Upper Marlboro, MD – Capital Challenge Horse Show (CCHS), presented by Well Placed Smile, began the first day of elite hunter competition at The Show Place Arena at Prince George’s Equestrian Center, as the start of a number of divisions were underway including the Future Hunter divisions, which will be highlighted on Wednesday, September 30, in the Future Hunter North American Championship presented by Douglas Wheeler and Cismont Manor Farm. Live stream coverage from CCHS is available all day through the conclusion of competition on Sunday, October 4, covering both the indoor and outdoor arenas, on the EquestrianCounsel.com CCHS Live Webcast presented by Leone Equestrian Law.

Competition at CCHS today included the First and Second Year Working Hunter Divisions as well as the High Performance Hunter division presented by Rendezvous Farm, which attracted many of the best hunter combinations in the country as they prepare for WCHR Pro Challenge on Wednesday and WCHR Pro Finals on Friday. These divisions will crown their champions tomorrow, Tuesday, September 29 and Wednesday, October 30.

Upper Marlboro, MD – Capital Challenge Horse Show (CCHS), presented this year by Well Placed Smile, honored Kelli Cruciotti of Elizabeth, CO, as the champion of the incredibly competitive Private Tutoring Services North American Junior Equitation Championships in The Show Place Arena today. With more than 100 entries in the class, the largest Private Tutoring Services North American Junior Equitation Championships held at CCHS in the past 10 years, many highly touted equitation riders from around the country vied for top honors, with Cruciotti and her mount Darius, owned by Serenity Farm, ultimately besting the tremendous class. Catalina Peralta captured the prestigious THIS National Medal Finals class while Rachel Boggus and Papillon 136 won the North American Adult Amateur Equitation Championship. Competition at CCHS continues through the week at Prince George’s Equestrian Center and will conclude on Sunday, October 4.

Cruciotti and Darius are forming a new partnership, as the dark bay 2008 Warmblood gelding is a recent addition to the Serenity Farms team arriving in the United States this past July as a second equitation prospect for Cruciotti. In only their third competition together, Cruciotti sealed her first equitation finals win with two solid rounds and a brilliant test portion of the division to take top honors.

Equitation competition commenced at the 2015 Capital Challenge Horse Show (CCHS) presented by Well Placed Smile, with several divisions showcasing their talents in front of a respected judging panel in The Show Place Arena at Prince George’s Equestrian Center. The first day of “Equitation Weekend” presented by Biqeq.com, offered several age division championships for equitation riders, including the North American Junior Flat Equitation Championship and the THIS National Children’s Medal Warm Up. Competition at CCHS continues through Sunday, October 4.

Victoria Colvin of Loxahatchee, FL, collected her first top honors of the week today aboard ten-year-old Warmblood gelding Clearway, owned by Dr. Betsee Parker, in the 17-Year-Old Equitation Championship sponsored by Frank Madden and Old Salem Farm. Colvin previously piloted Clearway to the 16-Year-Old Equitation Championships at CCHS in 2014 and also earned the coveted top spot in the Private Tutoring Services North American Junior Equitation Championships in the same year.

Upper Marlboro, MD – The 2015 Capital Challenge Horse Show (CCHS), presented by Well Placed Smile, is proud to offer several of the country’s top indoor hunter and equitation national finals as competition commences at Prince George’s Equestrian Center in two weeks, beginning on Saturday, September 26, and continuing through Sunday, October 4. Each year CCHS plays host to the sport’s top equestrian athletes as they vie for championship titles during this elite week-long competition. Several dedicated class sponsors have continuously provided their support to CCHS throughout the years, awarding titles in the highly touted finals classes, including World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) Finals as well as the major equitation finals that draw first-class equestrians to the Show Place Arena. In addition to being the title sponsor of the 2015 Capital Challenge Horse Show, Well Placed Smile, based in Nashville, TN, will also present the $5,000 Professional World Championship Hunter Rider Finals as well as the $5,000 World Championship Hunter Rider Developing Pro Challenge.