Pony hunters and the older divisions of the junior hunters concluded on Saturday at the Capital Challenge Horse Show.
Caitlin Hope of Barrington, IL, made her first time at Capital Challenge a memorable one as she walked into the outdoor arenas to collect the older small junior hunter championship with Lyle.

“It was really cool to come here and do this,” said Hope who won both classes at the start of the division on Friday.
Hope picked up the ride on Stephanie Keen’s horse Lyle last winter in Ocala, FL. She explained, “Don (Stewart) suggested it and I was really excited, and jumped on the opportunity. I had seen him do really well so I was really happy to get the opportunity.”
The experienced hunter doesn’t school over jumps much at home. Hope, 16, said, “He only jumps at the shows so he always comes out in top form. I just try to be at the top of my game so it ends up well.”
The under saddle was the final class in the older large junior hunter division, and with the points unofficially totaled after Friday and Saturday’s jumping classes, Alise Oken, 16, knew she had to show off Take Away. The gelding’s impressive jump earned him a first and third over fences and she said, “I had to win the hack to be champion. The pressure was on. I was so nervous.”
The Capital Challenge was a good way to start the indoor season. Oken will continue on to Harrisburg and Washington, looking to pick up two more championships.
Lillie Keenan celebrated her birthday on Saturday and received a nice gift from Pink Floyd. The seven-year-old small pony went well enough to earn the championship. She said, “Capital Challenge always falls out on my birthday and it is always really fun coming here!”
Keenan loves riding Pink Floyd. She said, “He really is an awesome pony. We’ve had him for two years and he’s really proven himself. When he first came we were jumping tiny tiny fences and he was overjumping everything and we were doing basic courses. Now he’s become a top pony and he’s really going to grow up to be a kid’s pony that’s still really fancy and able to do it all.” This is Keenan’s last year showing ponies and she will compete in the children’s hunters at Capital Challenge with two horses.
In the medium pony hunter division, Ashley LeCroy, 14, piloted Halo to a champion finish and went on to collect the grand pony champion. Ashley started riding the chestnut last winter for owner Ashley Whitner and they were circuit champion at HITS. What she likes best about riding Halo is their relationship. She said, “I feel like we have a really strong bond. We really connect and we know each other really well.”
Professional rider Scott Stewart watched as two of his large ponies collected the champion and the reserve ribbons. All The Best was named champion with Victoria Colvin up and Love And Logic picked up the reserve with Taylor Brown in the irons.
Stewart said, “I didn’t have many expectations for this. The ponies have never been indoors. I’m very happy.”
Colvin, from Loxahatchee, FL, just turned 11 years old and has been riding Stewart’s ponies for two years. She said of the rides, “Any of Scott’s you just loop the reins and go. Out of the three larges [All The Best] is the one that is the most consistent.” Colvin likes riding the green ponies instead of the made ones. She said, “They are fun because they are all different. I like having projects.”