Umano de la Ruche, ridden by Lauren McCaulley, currently leads the $10,000 WIHS Children’s Jumper Championship rankings. Photo by Jump Media.
Washington, D.C. – The official early rankings for the 60th Anniversary Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) championship events, running October 23-28 at Capital One Arena in downtown Washington, D.C., have been released.
Qualifying events for the WIHS championships are held at more than 650 horse shows in North America. Riders who earn the most points throughout the year are eligible to compete in the WIHS Championship Finals, which include the $10,000 WIHS Children’s Hunter Championship, $10,000 WIHS Children’s Jumper Championship, $10,000 WIHS Adult Hunter Championship, $10,000 WIHS Adult Jumper Championship, the Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund WIHS Equitation Finals, and WIHS Pony Equitation Finals.
With six months remaining in the qualifying period, which ends August 31, there is still plenty of time to qualify for the 60th Anniversary WIHS. Riders must be active WIHS members in order for points to count. Membership can be obtained here: www.wihs.org/membership.
“Riders from all over the country set the WIHS championship events as major goals each and every year,” said WIHS President Vicki Lowell. “This year, qualifying for WIHS is made even more prestigious as we celebrate our 60th anniversary, and it is really special to see the passion and commitment that these riders put into competing throughout the season to qualify. We are humbled every year when watching these accomplished riders unloading their horses onto the streets of D.C. to compete at one of the nation’s most coveted events!”
As the season continues, WIHS congratulates all of the top competitors in the WIHS rankings as of February 16, 2018.
Current leaders include:
Ava Stearns of Chilmark, MA – 2,350 points – WIHS Equitation East
Isabella Bleu Baxter of Wright City, MO – 1,406 points – WIHS Equitation West
Hyde Park ridden by Lauren Katz of Potomac, MD – 1,000 points – Children’s Hunter
Pluto LWF ridden by Claire Taylor of Ellicott City, MD – 684 points – Adult Hunter
Umano de la Ruche ridden by Lauren McCaulley of Lake Charles, IL – 1,890 points – Children’s Jumper
Gold Lux ridden by Lindsey Tomeu of Wellington, FL – 2,823 points – Adult Jumper
Josephine Rose of Springboro, OH – 491 points – WIHS Pony Equitation
Don’t miss the chance to qualify for the WIHS Championships! WIHS looks forward to hosting the best horses and riders from around the nation in 2018 and encourages all riders to continue their drive to qualify. The qualifying period runs from shows starting on or after September 1, 2017 through shows starting on or before August 31, 2018.
For the Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund WIHS Equitation Finals, invitations will be extended to the top 40 junior riders who are eligible to compete based on their points earned during the qualifying period in the East Coast and West Coast Leagues as follows: 30 riders will be invited from the East Coast League and ten riders will be invited from the West Coast League. Letters of invitation will be mailed in September. For the pony equitation, invitations will be extended to the top 25 junior riders who are eligible to compete based on their points earned during the qualifying period. Letters of invitation will be mailed in September. For the hunter championships, 29 horse/rider combinations will be accepted in each division, while 25 will be accepted for the jumper championships.
For more information on WIHS, please visit www.wihs.org.
Beat Mändli and Dsarie. Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography.
October 28, 2017 – Beat Mändli of Switzerland made his first visit to the Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) a successful one, claiming the victory in the $130,000 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Washington, presented by Events DC, on Saturday night.
Competing for the coveted President of the United States Perpetual Cup, donated by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, as well as valuable Longines FEI World Cup™ qualifying points, the grand prix was the highlight event of the week-long show, continuing through Sunday, at the Capital One Arena in downtown Washington, D.C.
Mändli was one of 26 international jumper competitors to contest the first round track set by course designer Alan Wade (IRL), and he and his mount Dsarie, owned by Grant Road Partners GmbH, were one of 11 combinations to advance to the jump-off. As the sixth to return, Mändli and the nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare set what proved to be an untouchable time of 32.07 seconds.
U.S. Olympian and reigning Longines FEI World Cup™ champion McLain Ward came the closest to besting Mändli, finishing in second aboard HH Callas, owned by Double H Farm, with a time of 32.30 seconds. Young U.S. rider Catherine Tyree, 23, rounded out the top three in a time of 33.83 seconds aboard Enjoy Louis, owned by Mary and Joseph Tyree.
“I feel great. Everything worked out better than I was thinking at the start of the week,” said Mändli. “I’m just super happy for the horse and for the whole team. It was a great night for me.”
It was a good night for Ward as well, who only partnered with HH Callas, a ten-year-old warmblood mare, at the beginning of the 2017 show season.
“I was pleased. We didn’t have a brilliant grand prix last week in Tryon. It was nice to rebound and have a good finish today,” said Ward. “Beat had a spectacular jump-off tonight. You were going to have to be pretty perfect to be able to catch him.”
With 11 horses in the jump-off, the first-round course proved slightly easier than Alan Wade anticipated, but the course designer was still happy with the outcome.
“I thought they’d have had to ride harder to jump clear, but horses seemed to be jumping very well,” said Wade. “Still at the end of the jump-off, the cream rose to the top, and the best competitors are here on the podium.”
Part of the reason for the horses jumping well could be attributed to new footing installed in the Capital One Arena for the 2017 horse show, something that WIHS President Victoria Lowell spoke to following the class.
“There was no question that we had to invest in the best possible footing for the horses,” Lowell said. “I was so happy to hear the positive feedback that we had this year because [the footing] was the most important thing to our board this year. The World Cup designation is very, very important to us. We need to make sure that this event continues. It’s a very historic event; it’s a very special event because it’s downtown in the city much like Madison Square Garden was. We work very, very hard to make it the best show possible.”
Following the conclusion of Saturday night’s class, several special awards were presented along with the top grand prix prizes. Mändli was presented with the $10,000 Leading International Rider Award, sponsored by Robin Parsky; the Leading Foreign Rider Award, and the International Jumper Championship. Tyree was awarded the $10,000 Leading 25 Years of Age & Under Award, sponsored by Sleepy P Ranch, and the Leading Lady Rider Award, sponsored by Longines. The Leading Jumper Owner Award went to Grant Road Partners.
The George Morris Style of Riding Award was also presented earlier in the day to Mändli, as the International Jumper rider who best exemplifies the American style of equitation and jumping and the respectful, dignified, and workmanlike manner of a true sportsman.
Newly introduced this year in honor of the late Dr. John Steele, the “Doc Steele” Spirit Award, presented by M. Michael Meller, went to Cristalline, ridden by Adrienne Sternlicht and owned by Gabrielle Kuna, recognized as the horse that best exemplifies the heart and athleticism necessary to be competitive at the highest levels of show jumping.
McLain Ward and HH Carlos Z. Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 27, 2017 — It was a bittersweet night for show jumping fans as they saw one of the sport’s best in his final competition. HH Carlos Z went out on top with victory in the $50,000 International Jumper Speed Final, presented by the Man O’ War Project in partnership with Columbia University Medical Center. As HH Carlos Z and McLain Ward (USA) entered the arena for their victory gallop, it was announced that “Carlos” would retire.
Riding out of the 11th spot in the order in the faults converted (Table C) format class, Ward and HH Carlos Z, a 15-year-old Zangersheide gelding by Chellano Z owned by Double H Farm, finished in 57.77 seconds.
“I love the format of this class,” Ward said. “It’s a 1.50m, but a Table C, so people can have a fence down and still be in the mix. I think it makes it a much more exciting class for the spectators.”
Devin Ryan (USA) and Eddie Blue, owned by LL Show Jumpers LLC, were second in 58.50 seconds, while Amanda Derbyshire (GBR) and Gochman Sport Horse LLC’s Lady Maria BH placed third with a time of 59.05 seconds.
Following the class, Ward stated, “That’s it. He’s done. He’s given more than he had to give. He’s been an incredible horse, an incredible winner. He’s won everything from five-star grand prixs and jumped Nations’ Cups to being a day in and day out winner.
“I wanted the horse to win a good class to finish on,” he continued. “I didn’t want him to end poorly. This is a nice moment, and I’m very, very grateful to Mr. Harrison and Double H Farm to have the opportunity to ride this horse and also for the opportunity to care for him and retire him in the way he deserves.”
Ward concluded, “He’s always been a winner when it counted. He did it again. It’s a little bittersweet, but he doesn’t owe us anything.”
The Jump for TAPS Challenge raised $16,000 on Friday night, with every clear over the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) fence raising money for the WIHS Official Military Charity.
Aaron Vale Clears 6’7” to Win $25,000 International Jumper Puissance
Aaron Vale (USA) and Finou earned their second consecutive WIHS Puissance victory on Friday night, this year clearing 6’7” to take the win in the $25,000 International Jumper Puissance, presented by The Boeing Company.
“It’s the horse,” said Vale on the secret to tying with McLain Ward in 2016 and winning outright in 2017. “This horse actually has quite a bit of talent for this. It feels like he could actually jump a very big wall if the class played out that way. He’s very comfortable at it, and it’d be exciting to try something pretty high with him if it ever happened. My personal best is 7’2 ¼”. If I made higher it than that – that’s pretty high to me.”
The Puissance wall began set at a height of 1.80m (5’11”) and gradually progressed to the 6’7” height through four rounds of competition. Four horse and rider combinations all successfully contested the first round, with Paulo Santana (ESA) being the first eliminated after failing to clear the wall in the second round with his mount Una du Keske Z, owned by Santana Stables LLC.
Finishing in third were Kama Godek (USA) and her own De Grande. Following Godek and De Grande’s elimination in the third round, only Vale and Hunter Holloway (USA) aboard Cassevel, owned by Hays Investment Corp., remained, and Holloway elected to save the gelding jumps for another day, opting out of the fourth round. Vale could have chosen to also call it a night and accept a tie, but much to the enjoyment of the crowd, he chose to return for a fourth and final round.
“We’ve got a big crowd here today, number one,” Vale said on his reasoning for choosing to return. “Number two, my horse actually is a very fresh horse, so he needs work. He’ll be jumping the grand prix tomorrow night. Last year he jumped five rounds, and then he jumped clean in the grand prix, so four rounds might not have been enough work for him! Maybe I should have come back one more time!”
Emma Kurtz Rides Dedication to Grand Junior Hunter Championship
The 2017 WIHS Grand Junior Hunter Championship and the Ides of March Perpetual Trophy, donated by Linda Lee and Lee Reynolds and given to the grand championship winner, were presented to Emma Kurtz of Hudson, OH and Dedication, owned by Dr. Betsee Parker.
On their way to winning the grand championship, Kurtz and Dedication, a 12-year-old bay Holsteiner gelding (by Casado), earned two firsts and a third over fences to take the Large Junior 16-17 Hunter Championship and the Chance Step Perpetual Trophy, presented by Chansonette Farms and donated by Brooke Carmichael-McMurray-Fowler and Pam Carmichael Keenan. The division reserve championship went to MTM Hands Down, ridden by Annabel Revers of Weston, MA and owned by Beechwood Stables LLC.
At the 2016 WIHS, Kurtz rode Wisdom, owned by Rivers Edge, to the Small Junior 15 & Under Hunter championship, but this year marked her first time claiming the WIHS Grand Junior Hunter Championship.
“It’s amazing [to win here],” said Kurtz of Hudson, OH. “For [Dedication] to come in here and be bombproof is awesome.”
Kurtz, 16, acquired the ride on Dedication in mid-2016 and has made winning on the gelding look easy ever since, but the 17-hand gelding has his quirks.
“He’s a little funny about his leads. We never practice lead changes at home, so that he doesn’t get nervous for them,” Kurtz explained “He’s also particular about the way you hold your body over the jump. You have to give him enough time off the ground, but bend over enough the he doesn’t hit it behind. It’s a formula for sure.
“But he jumps amazing. He’s beautiful, he’s a good mover – he’s the whole package,” said Kurtz. “We love him.”
In the Small Junior 16-17 Hunters, sponsored by the Wasserman Foundation, the championship went to Annabel Revers and Kingpin, owned by Beechwood Stables. The reserve championship was awarded to Haley Redifer of Barboursville, VA and her own Linus.
The Small Junior 15 & Under Hunter division championship, also sponsored by the Wasserman Foundation, went to Stella Wasserman of Beverly Hills, CA riding Boss, owned by Laura Wasserman. Finishing in reserve were Sophie Gochman and Dominik, owned by Gochman Sport Horse LLC.
In the Large Junior 15 & Under Hunter division, it was Augusta Iwasaki of Calabasas, CA who claimed the championship aboard Small Affair, owned by Lyn Pedersen. For her performances and display of horsemanship and sportsmanship, Iwasaki was selected as the Best Child Rider on a Horse, sponsored by Gotham North, and she was presented with the DiVecchia Perpetual Trophy, donated by Mr. and Mrs. Mark DiVecchia, for the win.
“It’s really exciting,” said Iwasaki, 13, of her win. “It’s very exciting to come into the city. I think it’s just so different and so cool because when do you get to drive into a city and just show on the streets?”
Taking the reserve championship in the Large Junior 15 & Under Hunters were Brooke Morin of Calabasas, CA and Seaside, owned by Strasburg Morin Inc.
The Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund WIHS Equitation Finals also kicked off on Friday, and Ava Stearns currently sits at the top of the leaderboard with a score of 89 in the hunter phase. Sam Walker, Alexandra Worthington, Annabel Revers, Haley Redifer, and McKayla Langmeier round out the top six riders, consecutively, heading into the jumper phase. The hunter and jumper scores will then be averaged to determine the top ten riders who will then participate in the final work-off phase.
Carly Hoft and Available Ohio. Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography.
WASHINGTON – October 25, 2017 – The 59th annual Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) continued on Wednesday, October 25, with the second day of competition featuring the $10,000 WIHS Children’s and $10,000 WIHS Adult Jumper Championships, the awarding of the professional and amateur-owner hunter championships, and the $10,000 International Jumper speed class.
The first jumper victory of the 2017 WIHS went to 18-year-old Carly Hoft of Raleigh, NC who rode Available Ohio to the win in the $10,000 WIHS Children’s Jumper Championship. From a starting field of 25 entries, six advanced to the jump-off, and only Hoft and Available Ohio produced a double clear round, taking the win in a time of 32.158 seconds. Jumpers this week are competing over courses designed by Alan Wade of Ireland, who designed the 2017 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final.
Finishing in second were Isabel Harbour of Alpharetta, GA and her mount Camera Ready, owned by Fit to Print Farm. Hoft was presented with the H. Fenwick Kollock Memorial Perpetual Trophy for her win.
“It’s really awesome [to win here],” said Hoft, who trains with Don Stewart. “I’ve always wanted the red cooler and especially the cupcakes! I just think it’s so cool to be here. The horses walking in the street and riding in this ring – it’s just really cool and special.”
Hoft has had Available Ohio for a year and a half and has come to count on him as her trusted partner.
“He is just so much fun,” said Hoft, who has previously competed at WIHS in both the pony divisions and the WIHS Equitation Finals. “Every time in the ring I just go in and have fun and smile. I know he’s always there for me. In the jump-off, he was really good. He was fast and careful, and he did everything I wanted him to do.”
Hoft will also compete in Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund WIHS Equitation Finals on Saturday, October 28, before heading back to Auburn University where she is a freshman on the school’s National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA) team.
Paige Kouimanis (20) of Clarence, NY and Lexus were victorious in the $10,000 WIHS Adult Jumper Championships. Out of a starting field of 26, they were the only clear round out of ten in the jump-off to win with a time of 35.876 seconds.
“He’s been nothing but phenomenal,” said Kouimanis of the 12-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding. “I’m in college, so it’s hard for me to ride him as often as I would like to, but I’ve made it work with indoors.”
Kouimanis is currently attending Hobart & William Smith College, and this is her first time competing at WIHS. “I was second last weekend at Harrisburg, which motivated me to push Lex a little harder. I could feel going right into the in-gate that he felt really on his game. I missed almost a week of school to be here, and it feels so good to be able to come out with the win. It was well worth the week missed!”
Along with her inaugural WIHS experience, this is Kouimanis’s first time in Washington, D.C. She noted, “I love all the historical sites, the White House, the museums. I think it’s amazing how they put the horse show on right in the city.”
Scott Stewart Sweeps Top Professional Hunter Honors at WIHS
For the tenth time in his career, Scott Stewart of Wellington, FL was named the WIHS Leading Hunter Rider after winning both the Grand Green Hunter Championship with Wonderly and the Grand Hunter Championship with Private Life.
Stewart and Private Life, a six-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (by Verdi) owned by Dr. Betsee Parker, swept all three of the Green Conformation Hunter over fences classes to take the division championship and ultimately the Grand Hunter Championship. Stewart and Private Life were presented with the Rave Review Challenge Trophy, donated by Stoney Hill, for the championship victory.
“He’s just amazing,” said Stewart of Private Life. “He jumps unbelievably. He’s not spooky. He’s so easy, (that) it’s almost hard. He doesn’t pull on you; he doesn’t do anything.”
Stewart acquired Private Life from Morgan Ward two years ago after seeing great potential in the horse and being struck by both his personality and his jump.
“He may not look it, but he’s really scopey,” said Stewart. “When we tried him, we jumped him over four feet, and it was easy for him. We brought him to a very strange ring outside, and he jumped everything, so his mind was great. I thought he was going to be an attractive horse and a conformation horse, but he was very immature at the time. All of a sudden last year he started to blossom and look like a beautiful conformation horse.”
Stewart’s second grand championship of the day came aboard Wonderly, an eight-year-old Brandenburger gelding (by Burberry) also owned by Parker. Stewart and Wonderly earned the Grand Green Hunter Championship after finishing first, second, and third in the Green Hunter 3’6” over fences classes and earning the Green Hunter 3’6” championship. For the Grand Green Hunter Championship, Stewart and Wonderly were presented with the Claire Lang Miller Challenge Trophy as the high point combination from all of the Green Hunter divisions.
“[Wonderly] went great. He’s laid back, which is nice. It used to be that he was a little bit too casual, but I think he’s getting fitter,” said Stewart. “All of my hunters look like they’re fat, but they’re actually pretty fit and muscled up. They go in the ‘gym’ every day, and they get ridden almost every day. He’s pretty strong.”
Finishing as the reserve champions behind Stewart in both the Green Conformation Hunters and the Green Hunter 3’6” were Leslie Steele of Calabasas, CA and Top Shelf, owned by Milissa Summer.
Before concluding his time at WIHS, Stewart also earned two reserve championships, first in the High Performance Hunter division with Cameo, owned by Parker, and next in the High Performance Conformation Hunters with Lucador, also owned by Parker.
“I love being in the city here,” said Stewart. “It’s great to be here, and it’s probably the closest to the [former National Horse Show at Madison Square Garden] because of the city atmosphere.”
Earning the championship in the High Performance Hunters was In the Know, ridden by Samantha Schaefer of Westminster, MD and owned by Madeline Schaefer. In the High Performance Conformation Hunters, Boss, ridden by John French of Paso Robles, CA and owned by Laura Wasserman, took the top honors.
Lindsay Maxwell Named Leading Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’6” Rider
The Leading Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’6” Rider award and the Frank Counselman Memorial Perpetual Trophy for the Grand Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’6” Championship were presented to Lindsay Maxwell of Beverly Hills, CA and her own Technicolor.
The pair came into the day without a ribbon in the first over fences class, but they rose to the occasion to win both of Wednesday’s Amateur-Owner 35 & Under Hunter classes before also being named the division champions.
“He always lives up to it when it really counts,” said Maxwell of Technicolor, a seven-year-old Oldenburg gelding she purchased two years ago. “He’s a performer through and through. He loves to horse show; he doesn’t love to practice. He’s an incredible horse because he knows when it’s a big stage and a big deal. When I was hacking my horses in here on Monday, I could tell right away when ‘Nico’ walked in that he was ready for this.”
This year marks Maxwell’s second time competing at WIHS, and this year, she’s also joined in support of the horse show as the sponsor of the Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund WIHS Equitation Finals.
“This show is incredible. This was definitely one of my big goals this year because I think this is a really difficult show, so being champion and doing well here was a goal that I’m just thrilled that we were able to obtain,” said Maxwell, whose non-profit organization launched the Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund WIHS Equitation Grant this year, allowing one rider to compete in the Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund WIHS Equitation Finals with all expenses paid. “We’re really excited to be able to support the Finals. I think that equitation, and especially the equitation finals, are so crucial to juniors’ careers and being able to give someone the opportunity to come here and do that is really special.”
Finishing as the reserve champions of the Amateur-Owner 35 & Under Hunters were Nikki Diamantis of Tallahassee, FL and her own Cascina.
The Amateur-Owner Over 35 Hunter Championship went to Emily Morin of McLean, VA and her own Ace of Spades, while the reserve championship was presented to Kirsten Pollin of Washington, D.C. riding her own Incognito.
Virginia Fout and Carma Claim Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’3” Grand Championship
In the Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’3” divisions, the grand championship was awarded to Virginia Fout and her own Carma for the second consecutive year. Fout topped two over fences class and the under saddle to win the Amateur-Owner Over 35 Hunter 3’3” division championship and to take the grand championship.
“He’s just amazing. I’m so lucky,” said Fout of Carma. “I think he really loves this venue, obviously. I’m just so fortunate to have him and have a partnership with him.”
For her grand championship win, Fout was presented with the inaugural Bucky Reynolds Memorial Award, sponsored by Ernie Oare and Reynolds’s sister, Betty Oare.
Winning the trophy in honor of Reynolds, who passed away earlier this year, made the grand championship honor extra special for Fout.
Betty and Ernie Oare were really good friends of my parents, who have since passed away, so I’ve known them my entire life,” said Fout. “We’ve all known each other forever, and it was pretty neat to win that the first year that they [presented] it for Bucky. It meant something other than just a name. He was just really nice and always kind and lovely.”
While Fout originally hails from nearby Middleburg, VA, she now resides in Los Angeles, CA, where she owns and operates the event management compaNY V Productions.
“I have a huge meeting tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. so I have to make it home tonight, otherwise that’s going to be a problem,” said Fout, who also has a six-year-old daughter, Logan, with husband Michael Whetstone. “I juggle between the two for sure. You just figure out how to make it work. You do conference calls from inside a quiet room and then you go back out and you get on your horse!”
The reserve championship in the Amateur-Owner Over 35 Hunter 3’3” division was awarded to Lynn Seithel of Charleston, SC and Walk The Moon.
The Amateur-Owner 18-35 Hunter 3’3” championship went to Kaitlin Porath of Charlotte, NC and her own Breaux, and the reserve championship went home to Tallahassee, FL with Lindsey Phipps and her own Reign.
The annual WIHS Breakfast with the Mounted Police and their horses. Photo by Jump Media.
Washington, D.C. – The Washington International Horse Show (WIHS), one of the most prestigious and entertaining equestrian sporting events in North America, is again proud to offer the First Responders Ticket Program created to thank First Responders in the national capital region with complimentary tickets.
Now in its second year, the WIHS First Responders Ticket Program, presented by AT&T, with support from Keshishian & Sons, will honor local Fire, EMS, Police and other First Responders, offering a complimentary night with their families at the Washington International Horse Show and special recognition throughout the six-day event, which will take place October 24-29, 2017, at Capital One Arena (formerly Verizon Center).
Tickets are available through the following ticket distribution partners:
— Arlington County Police Department, 1425 N Courthouse Rd, Arlington VA, 22201, (703)-558-2222, police@arlingtonva.us
— DC Police Union (Metro PD), 1524 Pennsylvania Ave SE, Washington DC, 20003, (202)-548-8300, kealley@DCPoliceunion.com
— District of Columbia Nurse Association, 5100 Wisconsin Ave, NW, Suite 306, Washington DC, 20016, (202)-244-2705, vspence@dcna.org
— International Association of Fire Chiefs, 4025 Fair Ridge Dr, Suite 300, Fairfax VA, 22033, (703)-273-0911, KFitzgerald@iafc.org
— International Police Association, PO Box 390 Knickerbocker Station, New York NY, 10002, (855)-241-9998, ipaweb@ipa-usa.org
— National Fallen Fire Fighters Foundation, PO Drawer 498, Emmitsburg MD, 21727, (301)-448-1365, sbaroncelli@firehero.org
— National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, 901 E Street, NW, Suite 100, Washington DC, 20004, (202)-737-3400
— Women in Federal Law Enforcement, 2200 Wilson Blvd, Suite 102, PMB #204, Arlington VA, 22201, (301)-805-2180, WIFLE@comcast.net
For more information, please contact WIHS at 202-525-3679 or info@wihs.org.
WIHS’ relationship with First Responders is most visible through its annual Breakfast with the Mounted Police, a long-honored and fan-favorite tradition recognizing mounted police units across the region. The outdoor buffet — including treats for horses — will be held outside Hotel Monaco on Wednesday, October 25, from 8-10 a.m., rain or shine. This event is open to the public and provides a great opportunity for the local D.C. community to meet the officers and their mounts.
The First Responders Ticket Program is based on the WIHS Military Ticket Program, presented by Fidelity Investments, with support from Cherry Knoll Farm and Keshishian & Sons, which has provided more than 21,500 tickets to military families since its inception, and culminates at WIHS Military Night on Friday, October 27. The events, competition and exhibitions on this evening are about speed and power as the WIHS honors the U.S. Armed Forces.
Tickets for the general public are available at the Capital One Arena box office, at Ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. The show runs Tuesday, Oct. 24 through Sunday, Oct. 29 with day and evening sessions except Sunday (daytime only). Daytime tickets (general admission only) are $15 (plus applicable service charge) with children 12 and under admitted free. For evening performances, tickets start as low as $20.
For group discounts, contact Capital One Arena Group Sales at 202-661-5061. For more information on tickets and discounts for military, seniors and students, please visit http://www.wihs.org/tickets/.
For more information, please visit www.wihs.org. Tag us using #WIHS2017, #HorsesInTheCity., #FEIWorldCup, #Longines, and #RideToParis.
Hailey Berger and Shannondale Gino. Photo by Jump Media.
The race continues as horses and riders from around the nation compete for points to qualify for the 2017 Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) Equitation and Children’s and Adult Hunter and Jumper Championships. The best of the best will earn the opportunity to show at the nation’s top indoor final, which takes place October 24-29, 2017, at Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.
As of June 2, 2017, Shannondale Gino and Hailey Berger of Parkland, Fla. maintain their lead in the Children’s Jumper Division, coming into June with 2,714 points. Cassandra Dreams and Mia Albelo of Coconut Grove, Fla. moved into second place with 2,676 points. Top Price and Charlotte Novy of Wilmette, Ill. stand third with 2,511 points.
Bonapart and Lindsey Tomeu of Wellington, Fla. also continue to hold their lead in the Adult Jumper division, currently holding 4,410 points. Speedy Chicolina and Megan Winkhaus of Greenwich, Conn. moved up to second in the standings with 3,042 points. Camera Ready and Mattie Worsham of Cumming, Ga. sit third with 2,987 points.
Qualifying events for the WIHS championships are held at more than 650 horse shows in North America. Riders who earn the most points throughout the year are eligible to compete in the WIHS Championship Finals, which include the $10,000 WIHS Children’s Hunter Championship, $10,000 WIHS Children’s Jumper Championship, $10,000 WIHS Adult Hunter Championship, $10,000 WIHS Adult Jumper Championship, WIHS Equitation Finals, and WIHS Pony Equitation Finals.
“The WIHS Equitation Finals and Hunter and Jumper Championships give riders from around the country excellent goals to set for themselves each season,” said WIHS President Vicki Lowell. “The dedication and determination it takes to achieve those goals is wonderful to see. I wish all of the riders the best of luck as they continue to earn points throughout the remainder of the qualifying period, and we look forward to another great event in October!”
Don’t miss the chance to compete at the nation’s most unique and time-honored metropolitan event. The qualifying period runs from shows starting on or after Sept. 1, 2016, through shows starting on or before Aug. 31, 2017.
WIHS looks forward to hosting the best horses and riders from around the country in 2017 and encourages all riders to continue their drive to qualify. Riders must be active WIHS members in order for points to count towards the Finals.
As the season continues, WIHS congratulates all of the top competitors in the WIHS standings as of June 2, 2017:
WIHS Children’s and Adult Hunter Championships
In the Children’s Hunter Championship, Ufonia P and Cassie Warmkessel of Phoenix, Md. are the leaders with 1,242 points. Rocksino and Anna Tokich of Chardon, Ohio jumped to second place with 1,200 points. Escalido and Annie La Russa of Mountain Brook, Ala. sit third with 926 points.
Uptown and Victoria Clarke of Chevy Chase, Md. hold a steady lead in the Adult Hunter Championship standings with 1,976 points. Glyndon and Patricia Schindler of Reisterstown, Md. also maintain the second position with 1,710 points. XOXO and Jef Lauwers of Magnolia, Texas moved up to third place this month with 1,370 points.
WIHS Equitation and WIHS Pony Equitation
Emma Kurtz of Hudson, Ohio has taken over the lead in the WIHS Equitation East Coast standings with 4,672 points. Taylor St. Jacques of Glen Allen, Va. is second with 4,000 points, and Coco Fath of Fairfield, Conn. stands third with 3,000 points.
The top rider in the West Coast standings remains Grady Lyman of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. with 2,236 points. Brooke Morin of Calabasas, Calif. moved into second place with 1,994 points, and Katherine Dash of Yarrow Point, Wash. sits third with 1,762 points. In the WIHS Pony Equitation standings, Hannah Hoch of Whitefish Bay, Wis. leads with 968 points. Tessa Downey from Houston, Texas sits in second with 744 points. Libbie Gordon of Stateville, N.C. stands third with 664 points.
For the equitation, invitations will be extended to the top 40 junior riders who are eligible to compete based on their points earned during the qualifying period in the East Coast and West Coast Leagues as follows: 30 riders will be invited from the East Coast League and 10 riders will be invited from the West Coast League. Letters of invitation will be mailed in September. For the pony equitation, invitations will be extended to the top 25 junior riders who are eligible to compete based on their points earned during the qualifying period. Letters of invitation will be mailed in September. For the championships, 29 horse/rider combinations will be accepted in each division.
For more information or to sign up to earn points for the WIHS Championship Finals, visit www.wihs.org/membership.
Kent Farrington with Creedance. Shawn McMillen Photography.
WASHINGTON – Equestrian fans will have the opportunity to watch their sport on national television this week as the highlight event of the 2016 Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) airs on NBC Sports Network on Sunday afternoon. The $130,000 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Washington, presented by Events DC, will be broadcast on Sunday, November 6, at 3:30 p.m. EST.
Tune in on Sunday to watch the NBC Sports Network broadcast or set your DVR now to make sure you don’t miss a second of the exciting show jumping action.
Many of the best international horses and riders from around the world competed, including members of the U.S. Show Jumping Team from this summer’s Olympic Games in Rio.
The broadcast is a great opportunity for horse enthusiasts from across the country to watch the best in show jumping and for sports fans of all kinds to learn more about some of the world’s best equestrian athletes.
Woodlands Misty Rain and Isabelle Aldridge. Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography.
Washington, D.C. – Management at Washington International Horse Show announces a change in results at the 2016 event, which was held October 25-30 at Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.
The reserve champion of the Large Pony Hunter division was incorrectly announced. The reserve champion of the division was Woodlands Misty Rain, ridden by Isabelle Aldridge for Aldridge Equestrian LLC.
Aldridge and Woodlands Misty Rain, a Welsh Pony Cross mare by Woodlands Velvet Rain, were second in the Large Pony Hunter Stake class and won the Large Pony Hunter under saddle. They also went on to finish second in the WIHS Pony Equitation Finals.
Washington International Horse Show apologizes for the error.
The 2017 Washington International Horse Show will be held once again at Verizon Center in Washington, D.C., on October 24-29.
Storyteller and Mimi Gochman. Photos by Shawn McMillen Photography.
Sophie Gochman Tops WIHS Pony Equitation Finals; Sage Wolf and Grace Glover Win Regional Finals
Washington, D.C. – The 58th annual Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) came to a close on Sunday, October 30, after an unforgettable week of equestrian sport in the nation’s capital. The final day of competition featured pony and regional hunter champions at Verizon Center in downtown Washington D.C. WIHS ran October 25-30, welcoming over 500 horses to compete for more than $500,000 in prize money. With top sport, exciting exhibitions, fabulous shopping, and more, the 2016 WIHS had something for everyone and celebrated another successful equestrian event in the nation’s capital.
Rounding out competition for the week, the Miles River Moonglow Perpetual Trophy, donated by Scott Novick & Rustic Woods, was presented to Fair Play Farm’s Storyteller, ridden by Mimi Gochman, for Grand Champion Pony honors. The WIHS Pony Equitation Finals were held in the afternoon with a win for Sohpie Gochman, and the WIHS Regional Finals, sponsored by The Linden Group at Morgan Stanley, capped the day with blue ribbons presented to Sage Wolf and Grace Glover.
Set your DVRs now to catch the broadcast of the $130,000 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Washington, presented by Events DC, on NBC Sports Network coming up on Sunday, November 6, at 1:30 p.m. EST.
On their way to the Grand Pony Hunter Championship, Mimi Gochman and Storyteller earned the Large Pony Hunter division championship, sponsored by Further Lane Farm, with two wins and a second place finish over fences. They were presented with The Pegasus Stable Perpetual Trophy, donated by Ms. Fenwick Kollock. Reid Arani and Victoria Press’s Love and Laughter took the reserve champion title with a win over fences and a third place ribbon under saddle.
Gochman (12), of Palm Beach, FL, has ridden Storyteller for almost two years and also won last year’s WIHS Pony Equitation Finals with the 13-year-old German Sport Pony gelding. Gochman trains with Scott Stewart, Ken Berkley, and Amanda Derbyshire. This was her final show in the pony divisions and her final time competing with Storyteller, going out on a high note in her first grand championship at WIHS.
“He has always been a reliable pony. I can always trust him and know that I can succeed on him,” Gochman said of “Story,” as the pony is known in the barn. “He is really nice around the barn. He tries his best at all times. It feels good to go out on top in the ponies at WIHS. I have never been Grand here, which is a really big thing for me. This is one of the toughest shows. The rings are small, and you really have to maneuver around the schooling area, but it is definitely one of the best experiences I have had in the past few years. Doing it with Story was such an amazing end since it is my last day on him and other ponies. I’m going to be sad that he is leaving, but he’s moving on to another child, which is good.”
Speaking of the ride on Storyteller, Gochman detailed, “He has a comfy canter, so you have to get your pace established and kind of let him canter on his own. You can’t use too much hand because he likes to stick his head up, and it doesn’t always look great on him because he has such a big neck. The further down it goes, the more he uses it, and it looks better. He has to have a soft hand, but he knows that when you pull he needs to back off, so that makes him an easier pony for me to ride. He has the stride of a horse. I wish he were a horse so I could keep going on him, but he will make some other kid very happy.”
Storyteller was also grand champion at WIHS in 2013 with Ashton Alexander and will continue on to teach a new young rider the ropes. Gochman will continue on to compete in Kentucky with her horses next week and then goes back to Florida for the winter. Concluding her 2016 experience at WIHS, Gochman stated, “This is one of the best cities to have a show in because it has the show component, and then the fun sightseeing, and all the fun activities in the city. This is one of my favorite shows for sure.”
Mimi Gochman’s sister, Sophie Gochman, rode Dr. Betsee Parker’s Bit of Love to earn the Small Pony Hunter Championship, sponsored by Further Lane Farm, and was awarded The Stombock Saddlery Challenge Trophy, donated by Stombock Saddlery in Memory of E. P. (Bud) Stombock. The pair placed first, fourth, and fourth over fences, and finished third under saddle. Alexa Lignelli and her own Rollingwoods Knee Deep earned the reserve championship with two second-place ribbons over fences.
Hannah Bernstein’s Woodlands Stevie Ray and Emily Aitken took championship honors in the Medium Pony Hunter division and earned The Shenandoah Sundowner Perpetual Trophy, donated by Evan Coluccio and Ashmont Farms, Ltd. The pair won two classes over fences and placed second under saddle. Bill Schaub’s Highlands Heaven Sent and Luke Jensen won one class over fences to earn the reserve championship.
Aitken (13), of Westchester, NY, was then presented with the award for Best Child Rider on a Pony, sponsored by Gotham North, and put her name on the Captain V. S. Littauer Perpetual Trophy, donated by Hugh J. B. Cassidy, III, Mrs. William Dillon, and Miss Marion Lee.
Aitken trains with Kristen Carollo and Kristen Lutz. Commenting on her special honor, the rider stated, “It feels really good. This is my first year here, so it is really exciting to be Best Child Rider on a Pony. I have Woodlands Stevie Ray, who was champion. He was really good. I got an 89 in the handy, so I was really happy with how I was riding him. Then I also had Cleverist. He was really good too, and he is really fun to ride.”
Aitken works on staying tall and keeping everything still when she is riding. The middle school eighth grader also heads on to show in Kentucky next week, but had a great experience showing at Verizon Center.
“It was a lot of fun riding here, just knowing that this is where all the sports teams play and stuff, so that was really cool,” Aitken concluded.
Other awards on Sunday included the Best Pony Hunter Stake Award, which went to Claire Campbell and Natalie Jayne’s Blueberry Hill, for their score of 90 in the Small Pony Hunter division. Tessa Downey and Bringing Home the Blue won the 2016 Potomac Trophy for the high score junior hunter rider on a pony.
Sophie Gochman Wins 2016 WIHS Pony Equitation Finals
Pony competition at WIHS 2016 continued on Sunday afternoon with the WIHS Pony Equitation Finals and crowned Sophie Gochman the winner. Just one year after her sister Mimi secured the title in 2015, Sophie Gochman kept the honor in the family by winning her last class as a pony rider aboard Storyteller, owned by Fair Play Farm.
Storyteller and Sophie Gochman
Gochman scored an 86 over fences to sit in second place before the judges called the top ten riders back to be tested on the flat. After the final lineup, she was called forward as the winner and was presented with the Jane Marshall Dillon Memorial Perpetual Trophy, donated by the friends and students of Mrs. Jane Marshall Dillon.
“It is really special to have two Gochmans on that trophy,” said 13-year-old Sophie. “I was really hoping to make this day memorable because it is my last day on ponies. For the Washington [Pony Equitation Finals], I just wanted to have fun and have a good time for my last round.”
Mimi, Sophie, and their mother Becky shared an emotional farewell with Storyteller on Sunday as the sisters end their careers on ponies. When asked about Storyteller’s career with the Gochman family, Sophie said, “He is a really special pony to us. My mom rides him at home, Mimi usually competes him, and I have shown him a couple times. He is an equitation pony, and I wish I could take him in the big eq. It was a really great win, and I was confident that he could do it because he is such a special pony.”
Isabelle Aldridge led the jumping phase of the WIHS Pony Equitation Finals with a score of 87 riding Woodland’s Misty Rain, owned by Aldridge Equestrian, LLC and finished in second place overall after the flat phase. After pocketing a score of 84 over fences, Grace Debney and Denmark, owned by John Skinner, took third, and Saylor Shea claimed fourth with an 82.5 riding Magical Diamond, owned by Strawberry Hill, LLC. Luke Jensen rounded out the top five with a score of 82 aboard Fox Creek’s Curious George, owned by Dianna Orona.
Gochman had a successful week at WIHS competing in jumper, hunter, and pony classes, and enjoys showing amidst the atmosphere of downtown Washington D.C., saying, “It is really great how the general public can come in and the stands are packed every night to watch the jumpers. It introduces them to this sport because it is not always known to everyone. [It] spreads awareness about how important it is and what a great tradition this sport is. I think it is really great for people to see this aspect of horse showing.”
Regional Winners Crowned at WIHS
Sunday concluded with the culmination of WIHS Regional Hunter Finals, presented by The Linden Group at Morgan Stanley, which kicked off last week at the WIHS Regional Horse Show at Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD.
The win in the WIHS Regional Pony Hunter Finals went to 11-year-old Sage Wolf, a hometown girl from Washington, D.C. riding her 14-year-old gelding Dun Paintin’. The pair earned the high score of 90 for their round in the final. Nicole Marquie and CKE Horse Enterprises’ Pendermere Legacy finished second with a score of 85. Kate Howlin rode Lillie Honiberg’s Stoneledge Coralea to third place with a score of 78.
Wolf trains with Leigh Stitzer in Great Falls, MD and got her pony Dun Paintin’ in January 2016. She was second in her class at the WIHS Regional Horse Show at Prince George’s Equestrian Center last week to qualify to compete at Verizon Center on Sunday. This was her first time competing on the main stage at WIHS and an exciting win for the young equestrian, who started riding when she was seven.
“This is my first time ever at the Washington International Horse Show. It is amazing to ride here. It is a really cool place,” Wolf acknowledged.
“Dun Paintin’ is normally a very slow ride,” Wolf said of her pony. “He is very smooth, but he is not normally very peppy. It is a pokier ride, but he is a lot of fun. He was a bit faster than he normally is in this ring today. It is a cool new place, so he got a little excited and it gave him a little more energy. It was really cool to be riding in that ring, and I felt amazing about my round. I was really happy with the way it went. He was a really good boy, and I am really proud of how good he was.”
Nicole Marquis and Pendermere Legacy finished out the season as grand champions of the WIHS Regional Pony Hunter division overall. Shannon Maguire and her own Brownie Points, and Sarah Entzian aboard Suzanne Chambers’ Check Me Out, tied for the reserve championship.
The WIHS Regional Hunter Finals, presented by The Linden Group at Morgan Stanley, were held next with a win for Grace Glover, another Washington, D.C. resident, riding Michael Perez’s Pura Vida. The pair earned the high score of 88 for their round over fences. Fallyn Belcastro rode her own Chapter Three Z to the second place prize with a score of 85. Nicole Bailin and Pembroke Pointe’s Zachary finished third with a score of 84.
Originally from Lexington, VA, Glover moved to the nation’s capital three years ago after attending college at the University of Virginia and riding on their intercollegiate equestrian team. After graduating, Glover took a year off from riding to adjust to professional life in her job as a healthcare consultant for PricewaterhouseCoopers. In 2015, Glover took up the reins again and started training with Melanie Wright, Patty Foster, and Mary Lisa Leffler at Rolling Acres. She half leased her mount Pura Vida, a seven-year-old gelding, this year from his owner Michael Perez.
“Today was really exciting because it is just hard to manage showing and professional life,” Glover stated. “I only did one other show before local day, and it was very exciting to qualify, and then to do so well here. It was a really great situation that I got to do a half-lease with Michael this year. It was really generous of him to share Vida with me so that I could make it affordable and get to do some of these bigger shows as well.”
Glover competed twice in the WIHS Children’s Hunter Finals before and had a great experience both times.
“It is great to be back, and I know this horse show is just a blast, so any way that I could get here I wanted to make it happen,” Glover detailed. “My round was really fun. I felt like I picked up the right pace, and it was one of those rare rides where you just see the distances. Vida was so perfect and soft and just felt like he was listening perfectly, which made it really fun.”
Nicole Bailin and Zachary were then awarded the grand championship for the WIHS Regional Hunter Horse division for the conclusion of 2016. They were presented with the Black, Starr & Frost Perpetual Trophy, donated by Black, Starr & Frost. Fallyn Belcastro and Chapter Three Z finished in reserve.
Sunday’s competition concluded the 2016 Washington International Horse Show. For full results, please visit www.wihs.org.
Washington, D.C., (USA), 30 October 2016 – A mix of veteran riders and up-and-coming talent advanced to the final round in the third leg of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2016/2017 North American League Eastern Sub-League. With the advantage of riding at the end of the order, Lauren Hough (USA) delivered the fastest, double clear performance aboard 12-year-old mare Ohlala to claim the victory.
In the heart of the country’s capital city, at the Verizon Center, the area’s main sports and entertainment arena, a starting field of 28 competed over a track designed by Alan Wade (IRL). A technical course in the small, indoor space prompted competitors to note throughout the night that the jumps came up quickly and multiple questions were asked over the 12 obstacles, which included three double combinations.
Notable surprises in the first round included refusals from top, proven pairs: McLain Ward (USA) and HH Carlos Z and Todd Minikus (USA) and Quality Girl. Both riders retired and did not complete the class.
Seven horse-and-rider pairs went on to record clear first rounds. The initial competitor to ride clear, 22-year-old Catherine Tyree (USA), is part of a rising talent pool of North American riders. But the class would eventually go to the seasoned professionals, with all top four riders having Olympic experience and ranked within the top 50 in the Longines World Rankings.
In the final round, that featured four, consecutive rollback turns, bookended by long, galloping lines, Laura Kraut (USA), aboard Confu, set the score to beat midway through the order with a fast, clear performance. The next two riders, Beezie Madden (USA) on Quister and Kent Farrington (USA) on Creedance, both recorded faster times, albeit with a rail each. Last to ride, Hough showcased her four-year partnership with Ohlala to add strides to two lines – but combined with tighter turns, she managed to steal the victory from Kraut.
“I had the advantage of going last and seeing what Kent’s time was and Laura’s time was, and I decided to play it on the safe side and put in extra strides,” Hough said. “But my horse is naturally fast and she can cut turns short. She’s been in great form all week. I did take a bit of a risk with the turns because Laura’s not a slow rider. I had to ride a smart round.”
The class was Ohlala’s first indoor competition of the season, although Hough herself had competed in one prior indoor competition in advance of the Washington International Horse Show. The veteran mare will next show at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in an effort to accrue more points toward qualifying for the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final.
“She’s always been a great horse – a competitor and a winner,” Hough added. “As you grow with the horse, you change some things here and there, and I changed her bridle in the last year and have really concentrated on her rideability on the flat. The jumping comes natural to her – so I’m just tweaking little things here and there. She’s very adaptable to all types of venue. I would say, in the last couple years, her rideability indoors has improved quite a bit.”
Following this event, Kent Farrington currently holds the top position in the Eastern Sub-League standings, tied with Audrey Coulter (USA) in total number of points, heading into the next event at the National Horse Show in Lexington, Kentucky on November 5.
