Driving with family entertainment, such as the Osborne Refrigerators Shetland Pony Grand National and The Kennel Club Dog Agility.
Harrie Smolders and Emerald won the highlight event of the week, the $125,000 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Washington, presented by Events DC, for the President’s Cup. Photo: Shawn McMillen Photography.
Washington, D.C. – November 7, 2015 – For one week each October, the Penn Quarter neighborhood around Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. transforms into a festival of horses. Streets close for stabling and community events, and pedestrians and vehicles make way for hundreds of horses to compete at the Washington International Horse Show (WIHS), one of the most prestigious and engaging equestrian events in the United States, and a D.C. tradition since 1958.
WIHS wrapped its 57th year with one of the most successful events in its history, welcoming business, military and diplomatic leaders, local and military charities, and community events, and more than 26,000 fans of all ages, making it the largest indoor equestrian event in the United States.
The excitement will continue and reach directly into living rooms across North America this Monday, November 9, at 9 PM EST when CBS Sports Network will air WIHS’s top event of the week, the $125,000 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Washington, presented by Events DC, for the President’s Cup. See the CBS Sports Network Channel Guide at http://www.cbssportsnetwork.com/channel-finder for local listings.
“This year we welcomed new partners to the show and embarked on several exciting new opportunities that were very popular with our fans,” said WIHS President Victoria Lowell. “Washington was selected as one of only 14 events comprising the all-new Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping North American League, so international riders at Washington competed for valuable points to qualify for the 2016 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Finals in Gothenburg, Sweden.”
Dressage returned to WIHS on Saturday night. Allison Brock and the beautiful Hanoverian stallion, Rosevelt, owned by Fritz and Claudine Kundrun, performed an elegant and crowd-pleasing dressage grand prix freestyle to Tanghetto Kur, presented by Deloitte. Photo: Alden Corrigan Media
Lowell continued, “We also opened the door to greater audience engagement through innovations in technology. Working with SAP, we developed an app allowing the audience to judge the WIHS Equitation Finals along with the official judges. This was a first for our sport and was very well received. Our new partnership with Deloitte brought a world-class dressage freestyle performance by Alison Brock to the capital city that captivated the crowd!”
“We’re thrilled the show continues to grow each year,” said Bridget Love Meehan, WIHS Executive Director since 2011. “The atmosphere all week was buzzing with fantastic competition, entertaining exhibitions and a huge array of other on-site activities. We’re proud of our growing list of sponsors from around the world and partnerships with local businesses and the community, which all promise an exciting future for the show. And we’re so appreciative of the city for its ongoing assistance in managing the complex logistics of our event with minimal disruption to residents.”
President’s Cup Night: Celebrating Equestrian Stars
Saturday night’s $125,000 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Washington, presented by Events DC, brought out a star-studded lineup of top international show jumpers from five countries to jump for the famed President’s Cup trophy. Spectators filled the arena and the elegant ringside Lugano Club and Longines Club to watch riders and horses jump up to 1.60m in height. Six riders cleared the challenging first round set by course designer Anthony D’Ambrosio to advance to round two. Following a thrilling jump-off, Dutch rider Harrie Smolders and Emerald won by 0.11 seconds, just beating Callan Solem of the U.S. and VDL Wizard. Finishing third was Nicola Philippaerts of Belgium and H&M Forever D Arco Ter Linden.
Smolders was presented with the show’s most coveted prize, The President of the United States Perpetual Cup, for the second time, having won it previously in 2006. The trophy was commissioned for the show by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in 1961.
The evening kicked off with Victoria Colvin, 18, of Loxahatchee, Fla., winning the final work-off of the three-phase WIHS Equitation Finals, presented by SAP. This prestigious year-end championship for junior riders is a touchstone for future international equestrian stars, as evidenced by many of today’s top American riders including two-time Olympic gold medalist McLain Ward, who won the finals in 1993. On Wednesday, Colvin won the $35,000 International Jumper Welcome Stake, presented by Amalaya Investments, riding Cafino. Colvin also continued her tradition of success in the hunter ring by piloting Small Affair to the Grand Junior Hunter Championship and receiving the Best Child Rider on a Horse award, presented by Gotham North.
Looking ahead to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, WIHS invited all the riders competing at the show, who have represented the United States in official international competition to gather in the ring wearing their official pinque coats. The night’s President’s Cup Party, hosted by the Young Nelson Society, WIHS’s new young professionals philanthropic group, benefited the USET Foundation and the Ride to Rio initiative. A special video celebrated Team USA’s success this year.
In a moving moment, another former U.S. Team rider joined the group at center ring. No longer an active show competitor, he entered wearing a sport coat and a big smile. Into the ring walked Rodney Jenkins, the winningest rider in U.S. show jumping history, to be welcomed as the 12th inductee into the WIHS Hall of Fame. The special induction ceremony was presented by The Boeing Company.
It was fitting Jenkins was inducted on President’s Cup Night, as his first major international success was at Washington in 1970 when he won the President’s Cup Grand Prix riding the incomparable Idle Dice, a prize he went on to win multiple times. He was equally prolific in the hunter ring with countless wins in all divisions. Jenkins joins George Morris, William Steinkraus, Betty Oare, and other WIHS Hall of Fame inductees who have made important contributions to equestrian sport. Since 1987, Jenkins has been a successful race horse trainer based at Laurel Park in Maryland. The presentation also featured a dynamic tribute video, which has since received more than 60,000 views on Facebook.
Fittingly, Jenkins stayed in the ring to drop the flag for the WIHS Shetland Pony Steeplechase Championship, presented by Charles Owen, and presented the awards to the young pony jockeys from U.S Pony Racing.
Military Night: Honor, Power, and Speed
Friday’s Military Night, presented by The Boeing Company, is all about power and speed. It’s an exciting evening of competition, military-themed exhibitions, a trophy in honor of the U.S. Armed Forces, recognition and support for Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), WIHS’s longstanding Official Military Charity Partner, and the Armed Forces Reception benefiting local therapeutic riding centers serving the military community.
The Boeing Company $25,000 Puissance high jump competition is a WIHS fan favorite as horses and riders take on the great wall in an extraordinary display of power and courage. The current North American record of 7′ 7-1/2″ was set at WIHS in 1983 by Anthony D’Ambrosio aboard Sweet ‘N Low. D’Ambrosio, serving as course designer for this year’s show, set the wall at an initial height of 1.73m (5’8″) and continued up to 2.13m (6’11”) in four rounds of electrifying competition.
In his first trip to WIHS and competing in his first Puissance ever, Belgium’s Jos Verlooy, 19, cleared the wall up to 2.13m (6’11”) with his top mount, Sunshine, to win the class.
“He is a very talented horse,” said Verlooy of Sunshine, a nine-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding. “I thought it could be good to jump a few nice rounds in the Puissance, and in the end I won, so it is even better. I really liked it. It is really fun if you have the right horse. Today, I had the right horse.”
He admitted it was scary after watching a few videos and seeing some falls. “I was a little bit stressed, but I should not have been because my horse is really relaxed. He jumped it very safely. He made the jump easy for me,” he said.
For the win, Verlooy’s mount, Sunshine, was awarded The Sweet ‘N Low Trophy, donated last year by Mr. and Mrs. Donald G. Tober, owner of the record-holding horse, Sweet ‘N Low. Verlooy also accepted The Armed Forces Cup, presented by The Boeing Company, and The Congressman’s Challenge Trophy, donated by the Late Honorable Rogers C. B. Morton and the Late Honorable F. Robert Watkins, on behalf of Axel Verlooy and Euro Horse Bvba, owners of the winning horse.
In addition to his win in the Puissance, Verlooy had strong finishes all week including fourth in the $125,000 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Washington, earning him the International Jumper Championship, the $15,000 Leading International Rider Bonus, presented by Robin Parsky, the $10,000 International U25 Rider Bonus and Juliet Weber Reid Award, sponsored by Sleepy P Ranch, and the Leading Foreign Rider Award.
In his first trip to WIHS, Verlooy enjoyed the large evening crowds and great atmosphere at one of the top show jumping competitions on the calendar in North America.
“It’s a very good experience. It is a real American show, and I really like the American shows,” he said. “I come often to America to show, and I really like it over here.”
Nicola Philippaerts and H&M Harley vd Bisschop, winners of the $50,000 International Jumper Speed Final on Military Night. Photo: Shawn McMillen Photography
During the speed portion of the evening, Belgium’s Nicola Philippaerts and H&M Harley van de Bisschop won the $50,000 International Jumper Speed Final, presented by Rushy Marsh Farm and AAA Equestrian. Last year, his twin brother, Olivier, earned top honors in the same class.
Twenty-one riders took on the course, and Philippaerts, 22, earned top prize with a clear round in 53.48 seconds, with Colombia’s Daniel Bluman finishing a close second with a clear round in 53.86 seconds aboard Blue Star Investments’ Conconcreto Believe.
WIHS has been a great show for the Philippaerts family in recent years, and Nicola enjoys the competition and atmosphere each year.
“It is a fantastic show. I’m always happy to come back here every year,” he said. “It’s always nice when the crowd is cheering you on. It is very motivating.”
Friday night was dedicated to honoring the U.S. Armed Forces. For the special patriotic evening, WIHS joined forces with organizations that give back to our service men and women including Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) and five local therapeutic riding centers providing equine-assisted therapy programs for wounded warriors and their families.
WIHS has enjoyed a close relationship with the U.S. military since its earliest days when former U.S. Army horses and riders represented the country in national and international competition. That connection continues today with Military Night, presented by The Boeing Company, and the popular WIHS Military Ticket Program, presented by Fidelity Investments®. Thanks to program supporters Fidelity Investments®, The Boeing Company, The Travelers Companies, Inc., Waldron Wealth Management, Glen Senk and Fashion Farm, Cherry Knoll Farm, and Rothwell Figg, Ernst and Manbeck, thousands of local military families received complimentary tickets to experience an exciting evening of international show jumping and equestrian entertainment at WIHS.
WIHS was pleased to welcome back the popular “Jump for TAPS” program. The TAPS-themed jump held center stage in the $50,000 International Jumper Speed Final. For each horse/rider combination to clear the star-spangled jump, $2,000 was donated to further TAPS’s mission to benefit families of America’s fallen heroes. Generous donors Alexandra Clancy, surviving spouse of Tom Clancy, WIHS Board Member Elizabeth Pickens Cordia and her husband, Lou Cordia, and Chris West donated $26,000, with additional donations from spectators and WIHS/TAPS supporters, bringing the evening’s total to $34,000.
A special video shared the story of TAPS through Salamander Resort & Spa’s unique equestrian program of self-awareness, communication, and the special healing power horses can provide to all of us, including those who are grieving the loss of a family member.
Proceeds from the WIHS Armed Forces Reception held in the Acela Club at Verizon Center benefited Loudoun Therapeutic Riding, Maryland Therapeutic Riding, Northern Virginia Therapeutic Riding Program, Rainbow Therapeutic Riding Center, and Therapeutic Recreational and Riding Center.
Back by popular demand, the Army vs. Navy Celebrity Barrel Racing exhibition, sponsored by Washington Area Chevy Dealers, revved up the crowd with a high-test race around a course of barrels. This year, Army edged out Navy for the win in an exciting display of determination and all-out speed urged on by cheering spectators. Teams were comprised of professional barrel racers affiliated with National Barrel Horse Association, Women’s Professional Rodeo Association, or American Professional Rodeo Association, top international show jumpers Olivier and Nicola Philippaerts, Alison Robitaille, and Aaron Vale, and members of the military, Frankie Gale, a midshipman from the U.S. Naval Academy, and Specialist Wilcox, U.S. Army Caisson Platoon at Fort Myer.
The third annual Klinger Perpetual Award for Honor and Service was presented to Andy from Loudoun Therapeutic Riding Center in Leesburg, Va. Andy, a 20-year-old Haflinger gelding, is the embodiment of service and honor when in the presence of adults and children with emotional, physical, or cognitive challenges. He does not put a hoof wrong in a lesson or healing session with a participant, especially veterans.
The Klinger Perpetual Award for Honor and Service, presented by Ariat International and EQUUS Foundation, recognizes a horse, individual or organization that best demonstrates the values of honor and service as embodied by Klinger, the beloved U.S. Army horse and TAPS Ambassador, who has touched the lives of many during his life of service with the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) Caisson Platoon. Klinger was on hand for the ceremony.
A special presentation by the U.S. Naval Academy Silent Drill Team and a Mounted Color Guard, organized by the Maryland National Capital Park Police, rounded out the popular evening.
Barn Night: Costumes, Contests and Camaraderie
Held on Thursday, WIHS Barn Night, presented by Dover Saddlery and the Peterson Family Foundation, is a favorite with young riders and horse lovers of all ages who attend in groups and have a chance to enter contests, win big prizes, and enjoy a fun, horse-filled evening. Almost 2,500 children representing 56 regional barns and groups were among the thousands watching the $20,000 Gambler’s Choice Costume Class, presented by the Winter Equestrian Festival, with riders and horses decked out in Halloween attire, and the WIHS Shetland Pony Steeplechase Championship Series, presented by Charles Owen. Additional activities included Stablemate horse painting, courtesy of Breyer Animal Creations, autograph signings with top riders, a scavenger hunt, a tee-shirt toss, plus a visit from Major, the WIHS mascot.
Top contest prize winners included NFF Stables, of Poolesville, Md., winner of the Best Spirit prize, a riding clinic with top international show jumper Brianne Goutal; Summerfield Farm of Lothian, Md., winner of a custom barn jump, courtesy of Swan Lake Horse Shows, for creating the Best Banner; Clover Grove Farm, of Staunton, Va., won a refurbished custom golf cart, courtesy of United Metro Golf Cart, for the Best Video; and Meadowbrook Stables of Chevy Chase, Md. won a custom drape set, courtesy of Dover Saddlery, for the Largest Group. Prizes were also awarded for second place and honorable mention.
Bringing down the house once again was the wildly popular WIHS Shetland Pony Steeplechase Championship Series, presented by Charles Owen, which debuted at Washington in 2013. This year, the WIHS Shetland Pony Steeplechase had stops at the historic Devon Horse Show (Devon, Pa.) in May, the WIHS Regional Horse Show & USHJA Zone 3 Finals in Upper Marlboro, Md., in October, and culminated at Washington with races on Barn Night and President’s Cup Night.
The WIHS Shetland Pony Steeplechase Championship Series has all the trappings of professional races with riders in colorful silks, a bugler, race caller and even a photo finish, but in miniature. The jockeys are youngsters from seven to 14 mounted on traditional fluffy Shetland Ponies racing over a course of tiny hurdles. Well-established in England, pony racing is growing in popularity in the U.S. thanks in part to Maryland-based U.S. Pony Racing, organizer of the WIHS series.
In the final event of the evening, Aaron Vale and Quidams Good Luck won the $20,000 International Jumper Gambler’s Choice Costume Class, presented by the Winter Equestrian Festival, with a score of 1110 points. Vale was dressed as Quidams Good Luck’s owner, former Major League Baseball player Troy Glaus. Vale carried a baseball bat as he cantered into the ring and threw baseballs personally autographed by Glaus to the enthusiastic Barn Night crowd.
“I went to the top of the stairs to watch the first couple go to see how everything flowed together and what turns looked smooth from above – you can get a better viewpoint from up there,” explained Vale. “I thought it was a smooth course. It was simple for my brain and it was something that fit in my horse’s comfort zone, something that he could do pretty easily, and it worked. He ended up jumping really well. I felt like it was a solid trip, and it would be pretty hard to beat, and luckily it actually ended up that way. It was good fun.”
Also on Thursday, the fourth annual Laura Pickett Trophy for Excellence in Horsemanship was presented to Bailey Austin Doloff by Vicki Lowell, WIHS President and sponsor of the award. The trophy honors the memory of a respected local trainer, her contributions to the sport she loved and the legacy she left behind. She inspired enthusiasm for life in addition to good horsemanship, and the award is presented to an up-and-coming rider and trainer from the WIHS Regional Horse Show who best exhibit the same qualities. The winner also received a pair of riding boots, courtesy of Italian boot maker Fabbri Boots. Doloff is trained by Dorna Tainter.
Hints of pink colored Thursday night’s festivities as WIHS joined forces with Capital Breast Care Center (CBCC) for the fourth year. Funds for CBCC were raised through the “Buck Breast Cancer Benefit,” a reception honoring the lives of women who have lost their fight against breast cancer and those who continue to fight. WIHS was also pleased to welcome a very caring sponsor, Tryon International Equestrian Center, to support the second annual “Clear for the Cure” program where a donation of $250 was made every time the pink Breast Cancer Awareness jump was cleared during the Gambler’s Choice Costume Class. More than $6,000 was raised for CBCC’s mission to provide culturally sensitive breast cancer screening services and health and wellness education to women in the Washington, D.C. area, regardless of their ability to pay.
Barn Night is a longstanding WIHS tradition made possible through the generous support of The Peterson Family Foundation, Dover Saddlery, Charles Owen, The Equiery, Breyer Animal Creations, Swan Lake Horse Shows, and United Metro Golf Cart.
The WIHS Experience
The WIHS experience starts outside the arena. Approach Verizon Center in any way, exiting the Metro, walking, or driving in Penn Quarter, and it’s all about horses. Oversized jumping horses leap across Verizon Center’s outdoor video boards. Grooms brush, wrap and bathe their charges in stabling tents on nearby city streets. Riders dressed in boots and breeches wait in line at local eateries. Horses and pedestrians share the sidewalk. And, equine handlers pause on their way to compete so passers-by can pat their horse and take a selfie.
Onlookers also watch with interest as horses step down the ramp of huge shipping trucks manned by Johnson Horse Transportation, Official Carrier of WIHS, and are guided to their temporary homes, including the FEI Stabling Area, sponsored by The Dutta Corporation.
Inside, the main attraction was the jumping competition, but the thousands of attendees also enjoyed a wide array of specialty boutique shopping. More than 50 pop-up shops lined the concourse during show week with equine-related items, jewelry, fashion, and the show’s famous home-made fudge. Among the favorites were the Jack Wills, Etc., Callidae, Phoebe Darlington Portraits in Pencil, Slater Zorn, Kaiser Construction, Camp Friendship, plus top line boot makers Der Dau and Fabbri Boots.
The WIHS Silent Auction, presented by Valencia Saddlery, was open for bidding all week online and onsite with more than 130 items on display. Unique items included an heirloom mahogany rocking horse, tickets to Elton John’s Oscar party, Lugano Diamonds jewelry, Equitrekking Travel’s Ireland Riding Experience, plus exciting experiences, great getaways, high-end fashion items, tack, concert tickets, fine wine, and riding clinics from top pros.
Sponsors entertained clients and friends and enjoyed elegant food and drinks in the beautifully appointed Longines Club and Lugano Club, featuring décor provided by Syzygy Events International and Bash DC. Table guests on Saturday received a lovely tote courtesy of Maria Mendelsohn. One level above, Acela Club guests arrived on the new CityCenterDC red carpet and enjoyed socializing with sponsors and others while watching the action in the ring. Breckenridge Brewery added a new craft beer touch to the VIP hospitality offerings.
WIHS exhibitors enjoyed hospitality of all kinds, including The Sterling Club Exhibitors Lounge, sponsored by Marshall & Sterling, which provided riders and trainers a place to enjoy a meal, relax and follow the show on video monitors. Breakfasts and lunches were sponsored by Charles Cohn Foundation, Ravens Wood Farm, Karen Long Dwight, Montana Coady, and the Hilton family. The annual Parents’ Breakfast in the Lugano Club was sponsored by the Gochman family, the Welcome Breakfast was sponsored by ALTEC/Styslinger Foundation, and the Pony Party was presented by the Acox family. Riders, trainers, and owners enjoyed the local neighborhood exhibitor parties hosted by the Irish Channel Pub and ThinkFood Group’s celebrated restaurants, Zaytinya and Oyamel.
In-arena entertainment was expanded this year to include Lucky Program Prizes sponsored by Fleeceworks, Buckeye Nutrition, and Fuel Pizza, Parachute Drops sponsored by Travelers, Salutes to Parents sponsored by Upper Echelon Academy, and T-shirt Tosses courtesy of C&A Sportswear.
WIHS in the Neighborhood
As a non-profit charitable organization, WIHS believes in mirroring the support it receives from the community and its dedicated supporters by giving back in meaningful ways. Each year WIHS partners with several worthy charities and stages a number of popular community-focused events.
The WIHS Charity Alliance Program champions the community by helping our sponsors provide promotion, branding exposure, and premium hospitality to designated charities. This year WIHS welcomed Teach for America, Washington Humane Society, and Northern Virginia Therapeutic Riding Program as Charity Alliance partners, thanks to generous donations from supporters including Greg Gingery and Rita Norton.
Wednesday morning began bright and early with a visit to WIHS from representatives of the local Mounted Police Units for the annual Breakfast with the Mounted Police, hosted in partnership with Hotel Monaco. Commuters on foot stop on their way to work surprised to see so many of these gentle giants close up. WIHS is proud to recognize these first responders and their equine partners. The festivities usually gain local media attention and everyone enjoys delicious breakfast treats, both human and equine.
On Saturday, almost 800 children and their families came out for WIHS Kids’ Day, which was created in 2010 to share the joy of horses with the local community. Sponsored in part by Animal Planet and EQUUS Foundation, the free festival is held both inside Verizon Center and on F Street in front of Hotel Monaco. Organized with the help of WIHS’s Junior Committee, Kids’ Day offered more than a dozen hands-on activities, including Animal Planet’s Horseless Horse Show, pony rides, horseshoe crafts, face painting, pony brushing lessons courtesy of Meadowbrook Stables, build your own mini-jump with Model Horse Jumps, plus giveaways from Paisley Pony magazine and Georgetown Cupcake. Klinger, the famous U. S. Army Caisson Platoon horse, was a special guest, and the adorable mini-pony, Leo the Magnificent, was receiving kisses in the Pony Kissing Booth. The EQUUS Foundation Horse Stars Hall of Fame featured new, interactive “Learn More about Horses” activities.
Hunter Competition
John French, originally from Maryland and now based in San Jose, Calif., had unprecedented success in this year’s hunter competition. He capped off his time in the nation’s capital with three championships, three reserve championships, two grand hunter championships, the $5,000 2015 WIHS Leading Hunter Rider Bonus and The Robert Coluccio Leading Hunter Rider Perpetual Trophy, presented by Dr. Betsee Parker.
French guided Laura Wasserman’s Boss to the overall WIHS Grand Hunter Championship, and also won the WIHS Grand Green Working Hunter Championship riding Lee Kellogg Sadrian’s Sochi. Laura Wasserman earned the Leading Hunter Owner Award.
On the way to his leading rider title, French began the day with a championship win in the High Performance Working Hunter division, presented by Jacqueline B. Mars, with Hiller Farms LLC’s Center Court, with Kelley Farmer and Kensel LLC’s Mindful finishing in reserve. Mindful and Farmer were also presented with the Protocol Trophy, sponsored by Platinum Performance, for the second year in a row. The prestigious trophy is awarded to the overall High Point High Performance Working Hunter from the Devon Horse Show, Pennsylvania National Horse Show, and Washington International Horse Show.
In the Regular Conformation Hunters, Scott Stewart and Dr. Betsee Parker’s Lucador earned championship honors with French and Laura Wasserman’s Fine Design taking the reserve.
Always a popular division at WIHS, the Pony Hunters helped wrap up the weekend with great competition, including a challenging test over fences in this year’s WIHS Pony Equitation Finals. Mimi Gochman and Storyteller came out on top.
WIHS Children’s and Adult Championships
Riders earning the most points in WIHS Championship classes held throughout the country earned a place in the WIHS Finals at Verizon Center where the ultimate champions were determined. The winner of the $10,000 WIHS Children’s Hunter Championship, presented by the Heisley Family Foundation, was Zentina B, owned and ridden by Samantha Karp. The $10,000 WIHS Adult Hunter Championship, presented by The Linden Group at Morgan Stanley, was won by Jessica Lohman riding Dani Di Pietro’s Davenport. Top honors in the $10,000 WIHS Children’s Jumper Championship, presented by Shamrock Ventures, was Katy Hamilton riding Old Barrington LLC’s Sacha 12. Tegan Elizabeth Treacy riding Starlight Farm LLC’s Catalyst won the blue ribbon in the $10,000 WIHS Adult Jumper Championship. Top qualifiers for each WIHS Championship were awarded gifts courtesy of EquiFit and champions received custom chaps from Journeymen Saddlers.
The Winner’s Circle
When all the numbers were tallied, WIHS presented 20 division championships, 70 trophies, 1,200 ribbons, 53 embroidered championship coolers from The Clothes Horse sponsored by The Wasserman Foundation, and more than half a million dollars in prize money and rider bonuses. Winners enjoyed Georgetown Cupcakes, presented by Peacock Ridge, and champion grooms received custom vests presented by WALSTIB Stables. In the spotlight for award presentations was Washington Area Chevrolet Dealers, title sponsor of the WIHS Winner’s Circle.
As we turn the page and bid farewell to WIHS 2015, we thank our dedicated sponsors, supporters, and fans for making our 57th year come to life in the heart of the nation’s capital.
“There are many opportunities and challenges unique to hosting an international equestrian event in a major city like Washington, D.C., and the growing support and enthusiasm we receive from equestrians and enthusiasts alike continue to inspire us as we turn our energy toward making WIHS 2016 another one-of-a-kind horse show in the city,” said Meehan.
Erik A. Moses, Senior Vice President, Managing Director, Sports and Entertainment at Events DC, said it best: “This is our seventh year supporting this fantastic sports and cultural institution in Washington D.C., and we are excited to continue this partnership so people can come downtown, be close to horses, and see a different kind of sporting event, one that most of us are not so accustomed to in the city. There’s a lot of history and culture here, and we want people to come out and experience WIHS for themselves.”
Join us next year for the 58th Annual Washington International Horse Show on October 25-30, 2016, at Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.!
About Washington International Horse Show, www.wihs.org Established in 1958, the Washington International Horse Show is one of the most prestigious equestrian sporting events in the U.S. More than 26,000 spectators attend the six-day show, which includes Olympic-level competition along with community and charity events. More than 500 top horses and riders come to D.C. from all over the globe to jump for more than a half a million dollars in prize money. Event highlights include the $125,000 Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Washington, presented by Events DC, for the President’s Cup (Saturday night), The Boeing Company Puissance high jump competition on Military Night (Friday) and Kids’ Day (Saturday), a free, fun and educational community event. The Washington International Horse Show Association, Ltd. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. WIHS is an official USEF Heritage Competition and is recognized as a Top 25 Horse Show by the North American Riders Group. WIHS is rated CSI4*-W by the Fédération Equestre Internationale, the world governing body for horse sports.
Nicola Philippaerts and H&M Harley van de Bisschop Win $50,000 International Jumper Speed Final; Caelinn Leahy and Lacey Gilbertson Triumph in Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers
Small Affair Earns Grand Junior Hunter Championship; Colvin Wins Best Child Rider on a Horse and Leads WIHS Equitation Finals Hunter Phase
Washington, D.C. – October 23, 2015 – The 2015 Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) featured a variety of fantastic competition on Friday, concluding in the evening with its annual $25,000 The Boeing Company International Jumper Puissance at Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. In his first trip to WIHS and competing in his first Puissance ever, Belgium’s Jos Verlooy cleared the wall up to 2.13m (6’11”) to earn the winning prize with his top mount, Sunshine.
In other jumper competition, Belgium’s Nicola Philippaerts and H&M Harley van de Bisschop topped the $50,000 International Jumper Speed Final, sponsored by Rushy Marsh Farm and AAA Equestrian. Caelinn Leahy and Esquilino Bay and Lacey Gilbertson aboard Easy Money triumphed in the Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers.
Victoria Colvin dominated the hunter and equitation competition. The young rider guided Small Affair to the Grand Junior Hunter Championship and was named Best Child Rider on a Horse in her last year as a junior competitor. She also led the way in the hunter phase of the WIHS Equitation Finals, presented by SAP.
Anthony D’Ambrosio of Red Hook, NY is the course designer for the jumpers at WIHS this week and fittingly holds the 32-year indoor Puissance record for his win at 7′ 7 1/2 ” aboard Sweet ‘N Low in 1983. He set the wall for the evening’s $25,000 The Boeing Company Puissance, starting at 1.73m (5’8”) in height, and continuing up to 2.13m (6’11”) in four rounds of competition.
The Puissance course began with four fences to clear, including an oxer, vertical and triple-bar leading up to the wall set at a starting height of 1.73m (5’8”). Seven combinations started in round one and all cleared the first height. In round two, the first two obstacles were removed, leaving just the triple bar and the imposing wall, which moved up to 1.89m (6’2”). Charlie Jayne (USA) and Bassandra were the first pair out of the competition, clearing the wall, but dropping an unfortunate rail over the triple-bar on the way. Kama Godek (USA) on Apollo Mission and Kaitlin Campbell (USA) aboard Artani 2 each had the wall down in round two to complete their nights.
Continuing into round 3, the wall moved up to 1.97m (6’5 1.2”), over which Shane Sweetnam (IRL) and Venturo 9 dropped the blocks to finish their first Puissance together. The fourth and final round brought the wall up to 2.13m (6’11) with only three competitors remaining. Jos Verlooy and Sunshine were first to go and cleared the height easily. Verlooy then watched as Aaron Vale (USA) and Zippo II, as well as McLain Ward (USA) and Bueno, each faulted over the final summit. Nineteen-year-old Verlooy and Sunshine, a nine-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding (Diamant de Semilly x O’Diamand), proudly celebrated their first Puissance win to the applause of a great crowd at Verizon Center.
They were awarded The Sweet ‘N Low Trophy, donated by Mr. and Mrs. Donald G. Tober, as well as The Armed Forces Cup, presented by The Boeing Company. Verlooy also accepted The Congressman’s Challenge Trophy, donated by the Late Honorable Rogers C. B. Morton and the Late Honorable F. Robert Watkins, on behalf of Axel Verlooy and Euro Horse Bvba as the owner of the winning horse.
Verlooy has ridden Sunshine for almost one year and plans to compete the gelding in Saturday night’s World Cup qualifying grand prix. This was the first Puissance for both horse and rider.
“He is a very talented horse,” Verlooy stated. “I thought it could be good to jump a few nice rounds in the Puissance, and in the end I won, so it is even better. I really liked it. It is really fun if you have the right horse. Today, I had the right horse.”
“It was scary, yeah. I was looking this morning for a few videos and I saw a few falls,” Verlooy admitted. “I did not want to do that. I was a little bit stressed, but I should not have been because my horse is really relaxed. He jumped it very safely. He made the jump easy for me.”
In his first trip to WIHS, Verlooy enjoyed the Friday night crowd and great atmosphere at one of the top show jumping competitions on the calendar in North America.
“It’s a very good experience. It is a real American show and I really like the American shows,” he stated. “I come often to America to show and I really like it over here.”
Nicola Philippaerts Takes International Speed Final
Prior to the Puissance, a $50,000 International Jumper Speed Final was held in a faults converted format, sponsored by Rushy Marsh Farm and AAA Equestrian. Last year, Belgium’s Olivier Philippaerts won the competition, and this year it was his twin brother, Nicola, who took top honors.
Nicola Philippaerts and H&M Harley vd Bisschop
Twenty-one entries jumped the Anthony D’Ambrosio (USA) designed course, and Philippaerts earned the winning prize with a clear round in 53.48 seconds aboard Ludo Philippaerts and Ben Beevers’ H&M Harley vd Bisschop. Colombia’s Daniel Bluman was close behind with a clear round in 53.86 seconds aboard Blue Star Investments’ Conconcreto Believe to finish second. Ireland’s Conor Swail had the best time of 52.81 seconds riding Susan & Ariel Grange’s Cita, but one rail came down to add four seconds to his time and put the pair in third place.
Commenting on his plan, Philippaerts detailed, “I was not sure about some of the lines, but I saw a few doing six (strides) to the last one and then five strides from #8 to 9. My horse has quite a big stride, so I was sure I had to do that. It was a good decision. I came quite short to jump #2, so I had to follow (through). Then at the combination I had seven strides normal, and the wall came quite fast. It was difficult. You needed to be quite careful.”
“My horse is only eight years old, so he does not have much experience yet, but I know it is a fast horse,” Philippaerts continued. “It looked fast enough today, so I was happy. I do not want to do too much with him. I think he is for sure a very promising horse for next year. I wanted to take him as a second horse here and have him grow a little bit at the higher level. He does it well for the moment.”
“He is very scopey, very careful,” the rider added. “He has a lot of blood, but he always seems to stay quite quiet. It is really good because as they get older they will get quieter themselves. He is just a super horse.”
WIHS has been a great show for the Philippaerts family in recent years and Nicola enjoys the great competition and atmosphere each year.
“It is a fantastic show. I’m always happy to come back here every year,” he acknowledged. “It is always nice when the crowd is cheering you on. It is very motivating. It’s nice to ride here with this crowd.”
Colvin Leads Junior Hunters
The Junior Hunter divisions concluded their second day of competition at WIHS on Friday morning with the presentation of their championship awards. The Grand Junior Hunter Championship was awarded to Small Affair, ridden by Victoria Colvin of Loxahatchee, FL. They were presented with the Ides of March Perpetual Trophy, donated by Linda Lee and Lee Reynolds. Colvin then earned the award for Best Child Rider on a Horse and earned the special DiVecchia Perpetual Trophy. That award was sponsored by Gotham North; the trophy donated by Mr. and Mrs. Frederick DiVecchia.
Victoria Colvin and Small Affair
On the way to earning the grand championship, Colvin and Small Affair won the top tricolor in the Large Junior Hunter 16-17 division, sponsored by Chansonette Farm. The pair won two classes over fences, placed second in the handy, and also finished second under saddle. They were awarded the Chance Step Perpetual Trophy, donated by Brooke Carmichael McMurray-Fowler and Pam Carmichael Keenan. Parker’s Inclusive earned reserve honors in the division with Colvin in the irons for first and second place ribbons over fences and Emma Kurtz aboard for a fourth place finish under saddle.
Colvin began riding Small Affair this winter and had consistent results with the gelding all season. The 12-year-old Selle Francais (by Elf d’Or) is owned by Lyn Pedersen and currently leased by Dr. Betsee Parker. The pair also completed the best Junior Hunter stake round with a high score of 90 to earn the Lyrik Challenge Trophy, donated by Ashley and Courtney Kennedy.
“I think I was champion the first show I rode him in. He is my most solid ride I would say. We always know that he is probably going to do well,” Colvin noted. “Now we are getting hack ribbons too, so it has gotten better and better. We started out not getting hack ribbons. He hunches in a little. He is a little crooked sometimes and he tries to cut in around the turns, so he needs more jumper type flatwork, not just a loose hunter ride. You have to do half passes and lateral work to make him straight and more supple. He is a little one-sided.”
Detailing her rounds with Small Affair this week, Colvin noted, “Our first round he was very good; he won that class. He felt like he was holding himself a little in the first round. He was a little low and trailing behind, but he went in and won that. His handy, he was amazing and jumped much better. I just hit one jump and Inclusive won that one. Today he went the best. He just went in there and jumped amazing.”
“You have to kind of hold him before the jump,” Colvin said of figuring out the ride. “He gets a little nervous. He kind of holds his breath, but by his third round he just canters right around. In the beginning you just have to hold his hand and leg him a little bit so he knows you’re there.”
This is Colvin’s final year competing in the Junior Hunter divisions, and she has already moved up to show her talent in the international jumper classes with a win in Thursday’s $35,000 International Jumper Welcome Stake. She also finished second in Thursday night’s $20,000 Gambler’s Choice Costume Class, presented by the Winter Equestrian Festival. Along with a full schedule of hunters and jumpers, she has her sights set on winning this year’s WIHS Equitation Finals, presented by SAP, and took the first step towards making that dream come true with a fantastic round in the hunter phase on Friday. She took the early lead riding Dr. Betsee Parker’s Patrick to scores of 93 and 90 from the two judging panels for an overall high score of 91.50 in the first round of competition.
The WIHS Equitation Finals will continue on Saturday with all riders returning for the jumper phase. The hunter and jumper scores will then be averaged out to determine the top ten riders who will participate in the final work-off. The riders change horses by determination of a random draw by lot and then compete over the jumper course for final scores.
After the hunter phase, Hunter Holloway sits in second place with a score of 89, Mckayla Langmeier scored an 88.25, Morgan Ward finished fourth with an 87.50, and Kelli Cruciotti stands fifth with a score of 86.875.
“Patrick was perfect. He jumped the first jump phenomenal and he landed left thankfully. I had one hard rub, but other than that he felt fantastic,” Colvin detailed. “We tried to save him all year and I think it worked. He was fantastic at Medal Finals, so let’s hope it goes well tomorrow.”
Concluding the Junior Hunter divisions on Friday, the Small Junior Hunters 15 & Under, sponsored by Riverview Farm, awarded championship honors to Isabelle Aldridge’s Kahlua. Emma Kurtz rode the mare to two wins over fences and a fifth place finish under saddle. Laura Wasserman’s Fine Design jumped to second, third and fourth place ribbons and a sixth place finish under saddle to take reserve honors with Katherine Dash aboard.
In the Large Junior Hunter 15 & Under division, sponsored by Entrust, Hunter Siebel jumped Mountain Home Stables’ Pure Abundance to championship honors with first, second and fourth place ribbons over fences. Leah Toscano led her own Estandar to the reserve championship, placing first and third over fences and third under saddle.
The Small Junior Hunter 16-17 division, sponsored by Sheila and Britton Sanderford, also presented championship honors on Friday. That division saw a win for Kaitlyn van Konynenburg’s Triton Z, ridden by Morgan Ward, with two wins over fences and a second place finish under saddle. Donald Stewart, Jr.’s Cold Case earned reserve honors with Ashton Alexander, earning first, third and fourth place ribbons over fences and a fifth place under saddle.
The final award of the morning was the presentation of the Georgetown Trophy, which went to Vivian Yowan for her high score of 88 riding her own horse, Ransom.
Caelinn Leahy and Lacey Gilbertson Triumph in Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers
WIHS hosted the Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers in their first jump-off classes of the week on Friday afternoon with wins for Caelinn Leahy aboard Equilino Bay, and Lacey Gilbertson riding Easy Money.
The $5,000 High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper time first jump-off class, sponsored by Staysail Farm, saw 21 starters and nine in the jump-off. Kelli Cruciotti was first to clear the short course in 32.23 seconds and eventually finished third aboard Serenity Equestrian Ventures’ Wallenberg. Lucy Deslauriers cleared the track next with a jump-off time of 32.63 seconds to place fourth riding Lisa Deslauriers’s Hamlet. Lacey Gilbertson followed with the winning time of 29.77 seconds riding Seabrook LLC’s Easy Money. Last to jump-off, Anna Dryden jumped into second place with her own Petrushka III in a time of 31.46 seconds. For the win, Gilbertson and Easy Money were presented the Cover Story Perpetual Trophy, donated by Rolling Acres Farm.
The $2,500 Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper time first jump-off was held earlier in the afternoon, sponsored by The Strauss Family, with 23 entries and 16 advancing to the jump-off. Seven entries also cleared the short course, with Caelinn Leahy clocking the fastest time of 29.72 seconds aboard Bellis Ltd.’s Esquilino Bay. The pair was awarded the Eleanor White O’Leary Memorial Perpetual Trophy, donated by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ashton Hill and Miss Linden Joan Hill.
Sima Morgello and Double S Farm LLC’s Zopala finished second with a time of 31.10 seconds. Sheer Levitin and her own Nabuco placed third in 31.76 seconds. Francesca Dildabanian and her own Catika van de Helle and Samantha Schaefer aboard her own Sugar Ray both tied for the fourth place prize with a time of 32.33 seconds.
Competition continues on Saturday with the opening classes for the pony hunters followed by the $7,500 Senator’s Cup Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic, sponsored by The Strauss Family, and the $15,000 Ambassador’s Cup SJHOF High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic, sponsored by Staysail Farm. The jumper phase for the WIHS Equitation Finals, presentation by SAP, will close out the afternoon session.
The evening session begins at 7 p.m. with the WIHS Equitation Finals work-off with the top ten riders. The $125,000 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Washington, presented by Events DC, will conclude the night.
CORRECTION: Aaron Vale and Quidams Good Luck Win $20,000 International Jumper Gambler’s Choice Costume Class, sponsored by the Winter Equestrian Festival
The $20,000 International Jumper Gambler’s Choice Costume Class, sponsored by the Winter Equestrian Festival, was held on Thursday evening during the show’s always-popular Barn Night, presented by Dover Saddlery. WIHS apologizes for a miscalculation in scores and would like to congratulate Aaron Vale and Troy Glaus’s Quidams Good Luck on the win. Upon further review of their rounds, it was confirmed that Vale earned the victory with 1110 points.
Laura Kraut (USA) finished second aboard Stars and Stripes’ Andretti S with a score of 1090. Shane Sweetnam and Spy Coast Farm LLC’s Chaqui Z placed third with a score of 1080. McLain Ward (USA) and Double H Farm’s HH Ashley were declared the fourth place finishers with a total of 1070 points. Charlie Jayne (USA) placed fifth with Alex Jayne and Maura Thatcher’s Bassandra with a score of 1050.
For the win, Vale earned the Crown Royal Trophy, donated by Crown Royal, as the winning rider, and Quidams Good Luck earned the Sue Ann Geisler Memorial Trophy, donated by the Washington International Horse Show, as the winning horse.
For the costume competition, Vale was dressed as Quidams Good Luck’s owner, Troy Glaus, a former Major League Baseball player. Vale carried a baseball bat as he cantered into the ring and threw baseballs personally autographed by Glaus into the Barn Night crowd. Vale later explained that Glaus’s wife, Ann, is an amateur rider and originally imported the nine-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Quidam’s Rubin x Grannus) from England and rode him herself. She originally did eventing and trained with Buck Davidson, who Vale is good friends with. When Glaus decided to make the switch to show jumping, she began training with Vale since they live in the same town.
“She was riding him, but it got to a point where she thought he was a little better than where she was at the moment, so she let me take him on as an eight-year-old,” Vale detailed. “He won a couple grand prix last year and he has won three or four this year, including two FEI classes in Kentucky in the spring. He has had a super record. He is a really competitive horse; he is really fast. I am lucky to have the ride on him right now.”
Speaking of his winning Gambler’s Choice track, Vale explained, “I had a plan, which was pretty similar to what I ended up doing. I went to the top of the stairs to watch the first couple go to see how everything flowed together and what turns looked smooth from above – you can get a better viewpoint from up there. I modified my plan to be just a little bit simpler than it originally was. I thought my course was pretty much a simple figure eight. I could not really get the 70-point fence into my course, but on average I think I was jumping a fence every 3.3 seconds or something, so I felt like I should just ignore those fences. Places I was picking up the 30 and the 40-point fences within three strides were just like jumping the 70 and having to canter around a fence to get to it. I thought it was a smooth course, it was simple for my brain, it was something that fit in my horse’s comfort zone, something that he could do pretty easily I thought, and it worked. He ended up jumping really well. I felt like it was a pretty solid trip, and it would be pretty hard to beat, and luckily it actually ended up that way. It was good fun.”
About Washington International Horse Show, www.wihs.org
Established in 1958, the Washington International Horse Show is one of the most prestigious equestrian sporting events in the U.S. More than 26,000 spectators attend the six-day show, which includes Olympic-level competition along with community and charity events. More than 500 top horses and riders come to D.C. from all over the globe to jump for more than a half a million dollars in prize money. Event highlights include the $125,000 Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Washington, presented by Events DC, for the President’s Cup (Saturday night), The Boeing Company Puissance high jump competition on Military Night (Friday) and Kids’ Day (Saturday), a free, fun and educational community event. The Washington International Horse Show Association, Ltd. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. WIHS is an official USEF Heritage Competition and is recognized as a Top 25 Horse Show by the North American Riders Group. WIHS is rated CSI4*-W by the Fédération Equestre Internationale, the world governing body for horse sports.
Washington, D.C. – The Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) will welcome and honor current and former members of the United States Armed Forces to Verizon Center on Friday, October 23, for the fifth annual WIHS Military Night, presented by The Boeing Company. The night will highlight Boeing’s $25,000 International Jumper Puissance High Jump class alongside the $50,000 International Jumper Speed Final, presented by Rushy Marsh Farm and AAA Equestrian. Competition at WIHS will begin Tuesday, October 20, and continue through Sunday, October 25.
“Thanks in part to the generous support of corporate and individual donors, WIHS has been able to foster a strong and lasting connection between the equestrian community and the United States Armed Forces,” said WIHS Executive Director Bridget Love Meehan. “We are proud of our efforts to support the men, women, and their families that serve our country.
The $50,000 International Jumper Speed Final will host the “Jump for TAPS” Challenge to raise funds for The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), the WIHS Official Military Charity. Each time the jump is cleared, a monetary donation will be made to TAPS, an organization devoted to caring for the families of fallen soldiers with immediate and long-term support.
In 2014, Jessica Springsteen of Colt’s Neck, NJ, an up-and-coming U.S. show jumping star, captured top honors in The Boeing Company $25,000 Puissance aboard Stone Hill Farm’s Lisona, clearing the famed brick wall obstacle set at 6’10” in the final ride of four rounds. The North American Indoor Puissance record of 7’7 ½” was set at WIHS in 1983 by Anthony D’Ambrosio and Sweet ‘N Low. The puissance high jump at WIHS continues to be a crowd favorite each year, showcasing the versatility and athleticism of the horse while simultaneously featuring some of the best riders in the world in an entertaining and electric atmosphere.
Jessica Springsteen and Lisona won the 2014 The Boeing Company Puissance
The Army v. Navy Celebrity Barrel Racing Competition, presented by Washington Area Chevy Dealers, will pair representatives from the U.S. Navy Equestrian Team and U.S. Army Caisson Platoon with top international show jumping riders and some of the nation’s fastest professional cowgirls affiliated with the National Barrel Horse Association, Women’s Professional Rodeo Association and American Professional Rodeo Association. The teams will represent the rival branches of the U.S. military in a fun and entertaining barrel racing competition.
The third annual Klinger Award will be presented during Military Night. Named for the beloved U.S. Army horse and TAPS Ambassador, the Klinger Perpetual Award for Honor and Service, presented by Ariat International and EQUUS Foundation, recognizes a horse, individual or organization that best demonstrates the values of honor and service as embodied by Klinger, a special horse who has touched the lives of many in his life of service with the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) Caisson Platoon. Klinger will be on hand for the ceremony.
The Armed Forces Reception will begin at 7 pm in the Acela Club and funds raised at the charity event will benefit local therapeutic riding programs serving the military community, including the Northern Virginia Therapeutic Riding Program, Maryland Therapeutic Riding, Therapeutic & Recreational Riding Center, Loudoun Therapeutic Riding, and Rainbow Therapeutic Riding Center. Tickets are $150 and include dinner and open bar. Tables are also available. Both can be purchased by calling 202.525.3679 or visiting www.wihs.org/social-events/.
For more information on Washington International Horse Show, please visit www.wihs.org or to see a full schedule for WIHS Military Night on Friday, October 23, visit www.wihs.org/military-night/. To purchase general admission tickets for WIHS Military Night, please visit www.Ticketmaster.com.
About Washington International Horse Show, www.wihs.org Established in 1958, the Washington International Horse Show is one of the most prestigious equestrian sporting events in the U.S. More than 26,000 spectators attend the six-day show, which includes Olympic-level competition along with community and charity events. More than 500 top horses and riders come to D.C. from all over the globe to jump for more than a half a million dollars in prize money. Event highlights include the $125,000 Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Washington, presented by Events DC, for the President’s Cup (Saturday night), The Boeing Company Puissance high jump competition on Military Night (Friday) and Kids’ Day (Saturday), a free, fun and educational community event. The Washington International Horse Show Association, Ltd. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. WIHS is an official USEF Heritage Competition and is recognized as a Top 25 Horse Show by the North American Riders Group. WIHS is rated CSI4*-W by the Fédération Equestre Internationale, the world governing body for horse sports.
Young Irishman David Simpson took the Alltech Christmas Puissance at Olympia, The London International Horse Show, by storm, wowing a packed house with a bravado display of riding.
The contest, an annual favourite, went all the way to five rounds, with Simpson, riding puissance specialist Ricci Rich, clearing 7ft 3in (2.20m) in superlative style. He took over the ride on the 13-year-old grey gelding from Britain’s Guy Williams, who the Olympia puissance on him in 2011.
Simpson was matched all the way by Karline De Brabander on her home-bred Fantomas de Muze, a compact bay gelding by Marcus Ehning’s top ride Sandro Boy. The enthralled crowd took the Belgian rider, the only girl in the class, to their hearts, and her horse tried his heart out with a massive leap, just catching the top bricks with his hind legs on landing.
This was Simpson’s first outright win in a puissance and he received his prize from the Duchess of Cornwall, who was paying her annual visit to the festive family show.
“It gives you the tingles when you land,” he said. “You don’t get a better wall jumper than my horse and, for atmosphere and intensity, this win is right up there as one of my best moments in show jumping. I really wanted my first proper win to be here at Olympia.”
De Brabander, 27, who works for her father, leading stud owner Joris De Brabander, was also elated. “I kept saying to my horse that we were just going to have fun,” she said. “I’m really happy to have got so far. It’s only my third time in a puissance and this is the highest I’ve jumped. My parents thought I was mad to come over to England with just one horse, but I told them Olympia was my dream.”
Four riders got through to the fourth round, at 7ft 1in (2.15m): Britain’s Joe Clayton on Rockim, Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer (Armani the Gun CH), Norway’s Geir Gullikson (Grand Balou) and Austria’s Markus Saurugg (What Ever).
Earlier, 59-year-old John Whitaker, the senior rider of the show, showed he had lost none of his magic when winning the inaugural class of the show, the Levy Restaurant Snowman Stakes, on the stallion Argento, and the charismatic young Dutchman Maikel Van der Vleuten set the arena alight when winning the first evening class, the Kingsland Christmas Pudding Stakes, a speed contest, on VDL Groep Eureka.
Maikel won last year’s Longines FEI World Cup Qualifier on VDL Groep Sapphire and has brought the horse back for another crack at the competition on Sunday. “I really like this show,” he said. “Everyone’s happy and the audience really lifts the riders.”
The Dodson & Horrell Extreme Driving top score competition kicked off the FEI World Cup Driving Leg qualifier with a promise of considerable excitement to come. It also produced a surprise winner. All drivers collected penalties on the complex course but it was the youngest and least experienced of them, 25-year-old Glenn Geerts from Belgium, who galloped home with the best score.
In only his second year of World Cup competition, he has been driving horse four-in-hands for just four years. He beat the most experienced driver in the competition, the much-medalled IJsbrand Chardon from the Netherlands, who was the winner of the qualifier here last year. Frederick Persson from Sweden took third place.
Later in the evening, show director Simon Brooks-Ward and his brothers James and Nick gathered in the main arena to present the Raymond Brooks-Ward Memorial Trophy, for the most promising British rider under 25, in memory of their father. The recipient was Spencer Roe, 21, who has made a brilliant debut on senior show jumping teams this year.
For more information, please contact Hannah Rawdon-Mogg, hannah@revolutionsports.co.uk, +44(0)7786 052926 or +44(0)207 592 1207.
Olympia will broadcast live on BBC2 on Sunday 21 December and is available to view on Eurosport, the BBC Red Button, online and connected TV on Wednesday 17, Thursday 18 and Monday 22 December. In addition a special highlights program will be aired on BBC2 on Tuesday 23 December at 13:45.
Olympia, The London International Horse Show The first international horse show took place in the Olympia halls in 1907. Olympia, The London International Horse Show, the event we see today, was started by Raymond Brooks-Ward in 1971. This year’s show takes place on 16-22 December 2014 in the Olympia Exhibition Hall, located in West Kensington London. The show will play host to a packed timetable of all things equestrian and is expected to welcome over 90,000 visitors. It is regarded as one of Europe’s oldest and most prestigious equine competitions. The show mixes top class equestrian action, including FEI World Cup™ Jumping, Dressage and Driving with family entertainment, such as the Osborne Refrigerators Shetland Pony Grand National which raises money for Great Ormond Street Hospital and The Kennel Club Dog Agility. The show’s official charity for 2014 is The Injured Jockeys Fund.
Olivier Philippaerts and Carlito C Top $50,000 International Jumper Speed Final; Firestone and Holloway Triumph in Junior/Amateur-Owners Jumpers; Inclusive Earns Grand Junior Hunter Championship; Abbygale Funk Named Best Child Rider on a Horse
Washington, D.C – October 24, 2014 – The 56th annual Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) continued on Friday with an exciting day of hunter, jumper, and equitation competition at Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. The $25,000 International Jumper Puissance, presented by The Boeing Company, was the highlight class of the evening with a win for 21-year-old Jessica Springsteen (USA) aboard Stone Hill Farm’s Lisona after clearing the wall up to 6’10” (2.08m).
In other competition, Olivier Philippaerts (BEL) topped the $50,000 International Jumper Speed Final, Christina Firestone and Hunter Holloway triumphed in the Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers, and T. J. O’Mara led the WIHS Equitation Finals Hunter Phase. Inclusive and Victoria Colvin also earned the Grand Junior Hunter Championship, and Abbygale Funk was named Best Child Rider on a Horse. WIHS continues through Sunday, October 26. The $125,000 President’s Cup Grand Prix, a FEI World Cup qualifier presented by Events DC, will be the highlight class on Saturday
Anthony D’Ambrosio of Red Hook, NY is the course designer for the jumpers at WIHS this week and fittingly holds the 31-year indoor Puissance record for his win at 7′ 7 1/2” aboard Sweet ‘N Low in 1983. He set the wall for the evening’s $25,000 Puissance presented by The Boeing Company, starting at 5’6” (1.70m) in height, and continuing up to 6’10” (2.08m) in four rounds of competition.
For the win after clearing all four heights, Lisona became the first recipient of a brand new trophy named in Sweet ‘N Low’s honor, donated by Mr. and Mrs. Donald G. Tober. Springsteen was presented with The Sweet ‘N Low Trophy as well as The Armed Forces Cup, presented by The Boeing Company. She also accepted The Congressman’s Challenge Trophy, donated by the Late Honorable Rogers C. B. Morton and the Late Honorable F. Robert Watkins, as the owner of the winning horse.
The Puissance course began with four fences to clear, including an oxer, vertical and triple-bar leading up to the wall set at a starting height of 5’6” (1.70m). Five combinations, including Kevin Babington (IRL) and Goodwins Loyalty, Kama Godek (USA) and Sandra Zimmerli’s Apollo Mission, Todd Minikus (USA) aboard Coverboy Group’s Vougeot de Septon, Springsteen and Lisona, and Leslie Howard with The Utah Group’s Utah all jumped clear in round one and continued on. The second round had a triple bar set before the wall at 5’11” (1.80m), and all five horses and riders once again jumped clear. In round three, the imposing 6’5” (1.96m) wall came down for Babington, Godek and Minikus, leaving all three tied for third place. Springsteen and Howard each cleared the 6’5” height, but Howard took second place honors after choosing not to return. Springsteen and Lisona secured their victory with a fourth and final round as the only pair to jump the wall set at 6’10”, and they cleared it with ease.
Friday marked Springsteen’s third win in as many days at WIHS after topping the $10,000 International Jumper Welcome Stake aboard Davendy S on Wednesday and also taking top prize in Thursday’s $20,000 International Jumper Gambler’s Choice with Lisona.
An added incentive for the international riders this year includes new cash bonuses that will be awarded to riders accumulating the most points in the division. A $15,000 bonus will go to the overall leading international rider, sponsored by The Boeing Company, and a $10,000 bonus will be awarded to the overall leading rider 25 years of age or younger, sponsored by Sleepy P Ranch. Although Springsteen had originally not planned on jumping the Puissance, her trainers Laura Kraut and Nick Skelton encouraged her to do the class when they found out it counted toward the bonus. She took their advice and was obviously happy with the outcome.
“I had a feeling that Nick would convince me because he is also the one that made me do it two years ago,” she stated. “I knew that once he found out that it counted towards the leading rider points he would make me do it, but it was really fun. Lisona jumped it so easily, so it gave me a lot of confidence and I am happy I did it.”
In 2012, Springsteen jumped the WIHS Puissance with her horse Temmie and cleared 6’3” (1.90m), but was eliminated in the third round after failing her attempt at 6’9” (2.01m). Her success at 6’10” with Lisona is an exciting feat accomplished with great confidence in her mount.
“I doubt she has done a Puissance before, but she has so much scope and she is actually better the higher the fences, so we had a feeling that this would be a good class for her,” Springsteen said of the 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare (OBOS Quality x Porsch). “She gets impressed by it, and she felt like she was just flying over the wall.”
“I felt confident,” the rider stated. “She is such a scopey and brave horse that I knew nothing disastrous would happen. Classes like this, you kind of have to have fun with it, so we were all just having a good time. It is important to have a brave horse that wants to do it and she did. I think she enjoyed it actually.”
Springsteen also had added confidence in her own ability after many big wins this year and let that momentum take her into the challenge of jumping the biggest height of her career.
“Winning definitely gives you confidence. Your spirits are high, but you can’t get overly confident. That is one thing I have learned in this sport,” she remarked.
Another thing Springsteen learned is that riding to a Puissance wall is much different than cantering to your standard jump. “I didn’t know you had to ride a wall that size differently,” she admitted. “It is so big that you just want to gallop down to it, but you are supposed to go really slow and get close to it so that they kind of climb over it. That is kind of the opposite of what your instinct is telling you to do, so it takes a couple of times to really learn how to ride it correctly.”
The high jump competition is a fan favorite at WIHS as spectators watch the incredible power and athletic ability of horse and rider attempting to clear a wall set at record heights, and the fans were in full force on Friday night as they took in the competition.
“It is so fun. It is not normal in the States when you have so many people that come to watch, and they really know what’s going on,” Springsteen stated. “You have all of the younger kids that are really excited about it, like the pony riders, so it is really fun. It makes it an exciting event for the riders, and I think the horses feel it too.”
“I have been coming to this show since I was maybe ten years old on ponies almost every year. Last year was one of the first years I didn’t come, so I have spent a lot of time here and it is nice when the crowd knows you,” she added. “The experience has changed a lot over the years. I think I was actually more nervous when I was coming for the pony hunters and the equitation finals. There is a lot of pressure in those classes. I think it is actually much more relaxing doing the open division.”
Belgium Is Best in International Speed Final
Prior to the Puissance, a $50,000 International Jumper Speed Final was held in a faults converted format with 22 entries and a victory for Olivier Philippaerts (21) of Belgium riding Franz Lens’s 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding Carlito C (by Kannan). The pair was one of five entries to clear the course without fault and finished with a time of 54.79 seconds.
Beezie Madden (USA) and Coral Reef Via Volo also jumped clear and finished second in 55.68 seconds. Daniel Bluman had the fastest time of 54.15 seconds, but four faults were added to place third in 58.15 seconds. Reed Kessler (USA) and Kessler Show Stables LLC’s Ligist also had one rail down, adding four seconds to their time, to place fourth in 59.24 seconds. Leslie Howard (USA) and Moondoggie were clear in 59.49 seconds to earn the fifth place prize.
Philippaerts started showing Carlito C in June after his brother, Nicola, showed the horse for several months. With the new partnership, he has had a great season with several top finishes competing throughout Europe and Canada, and looks forward to continued success. “He is a very particular horse and he is a very big horse, and in the beginning I thought in this ring it would be quite hard for him. It’s a big horse in a small ring, but in the end, he did really well,” Philippaerts stated. “He has been great the whole year, so if he keeps continuing, then hopefully we can keep it up for a while.”
Detailing his plan for the night’s course, Philippaerts noted, “I was looking a bit and walking the course, and I didn’t really know what to expect since it’s the first indoor show for him. I didn’t really know how he was going to react, but he did very well. I made my plan and it worked out and I was quick enough.”
“I’m here for three shows: Washington, Kentucky, and Toronto. He’s a very quick horse, and he has won a lot of classes, so I thought maybe I would take him,” Philippaerts said of the decision to bring the horse abroad. “It looks like I made the right decision and hopefully I’ll do well the other two weeks as well.”
This is Philippaerts’ third year competing at WIHS and he has enjoyed the fantastic crowd and great event. “I think first of all, it’s a great show. I really like coming to these three shows, and also for the World Cup points,” he remarked. “It counts in Europe as well, but that’s what we are here for. They do a very good job here in Washington to make the show. It’s a very small place for the horses, but they make it fit. I’m very happy they keep organizing this show.”
“Tonight was very good,” he continued. “It was more people than I expected to come. They really were motivating the riders to go quicker, and it’s very nice. I’m very happy to ride for such a crowd.”
Junior Hunters Award Championships
The Junior Hunter divisions concluded their second day of competition at WIHS on Friday morning with the presentation of their championship awards. The Grand Junior Hunter Championship was awarded to Dr. Betsee Parker’s Inclusive ridden by Victoria Colvin of Loxahatchee, FL. They were presented with the Ides of March Perpetual Trophy, donated by Linda Lee and Lee Reynolds.
On their way to earning the grand championship, Colvin and Inclusive won the tricolor in the Large Junior Hunter 16-17 division, sponsored by Chansonette Farm, after topping all three classes over fences. They were awarded the Chance Step Perpetual Trophy, donated by Brooke Carmichael McMurray-Fowler and Pam Carmichael Keenan. The division’s reserve champion was Kerry Anne LLC’s Imagine ridden by Kerry McCahill. The pair won under saddle and placed second, third and sixth over fences.
“Inclusive has gone amazing this week,” Colvin stated after their win. “He has an amazing jump. His stride is not the biggest, so you have to go a little forward, but he is really fun. You know he is never going to spook. He would jump anything and leave from anywhere, and he is an amazing ride.”
Inclusive made a big comeback this year after a year-long break due to problems with sciatica in 2013. He came back to win at the Devon Horse Show in May and most recently the PA National Horse Show in Harrisburg just last week.
“It is important to remember this this is a comeback for him because last year he was not here,” owner Dr. Betsee Parker stated. “The year prior to that he had what is known as the ‘triple crown of indoors’ when he was champion at all three indoor shows. As of today he is poised to possibly do that a second time and that has never happened before in the history of indoors, but who knows, anything can happen.”
Inclusive now has a lighter training schedule in between competitions, but he knows his job and goes to work when he gets to the show ring.
“He flats for 20 minutes every day, and he rarely jumps,” Colvin detailed. “He maybe jumps once before coming to the show, but he is better that way. Less is more with him.”
A benefit to Colvin’s riding is her focus on the equitation this year and the additional help of top trainers including the legendary George Morris. “I have a better position, and I know how to flat more for equitation,” she acknowledged. “I have gotten a couple lessons from George Morris, so basically all of my hunters are flatted like that and I know my position is better around the course.”
Colvin also earned a championship tricolor in the Small Junior Hunter 16-17 division, sponsored by Dogwood Hill, riding Dr. Betsee Parker’s Canadian Blue. The pair placed first, first and fourth over fences and fifth under saddle. Meridian Partners LLC’s Good Humor and Megan MacPherson earned reserve honors, placing first, second and third over fences.
“Canadian Blue felt good,” Colvin said. “He is still a little green. His first round yesterday it was his first time jumping around here since last year and he was a little looky and quick, but he got better each round he did. His handy he felt unbelievable. He is so special because he jumps so high. Anything you put him at, he will jump very, very high. He was on this week.”
In the Large Junior Hunter 15 & Under division, sponsored by Entrust, Abbygale Funk guided West Coast Equine Partners LLC’s Neander to championship honors after placing first, first and second over fences and fourth under saddle. The pair also had the best Junior Hunter stake round of the day with a high score of 88 to earn the Lyrik Challenge Trophy, donated by Ashley and Courtney Kennedy. Lili Hymowitz and Rose Hill Farm’s Tiffani placed first and fourth over fences to earn the division’s reserve championship. They were also awarded the Georgetown Trophy, sponsored by Sheila and Britton Sanderford, as the high score Junior Hunter riding his or her own horse.
For her success aboard Neander, 13-year-old Abbygale Funk of St. George, KS was named Best Child Rider on a Horse and earned the special DiVecchia Perpetual Trophy. The award was sponsored by Gotham North; the trophy donated by Mr. and Mrs. Frederick DiVecchia.
Trained by her mother, Funk showed at WIHS in the pony hunters five years ago and this is her first time back and a memorable first WIHS win. “Winning is just amazing. I never thought I would be able to do it,” Funk smiled. “He is the most amazing horse I have ever ridden.”
Funk has ridden Neander, a 14-year-old Warmblood gelding by Nimray B, for just a few months. His owner was kind enough to let her keep riding him to get to indoors, and it ended in wonderful success.
“Last year I qualified, but the horse sold to somebody else to do indoors with,” Funk explained. “We took Neander and he got better and better, and we got qualified. We didn’t expect it, but we did. He has been amazing this whole time. He doesn’t spook at anything, and he never misbehaves.”
“This is very different with riding all night long and no sleeping, but it’s amazing to do the show in the middle of the city and do this with him,” Funk noted. “He has proven over and over that he doesn’t care about anything. He came here and went in the ring and was totally perfect. I have never won a Best Child Rider before and it is amazing. I just wanted to go around and be good. I didn’t expect to win and be champion or any of it.”
Concluding the hunter division’s for the day, the Small Junior Hunters 15 & Under awarded championship honors to Autumn Lane, owned by Eugenie Kilb and ridden by Grady Lyman, with two wins over fences. Reserve honors went to Melissa Wight’s Chromeo with Samantha Wight in the irons, placing second and fourth over fences and third under saddle.
Firestone and Holloway Triumph in Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers
Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers competed in the afternoon in their first jump-off classes of the week with wins for Christina Firestone and Hunter Holloway. The $5,000 High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper time first jump-off class, sponsored by Ellen and Daniel Crown, saw the second win of the week for Hunter Holloway of Topeka, KS, riding Hays Investment Corp.’s I Love Lucy. Twenty entries showed in round one with eight advancing to the jump-off. Four were able to clear the short course without fault and Holloway blazed to victory in 32.85 seconds to earn The Cover Story Perpetual Trophy donated by Rolling Acres Farm.
Victoria Colvin and Karen Long Dwight’s Chanel B finished second in 33.85 seconds. Virginia Ingram and Riverview Farm’s Urban placed third in 34.11 seconds, and Chloe Reid stopped the clock in 34.91 seconds aboard Chloe D Reid LLC’s Athena to earn the fourth place prize.
The $2,500 Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper time first jump-off class was held earlier in the afternoon, sponsored by The Strauss Family with a win for Christina Firestone aboard M/M Bertram Firestone’s Zodiac. The competition saw 22 entries with eight clear rounds to advance to the jump-off. Only two were able to go double clear over the short course, and Firestone and Zodiac completed the fastest time of 31.13 seconds for the win. They were presented with The Eleanor White O’Leary Memorial Perpetual Trophy donated by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ashton Hill and Miss Linden Joan Hill.
Nikki Prokopchak and her horse Sofia Car finished second in 37.18 seconds. The fastest four-fault round in the jump-off belonged to Katie Tyler and Seattle 6 in 30.49 seconds to place third.
Equitation Begins with Hunter Phase
In addition to Junior Hunter championships during Friday’s day session, WIHS hosted the hunter phase of the WIHS Equitation Finals with an early lead for T. J. O’Mara riding Walstib Stables LLC’s Kaskade to the high score of 90.
Hunter Holloway finished second after riding Hays Investment Corp.’s Any Given Sunday to a score of 89.125. Michael Hughes and Jordyn Rose Freedman’s Finnick scored the third prize with an 88.500. Victoria Colvin scored an 88.250 aboard Dr. Betsee Parker’s Clearway, and Caitlin Boyle finished with an 87.500 riding Micaela Kennedy’s Loredo.
The WIHS Equitation Finals will continue on Saturday with all riders returning for the jumper phase. The hunter and jumper scores will then be averaged out to determine the top ten riders who will participate in the final work-off. The riders change horses by determination of a random draw by lot and then compete over the jumper course for final scores.
The competition will also continue on Saturday with the opening classes for the pony hunters followed by the $7,500 Senator’s Cup Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic, sponsored by The Strauss Family, and the $15,000 Ambassador’s Cup SJHOF High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic, sponsored by Ellen and Daniel Crown. The jumper phase for the WIHS Equitation Finals will close out the afternoon session.
The evening session begins at 7 p.m. with the WIHS Equitation Finals work-off with the top ten riders. The $125,000 President’s Cup Grand Prix, a FEI World Cup qualifier presented by Events DC, will conclude the night.
For those who cannot make it to the show, it will be live streamed in its entirety, sponsored in part by The Nutro Company, at www.wihs.org, and is also available on USEF Network at www.usefnetwork.com.
About the Washington International Horse Show An equestrian tradition since 1958, the Washington International Horse Show is the country’s premier metropolitan indoor horse show. Each October, more than 500 world-class horses and riders, including Olympic medalists, arrive in Washington for six days of exciting show jumping and hunter competition. Highlights include the $125,000 President’s Cup Grand Prix (a World Cup qualifier), the Puissance (high jump) and the WIHS Equitation Finals, an important goal for top American junior riders. Exciting equestrian exhibitions, boutique shopping and community activities, such as Kids’ Day and Breakfast with the Mounted Police, round out this family-friendly event. WIHS is an official USEF Heritage Competition and recognized as a Top 25 Horse Show by the North American Riders Group.
Since its debut, the Washington International has been a Washington, DC, institution attended by presidents, first ladies, celebrities, business and military leaders, as well as countless horse enthusiasts of all ages. Washington International Horse Show Association, Ltd. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization headquartered in Washington, D.C.
