​The Capital Challenge Horse Show, presented by the World Equestrian Center, came to a close on Sunday, October 8, with the awarding of the final Junior and Children’s Hunter championships. The Grand Junior Hunter Championship went to Augusta Iwasaki of Calabasas, CA, riding Small Affair, owned by Lyn Pedersen.
 
Iwasaki, 13, and the 14-year-old Selle Francais gelding claimed two victories and a fourth place finish over fences to take the Large Junior 15 & Under Hunter Championship. The pair’s top finishes also secured them the Grand Junior 15 & Under Hunter Championship, sponsored by Sherri Geddess Geddaway, and ultimately, the Overall Grand Champion Junior Hunter Championship, sponsored by Shadow Ridge Farm, and, for Iwasaki, the Best Junior Hunter Rider award, sponsored by Karen Healey and Amanda Hood.
 
“It’s an amazing feeling. I’ve always wanted to be a champion at a place like this,” said Iwasaki, whose slew of awards on Sunday marked her second consecutive weekend of winning at Capital Challenge, having won the THIS National Children’s Medal Finals just a week ago. “[Small Affair] is amazing; he’s so much fun to ride, and you can just feel how nice of a horse he is when you’re riding him.”

Upper Marlboro, MD – The Capital Challenge Horse Show’s youngest competitors took center stage on Saturday, October 7, at the Prince George’s Equestrian Center. Riding away with the Grand Pony Hunter Championship was Caroline Signorino on Anisette, owned by Hannah Hoch. Presented by the World Equestrian Center, the Capital Challenge Horse Show ends on Sunday, October 8, with the conclusion of the Junior and Children’s Hunter divisions.
 
On their way to earning the grand championship title, 12-year-old Signorino of Basking Ridge, NJ, and Anisette, an 11-year-old Welsh Pony Cross mare, earned two victories over fences and the Medium Pony Hunter championship, sponsored by Kayla Makhloghi and Rosemont Farm.
 
As the top pony hunter horse and rider overall, Anisette and Signorino were presented with the Grand Pony Hunter Championship, sponsored by the Aycox Family and Whispering Willow Farm; the VanderMoore Designs Inc. Trophy, sponsored by Chuck and Melva VanderMoore; and the Best Pony Hunter Rider award, sponsored by Archie Cox and Brookway Stables. They were presented with The Kitty Borisoff Memorial Trophy, sponsored by Alexandra Borisoff. 

​Upper Marlboro, MD – Professional hunter competition concluded on Friday, October 6, at the Capital Challenge Horse Show, presented by World Equestrian Center, with the heralded $5,000 World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) Professional Finals. The top six professional hunter riders in the country went head-to-head over three rounds, before Liza Boyd of Camden, SC, emerged victorious. Capital Challenge continues at the Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD, through Sunday, October 8.
 
Liza Boyd, Victoria Colvin, Tracy Fenney, John French, Scott Stewart, and Hunt Tosh each contested the first two rounds on a borrowed horse donated for the class before bringing a horse of their own into the ring for the third and final handy round.
 
Boyd earned an average score of 90 in the first round to move into the second place position, and an average score of 90.50 in the second round would move her to the top of the leaderboard where she would remain through the end of the class. 

​Upper Marlboro, MD – The Capital Challenge Horse Show, presented by World Equestrian Center, spotlighted Amateur-Owner and Adult Hunter riders with the naming of the division champions and overall grand champions on Thursday, October 5. Competition at the Capital Challenge Horse Show continues at the Prince George’s Equestrian Center through Sunday, October 9.  
 
Becky Gochman of Palm Beach, FL, and Catch Me, owned by Gochman Sport Horse LLC, earned the Amateur-Owner 36 and Over 3’6” Hunter Championship before also ultimately claiming the Grand Amateur-Owner 3’6” Hunter Championship. The Grand Amateur-Owner 3’3” Hunter Championship went to Lindsay Maxwell of Beverly Hills, CA, and Belgravia, who also took home the Amateur-Owner 18-35 3’3” Hunter Championship.
 
With scores of 88.50, 89, and 90, Gochman and Catch Me, a ten-year-old Holsteiner gelding, claimed victories in all three of the Amateur-Owner 36 and Over 3’6” Hunter over fences classes, and swept the division with victory in the under saddle to take the championship title, sponsored by Betty and Ernie Oare. Having topped all four classes also meant that Gochman and Catch Me earned the Grand Champion Amateur-Owner 3’6” Hunter title, sponsored by Troy Hendricks and Kimber-View Stables, and the Best Amateur-Owner 3’6” Hunter Rider award, also sponsored by Betty and Ernie Oare. The duo’s score of 90 earned them the EMO Best Amateur-Owner 3’6” Trip of the Show, sponsored by the EMO Agency. 

Upper Marlboro, MD – Professional hunter riders highlighted the schedule on Wednesday at the Capital Challenge Horse Show, presented by World Equestrian Center. Tracy Fenney and MTM Outbid were victorious in the $25,000 WCHR Professional Challenge, sponsored by The Gochman Family. In the $5,000 WCHR Developing Pro Challenge, sponsored by the John R. Ingram Fund, Dominique Damico and Rockette took the top spot. The Capital Challenge Horse Show, held at the Prince George's Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD, runs through Sunday, October 8.

The $25,000 WCHR Professional Challenge had 31 entries in the first round, which ran on Wednesday afternoon. Twelve returned for the second round in the evening session.

Fenney, of Flower Mound, TX, and MTM Outbid went tenth in the order and had a fantastic opening round. With an average score of 90, they sat in second place going into the night class. Fenney was happy that she did not have to go at the end of the class.

Upper Marlboro, MD – The Capital Challenge Horse Show recognized the best hunter horses and riders in the country with the awarding of 11 championships on Tuesday, October 3, at the Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD. 
 
In the 3’6”-4’ professional hunter divisions, Scott Stewart of Wellington, FL, added three championships to his already lengthy list of Capital Challenge accolades earned over the years. In the High Performance Hunters, Stewart rode A Million Reasons to the championship for owner Dr. Betsee Parker. Stewart and the 12-year-old, bay, Holsteiner mare came into the day with two wins over fences, as well as the win in the under saddle, and with a final win in Tuesday’s over fences class, they delivered a clean sweep of the division to take the championship, sponsored by Karen Long Dwight and Take the High Road LLC. The reserve championship in the High Performance Hunter division went to Olympic Fire ridden by Jennifer Hannan of Wakefield, RI, and owned by Roger Smith.  

Upper Marlboro, MD – The Capital Challenge Horse Show’s Equitation Weekend, presented by Bigeq.com, concluded on Sunday, October 1, at the Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD, with the naming of two new major equitation championship winners. Capital Challenge Horse Show continues with more top hunter, jumper, and equitation competition through Sunday, October 8.
 
Emma Kurtz of Hudson, OH, won the Palm Beach International Academy (PBIA) North American Junior Equitation Championships riding Carl, and the win in the Taylor Harris Insurance Services (THIS) National Children’s Medal Finals went to Augusta Iwasaki of Calabasas, CA, aboard Vanderpump.