​On the final day of the 2023 Capital Challenge Horse Show on Sunday, October 8, at the Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD, Ariana Marnell, 17, of Las Vegas, NV, and Babylon were crowned Grand Junior Hunter 3’6” Champions.
 
Marnell and Babylon first earned the Small Junior Hunter 16-17 division championship, sponsored by Three Ships LLC, with stellar results throughout, including a first-place finish on the flat, second in the stake with a score of 88, second over fences with a score of 87, and first in the handy with a score of 89. Their strong performance propelled them to the Grand Junior Hunter 16-17 Championship, sponsored by Ben Simon Family, and ultimately the Overall Grand Champion Junior Hunter title, sponsored by Shadow Ridge. For her award, Marnell was presented with the Spontaneous Perpetual Trophy, donated by the Listrani Family. She was also given the Best Junior Rider Award, sponsored by Karen Healey.
 
In addition to his success with Marnell, Babylon also scored big earlier in the week with Marnell’s trainer John French in the irons. With French, the eight-year-old Oldenburg gelding (L.B. Crumble x Balou Du Rouet) earned massive scores of 93.33 and 94.33 on their way to being named winners of the $25,000 World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) Professional Challenge, sponsored by The Gochman Family, which took place on Wednesday, October 4.

​“It’s such a privilege that I get to work with somebody who taught the horse everything because I know exactly what he understands and what he doesn’t,” explained Marnell of training with French and Babylon. “There was so much pressure last year in the first season I showed Babylon, especially in the beginning, that I didn’t really focus on enjoying him and the feeling as much as I think I should have. Now, I’m so comfortable and the pressure is not all from John’s success with him, but it’s also from our success together too, so it’s a good feeling. It’s like we’ve done this before and won this before so we can do it again.”
 
It is no secret that Babylon is a top athlete and contender in any hunter ring, but he also has the personality to match his undeniable star quality.
 
“I feel like ‘Crumbles’ is a person, and I really fully understand him,” shared Marnell of the charming chestnut. “He’s just such a fun horse. He’s pretty cocky about how good he is. At the in-gate he always has his ears up, and he loves cameras and people. He’s just a real superstar – the true definition of a rockstar, and he knows it. If anyone is ever lacking confidence, when you’re around him it’s like, ‘Okay, maybe I’m not super confident, but he is, so we’re fine.’ I really trust him.”
 
While Marnell and Crumbles exited the ring adorned in the many lengthy signature Capital Challenge ribbons and medals from their numerous accolades this week, the feeling of being a winner in The Show Place Arena never gets old.

​“I love this show,” expressed Marnell. “It is really prestigious with the best of the best horses. It takes a special horse to win, and we really have a great team of the grooms, the managers, the trainers, and my parents. Everyone plays a huge role in this, and I really have to credit the horses because they are really amazing. I’d like to keep all my horses under John’s care forever.”
 
It was a banner week for Marnell who also finished as the reserve champion in the Small Junior Hunter 16-17 aboard her second mount, Ocean Road, a 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding by Canatano Z owned by Marnell Sport Horses. In addition, she picked up the Best EMO Junior Trip of the Show for her impressive score of 90.
 
“I’m speechless. I don’t even know how to describe this week,” enthused Marnell. “Both horses were just amazing, amazing. I’m so lucky to have horses like this and a team like this. They’re actually pretty different rides, so that was one thing I kept in mind, having both horses at Indoors this year. With Crumbles, I just try to get him to a nice gap and let him stretch his head and neck. With Ocean Road, I try to not let him get too low. He’s a horse that kind of gallops right up to the base and then he fires off. He has kind of a high, little faster jump, and then Babylon is slower and really smooth. They complement each other really well, and I think I’ve gotten better on each one because of the other. These two will always be my boys for sure.”
 
Later in the day on the heels of their division success, Marnell and Babylon continued their reign in the $5,000 WCHR Junior 3’6” Challenge, where they scored the high 90.83 to claim yet another victory.
 
“I definitely felt some pressure, especially after Crumbles won the Challenge with John. We were a close second in this class last year, and things like that definitely stick with me,” admitted Marnell who will attend Auburn University next fall. “I wanted to win this year, more so for Crumbles, than anything. He deserves to win every class he goes in, and he does win unless I make a mistake. He’s just a real winner. For the last class at Capital Challenge this year, and maybe my last class here with him, I really wanted to win. He loves this show.”

The champion of the Small Junior Hunter 3’6” 15 and Under division, sponsored by Robert and Sandra Bierman, was Parker Peacock, 15, of Pfafftown, NC, on Acclaim, her own 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Heartbreaker. Olivia Sweetnam, 15, of Wellington, FL, piloted Fabriano, Visse Wedell’s 13-year-old KWPN gelding by Casall Ask, to the reserve champion title in the division. 

​Ava Barnes, 14, of Mason, OH, rode Unprecedented, an 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Commodor owned by Monkey Business LLC, to champion in the Large Junior Hunter 3’6” 15 and Under division, sponsored by New England Farm. The pair was also presented as the Grand Junior Hunter 15 and Under Champions, sponsored by Courtyard Farm. Paige Walkenbach,16, of Paradise Valley, AZ, and San Pedro 15, a nine-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Stakkato owned by Walkenbach Equestrian LLC, received the reserve champion honors in the division.

​Christian Dominguez, 17, of Barrington, RI, was presented with the Stewart-Warner Cup for Children’s rider. It is given in memory of Laurie Gilbert Stewart and Mary Warner Brown by Donald E. Stewart, Jr. and Louise W. Serio.

​Junior Hunter 3’3” horses took over the outdoor arena on the final day of competition, where Katherine Simonds, 18, of Encino, CA, with Crowd Pleaser emerged as the Grand Junior Hunter 3’3” Champion, sponsored by Aubrey Hill Equestrian.
 
Simonds and “Taxi” had top results, including winning two over fences classes with scores of 86, and finishing second in the under saddle class. Their consistent success gave them the Junior Hunter 3’3” 16-17 division championship, sponsored by The Nolan Family. In addition, Simonds was presented with the Best Junior 3’3” Rider Award, sponsored by Deer Creek Farm LLC.

​“He’s a dreamboat,” said Simonds of the 16-year-old Selle Français gelding by Quidam de Revel owned by West Coast Equine Partners, who is also ridden on the West Coast in the 3’6” Performance Hunter division by accomplished professionals Julia Rossow and Nick Haness. “He’s a little lazy and a little unimpressed by some things, but he’s so game for anything. I’ve gotten the pleasure to learn on him, and he’s awesome. He is the sweetest boy. He always wants to do well, and he’s really trying to win.”
 
Simonds and Taxi have been partnered together for a couple years now, and Simonds was determined to showcase their partnership on the big stage of Capital Challenge. 
 
“I was really coming here trying to up my game,” stated Simonds, who trains with Shari and Rainie Rose of Rose Hill Farm in Lake View Terrace, CA. “Capital Challenge is so special. They do such a good job of making every round feel important. I love the venue. I love the quality of the event. It’s my favorite part of the year. I always look forward to Capital Challenge.”

​Wrapping up the action in The Show Place Arena, Simonds also earned the top prize in the $2,500 WCHR Junior 3’3” Challenge, sponsored by Noelle Wolf Stables LLC. The duo earned a score of 87.16 to win the class.
 
Reserve champion in the Junior Hunter 3’3” 16-17 went to Next Chapter, an 11-year-old Holsteiner mare by Lotus T, owned by Ral-Star LLC and ridden by Rebecca Love, 17, of Atlanta, GA.
 
Champion of the Junior Hunter 3’3” 15 and Under division, sponsored by Hesslink*Williams, went to SWS High Light, Steve Weder’s 10-year-old Warmblood gelding, ridden by Violet Rheingold, 13, of Boulder, CO. Reserve was Presley Wade, 14, of Laguna Beach, CA and Sincerely, a nine-year-old Warmblood mare owned by Wade Equestrian Farms LLC.

​The Best EMO 3’3” Junior Hunter Trip of the Show was presented to Chloe Cairns, 13, of Amagansett, NY, after the rider scored an 88 in the 15 and Under over fences class with Advent, a nine-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Conthargos owned by Marta Rocha.

​In the covered arena, Lakshmi Jeyanandarajan and her own Ratatat were awarded the Grand Children’s Hunter Championship, sponsored by Mary Jane King. Jeyanandarajan, 17, of Irvine, CA, and Ratatat dominated the Children’s Hunter 15-17 division, sponsored by Katie Kappler LLC, to earn championship honors on Sunday, October 8.
 
“It feels insane,” expressed Jeyanandarajan. “He’s been such a good boy. To come to Capital Challenge for the first time and do this well is just wonderful. I never thought that we would be Grand Children’s Hunter Champions our first time here. I’m really happy to have that experience with him.

​“He is the kind of horse that makes you feel like anything is possible,” continued Jeyanandarajan of the 16-year-old Hanoverian-cross gelding by Ragtime. “He’s a real sweetheart. I know he will jump anything, and I know I can trust him 100 percent. I can come into situations like this knowing that he’s going to be the same horse, and I’m very grateful for that.”
 
Hot off their win last weekend in the $10,000 North American League (NAL) Children’s Hunter Finals, Jeyanandarajan and Ratatat were looking forward to competing in the division today. The pair continued their winning streak with a blue ribbon in the under saddle as well as a win over fences with a high score of 85.
 
“To me, it was the same kind of pressure coming into this division as it was going into the [NAL Children’s Hunter Finals],” explained Jeyanandarajan. “It felt a little more familiar considering the division format is a lot closer to what we do at a regular horse show. I think that contributed to how I prepared for it mentally. I wanted to treat it like any other competition and ride my best and worry about where we ended up after that.”

​Reserve champion in the Children’s Hunter 15-17 division was awarded to Grace Martin, 17, of Warren, NJ, aboard Premium Blend, a 14-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding by Churchill
owned by Mackenzie Teasdale.
 
Champion in the Children’s Hunter 14 & Under division, sponsored by Mr. & Mrs. Garry Duffy and Little Brook Farm, Inc., was Harley Hott, 13, of Cumming, IA, and her own Con Figaro, an 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Cabardino N. Reserve champion was earned by Madison Wu, 12, of Alamo, CA, and Notorious, a nine-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Stakkato Gold and owned by West Coast Equine Partners, LLC.

​Hott also won the $1,500 WCHR Children’s Hunter Challenge, sponsored by Stephanie Bulger & MeadowView.
 
Wyatt Rofey, 11, of Sag Harbor, NY, was presented with the Stewart-Warner Cup for Children’s rider. It is given in memory of Laurie Gilbert Stewart and Mary Warner Brown by Donald E. Stewart, Jr. and Louise W. Serio.
 
The Leading Hunter Trainer Award, sponsored by South Haven Farm, went to Geoffrey Hesslink, Brendan Williams, Vivian Yowan, and Bethany Lee of Hesslink*Williams.

​Ponies stormed The Show Place Arena at Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD, on Saturday, October 7, during the 30th anniversary of the 2022 Capital Challenge Horse Show. Currie Cooper, 12, of Point Clear, AL, and Paris Charm bested a field of more than 100 small, medium, and large ponies for the Grand Pony Hunter Champion title, sponsored by Pegasus Show Stable and The Endicott Family, receiving the VanderMoore Designs Trophy.
 
Riding in just her fourth show with “Paris” and in her Capital Challenge debut, Cooper impressed the judges over both days of competition. On Friday in the Outdoor Arena, Cooper piloted the 15-year-old Welsh Pony mare by Halifax to the high score of 89.50 in the conformation over fences class, earning the Best EMO Pony Trip of the Show, to kick off the division. They then strutted to the top of the under saddle class, picking up their second blue ribbon of the day. Cooper and Paris kept their hot streak alive into Saturday’s deciding day of competition, notching a third-place finish over fences with a score of 86.50, and a final win in the handy with a score of 88.75. Their stellar results propelled them to the Medium Pony Hunter division championship, sponsored by Ox Ridge Riding & Racquet Club, and ultimately the overall Grand Pony Hunter Champion title.

​“I thought my rounds were really good,” reflected Cooper, who trains with Richard Cunkle along with the team at JET Show Stables. “I was really happy I found all my distances, especially in the handy when I made some really sharp turns.”
 
While Paris is still a relatively new mount for Cooper, the flashy liver chestnut is no stranger to the winner’s circle at Capital Challenge, having claimed the Medium Pony Hunter division championship in 2022 with owner JJ Torano. Now, Torano has stepped into a more supportive role helping his pony to shine with a new partner in Cooper.
 
“JJ rides Paris a lot, and he’s really supportive and gives me tips,” shared Cooper. “She’s really fun and easy. She gives me a lot of confidence. She’s really sweet, but she’s a little bit skittish, so we give her tons of treats.”

​The Best Pony Rider Award, sponsored by Archibald Cox and Brookway Stables, was awarded to Cooper for her Grand Pony Hunter Championship. For this honor, Cooper was presented with The Kitty Borissoff Memorial Trophy, donated by her many friends. 
 
Reserve champion in the Medium Pony Hunter division was received by Katherine Mercer, 12, of Wellington, FL, who rode Goldhills As You Like It, a 15-year-old Welsh Pony mare by Gayfields Call the Cops owned by Frog Pond Stables.
 
Finley Baras, 12, of Bedford, NY, earned The Harper Taskier Wright Memorial Trophy, given in memory of Harper by her loving parents Michael and Alexandra Borisoff Wright, friends, and family whose lives she touched, for her championship in the Small Pony Hunters with her own Spring Fling, an eight-year-old Welsh Pony Cross mare by Charmsley Cormac. The reserve championship of the Small Pony Hunter division, sponsored by Cheryl Olsten, was Logan Baras, 9, of Bedford, NY, with Reagan Jarrett’s Dream Big, a nine-year-old Welsh Pony mare by Tradalebelleman.
 
Emi Richard, 13, of Middlefield, CT, was presented with the Tampa Horse Show Trophy, donated by Dr. Suzanne Smith, for being champion of the Large Pony Hunters aboard Tresoro, a nine-year-old Dutch Riding Pony by FS Champion de Luxe owned by Gray Neville. The reserve championship in the division went to Vivian Golden, 14, of Wyomissing, PA, aboard Betsee Parker’s Brixton, a 13-year-old Dutch Riding Pony by Charivari. 
 
Richard also won the $2,500 World Champion Hunter Rider (WCHR) Pony Challenge, sponsored by Sweet Oak Farm, with Prestige, a 12-year-old Belgian Riding Pony by Ive van de Delthoeve owned by Swede Ventures LLC.
 
Colin Shippam, 13, of Philadelphia, PA, was presented with the Stewart-Warner Cup for pony riders, which is given in memory of Laurie Gilbert Stewart and Mary Warner Brown by Donald E. Stewart, Jr. and Louise W. Serio.

Additional champions were awarded as follows:
Small Junior Hunter  16-17
Sponsored by Three Ships LLC
Champion: Babylon, ridden by Ariana Marnell and owned by Marnell Sport Horses

Large Junior Hunter 16-17
Sponsored by Beacon Hill Show Stables
Champion: Drumroll, ridden by Caroline Signorino and owned by Meridian Farm LLC

Children’s Hunter Pony
Sponsored by DFG Stables
Champion: Sahara, ridden and owned by Taylor Silvius

Hailey Guidry, 13, of Wellington, FL, and her own Byzance Mail bested a field of 29 competitors to take top honors in the $10,000 North American League (NAL) Low Junior/Amateur Jumper Final, presented by R & R Hunter Horses.
 
Ten horse-and-rider combinations produced a clear first round to qualify for the jump-off over a course designed by Ken Krome (USA). Guidry was able to jump fault-free on both of her mounts, first with Byzance Mail, and then with Ezmeralda EH Z.

“The four-stride to the five-stride lines were a little tough because it was from left to right and not really straight, but she did it absolutely perfectly,” explained Guidry of her ride on Byzance Mail through fences 8, 9, and 10. “It rode very well for her since she’s a tiny little mare and she can go around the turns very quickly.”
 
In the jump-off, rounds got faster and faster until Guidry stopped the clock with Byzance Mail in 33.468 seconds. Maddie Tosh, 17, of Milton, GA, gave it a good shot, but just came up shy of the time to beat, crossing the timers in 33.992 seconds for second-place honors with Kennedy vd Rechri, a 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding by Va Vite owned by Julia Curtis.
 
“I did not watch anyone do the jump-off, unfortunately, because I got right on,” said Guidry, who trains with Abby Blankenship of Three Ships LLC in Sheridan, IN. “I was just trying to think of a plan that I could do as easily as possible. I wanted to go very smoothly and try not to have any rails and be very quick. Honestly, I was so surprised at how fast she could go because I’ve never actually gone that fast with her. I’m very proud.”

​Guidry closed out the competition with a second double-clear effort, this time aboard Ezmeralda EH Z, an 11-year-old Zangersheide mare by Emerald van’t Ruytershof owned by Honor Hill Farm LLC. Though they were fast in 33.468 seconds, it would be a third-place finish and the night belonged to Guidry’s first speed queen, Byzance Mail.
 
“She’s such a queen,” commented Guidry of the12-year-old Selle Français mare by Iowa owned by Honor Hill Farm, who is known as “Bee” in the barn. “She’s been so perfect, and I’ve been so lucky to be able to come here on her. It was the goal, but I really didn’t expect to win especially because I had a children’s jumper, and I had a rail unfortunately in the first round. I just wanted to come back and have two clear rounds and I did.”
 
Elodie Watrous, 16, of Wilmette, IL, who finished in fourth with I Mose VLS was awarded the Best Low Junior Jumper Rider, sponsored by Bunker Show Stables. Alexis Mierzwa of Winchester, VA, was named the Best Low Amateur Jumper Rider.

​The $10,000 1.30-1.35m NAL Medium Junior/Amateur Final, presented by Parlanti, closed out the evening competition, with 18 starting horse-and-rider combinations. Seven left all the poles in the cups to advance to the jump-off, where Isabelle Ehman, 17, of Milton, GA, and her own Aston des Etisses turned in an electrifying performance, victoriously crossing the timers in 33.832 seconds.
 
Hot off her win in Friday’s $2,500 NAL Medium Junior/Amateur Jumper Welcome, Ehman was second to tackle the first-round course designed by Ken Krome (USA). 

​“The first-round course didn’t seem too bad,” said Ehman, who trains with Don Stewart. “We were really making sure that we were going to box the seven-stride line to the liverpool, because we watched the class before, and it seemed to get a little tight. We were planning there, and then in the last line, I was just making sure I got him off the front rail in that last six-stride.”
 
As the first to produce a clear effort in round one, Ehman was first to return to contest the jump-off. The remaining riders chased her time, but ultimately, she could not be caught. 
 
“Coming back first can be a little bit of a disadvantage, but we had a plan going in beforehand, and we just wanted to be super tidy everywhere and do the least amount of strides possible,” described Ehman of her jump-off. “Luckily ‘Aston’ is very good at jump-offs, so we were able to execute the plan exactly how I wanted to.”

​Aston is a relatively new partner for Ehman, only taking over the ride this spring. Previously, the 13-year-old Selle Français gelding (Mylord Carthago*HN x Quidam de Revel) was campaigned by U.S. Olympic veteran Margie Goldstein-Engle through the 1.45m CSI5* level, but Ehman had yet to test him in an indoor arena.
 
“We were just coming for a good experience,” said Ehman. “We definitely didn’t expect the results we ended up getting this weekend, but I’m super happy with how he was. Aston has a really big stride and he’s quick across the ground so I’m able to leave out or add. He’s very adjustable so small rings aren’t a problem, and big rings aren’t a problem.
 
“He’s actually got quite the personality,” she continued. “He can be a little tricky in the barn depending on if it’s dinner time, but he’s the sweetest horse. He always gives me 100% in the ring, and I just love him so much. He is very trustworthy, and I know he’s always got my back.”
 
For her win in the $10,000 1.30-1.35m NAL Medium Junior/Amateur Final, presented by Parlanti, Ehman was presented with The Remy Martin Perpetual Trophy, donated by Rolling Acres & Melanie Wright, as well as The Congressional Cup. She was also named the Best Medium Junior Jumper Rider, sponsored by Rosemont Farm, and is the first rider to win both the $2,500 NAL Medium Junior/Amateur Jumper Welcome and the $10,000 1.30-1.35m NAL Medium Junior/Amateur Final in the same year with the same horse.
 
“I love coming to Capital Challenge because the atmosphere is always great and riding in the indoor is really special, especially when you win and get to do the victory lap around the ring. It always adds a special touch to it,” concluded Ehman.
 
Second place, in a time of 35.393 seconds, went to Elise Stephens, 17, of Whitefish Bay, WI, with Diablo, a 15-year-old KWPN gelding by Andiamo owned by Ashland Farms. Olivia Sweetnam, 15, of Wellington, FL, had the final double-clear performance of the night in 35.967 seconds aboard Ina, a 10-year-old KWPN mare by Durango VDL owned by Triple S Group.
 
Lisa Butzer, of Boca Raton, FL, was awarded the Best Medium Amateur Jumper Rider honors.
 
The North American League Finals are the culmination of the NAL’s year-long Series that includes classes at hundreds of horse shows across the United States and Canada. The NAL offers year-long series in five divisions: Children’s Hunter, presented by Charles Ancona; Adult Hunter, presented by LAURACEA; Children’s Jumper, presented by EquiFit; Adult Jumper, presented by SmartPak; Low Junior/Amateur Jumper, presented by R & R Hunter Horses; and Medium Junior/Amateur Jumper, presented by Parlanti. The NAL series conclude with year-end finals for those who accumulated the most points in their divisions over the course of the season.
 
Competition for the 2023 Capital Challenge Horse Show will conclude on Sunday, October 8, with the $5,000 WCHR Junior 3’6” Challenge, the $2,500 WCHR Junior 3’3” Challenge, sponsored by Noelle Wolf Stables LLC, and the $1,500 WCHR Children’s Challenge, sponsored by Stephanie Bulger & MeadowView. The final Junior Hunter and Children’s Hunter champions and grand champions will also be crowned on Sunday.

​On Friday, October 6, at the 2023 Capital Challenge Horse Show at the Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD, Kate Conover made her dream come true by winning the $25,000 World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) Professional Finals, sponsored by The Rein Family. Conover took home the win by completing a stellar handy round in the Playoffs, then staying incredibly consistent and holding the lead with four unfamiliar horses in The Final Four.
 
The class featured six of the country’s top professional hunter riders going head-to-head. Shelley Campf, Kate Conover, Nick Haness, Geoffrey Hesslink, Brady Mitchell, and Leslie Steele qualified by their spots in the WCHR national standings. All six riders competed in the opening Playoff Round over a handy hunter course set by Ken Krome on a horse of their choosing. 

​Three teams of two judges oversaw the class, with Chris Wynne and Virginia Edwards making up the first panel, Brian Lenehan and Scott Fitton on the second, and Mark Jungherr and Eric Dirks sitting on the third. Each team awarded one score, and the average of those three scores represented the rider’s overall mark. The riders with the four highest totals then advanced to The Final Four, where they took turns riding unfamiliar horses.
 
In the $5,000 Playoffs of the WCHR Professional Finals, Kate Conover of Ocala, FL, and Small Friendship, owned by R&R Sport Horses LLC, blew the competition away by scoring 93 (Judge’s Panel 1 gave a 95) over the handy course that included multiple option jumps, walking through a chute, and a long gallop to the final oxer. 
 
“The horse I brought in the first round is one that I show in the first years, and I thought that I should go with one that I really know in that class because that track you had to be handy,” said Conover of her Playoffs horse, Small Friendship. “I think I made the right decision going with him, and he rose to the occasion and from there it was pretty amazing, the whole experience.”

​Second in the Playoffs went to Geoffrey Hesslink of Wellington, FL, and Spoken, owned by Shadowfax Equestrian LLC, with a score of 88.33. Brady Mitchell of Wellington, FL, and Holden Out, owned by Rein Family LLC, placed third with 86.66, while Shelley Campf of Canby, OR, and Understudy, owned by Ella Cate Duke, rounded out the final four with a score of 81.66.
 
Nick Haness of Temecula, CA, and Queen Celeste, owned by Glade Run Farm LLC, and Leslie Steele of Calabasas, CA, and No Reservations, owned by Curtis Holdings Inc., finished fifth and sixth, respectively.
 
Conover, Hesslink, Mitchell, and Campf returned for the Final Four on a clean slate, each jumping four courses, rotating turns on horses generously donated by their owners. Conover, Mitchell, and Campf were all riding in their first-ever WCHR Pro Finals, while Hesslink made his debut in 2020.
 
Conover started out her first round on Totoka Fuji, a nine-year-old Belgian Sport Horse gelding by Spartacus owned by Ingenium Farm. She scored 88 with a smooth ride to start out with a two-point lead. She next rode Actionable, a seven-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Action Blue owned by LG Sporthorses LLC, to the high score of the competition with a 92, which raised her total to 180 and increased her lead to eight points. 
​
Riding Lifestyle, a seven-year-old KWPN gelding by Cape Coral RBF Z owned by Topline Imports LLC, in round three, her lead shrank down to 5.34 points as Mitchell came back with a strong ride on Totoka Fuji. It was her final ride on A Little Less Conversation, a seven-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Elvis Ter Putte owned by Emily Wolkind, that sealed the deal with a score of 86.33 and a final total of 355.33.
 
Conover explained after her win that while WCHR qualification is not always her focus, this year she made a decision to compete more and aim for this.
 
“My brother passed away in January, and I kind of just changed my focus to riding for my family,” she said. “My mom really loves it so I know she’s watching. I can’t call her yet because I’ll cry but I know I made her really proud, and I know my brother is watching. I made this a focus, and I wanted it. I wanted it not just for me but for my family, and I couldn’t be more ecstatic that it actually happened.”
 
Conover has been known for getting a leg up on many different horses throughout her riding career, even starting back on ponies. “When I was a kid, and my whole life, I never really had the same horse or pony all the time, so it’s a lot of experience of just trying to make a relationship very fast,” she explained. “I think it’s that experience of riding them all differently, taking what you have in the moment, and doing the best you can. Every horse you don’t ride the same. I think riding a lot of different horses my whole life really set me up well for this class here today.”

​Mitchell started the first round on one horse, but after an unfortunate refusal, he was granted a new ride. He switched over to Lifestyle and came roaring back with a score of 86. His final three scores of 86 on A Little Less conversation, 91.66 on Totoka Fuji, and 89.33 riding Actionable had him close but not quite enough with 259.32 for second place.
 
“From the first second this morning when we saw the Finals horses school, I have to say I wanted to make the second round so I could ride the paint horse (Totoka Fuji),” revealed Mitchell. “I knew I was going to like the way that horse felt, and I’m really glad that I had a chance to ride all of the horses. Totoka Fuji ended up being my best round tonight, and I’m glad I got a chance to ride him.”
 
Regarding his Playoffs horse Holden Out, he remarked, “It actually worked out really nicely for him because he’s such a brave, sweet horse so this was a fresh environment for him, and he hadn’t had a chance to show in here yet, which I feel like brought out the best in his jump. He was really on his game.”
 
Campf received scores of 83.33, 85.83, 88.66, and 83.33 for a total of 341.15 for third place.
 
Following the class, Campf said, “I had a conformation horse that didn’t come at the last minute, so I didn’t have anything to ride and then I decided that I was not going to ride in the Pro Challenge. I got invited into this class. I haven’t been showing much this summer because I ripped my abductor muscle in my thigh, so it was kind of exciting and I didn’t know how it was going to go.”
 
“It was really fun to be riding with these riders, and we were all really helping each other,” said Campf, who competed at the very first Capital Challenge Horse Show thirty years ago. “I thought it was a fun environment.”
 
Hesslink had an unfortunate start in the first round with a lively Actionable. He was granted a reride on the same horse but withdrew during the round after a rail down. He returned for solid scores of 84.33, 83.66, and a high score of 91.33 on Totoka Fuji for a fourth-place total of 259.32.
 
“It wasn’t my night tonight, and that’s okay,” said Hesslink. “I find it an honor to be in this class, and I think Kate is one of the most beautiful and most amazing riders so I could not be happier for her.”
 
This was the second year in a row that a first-timer in the WCHR Pro Finals took the win after Nick Haness won in 2022.
 
For her win in the WCHR Professional Finals, Conover was presented with the All The Way Perpetual Trophy, donated by Elizabeth Busch Burke and Lisa Burke Horkan.
 
Tasha Visokay’s Ingenium Farm was honored with The Far West Farms Perpetual Trophy as her horse Totoka Fuji ended up with scores of 88, 85.83, 91.66, and 91.33 for the highest cumulative point total of 356.82. 
 
Final Results: $25,000 WCHR Professional Finals, sponsored by The Rein Family
1.    Kate Conover: 88, 92, 89, 86.33 – 355.33
2.    Brady Mitchell: 86, 86, 91.66, 89.33 – 352.99
3.    Shelley Campf: 83.33, 85.83, 88.66, 83.33 – 341.15
4.    Geoffrey Hesslink: WD, 84.33, 83.66, 91.33 – 259.32

​During daytime competition in The Show Place Arena on Friday, riders competing in the ARIAT National Adult Medal Finals took centerstage, where Riley Hogan, 20, of Warrenton, VA, claimed the win with an overall score of 181.99. 
 
Riders spend the year earning points towards qualification of the finals with only the top 30 invited to compete at Capital Challenge. Three panels each composed of two judges oversaw the class. Peg Seals and Chris Wynne made up the first panel, while Brian Lenehan and Mark Jungherr sat on the second panel, and Virginia Edwards and Mary Eufemia represented the third panel. Each panel provided one score, and the average of the three resulted in the rider’s overall mark. The top 10 then returned for a second round in reverse order of their first-round scores.

​Hogan, a junior at Oklahoma State University majoring in Marketing and Business, was unable to take time away from school until she arrived in Maryland at 2:00 a.m. Friday morning. As an added difficulty, she sat on her mount Uruguay, an eight-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Uriko owned by Don Stewart and Stefano Baruzzo LLC, for the first time just four hours later.
 
“My trainer Don Stewart has a lot of horses because he does a lot of sales, so he had a few here at the show for me to try,” explained Hogan. “I got them all in the ring this morning and I jumped three or four of them, and we decided that Uruguay was the best fit. Don has had him for a little bit, so I’ve seen him, but I’ve never ridden him myself.”
 
Despite being partnered with an unfamiliar horse, it was actually a familiar situation for Hogan, who rides on her school’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I equestrian team and earned National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA) All-American honors this year. With her team experience, Hogan has gotten accustomed to traveling to meets and competing with horses she’s never met before.
 
“All the work we do at school and the coaches there really prepared me for this, because that’s what we do – we travel and get on random horses,” she said. “Competing with a horse I’m getting on for the first time was pretty much second nature now that I’m a junior and have competed in that format for a couple years. Doing this today was very similar.”

​With a horse decided on for competition, Hogan could focus on the challenges of the course designed by Ken Krome and Meghan Rawlins. Her stylish first round earned a score 89.33, jumping straight to the top of the leaderboard.
 
“I thought the course was really well done,” commented Hogan. “There were enough questions, opportunities to go inside, and you could really show off. For Uruguay, he has a huge stride and just walks the lines, so I was able to get on one pace and stick with it, and I thought it rode really well.”
 
Last to return for round two, Hogan kept her cool, delivering an impressive effort, which was rewarded with a score of 92.66 for a total of 181.99.
 
“There is a lot of pressure coming back on top,” admitted Hogan who won the EMO Insurance/United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) 3’3” Jumping Seat Medal Final – East during the 2021 Capital Challenge Horse Show. “I came here hoping to do well, so it was definitely a goal of mine. I knew that going in, but I also knew that I could just go in and do the best that I could.
 
“The second round was a little bit more technical,” she continued. “There were definitely more opportunities to do inside turns. I watched the first two go before getting on and everybody did the turns, so I knew in order to have the score to win, I needed to do all the inside turns.”
 
In the end, it was Hogan who was victorious. Brendan Weiss of Wynnewood, PA, who won the North American Adult Amateur Equitation Finals during Equitation Weekend, presented by BIGEQ.com, earned second place with Hello Houston Z, a nine-year-old Zangersheide gelding owned by Elizabeth Cohen, on a score of 175.07. Rounding out the top three with a score of 172.58 was Blake Lindsley of Los Angeles, CA, aboard her own Twizzler, a 12-year-old Warmblood gelding by Catum.
 
Competition during the 30th anniversary of the Capital Challenge Horse Show continues Saturday, October 7, with the awarding of Pony Hunter champions as well as the $10,000 North American League (NAL) Low Junior/Amateur Jumper Final, presented by R & R Hunter Horses, and the $10,000 1.30-1.35m Medium Junior/Amateur Classic, sponsored by Parlanti.

​The 2023 Capital Challenge Horse Show, held at Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD, got everyone’s adrenaline pumping on Thursday, October 6, as riders raced over the course for wins in the North American League (NAL) Jumper Finals, and two champions were crowned.
 
In the $10,000 NAL Children’s Jumper Final, presented by EquiFit, Collin Sweetnam of Wellington, FL, turned and burned with Just Noble to claim the top prize in 34.580 seconds. Kendall Casaccio of Marmora, NJ, and Indigo ES ran away with the win in the $10,000 NAL Adult Amateur Jumper Final, presented by SmartPak, in 36.048 seconds.

​The Best Children’s Jumper Rider Award, sponsored by Memorial Park Hunters, went to Sweetnam, and Casaccio earned the Best Adult Amateur Jumper Rider Award, sponsored by MeadowGrove Inc. For her award, Casaccio received the Belfield Trophy, donated by Julie Karpan.
 
Thirteen horse-and-rider combinations found the clear path over the challenging track designed by Joe Carnicom (USA) and Megan Rawlins (CAN) to advance to the jump-off.
 
“In the first round, it was pretty tricky for us in a small indoor under the lights,” noted Sweetnam, 13. “There was a lot of pressure. I think she handled it well, and I handled it well. When I went clear, I just got some water and I chilled out for second, then went over my jump-off to be prepared.”

​One of the first to return to tackle the short course, Sweetnam put the pedal to the metal, setting a time to beat that could not be caught.
 
“The jump-off was quite straightforward,” noted Sweetnam. “There were no really sneaky turns; I just went really fast and tried my best, and my horse was amazing. In the first round I was nervous, but in the second round I was like, ‘I got this. I’m prepared.’ It was very fun zipping around that ring.”
 
Sweetnam has been partnered with the 10-year-old Swedish Warmblood mare by Character 1243 since November 2022, having inherited the ride from his sister, accomplished junior rider Olivia. While they were completely in sync for this victory, it wasn’t always smooth sailing.
 
“She’s pretty small, but she’s very, very quick,” said Sweetnam of the mare known as Noelle in the barn. “During the winter, the whole time she was very hard to learn on. It looks so easy because she’s so smooth and so fast, but once you get on her, she’s actually difficult. She’s very quick, but you win a lot when you get to know her. Once I got to learn her, she was amazing.”
 
For Sweetnam, horses are running through his veins. His father is Irish Olympian Shane Sweetnam, currently ranked twelfth in the world, and his mother is top trainer Ali Sweetnam at their family’s Sweet Oak Farm in Wellington, FL. When asked about his family, Collin did not hesitate in expressing his appreciation for their support.
 
“My dad inspires me a lot, and he’s amazing,” he said. “My mom is incredible, and she helps me a lot with my nervousness.”
 
Vivian Golden, 14, of Wyomissing, PA, raced into second place in 35.167 seconds with her own Chester, a 16-year-old Warmblood gelding by Camero M. Completing the top three was Grace Lowe, 15, of Arlington, VA, aboard her own Kilbrackan Blue Jay, a nine-year-old irish Sport Horse gelding by Plot Blue. They crossed the timers in 37.961 seconds.
 
The $12,500 NAL Adult Amateur Jumper Final, presented by SmartPak welcomed 31 entries into the Show Place Arena, but only one would come out the winner. Kendall Casaccio of Marmora, NJ, and Indigo ES were fastest out of a jump-off field of nine for a wire-to-wire victory.

​Casaccio and Indigo ES set the time to beat at 36.048 seconds as the first ones to return for the jump-off over a course designed by Joe Carnicom (USA) and Meghan Rawlins (CAN). 
 
“In the last line I did do a winger,” she laughed. “I did seven strides down the last line, which was a little bit of a stretch for me. I did really commit, and she had my back, so that’s all I can ask for.”
 
She then had to wait in the schooling ring to see if her time would hold.
 
“As I was walking around the schooling area, my heart was racing, because the in-gate kept announcing my time as the one to beat, the one to beat, the one to beat,” she remembered. “I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, did all these horses go and I held on to it this long?’ Because typically the first is the worst spot in the jump-off, but I was so happy that I was able to hold onto it the whole time. It was definitely a pressure cooker for sure.”

​Casaccio has ridden Indigo ES since the spring of 2022 after she purchased the horse from Emil Spadone, who has helped train her at shows since she was 14 years old. “She’s a little quirky, but I just love her to death,” said Casaccio of the 10-year-old KWPN mare by Dantos. “She’s such a sweet horse in the barn. She’s a little weird; she’s a little spooky at certain things, but I totally get her. She gets me, and I get her, and I really do love her.”
 
Casaccio and her main trainer Chrissy Covarrubias, whom Casaccio has trained with for 20 years, make a good team at horse shows taking care of the horses themselves and braiding.
 
Having shown at Capital Challenge Horse Show since she first competed in the equitation age division at 14, Casaccio was excited to take home a big win. “It means so much,” she expressed. “I have been so hungry for a win like this with this mare, because she’s amazing and I just love her.”
 
The Best Adult Amateur Jumper Rider Award sponsored by MeadowGrove, Inc. was awarded to Casaccio. For their win, they were presented with The Belfield Trophy donated by Julie Karpan.
 
Second place went to Charlotte Powers of Leesburg, VA, with Escot 6, her own 17-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Escudo I. They finished the jump-off clear in 36.625 seconds. Madison Smyth of Dayton, MD, and Encore, a Selle Francais gelding, placed third in a time of 37.197 seconds.
 
The North American League Finals are the culmination of the NAL’s year-long Series that includes classes at hundreds of horse shows across the United States and Canada. The NAL offers year-long series in five divisions: Children’s Hunter, presented by Charles Ancona; Adult Hunter, presented by LAURACEA; Children’s Jumper, presented by EquiFit; Adult Jumper, presented by SmartPak; Low Junior/Amateur Jumper, presented by R & R Hunter Horses; and Medium Junior/Amateur Jumper, presented by Parlanti. The NAL series conclude with year-end finals for those who accumulated the most points in their divisions over the course of the season.

​For the second year in a row, Stephanie Bulger of Bridgehampton, NY, and her longtime partner Hemingway secured the honors of Grand Amateur Owner Hunter 3’3” Champion, sponsored by Missy Luczak-Smith. The pair won two over fences classes and picked up an additional two second-place ribbons for the championship in the Amateur Owner Hunter 3’3” 36 and Over division, sponsored by Karina Brez Jewelry. Bulger was also presented with the Missy McCutcheon Memorial Trophy and the Best Amateur Owner 3’3” Rider Award, sponsored by Spring Mill Farm.
 
“He has felt amazing the past couple of days,” commented Bulger of the 13-year-old Hanoverian gelding. “He is special all the time and puts a tremendous amount of integrity into everything he does. He also knows when it’s time to really turn it up. I just have to put my heels down and hold on.

​“It means so much to win here, especially with the trophy being named after Missy who was a sweet, sweet lady and always brought a smile to everyone,” continued Bulger. “It’s a big honor to win her trophy and to compete among the best of the best. You had to have a score of 85 to even jog in that last class so there’s no room for error. It feels extra validating to all the hard work.”
 
This was an emotional victory for Bulger who had Hemingway come into her life two weeks after her son was born and has been watching them grow up together for the past eight years.
 
“Hemingway means the world to me. He is the horse of many lifetimes,” she expressed. “He’s a wonderful horse and a real gentleman. He knows his job beautifully. I just try to stay out of his way and let him shine. We have a wonderful partnership, and I’m extremely lucky to have him.”

​Reserve champion in the Amateur Owner Hunter 3’3” 36 and Over division was awarded to Brad Wolf of Memphis, TN, and his own Sebastian, a 13-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Cancara. The champion of the Amateur Owner Hunter 3’3” 18-35 was Private Practice, a 13-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Lordanos ridden by Martha Ingram of Nashville, TN, and owned by John and Stephanie Ingram, LLC. Callie Seaman of New York, NY, and Moonshine, an 11-year-old Selle Français gelding by Untouchable, owned by Hallowell Lane Farm LLC, claimed reserve champion honors.

​Caroline Ingalls of Rancho Santa Fe, CA, rode her own Concerto to the Grand Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’6” Championship, sponsored by Finally Farm. Ingalls piloted the 12-year-old Westphalian gelding by Cathanos to top honors in the Amateur Owner Hunter 3’6” 18-35 division, sponsored by The Hallman Family and MerryLegs South LLC, to secure the overall grand title. The pair won the handy stake with a score of 87.5 and also earned two second-place ribbons and a third place in the under saddle.
 
Ingalls and Concerto were presented with the Dr. Harold M.S. Smith Trophy, donated by Dr. Suzanne Smith and Dr. Peter Craig. Ingalls was named the Best Amateur Owner 3’6” Rider, sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Ernest M. Oare and awarded The So Many Ways Challenge Trophy, donated by Karen Kramer. The reserve championship in the Amateur Owner Hunter 3’6” 18-35 division went to Martha Ingram of Nashville, TN, and John and Stephanie Ingram, LLC’s Jenkins, a nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Charisma.

​“He’s felt great especially because I hadn’t really jumped a full course on him in about a month,” explained Ingalls, 32. “We wanted to give him some nice downtime and make sure he was really sharp for this show. He was fantastic, and we put in some great rounds. Today he was really on fire in the handy and so lovely to ride. I think he really rises to the occasion and Indoors is a lot more interesting to him than the shows that we go to all year.
 
“This is an incredible show,” continued Ingalls. “This was my very first indoor show when I was 14 years old. The first time I ever came into this indoor I was just blown away because of the atmosphere. Capital Challenge is one of the biggest horse shows now, and one the most important hunter shows.”
 
After taking a short break from riding, Ingalls decided she wanted to get back into the sport and found Concerto during the winter of 2016 when the gelding was five years old. Ingalls quickly realized Concerto shined in the hunter ring and has been bringing him up the ranks since.
 
“He has such an incredible resume at this point, and I’m so grateful that all of that has been with me,” commented Ingalls. “We’ve been through a lot, and I’ve gotten to see him grow over the years. I think a win like this definitely means a lot when it’s a horse you’ve developed a really big partnership with. Horses like this don’t come around often at all, and he’s a special one.”

​The Amateur Owner Hunter 3’6” 36 and Over championship, sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Ernest M. Oare, was awarded to Katie Robinson of Buffalo, NY, and Robinson Ridge, LLC’s MTM Plus One, a 10-year-old Westphalian gelding by Captain Jack. Irene Neuwirth of Culver City, CA, and her own Juan Carlos, a 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Casall, received reserve champion in the division.

​Rindy Dominguez of Barrington, RI, piloted her own Frosted to the title of Grand Adult Amateur Hunter Champion, sponsored by Steve Martines. The duo picked up two blue ribbons over fences and a second place under saddle to earn the championship honors in the Adult Amateur Hunter 50 and Over division, sponsored by Ocean Echo. 
 
“He's felt amazing,” said Dominguez of the nine-year-old Holsteiner stallion by Connor. “He keeps stepping up to the plate. Every venue that we send him to, he just does what he’s asked. He answers every question the right way and does it with such style and grace. He’s a stallion, but you would never know it if you watched him. He’s just an amazing horse that wants to win. He’s careful, sensible, and has a huge amount of talent.”
 

​Dominguez imported Frosted from Belgium in October of 2022, and he began his hunter career at the beginning of this year. Although they are a newer combination, the pair definitely caught the judges’ attention with two scores of 88 over fences.
 
“He actually was from Ukraine and was doing the jumpers there,” explained Dominguez. “During the war, they brought him to Belgium. We bought him from Belgium and then imported him last October. He’s a stallion, so he stayed in quarantine for a month, and then started doing the Green Hunter 3’3” division with Jennifer [Hannan] in January, and then I started doing him in the Adult Hunters.”
 
For their grand championship, Dominguez and Frosted were presented with The Equus Entries Challenge Trophy, donated by Equus Entries & Sue and Ralph Caggiano and the Best Adult Amateur Rider Award, sponsored by Phoebe Weseley and River Run Farm LLC. Trainer Jennifer Hannan was presented with The Gail Knieriem Memorial Trophy, sponsored by Evermore.

​Reserve champion in the Adult Amateur Hunter 50 and Over was earned by Laura Karet of Pittsburgh, PA, aboard Dinner at 8, a nine-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Bretton Woods owned by Glade Run Farm LLC. Champion of the Adult Amateur Hunter 18-35 division, sponsored by Lainie Wimberly and Brigadoon Show Stables, Inc. was received by Brittany Warden of Washington, D.C., and Glebe Ventures LLC’s Canyon, a nine-year-old Warmblood gelding by Warrant. Reserve champion was awarded to Sachi Kawabata-Porto of La Canada, CA, and Kimberly Stewart’s Crush, a 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Corlensky G. Maryann Zeira of Basking Ridge, NJ, rode Lesley Dryden’s Milo, a six-year-old Warmblood gelding, to champion in the Adult Amateur Hunter 36-49, sponsored by LifeVac. Reserve champion in the division was given to Jaclyn Fisher of Murfreesboro, TN, and her own Nureyev SCF, a 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood by Diktator Van de Boslandhoeve.
 
Competition will continue on Friday at the 2023 Capital Challenge Horse Show with junior hunter divisions, pony hunter divisions, the $2,500 NAL Low Junior/Amateur Owner Welcome, presented by Voltaire Design, and the $2,500 NAL Medium Junior/Amateur Owner Welcome, sponsored by Wolf Creek Equine Hospital. The highlighted classes on Friday will be the WCHR Adult Amateur Challenge, sponsored by Kate Considine & Willow Brook Stables, the ARIAT National Adult Medal Finals, and the $25,000 Professional World Championship Hunter Rider Final, sponsored by The Rein Family.
 

​It was a three-peat victory for John French and Babylon, owned by Marnell Sport Horses, in the $25,000 World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) Professional Challenge, sponsored by The Gochman Family, during the 30th anniversary of the Capital Challenge Horse Show. The class was the highlight of the schedule on Wednesday, October 4, at Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD. Rounding out the evening’s competition, Halie Robinson of Santa Barbara, CA, and Leisure, owned by Stable Assets, triumphed in the $10,000 WCHR Developing Pro Challenge, sponsored by John R. Ingram Fund.
 
Earlier in the day, Nick Haness and On Call, owned by Brad Wolf, won the $25,000 KASK/Vogel Green Hunter 3’ and 3’3” North American Championship, sponsored by the Wheeler family.

​Riders qualified for the $25,000 WCHR Professional Challenge by finishing in the top four in professional hunter classes at the show or ranking in the top 10 nationally. The class consisted of a first round for all 24 competitors and a second round for the top 12 horse-and-rider combinations.
 
Judging the class was three panels of two judges, such that each panel provided a score, and the average of those three marks yielded the rider’s overall total. Peg Seals and Chris Wynne made up the first panel, while Brian Lenehan and Eric Dirks sat on the second, and Mark Jungherr and Mary Eufemia represented the third.
 
Entering The Show Place Arena in the middle of the order, all eyes were on the 2021 and 2022 WCHR Professional Challenge winners, French and Babylon. After landing from the final oxer in front of the in gate, cheers erupted from the crowd.

​“I was a little nervous in the warm-up area because he felt a little fresh today, but I knew when he went in there that it’s his job,” recalled French who has brought Babylon along since he was a four-year-old. “I don’t know if it’s because I started him from the beginning when he was really green, but he’s my kind of ride. I wake him up a little bit, but then try to be really soft with no pressure in front of the jump and let him use his head and neck. Because I’ve had him for so long and he is my kind of ride, once I’m on him and in the ring, I’m like, ‘We’ve got this.’”
 
With an average score of 93.33 in round one, French and the eight-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Crumbie went straight to the top of the leaderboard. Last to return in round two, silence filled the arena as spectators waited with palpable anticipation for each jumping effort. Once again, the duo did not disappoint, delivering an impressive 94.33 for a two-round total of 187.66.
 
“Tonight’s class went well,” stated French. “I think he was super relaxed. The course was very good for him. He’s kind of a ham at this show. He’s won it three times, and he’s only eight years old.”

​It’s no secret that French and Babylon are a formidable pair, and their strong partnership was on full display from start to finish. 
 
“It’s still nice to win, and he’s such a special horse,” expressed French who has now tallied six victories in this class. “We just have a special bond. He likes this horse show, which is nice because it’s a special show and all the best of the best are here.”
 
While most riders had campaigned their mounts in previous classes in the week, French had a different plan for Babylon.
 
“I just brought him in last night,” he shared. “I wanted him to be at the farm, be turned out - he didn’t need to be here. He has the Junior Hunter division to show in this weekend. You have to make them love their job and want to do it for you. That’s the thing about him. He loves his job and is the happiest horse. You’ll never see him pin his ears back; he just never does that.”
 
The win in itself was exciting but winning at Capital Challenge is even more significant for the Maryland native.
 
“Being from Maryland makes this even more special,” said French, who is now based in Wellington, FL. “Show Manager Oliver Kennedy and I grew up in Columbia, Maryland, at the barn cleaning stalls. It’s great seeing people from growing up here and also my family who all still live here.”
 
Though he was happy to celebrate the victory, it was a bittersweet moment for the decorated professional.
 
“He’s the kind of horse…we go on a lot of trails and if I’m having a bad day or whatever, I take him out on the trail and we have a lot of conversations,” explained French of his mount. “I’m a little emotional because he will be for sale at the end of this year, so I think this could be my last class with him. Knowing that, at least we went out on a good note.”
 
Riding to second place with a total score of 182.99 was Nick Haness of Temecula, CA, aboard the incredible Queen Celeste, a 12-year-old Holsteiner mare by Cassini I, owned by Glade Run Farm LLC. Maria Rasmussen of Royal Palm Beach, FL, and Worthy, Sunset View Farm LLC’s 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Cannavaros, completed the top three with a score of 176.66.

​With the high score in both rounds of the $10,000 WCHR Developing Pro Challenge, sponsored by John R. Ingram Fund, Halie Robinson led the victory gallop aboard Leisure, an eight-year-old Hanoverian mare by Comte owned by Stable Assets LLC. Their 180.32 total came from a first-round score of 89.66 and 90.66 in the second round.
 
Despite their short relationship together from the beginning of 2023, Robinson and Leisure have made the most of their show year together.

​“I flew across the country in the middle of the night to try her, and we have never looked back since then. She is the most incredible little horse in the world. She’s only in her Green Hunter 3’3” year right now. I think she was one of the only horses out there that was still doing that. She’s never been anything but absolutely spectacular. This is really just our fourth or fifth show with her this summer, and she has improved and impressed us every single time.”
 
Robinson was unsure what to expect of the young mare with the bigger atmosphere of a night class. “She was a professional out there, so she didn’t really need too much. I just tried to give her the best performance I could so she could have a special night,” said Robinson.
 
This was Robinson’s third time in the WCHR Developing Pro Challenge, having finished seventh in 2022 and 11th in 2021. Capital Challenge is Robinson’s favorite horse show of the year, so to win this prestigious class stood out in her professional career.

​“Tonight was finally the night so I was really happy,” admitted Robinson, who also won the 2017 USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals – West at the age of 21. “It’s also so great to win on a horse that we have in the barn and have gotten to know over the past couple of months. She is just as spectacular as we could have ever hoped, so hopefully we get to keep working with her. I think she is really a once-in-a-lifetime horse.”
 
Robinson affirmed the support of her team, as well as from Canadian grand prix rider Chris Sorensen. “I’m so thankful for the team that I have. I get so many of my horses from Chris, but he’s overseas most of the time. I mostly do everything by myself and so getting to have him on the ground and have him to bounce ideas off of, even though we do that on the phone most of the time, was such a joy. 
 
“I think anyone who knows me knows that I could not do it without Abel Davila and our help at home,” she continued. “I leave the horse care completely to them. They take the most amazing care of all the animals. Abel flew all the way from California for this horse, and I can’t thank them enough. To have Leisure’s owner Stephanie Engle here and the girls from the barn was really special.”
 
Second in the WCHR Developing Pro Challenge went to Haleigh Landrigan of Ocala, FL, who scored 88.83 and 90.33 for a total of 179.16 for second place on In The Know, a 14-year-old Warmblood gelding by Arkansas owned by Madeline Schaefer. Kelly Lorek of Manchaca, TX, and MTM Campedu, a 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Cloney owned by Emersales LLC, were third with scores of 87.53 and 88.50 for 176.03.

​Earlier in the day, 32 horse-and-rider combinations entered The Show Place Arena for the $25,000 KASK/Vogel Green Hunter 3’ and 3’3” North American Championship, sponsored by the Wheeler family. With an impressive overall score of 179.66, Nick Haness and Brad Wolf’s On Call were victorious. Samantha Schaefer of Westminster, MD, and Cordial, a nine-year-old Westphalian gelding by Cachassini, owned by Carol Stillwell, finished in second place with a total score of 178.32. While Holly Orlando of Wellington, FL, and Macallan, an eight-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Typhoon S, owned by Privet Farm LLC, finished on the same total score, their lower second round score saw them finish in third.
 
The class was overseen by three panels, each with two judges. Chris Wynne and Eric Dirks
sat on the first panel, while Brian Lenehan and Mary Eufemia made up the second, and Peg Seals and Mark Jungherr were the third. Each panel awarded a score with the average representing the rider’s overall mark. Horses competing at either the 3’ or the 3’3” heights were scored equally, and the top 12 returned for the second round.

​Haness guided “Howard” to an impressive first-round score of 90.33 and followed that up with an equally stunning second-round trip, earning an 89.33.
 
“Howard is a really, really funny horse,” said Haness of the eight-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding by Untouchable. “He’s got a big, big personality. He is very capable of jumping beautiful jumps, and he’s got a huge, round, scopey, athletic way of going. We have high hopes for his future as well. He’s very seasoned at this point, so he’s familiar with the pressure this class brings. He’s very comfortable indoors, and I think his big jump and big open stride really proved to be what the judges were looking for today.”
 
Haness was actually unaware he was slated to compete with Howard in the Championship class until he saw the start list in the morning. Though Haness knew they had qualified, he expected Howard to be focused on competing with Wolf in the 3’3” Amateur Owner Hunter 36 & Over division. After a positive outing with his owner in the Outdoor Arena, Howard was ready to take on The Show Place Arena with Haness in the irons.

​“There was really zero preparation involved in planning for a win today,” admitted Haness. “It kind of just fell into place as we like it to happen. As I got on Howard today, I knew that he had already shown and was already warmed up and ready to go. He went in the ring and was quite excited about the newer jumps inside, which brightened him up a bit, and he went beautifully.”
 
While Haness has picked up numerous accolades at Capital Challenge, this particular title had previously eluded him. 
 
“Today marks my one-year anniversary from when I met Howard for the first time,” shared Haness. “I showed him last year at Capital Challenge in the Green Hunter 3'3" division as a catch ride, and he was champion. He loves this horse show. I’m just thrilled to come back here and win this class. I’ve actually never won this class, so this is a first for me. I’m super happy and excited about it.”
 
For his win, Haness was presented with the Beverly Brooks Solter Memorial Trophy, donated by Hilary Scheer Gerhardt and Zan Martin Dillon.
 
Tim Goguen, of Lexington, KY, was the recipient of the William “Bill” Ellis Sportsmanship Award, dedicated in memory of Bill Ellis for his exceptional commitment to horsemanship. The award is presented to the rider of the best turned out horse in the $25,000 KASK/Vogel Green Hunter 3’ and 3’3” North American Championship.
 
Grand champions were awarded throughout the day as follows:
 
Grand Champion Green Hunter 3’ and 3’3”

Sponsored by David Belford and Christopher Payne, New Hope LLC
Frosted, ridden by Jennifer Hannan and owned by Rindy Dominguez

​Grand Champion Green Hunter 3’6”

Sponsored by Memorial Park Hunters
Pavlova, ridden by Nick Haness and owned by John & Stephanie Ingram, LLC

​Grand Green Hunter Champion
Sponsored by Carleton and Traci Brooks, Balmoral
Drumroll, ridden by Geoffrey Hesslink and owned by Meridian Farms

​Grand Champion Conformation Hunter 
Sponsored by Snowfield Farm
McQueen, ridden by Nick Haness and owned by Walkenbach Equestrian LLC
 
Grand Hunter Champion

Sponsored by RSB Farms Inc., Rob Bielefeld, and Chrystal Knight
McQueen, ridden by Nick Haness and owned by Walkenbach Equestrian LLC

​The 2023 Capital Challenge Horse Show continues Thursday, October 5, with the North American League (NAL) Children’s Jumper Final, presented by EquiFit and the NAL Adult Jumper Final, presented by SmartPak, along with grand champion presentations in the Amateur Owner Hunters 3’3”, Amateur Owner Hunters 3’6”, and Adult Hunters.

​Competition during the 30th anniversary of the Capital Challenge Horse Show at the Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD, continued on Tuesday, October 3, with 15 champions awarded in the professional divisions. 
 
The first tricolor of the day went to John French and Amazing Grace, owned by Eva Mackenzie, in the Green Hunter 3’6” Section A division, sponsored by Peter Pletcher and PJP Farm. French piloted the 10-year-old Warmblood mare by Red Star M to the championship title with wins in Monday’s over fences and handy rounds, earning scores of 88.50 and 87.50 respectively. The pair were also second in the under saddle class and scored 84.50 for fourth place in Tuesday’s stake class.

​“She’s just getting better and better, and she’s really peaking at the right moment,” stated French, who has had the ride since May. “I didn’t know what to expect, not having done indoors with her, but she seemed to really like the ring. She’s my kind of ride, super light in the mouth with a great balance to her canter. I was really happy with her.”
 
French was pleased to kick off the 2023 Capital Challenge Horse Show with a win.
 
“Winning here is especially great because this is where I grew up – in Maryland,” stated French who is now based in Wellington, FL. “It’s one of the toughest shows since everybody wants to come here, so for her to start off winning was nice.”
 
The reserve championship was awarded to Day Won, a six-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding, ridden by Liza Boyd of Camden, SC, and owned by Mary Caroline Nolan. 
 
In the B Section of the Green Hunter 3’6”, sponsored by Lee Sadrian and the Kellogg Family, Nick Haness of Temecula, CA, and Pavlova, owned by John & Stephanie Ingram, LLC, took top honors after tallying wins in all three classes on Monday, as well as a third-place finish in the stake on Tuesday with a score of 85.50. Haness and the eight-year-old Oldenburg mare by Diatendro earned impressive scores of 90 and 91.50, picking up the blue ribbons in the over fences and handy classes.

​“She’s exquisite,” said Haness, who got the ride on Pavlova earlier this year in Wellington, FL. “She’s a wonderful mare. She’s very fun to ride and a very athletic horse. She really knows when it’s time to shine. She’s a true champion. She feels great here, she’s into it, and she loves the indoor atmosphere. The jumps are impressing her, and she’s jumping beautifully.
 
“It always means the world to be able to win at Capital Challenge,” he continued. “It’s such a special show. It’s the best of the best, so to win here is super exciting.”
 
Holly Orlando of Wellington, FL, rode Kalvarie, a 12-year-old Belgian Sport Horse gelding by Aganix du Seigneur, owned by The Kalvarie Group, to the reserve championship after winning the stake class with a score of 86.50.
 
The Green Hunter 3’9”, sponsored by Lannie Lipson, was the next division champion to be crowned in The Show Place Arena, with the award going to Drumroll, ridden by Geoffrey Hesslink of Shelburne, VT. Scott Stewart of Wellington, FL, and Jordan, a 10-year-old Selle Français gelding by Tsunami de Hus, owned by Sophie Gochman, were presented as the reserve champions.

​Hesslink and Drumroll got the division started with a bang, scoring 90.75 for a win in Monday’s over fences class. They followed that up with a second-place finish in the hack, and then sealed the deal with two wins on Tuesday in the stake and handy with scores of 86 and 88. 
 
“I don’t have enough good things to say about Drumroll,” enthused Hesslink of the nine-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Diamant de Semilly, who is also ridden by owner Caroline Signorino. “I’ve watched him for a number of years under the guidance of Kelly Mullen and John Roper, and I always knew he was really special. From the moment we got him this summer, he's been nothing but amazing, and basically, has won every time he’s showed. I’m really lucky to ride him. Drumroll felt amazing here. He has a huge stride, and he is as brave as they come.”
 
Of all their successes together so far, Hesslink puts this accolade right toward the top of the list.
 
“It means everything to me to be champion here,” he said. “Since I was a kid, Capital Challenge has been my favorite horse show ever. I think there is such prestige and an importance to this show that makes everything and every win feel so special. We always try to peak for this show.”
 
Estimated Prophet cashed in on the championship in the High Performance Hunter division, sponsored by Windsor Stables, Michael Britt-Leon, and Kelly Sims, with Nick Haness in the irons. It was the pair’s consistency that paid off as they earned a second over fences with a score of 86.75, a third in the handy with a score of 86.50, and a third in the under saddle class. Their performance was highlighted by a win in Monday’s over fences class with a 90.

​“Estimated Prophet is a really fun horse to ride,” shared Haness of the nine-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding by Cornet Obolensky, owned by Roaring Fork Farms LLC. “To show him here in the High Performance feels like a breeze for him. He’s very athletic and scopey. It feels great for him to start the indoor circuit with a championship.”
 
Cannon Creek, a 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Cancara, ridden by Hunt Tosh of Milton, GA, and owned by the Wheeler family, was awarded the reserve championship.
 
The deserving winner of the High Performance Conformation Hunter division, sponsored by Alex Hamer and Buxton Farm, was Worthy, ridden by Maria Rasmussen of Royal Palm Beach, FL. Rasmussen guided the 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Cannavaros, owned by Sunset View Farm LLC, to a second-place finish over fences on the first day of competition with a score of 85.50. Worthy also finished fourth in the model. On the second day of competition, the duo continued to excel, earning scores of 85 and 86.5 in the over fences and handy classes, along with a first-place finish on the flat.

​“Worthy is awesome; I don’t even know what else to say,” smiled Rasmussen of her partner of four years. “He goes in there and tries his heart out every single time, and he always wants to go out and win the class. He felt super. He just kept jumping higher, and higher, and higher, and having more fun with it.
 
“It means everything,” she continued of her achievement. “It is hard to win here! It’s a big deal. This is the hardest of the indoor horse shows starting out. It means a lot.”
 
Reserve championship honors went to Only Always, an 11-year-old Warmblood gelding, owned by John & Stephanie Ingram LLC, and ridden by Nick Haness.
 
Nick Haness added yet another tricolor to his collection in the Green Conformation Hunter division, this time with McQueen, a nine-year-old KWPN gelding by Cornet Obolensky, owned by Walkenbach Equestrian LLC. Scott Stewart of Wellington, FL, finished as the reserve champion aboard California Love, an eight-year-old Holsteiner stallion by Clarimo, owned by Rivers Edge.

​It was almost a clean sweep for Haness and McQueen, just narrowly missing out on the win in the model for second-place honors. They earned winning scores in the over fences classes of 85.75, 86.75, and 89 in the handy, and also strutted to the top of the under saddle.
 
“McQueen is a wonderful horse,” noted Haness of the flashy bay. “I’m very excited for this new adventure with him as his rider. This is really our first big show with him, so for him to come out and be a champion again after a successful year is very rewarding. We’re excited to just keep adding to our collection.”
 
In the covered arena, the over fences portion of the hotly contested Performance division took centerstage. The competition then concluded in The Show Place Arena with the under saddle class. In the end, two sections of champions were awarded.
 
Vivian Yowan of Wellington, FL, rode her own Knowingly to two blue ribbons over fences on her way to the championship, with super scores of 87.10 and 92. 

​“Knowingly is probably one of the nicest horses I’ve ever sat on,” said Yowan of the nine-year-old KWPN gelding by Casiro she got from Kelley Farmer and the late Larry Glefke this past winter. “He is incredible. He is the kind of horse that gets better and better as he goes, so I honestly thought in every round he just got better and jumped higher. This is probably my favorite horse show, so it is extra special to win here.”
 
Glade Run Farm LLC’s Queen Celeste was the other champion crowned in the Performance Division, earning Haness’s final tricolor of the evening. Their scores of 89, 89.50, and 90 over fences, plus elegance under saddle, were met with only blue and red ribbons.

“She is the most amazing girl,” expressed Haness of the 12-year-old Holsteiner mare by Cassini I he has been partnered with for two years. “She’s been champion all over the country. She’s kind of a crowd favorite. The way she jumps is just picture-perfect. She’s a mare, and I think it took me a minute to understand and be on her side. Once we became good friends, she’s given me her whole heart and all of her athleticism. She’s really so easy to ride. You basically don’t get in the way of her and let her do her thing. She knows when it’s important. She was quite a famous horse and well known on the show circuit before I got to ride her, so to be in her realm of riders in her career is very special.”
 
Queen Celeste’s victory put the exclamation mark on a prolific day for Haness.
 
“It never gets boring to have great days here at Capital Challenge,” he said. “It’s a show we all strive to be successful at, so there’s a lot of pressure leading into this week, and it feels great to have such an amazing week with so many different horses.” 
 
The Performance Hunter reserve champions were Caristo, a 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Casall, owned by John & Stephanie Ingram, LLC, and ridden by Kate Conover of Ocala, FL, and Bonne Starlight, an 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Bonne Chance, owned by Caroline Hoover, and ridden by Samantha Schaefer of Westminster, MD.
 
Additional professional hunter champions were awarded as follows:
​
Green Hunter 3' Colts & Geldings 
Sponsored by Boggs Hill/Mr. & Mrs. Tim Goguen 
Champion:  Sandori, ridden by Jennifer Hannan and owned by Shaw Johnson Price
Reserve Champion: Forsini, ridden by Havens Schatt and owned by Hannah Toohey

​Green Hunter 3' 7 & Over 
Sponsored by David Belford & Christopher Payne, New Hope LLC 
Champion: In Suspense, ridden by Christopher Payne and owned by Haylee Jerkins
Reserve Champion: Ciao, ridden by Vivian Yowan and owned by Findlay’s Ridge Group

​Green Hunter 3' 6 & Under 
Sponsored by Jennifer & Roger Smith 
Champion: Monarchy, ridden by Geoffrey Hesslink and owned by Shadowfax Equestrian LLC
Reserve Champion: Milo, ridden by Kate Conover and owned by Alexander Hamer

​Green Hunter Mares 3'&3'3" 
Champion: Notorious, ridden by Jennifer Hannan and owned by Stephanie Bulger
Reserve Champion: Tangelina, ridden by Amanda Steege and owned by Cara Garito

​Green Hunter 3'3" Section A 
Sponsored by Hunt Tosh, Inc. 
Champion: Showman, ridden by Christopher Payne and owned by Stephanie Ring
Reserve Champion: Kindred, ridden by Tim Goguen and owned by Rushing Dreams Farm LLC

​Green Hunter 3'3" Section B 
Sponsored by Hunt Tosh, Inc. 
Champion: Frosted, ridden by Jennifer Hannan and owned by Rindy Dominguez
Reserve Champion: Small Crown, ridden by Morgan Thomas and owned by Evelyn Bay

​Professional World Champion Hunter Under Saddle
Sponsored by Arcadia Farm
Champion: Fontaineblue, ridden by Meghan Knapic and owned by First Blue LLC
Reserve Champion: Ciao, ridden by Vivian Yowan and owned by Findlay’s Ridge Group

​The 2023 Capital Challenge Horse Show schedule on Wednesday, October 4, is action-packed, featuring the $25,000 KASK/Vogel Green Hunter North American Championship, sponsored by The Wheeler Family, as well as the $25,000 World Champion Hunter Rider (WCHR) Professional Challenge, sponsored by The Gochman Family, and the $10,000 WCHR Developing Pro Challenge, sponsored by John R. Ingram Fund. Grand champions will also be named for the professional divisions, while competition continues through October 8.

​Julia McNerney closed out the competition in The Show Place Arena on Sunday, October 1, during the 30thanniversary of the Capital Challenge Horse Show at Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD, with a win in the $10,000 North American League (NAL) Adult Hunter Finals, presented by LAURACEA, after two rounds aboard her own Cascartini.
 
Riders qualified for this year-end final by accumulating points in the NAL Adult Hunter competitions throughout the year. Of the 27 horse-and-rider combinations, McNerney sat in second after the first round with a score of 86.50 from judges Mary Eufemia and Sissy Wickes. 

​“It’s the first time we have shown indoors together,” noted McNerney. “He’s a big horse and I’m really tall, so the two of us contracting can be hard. I was really happy with the way the distances came up and his balance through all the turns.”
 
The top 12 returned for round two, where McNerney and “Marty” were the penultimate duo. Their consistency paid off with a score of 83.87 for a total of 170.37.
 
“In the second round I really tried to go for it with the single jumps,” explained McNerney. “I was trying to carry pace and have a nice mini hand gallop to be able to show off Marty’s jump, because he’s a spectacular jumper. I wanted to make sure to highlight that at all the single fences.”
 
McNerney, who lives nearby in Washington D.C. and works for a cancer screening diagnostic company in the city, trains with Havens Schatt of Milestone Farm in Lexington, KY. Marty was previously Schatt’s international derby horse, and McNerney took over the ride just recently. 

​“I got to know Marty really well for a few years by watching Havens, but in riding him I discovered just how great he feels,” said McNerney. “He really gives the rider a lot of confidence. Until I sat on him myself, I was not able to really appreciate what Havens was feeling when she was galloping down to a four-foot oxer, which I’m not doing. This is a new job for him. We are going to wrap up this year with the Adult Amateurs, and then I think the plan is to try to move up to the 3’3” next year, but we are just going to take it show by show.
 
“He has a big personality,” she continued of the flashy chestnut Holsteiner gelding. “He’s definitely a little bit of a mooch around the barn. If I don’t come with treats, I just shouldn’t come at all. I think in that way we get along very well. We are a bunch of big personalities at Milestone.”
 
For McNerney, it was an especially sweet victory having attended Capital Challenge since she was 11 years old. 
 
“I have a long history with Capital Challenge, and it’s one of my favorite horse shows,” she stated. “I was really excited to be able to participate this year. I can’t thank the Milestone team enough for doing such a wonderful job of preparing Marty and helping me do this.”
The North American League Finals are the culmination of the NAL’s year-long Series that includes classes at hundreds of horse shows across the United States and Canada. The NAL offers year-long series in five divisions: Children’s Hunter, presented by Charles Ancona; Adult Hunter, presented by LAURACEA; Children’s Jumper, presented by EquiFit; Adult Jumper, presented by SmartPak; Low Junior/Amateur Jumper, presented by R & R Hunter Horses; and Medium Junior/Amateur Jumper, presented by Parlanti. The NAL series conclude with year-end finals for those who accumulated the most points in their divisions over the course of the season.
 
World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) competition continues Tuesday, October 3, with the crowning of the profession hunter division champions. The 2023 Capital Challenge Horse Show continues through October 9 with more exciting equitation, hunter, and jumper competition.

​On the final day of the Equitation Weekend, presented by BIGEQ.com, during the 30th anniversary of Capital Challenge Horse Show, 150 riders rode into The Show Place Arena at Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD, for the Palm Beach International Academy (PBIA) North American Junior Equitation Championships. After a callback for the top 20 and a work-off for the top two, Tessa Downey, 18, of Houston, TX, emerged victorious. Maddie Tosh, 17, of Milton, GA finished as the reserve champion, and Amira Kettaneh, 18, of Hollis, NH, rode Gossip SA to third.
 
Three panels composed of two judges each awarded scores, and the average of the three resulted in the rider’s overall mark. The first panel was made up of Mark Jungherr and Michael Tokaruk. Mark Bone and Chris Wynne sat on the second panel, and the third duo was Jeff Ayers and Virginia Edwards. Ken Krome was the mastermind behind the courses with assistance from Meghan Rawlins.

​In the first round, Downey led the way with the high score of 91.66 aboard Efendi, a 15-year-old Holsteiner gelding, owned by Ashland Farms, who, among the numerous accolades on his resume, also won this class with Grady Lyman in the irons in 2018. As the top 20 riders returned in reverse order based on their first-round scores, Downey was last to contest the second-round track, earning an equally impressive score of 92.00 for a two-round total of 183.66.
 
“Every phase started on the right lead, which just so happened to be our strong suit and something I’m grateful for, because pace is something I’ve always struggled with,” commented Downey, who rides on the equestrian team at University of Georgia. “One word I’d use to describe Efendi is ‘magician.’  He is amazing. He is able to cover up minute mistakes and make everything blend together. The courses starting on the right lead really helped with that.”

​Coming back just before Downey was Tosh, who rode Daktari 38 to the highest mark of round two, a 92.66, for an overall score of 182.66. 
 
“Going into the second round, I had nothing to lose at that point,” said Tosh, who trains with her dad, top hunter rider Hunt Tosh, along with the team at North Run. “It was everything or nothing, so I just went for it, and he was great.”
 
Because Downey and Tosh were separated by less than two points, judges asked them to ride one final test over fences, which included a trot jump, counter canter, and hand gallop to the last fence. In the end, it was Downey who was awarded the championship honors.

​“Before the test, I saw Maddie’s score was really close to mine – very minor,” remembered Downey of her friend’s results. “I thought about how I’ve seen her test on previous occasions, and I’ve seen the horse she was riding. I know her horse is amazing, and I know the amazing team behind her, but I think it was most important that I had confidence in myself, my abilities, my horse and his abilities, and my team, and I thought that really showed in my test.”
 
Coincidentally, both riders had last-minute wardrobe additions before round two, which seemed to bring them both good luck. For Tosh, it was her now broken hair-tie that her superstitious dad tied onto her pants to keep with her. For Downey, it was a completely new pair of riding pants after she realized she had accidentally gotten boot polish on her original pants. It was last year’s PBIA North American Junior Equitation Championships winner Carlee McCutcheon who pointed out the faux pas to Downey just before the round two walk. Luckily, with the help of her longtime trainer Peter Pletcher and a friend from Beacon Hill Show Stables, she was able to secure a new pair of clean pants for the rest of the competition.
 
“The pants were actually the same brand Carlee was wearing when she won last year, so now they are lucky,” declared Downey.
 
For Downey, this year’s competition marks her last trip to Capital Challenge as a junior competitor.
 
“This show is incredibly special to me,” she expressed. “The venue is amazing, because you’re in a true arena, and you have both an indoor and outdoor. The people that come to the show also make it really unique and special. It says a lot about the venue and the quality of competitors that the same competitors come back year, after year, after year.”
 
Downey also extended her appreciation to the many people who train and support her, including Pletcher and Jef Lauwers of PJP Farm in Magnolia, TX, as well as Ken and Emily Smith, Chrissie Kear, Daisy Farish, Brady Hayes, and Nora Grey of Ashland Farms in Lexington, KY.
 
For her win, Downey was given the Best Equitation Rider Award, sponsored by Karen Healey, and trainer Pletcher was given the Leading Equitation Trainer Award, sponsored by Leslie Steele and Acres West.
 
Ella Cate Duke, 17, of Lake Oswego, OR, who trains with the team at Oz Incorporated in Canby, OR, was awarded with the EMO Equitation Trip of the Show, sponsored by EMO Insurance, for having the highest scoring equitation round in the age group equitation division, a 92.5 in the 17-Year-Old Equitation Section A.
 
The Glena Wirtanen Sportsmanship Trophy was also awarded on Sunday to Madison Ramsey, 16, of Palm Harbor, FL. This honor is given to a junior Equitation Weekend competitor, selected by the stewards and schooling supervisors, that exemplifies qualities of a true horseperson, sportsmanship, horsemanship, and turnout of both horse and rider.
 
While the official Equitation Weekend, presented by BIGEQ.com, has come to a close, the 2023 Capital Challenge Horse Show continues through October 9. The $10,000 North American League (NAL) Adult Hunter Finals, presented by LAURACEA, will feature in Monday’s release.