Farrington and Pessoa Win International Open Jumper Classes; Polle and Weinberg Top Junior and Amateur-Owner Jumpers

Washington, D.C. – October 29, 2010 – The $25,000 Puissance sponsored by The Boeing Company is always one of the most anticipated classes of the year at the Washington International Horse Show (WIHS). This year was no different as Pablo Barrios (VEN) and G&C Blanchee Z, owned by G&C Farm/Gustavo and Carolina Mirabal, cleared a height of 6’1” for victory. In the $30,000 International Open Jumper 1.50m faults converted class, Kent Farrington (USA) and Up Chiqui raced to the win. Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) scored his third win of the week in the $15,000 International Open Jumper 1.40m faults converted class with Palouchin de Ligny. Karen Polle on What Ever and Tracey Weinberg with Larone were victorious in the Junior and Amateur-Owner Jumper classes this afternoon.

The WIHS continues through Sunday, October 31 with the best hunter, jumper, and equitation riders in the nation competing for top prizes at Verizon Center in downtown Washington, D.C. The highlight class of the week is the $100,000 President’s Cup Grand Prix presented by Washington Convention and Sports Authority, CSI 3*-W on Saturday, October 30.

In the first round, the Boeing wall was set at 5’7”, and all five riders in the class were clear. In the second round, first in was Andrew Kocher (USA) on Babaganoush, owned by BSSB1. They knocked the blocks off to finish on four faults. Aaron Vale (USA) and Alegro 95, owned by Claudia Billups, were next in. They too just touched the top block of the wall and sent it to the ground for four faults.

Barrios was next in with G&C Blanchee Z, a nine-year-old BWP mare by Utrillo van de Heffinck x Darco. They cleared the wall for a second time for a clear round, and then Barrios watched as no one was able to repeat that feat.

Benjamin Meredith (AUS) and Udonna, owned by Raylyn Farms Inc. followed in after Barrios. They ended up being eliminated for jumping a vertical that was not on the prescribed course. Shane Sweetnam (IRL) and Traffic Boy, owned by Sweet Oak Farm, were last in. They attempted the triple bar fence on course before the final wall and had four faults there, then cleared the wall. Those four faults left them in a tie for second place with Vale and Kocher, while Meredith finished fifth.

While Barrios won an exhibition puissance in Florida this winter and tied for the win in the puissance at the Dublin Horse Show in Ireland this summer, those two classes were with his other horse, G&C Sinatra. “It is the first time that I have done the mare (Blanchee) in the Puissance,” he acknowledged. “I have a very good horse for the Puissance with Sinatra, but I did him in the other classes so I tried it with her. Sometimes it helps horses a little to jump more and get braver, so that is what I wanted with her. I thought she was doing great, and if we had jumped a little more she would have made it.”

Since there were no other clears in the second round, the competition was officially over. “I was disappointed; everybody is always expecting to see a bigger wall and I was really surprised to win in just the second round,” Barrios said.

Barrios is a fan of puissance classes and enjoys riding in them. “I like the Puissance classes,” he agreed. “They are still very popular in Europe, people love it. But you need to do it with the right horse, a scopey one and a strong one. I think it is a great class for the crowd and that is one of the points of this sport, to jump high.”

For their puissance win, Barrios and G&C Blanchee Z were presented with the Congressman’s Challenge Trophy donated by the Late Honorable Rogers C. B. Morton and the Late Honorable F. Robert Watkins, of Pennsylvania. They also won the new Armed Forces Cup sponsored by Carol and Earle Mack to express their support and appreciation of all serving military personnel.

Kent Farrington and Up Chiqui put in a thrilling speed round in the evening session to win the $30,000 International Open Jumper 1.50m faults converted class. Farrington, who has won multiple times at WIHS and was the President’s Cup Grand Prix winner in 2005, racked up another win when he finished with the fastest time of 51.59 seconds. Margie Engle (USA) and crowd favorite Hidden Creek’s Pamina L, owned by Hidden Creek Farm, were just behind in second place in 54.48 seconds. Pablo Barrios (VEN) and G&C Sinatra, owned by Barrios and G&C Farm/Gustavo and Carolina Mirabal, were third when they crossed the timers in 54.84 seconds.

“It was your typical fast 1.50m $30,000 class here at Washington,” Farrington noted. “Indoors is usually very, very fast. That’s why I brought him here, just basically to do that class. You usually need a speed specialist. (He’s) really fast and very careful.”

Up Chiqui is known for his playful personality, but in a tight indoor arena he has to stay focused on course. “I think when it’s that fast, he doesn’t have any time to play. The jumps are coming up so quick that he doesn’t have time, but I think if it was a normal course he would probably pull his usual shenanigans,” Farrington smiled.

Farrington made his plan early and stuck to it. He explained, “I know him so well now that I know what he can and what he can’t do. I basically make a course that I think is for him and he’s naturally so fast. I just try not to make any mistakes and stay out of his way.”

The WIHS is one of Farrington’s favorite horse shows. “I like all the indoor shows,” he said. “They’re my favorite time to show. It feels important, there is only one main ring, there is usually a pretty decent crowd, (and) everybody is trying. You have a limited number of horses so every class counts for something. I think it makes it more exciting.”

Rodrigo Pessoa won his third class of the show this afternoon in the $15,000 International Open Jumper 1.40m faults converted class. He and Palouchin de Ligny were lightning fast in 49.72 seconds to take the top prize. Marilyn Little-Meredith (USA) finished second in 52.01 seconds with Cordia de Laubry, owned by Raylyn Farms Inc. Third place went to Hillary Dobbs (USA) and Marengo, owned by The Dobbs Group. They had the fastest time in the class in 49.14 seconds, but with four faults added their final time was 53.14 seconds.

Pessoa and Palouchin de Ligny were presented with the General Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Perpetual Trophy donated by the late Arthur J. Morris.

Karen Polle of New York, NY, and What Ever, an 11-year-old BWP gelding by Darco, finished first in the $2,500 Time First Round class for the Junior Jumpers sponsored by AAA Equestrian LLC. They finished quickly and with no faults in a time of 52.427 seconds. Pracht and Michael Hughes were second when they stopped the timers in 54.204 seconds. Third place went to Charlotte Jacobs on Promised Land, who had a time of 57.258 seconds. Polle and What Ever were awarded the Eleanor White O’Leary Memorial Perpetual trophy donated by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ashton Hill and Miss Linden Joan Hill.

In the $2,500 Amateur-Owner Jumper Time First Round class, Tracey Weinberg of Lovettsville, VA, came away with the win and the Cover Story Perpetual Trophy donated by Rolling Acres Farm. Larone, a 17-year-old KWPN stallion by Concorde, was the only clear in 57.297 seconds for the win. Weinberg was second on her other horse, Linda Z. They had four faults in 55.839 seconds, while Navona Gallegos on Vatricia finished third with a time of 59.688 seconds with four faults.

The Washington International Horse Show continues tomorrow with the opening classes for the pony hunters, followed by the WIHS Pony Equitation Classic Finals. The Amateur-Owner and Junior Jumpers will close out their divisions, and the Open Jumpers will have a pair relay class. 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 10 riders, followed by a Caisson presentation, terrier races, Chester Weber driving exhibition, and the highlight class of the week, the $100,000 President’s Cup Grand Prix presented by Washington Convention and Sports Authority, a World Cup qualifying event.

For full results and more information, please visit www.wihs.org.

Final Results: $25,000 Puissance sponsored by The Boeing Company

Horse, Rider, Country, Height Cleared, Faults, Owner

1. G&C BLANCHEE Z PABLO BARRIOS VEN 6’1” 0.00

G&C FARM/MIRABAL

T2. ALEGRO 95 AARON VALE USA 5’7” 4.00

CLAUDIA BILLUPS

T2. TRAFFIC BOY SHANE SWEETNAM IRL 5’7” 4.00

SWEET OAK FARM

T2. BABAGANOUSH ANDREW KOCHER USA 5’7” 4.00

BSSB1

5. UDONNA BENJAMIN MEREDITH AUS 5’7” elim.

RAYLYN FARMS INC

Final Results: $30,000 International Open Jumper 1.50m faults converted

1. UP CHIQUI KENT FARRINGTON USA 51.59

BOONE/DOBBS/FARRINGTON

2. HIDDEN CREEK’S PAMINA L MARGIE ENGLE USA 54.48

HIDDEN CREEK FARM

3. G&C SINATRA PABLO BARRIOS VEN 54.84

G&C FARM / GUSTAVO & CAROLINA MIRABAL

4. ESPLANADE 7 McLAIN WARD USA 56.30

LOUISBURG FARM

5. LIRVING DE VOLSIN KATE LEVY USA 59.41

KATE LEVY LLC & CHRISTIAN WOSCHENKO

6. CASEY DAVID TROMP USA 60.04

BEYAERT FARM INC

7. PALOUCHIN DE LIGNY RODRIGO PESSOA BRA 60.73

RODRIGO PESSOA

8. BALLAD VAN HET INDIHOF BRIANNE GOUTAL USA 61.26

REMARKABLE FARM

9. VIENNA ROUGE KEEAN WHITE CAN 67.61

ANGELSTONE FARM & LINDA RATCLIFFE

10. GRETNA 2 MARILYN LITTLE-MEREDITH USA 67.62

RAYLYN FARMS INC

11. LOUIS K2 GEORGINA BLOOMBERG USA 67.81

GOTHAM ENTERPRIZES

12. NIELSON B JEANNE HOBBS USA 68.25

JEANNE HOBBS

Final Results: $15,000 International Open Jumper 1.40m faults converted

1. PALOUCHIN DE LIGNY RODRIGO PESSOA BRA 49.72

RODRIGO PESSOA

2. CORDIA DE LAUBRY MARILYN LITTLE-MEREDITH USA 52.01

RAYLYN FARMS INC

3. MARENGO HILLARY DOBBS USA 53.14

THE DOBBS GROUP

4. PLATINUM AARON VALE USA 54.47

ABC 4 HORSES

5. HC PAMINA L MARGIE ENGLE USA 54.65

HIDDEN CREEK FARM

6. RENOIR DU BUISSON DAVID TROMP USA 56.14

BEYAERT FARM INC

7. RADIO CITY GEORGINA BLOOMBERG USA 61.76

GOTHAM ENTERPRIZES

8. CISKE DARRAGH KENNY IRL 64.93

BOGGS HILL

9. BABAGANOUSH ANDREW KOCHER USA 72.15

BSSB1

10. CELENA Z KEEAN WHITE CAN 81.74

ANGELSTONE FARMS & ASHLAND FARMS

Final Results: $2,500 Junior Jumper sponsored by AAA Equestrian LLC, Time First Round

1. WHAT EVER KAREN POLLE 0.00 52.427

KAREN POLLE

2. PRACHT MICHAEL HUGHES 0.00 54.204

DRUMNACROSS FARM & CHRISTINA FRIED

3. PROMISED LAND CHARLOTTE JACOBS 0.00 57.258

CANDY TRIBBLE & WINDSOR SHOW STABLES

4. ANBERLIN LAURA PFEIFFER 0.00 57.847

FOX MEADOW FARM

5. AMOROSO KATIE DINAN 0.00 57.942

GRANT ROAD PARTNERS

6. HENNESSEY CHASE BOGGIO 0.00 58.097

CHASE BOGGIO

7. ULTIMATE VDL KALVIN DOBBS 0.00 58.980

TREESDALE FARM

8. KARTOUCHE VD WATERING CHARLOTTE JACOBS 4.00 51.870

NORTH STAR VENTURES OF EA

9. FLIGHT REED KESSLER 4.00 53.162

REED KESSLER

10. SINATRA IV MEG O’MARA 4.00 53.892

THINKS LIKE A HORSE

11. LIGIST REED KESSLER 4.00 55.168

REED KESSLER

12. CACHETTE Z KAREN POLLE 4.00 56.415

KAREN POLLE

Final Results: $2,500 Amateur-Owner Jumper Time First Round

1. LARONE TRACEY WEINBERG 0.00 57.297

TRACEY WEINBERG & THE WEINBERG GROUP

2. LINDA Z TRACEY WEINBERG 4.00 55.839

TRACEY WEINBERG & THE WEINBERG GROUP

3. VATRICIA NAVONA GALLEGOS 4.00 59.688

BAR X RANCH LLC

4. PEACHES JEAN SHEPTOFF 8.00 57.895

JEAN SHEPTOFF

5. NO FEAR NAVONA GALLEGOS 8.00 59.738

BAR X RANCH LLC

6. EL GRECCO ROBERT LEE 27.00 76.429

ROBERT LEE

T7. SALADIN MARY ANTONINI elim.

MARY ANTONINI

T7. BEATRIX KIDDO LAUREL BLAKEMORE ret.

LAUREL BLAKEMORE

About the Washington International Horse Show
An equestrian tradition since 1958, the Washington International Horse Show brings top horses and riders from the U.S. and abroad, including Olympic champions, to the nation’s capital to compete for more than $400,000 in prize money and championship titles. About 500 horses participate in show jumping, hunter and equitation events during the six-day show. Special exhibitions, Kids Day, Barn Night, WIHS World of the Horse, boutique shopping and educational and community events round out this family-friendly show. Since its debut, the Washington International has been a popular Washington, DC, fixture visited by presidents, first ladies, celebrities, business and military leaders, as well as countless horse enthusiasts of all ages. WIHS, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, charitable organization, is headquartered in Washington, DC. Learn more at www.wihs.org.

© 2010 Jennifer Wood Media Inc.