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from Jump Media

Abigail Gordon Clinches the Win in the Taylor Harris Insurance Services National Children's Medal Finals

10/3/2021

 
Abigail Gordon of Statesville, NC, topped a total of 39 juniors that qualified from across the country to win Sunday’s Taylor Harris Insurance Services (THIS) National Children’s Medal Final at Capital Challenge. The top 10 from the first round then returned for a second round.
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Abigail Gordon was presented as the winner of the Taylor Harris Insurance Services National Children’s Medal (THIS) by THIS President and Director Michael Taylor and Christina Kelly. Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography
Gordon, 14, sat in second place with a score of 87.66 following the first round, and she moved into the lead with a score of 87.41 in the second round for combined first and second-round score of 175.07.
 
After the second round, because Olivia Sweetnam of Wellington, FL, sat within two points of Gordon, and Catherine Kramer of Carmel, IN, was just a fraction of a point behind Sweetnam, the three competitors were brought back for a final test that included a counter canter, trot fence, and hand gallop. In the end, Gordon prevailed with a third-round score of 83.66 putting her at the top with a score of 258.73 overall.

Finishing in second place with scores of 87.83, 85.58, and 83.33 for a 256.74 total was Catherine Kramer aboard Cristallo’s Carlchen P, owned by Alivia Kohus. Third place was awarded to Olivia Sweetnam on Sweet Oak Farm’s Coppertone who earned scores of 86.70, 87.16, and 69 for a 242.86 total.
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Abigail Gordon and Heartbeat Z. Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography
“I got more confidence out of this,” Gordon said of her win, “but it’s not only about winning; it’s about doing my best. I gave it my all and when you do, it pays off. I’ve worked pretty hard these past couple years since [I started] training with Ashland Farms, and I’ve been trusting the process ever since. This [medal final] was my goal all year and it paid off, so I was really, really happy about it.”
 
Gordon talked about putting in the hard work, and also mentioned the importance of maintaining a positive mindset. “I always look at the bright side. Even if I won or not, I look at what went well,” she shared. “That will always guide you to bigger and better things.”
 
Because she says she’s an overthinker, Gordon credits a unique tactic for overcoming the challenge it creates in the ring. “It’s all Pinterest; I read those quotes!” Gordon laughed. “I do those affirmations [that I find on Pinterest] before I go into the ring. I’m [say things] like, ‘I’m attracting positive, healthy vibrations into my body!’ and then it works. I’m telling you, download [the affirmations]!”  

Gordon was aboard Mary Jane King’s Heartbeat Z, a horse that was first her older sister’s (Libbie Gordon) equitation mount before going out on lease and then returning to the Gordon family because they adored him. “He is so sweet, and he would never hurt a fly,” she said of the horse known as ‘Happy’ in the barn. “He always tries his best. If he knows that his rider trusts him, he will trust his rider. He is very, very brave, and he also gives pretty good snuggles!”
 
“He is pretty spoiled in the barn,” she continued of Happy. “Right now, I’m giving him pumpkin-spiced treats and [it’s been his favorite treat so far] so I guess he’s a pumpkin spice man! I might need to buy him a latte at Starbucks.  He needs the reward [following our win] so he will get a lot of kisses and hugs after this.”
 
While Sunday marked the conclusion of Equitation Weekend, presented by Bigeq.com, competition at the 2021 Capital Challenge Horse Show continues on Monday, October 4, with the professional hunter divisions beginning at 7:30 a.m.​
 
Note: In Sunday’s Taylor Harris Insurance Services National Children’s Medal Final, there was a change to the previously announced standings for the top 10 that would return for the second round. After the first round was complete, and upon further review by the six judges and the stewarding team of Capital Challenge Horse Show, it was found that three riders that scored in the top 10 crossed the dotted line in their closing circles. On the course map, the dotted line at the beginning and end of the course is clearly marked, and in the arena, they are lined by plants.
 
The three riders who crossed the dotted line were eliminated from the class per the regulations set out by the horse show prize list and federation rules. The next three riders in the standings who did not cross the dotted line in their first-round course were moved into the top 10 and returned for the second-round test.
​
THIS National Children’s Medal Finals Results
Place / Rider / Horse / Overall
1/Abigail Gordon / Heartbeat Z / 258.73
2/Catherine Kramer / Cristallo’s Carlchen P / 256.74
3/Olivia Sweetnam / Coppertone / 242.86
4/Paige Walkenbach / Constantinos / 171.74
5/Peyton Addington / Semi-Automatic C / 170.66
6/Rylynn Conway / Crossbow / 170.24
7/Shiloh Roseboom / Venice / 168.24
8/Emma Arnhols / Spiros Z / 165.49
9/Caroline Muth / Photoshop / 156.66
10/Abigail Roberts / Temptation / 123.50
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Grace Debney Holds the Lead to Win the Palm Beach International Academy North American Junior Equitation Championships

10/3/2021

 
Following the opening round of the PBIA North American Junior Equitation Championship, a field of 133 junior riders was narrowed to the top 20 competitors, who returned in reverse order of their standings for a second round.
 
With the first round high score of 92, Debney was the final rider to return for the second course, where she held the lead, earning a score of 94.66 for an overall winning score of 186.66.
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Grace Debney and Quimby Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography
Second place with an overall score of 183 went to Riley Hogan of Warrenton, VA, riding Wengen, owned by Don Stewart. Audrey Schulze of Ridgewood, NJ, rounded out the top three with a score of 178.24 on Castellan W, owned by Riverbrook Sport Horses LLC.
​
“I definitely felt a lot of pressure going in because Riley [Hogan] laid it down. She had a beautiful round, so I definitely had to go in there and do my best,” said Debney of heading into the second round in the top spot. “I have so much confidence in the horse, so I knew after the first jump that I could take a breath.”
 
Though Debney took a breath, she remained poised to take on an unexpected challenge in the second round and held onto her lead in more ways than one. “[Quimby] landed [on the left lead] instead of the right [lead] after the second jump, so I had to hold the counter lead [in a bending line to fence three],” she explained. “I was happy with how I handled that. I thought he settled in, and it was good he didn’t get nervous because sometimes he can.”
 
Debney is no stranger when it comes to victory gallops and is glad to have started the equitation finals season on a high note with this championship.

“I thought the course was really, really well designed today,” said Debney of the course designed by Ken Krome. “The first round was hard enough, and this class really prepares everyone for [Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunt Seat] Medal Finals, [ASPCA Maclay Championship], and [Washington International Horse Show Equitation Finals], so I thought it was great.”
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Grace Debney was presented as the winner of the Palm Beach International Academy North American Junior Equitation Championships by Palm Beach International Academy's Joanne Weiner. Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography
Though Debney is a serious competitor, she credits her partner of three years, Quimby, owned by Debney’s Temple Equestrian LLC, for enjoying the experience no matter the result. “I’m definitely having a lot of fun out there with him,” she shared. “It’s great because I think he is so much fun and he is always looking to do his best. Even if we don’t have the greatest round, I know that we at least both had a good time!”

For the victory, Debney was presented with the Best Equitation Rider Award, sponsored by Karen Healey. Debney’s trainers, Samantha Schaefer and Kate Conover, received the Leading Equitation Trainer Award, sponsored by Leslie Steele & Acres West, and Quimby’s groom, Luis Diaz, was presented with the North American Equitation Champion Groom’s Award, sponsored by Holly Hill Farm.

The EMO Equitation Trip of the Show, sponsored by EMO Insurance and presented to the rider with the highest scoring equitation round in the age group equitation division, went to Dominic Gibbs of Colorado Springs, CO, who earned a score of 93 in the 17-Year-Old Equitation.

The Glena Wirtenan Sportsmanship Trophy was also awarded on Sunday to McKenzie Fitch of Collegeville, PA. This inaugural 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.
​PBIA North American Junior Equitation Championships Results
Place / Rider / Horse / Overall
1/Grace Debney / Quimby / 186.66
2/ Riley Hogan / Wengen / 183.00
3/Audrey Schulze / Castellan W / 178.24
4/Alexandra Ryden / Vagrant Z / 178.08
5/Hensley Humphries / Imaginator / 177.03
6/Alexa Leong / Showcase / 175.33
7/Alissa Brandt / Caracas 89 / 174.26
8/Elena Haas / Cornell 22 / 173.03
9/Augusta Iwasaki / Attendu De Lannois Z / 172.16
10/Libbie Gordon / Ucatoni / 170.77

Riley Hogan Stays Consistent in EMO Insurance/USHJA 3'3" Jumping Seat Medal Final - East at Capital Challenge

10/2/2021

 
Upper Marlboro, MD – Eleven new equitation champions were crowned on Saturday, October 2, during Equitation Weekend, presented by Bigeq.com at the Capital Challenge Horse Show in Upper Marlboro, MD.
 
Prominent among Saturday’s champions at Prince George’s Equestrian Center was Riley Hogan of Warrenton, VA, the winner of the fifth-annual EMO Insurance/United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) 3’3” Jumping Seat Medal Final – East.
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Riley Hogan was presented as the winner of the EMO Insurance/United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) 3’3” Jumping Seat Medal Final – East by Sue Bopp of The EMO Agency (second from left) and USHJA President Mary Knowlton (third from left). Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography
Riding Wengen, Hogan topped a large field of 153 entries over three phases of competition, including flat and gymnastics phases held on Friday and a final jumping phase held on Saturday.
 
Hogan finished the flat phase in 18th place, but her score of 89 in the gymnastics phase catapulted her to second place in the round and also put her in second overall on a score of 218.50 going into Saturday’s third phase. A brilliant final round and subsequent score of 93, multiplied by a coefficient of two and combined with her score from Friday, gave Hogan an overall score of 404.50, a 14.50-point lead over second place.
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Riley Hogan and Wengen. Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography
Lauren Jorgensen of Albuquerque, NM, finished with reserve champion honors after all three rounds on a score of 390 riding her own Adolesco. Third place went to Addison Keyworth of Whitefield, ME, riding her own horse Liam.

Hogan, who was also the champion in the 17-year-old equitation division on Saturday, has been competing in this final at Capital Challenge for three years and notes that doing well in the class is something she’s worked toward, but it will also serve as a foundation from which to build for the remainder of the equitation finals season. “I was ecstatic; I mean it was unreal,” she shared of her win. “[This class] was a pretty big goal, and it definitely gives me a boost of confidence going into the [Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunt Seat] Medal Finals, [ASPCA Maclay Championship] and [Washington International Horse Show Equitation Finals].
 
“I think this class really helps you feel the pressure of the [big equitation] finals at a lower height,” she continued, “which can make for a better experience especially if it’s your first or second year and you haven’t done many equitation finals.”
 
Staying cool under pressure is something Hogan was prepared for, especially on the heels of her recent reserve champion honors at the ASPCA Maclay Region 5 Championship. Heading into the final phase in second place, she made a concerted effort to keep a level mindset. “I took a deep breath when I walked in and tried to keep myself calm. [Wengen] was right where I needed him to be so I didn’t have to worry and could focus about keeping myself in the right head space.”
 
Though the win was exciting in itself, the experience of doing well at this show in particular made the win even more special. “I grew up showing at this venue with my pony so it’s nice to have a big recognized show close to home,” she concluded. “It’s really very fun.”
 
For her victory, Hogan received a trophy, cooler, and rider sash as well as Parlanti and Essex Classics gift certificates, a saddle pad, and a Straight Arrow gift bag.
 
Hogan’s mount, Wengen, owned by Donald Stewart, was named Best Equitation Horse, and received a CWD gift certificate, a silver keeper trophy, and a bridle ribbon.
 
For her second-placed finish, Jorgensen received a picture frame and rider sash as well as a saddle pad and Straight Arrow Gift bag.
 
The top 12 riders received saddle pads embroidered with the EMO Insurance logo, rider sashes, and Straight Arrow gift bags.
 
On hand to help present the awards to the top finishers was Sue Bopp from EMO Insurance, and USHJA President Mary Knowlton. This year marks EMO Insurance Agency’s second year sponsoring the 3’3” Jumping Seat Medal Final classes, first introduced in 2017, but the equine insurance agency has been an integral part of Capital Challenge since the show’s inception.
Earlier in the day, the North American Junior Flat Equitation Championship title was awarded to Dominic Gibbs, 17, of Colorado Springs, CO, for the third-consecutive year and nine age group equitation division winners were named as follows:
  • Faith Schuttemeyer of Boynton Beach, FL, in the 12 & Under Equitation
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Faith Schuttemeyer of Boynton Beach, FL. Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography
  • Cecelia Perry of Boynton Beach, FL, in the 13 & 14-Year-Old Equitation
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Cecelia Perry of Boynton Beach, FL. Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography
  • Sterling Malnik of Ocean Ridge, FL, in the 13 & 14-Year-Old Equitation Section B
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Sterling Malnik of Ocean Ridge, FL. Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography
  • Francesca Guidi of Hingham, MA, in the 15-Year-Old Equitation
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Francesca Guidi of Hingham, MA. Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography
  • Sofia Cady of Austin, TX, in the 15-Year-Old Equitation Section B
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Sofia Cady of Austin, TX. Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography
  • Analise Manoog of Centerville, MA, in the 16-Year-Old Equitation
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Analise Manoog of Centerville, MA. Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography
  • Grace Debney of Hampden, MA, in the 16-Year-Old Equitation Section B
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Grace Debney of Hampden, MA. Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography
  • Riley Hogan of Warrenton, VA, in the 17-Year-Old Equitation
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Riley Hogan of Warrenton, VA. Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography
  • Dominic Gibbs of Colorado Springs, CO, in the 17-Year-Old Equitation Section B
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Dominic Gibbs of Colorado Springs, CO. Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography
Equitation weekend, presented by Bigeq.com at the Capital Challenge Horse Show concludes on Sunday, October 3, with the Palm Beach International Academy North American Junior Equitation Championships beginning at 7:15 a.m. and immediately followed by the Taylor Harris Insurance Services National Children’s Medal Finals. The Capital Challenge Horse Show continues with more hunter, jumper, and equitation competition on October 5-10.
EMO Insurance/USHJA 3'3" Jumping Seat Medal Final - East Result
​Place / Rider / Horse / Overall
​1/Riley Hogan / Wengen / 404.500
2/Lauren Jorgensen / Adolesco / 390.00
3/Addison Keyworth / Liam / 388.600
4/Eve Westfall / Bon Amour / 388.125
5/Kaitlyn Roman / Pacific Heights / 382.40
6/Isabel Rudaz / Diasandro / 381.200
7/Kate Hagerty / Spotlight / 379.475
8/Kaitlyn Kiely / Cool De Reve / 379.325
9/Lucas Mejia Fanjul / Lucky Quid / 377.750
10/Ariana Marnell / Coltino / 377.125
11/Paige Walkenbach / Quadro D’Ag / 376.550
12/Elianna Kirson / Ilyana / 375.275

Addison Keyworth Leads the Way in the EMO Insurance Agency/USHJA 3’3” Jumping Seat Medal Final - East

10/1/2021

 
​The first day of competition at the Capital Challenge Horse Show also featured the flat and gymnastics phases of the fifth-annual EMO Insurance Agency/United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) 3’3” Jumping Seat Medal Final - East. Following the first two phases, Addison Keyworth of Whitefield, Maine, leads the 153-rider field. 
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Addison Keyworth and Liam. Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography
Keyworth and her own Liam topped the flat phase with a high score of 91 and then earned a score of 88 to finish third in the gymnastics phase. With all gymnastics phase scores multiplied by a coefficient of 1.5 before being added to each riders’ flat phase score, Keyworth currently sits at the top of the class with an overall score of 223.
 
“It feels like a lot of hard work paid off,” explained Keyworth. “I’ve had Liam for four years. He’s my absolute best friend and it feels so nice to have done this with him. He’s really my everything; he is such an amazing horse.”
​
Paige Walkenbach, of Paradise Valley, Arizona, piloted Theresa Boucher’s Quadro D’Ag to a score of 90 and the blue ribbon in the gymnastics phase.

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Mary Babick, Paige Walkenbach, and Steve Rector. Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography
​“My horse and I have worked really hard this year so it feels great,” said Walkenbach, who trains with Elvenstar Farm. “I got him in March this year, so I haven’t had him very long. I live in Arizona and he lives in California, so we have been getting to know each other at the shows. He is such a good boy.”
 
Walkenbach gives a nod to her trainers for helping her prepare before she steps in the ring with Quadro D’Ag. “I like to make sure that I have a good mindset before I go in the ring, so I talk with my trainers a lot throughout the course walk,” continued Walkenbach. “My trainer Jim [Hagman] always tells me to have patience during the course walk so I can have more time to look over the track.”
 
The Capital Challenge Horse Show continues on Saturday with the age group equitation divisions starting at 7 a.m. followed by the final phase and culmination of the EMO Insurance Agency/USHJA 3’3” Jumping Seat Medal Final - East.

Claire Stevenson Leads Start to Finish to Win the North American Adult Amateur Equitation Championship at Capital Challenge

10/1/2021

 
​Upper Marlboro, MD – The first major championship title of the 2021 Capital Challenge Horse Show went to Claire Stevenson on Friday, October 1, at Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Riding Audi 2000 Z, Stevenson, of Southampton, New York, topped the North American Adult Amateur Equitation Championship to kick off Equitation Weekend, presented by BIGEQ.com.
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Claire Stevenson rode Audi 2000 Z to the win in the North American Adult Amateur Equitation Championship. Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography
From a field of 26 entries, a score of 87.66 over the Joseph Carnicom-designed first round course put Stevenson and Audi 2000 Z, owned by Missy Clark’s North Run and Robert Gierkink’s Kadley Farms, LLC, at the top of the leaderboard going into round two. The pair’s second-round score of 85.66 solidified the win with an overall score of 173.32.
 
Second place with scores of 84.16 and 85.66 for a 169.82 total went to Jaden Olson of Parker, Colorado, riding her own Conradical. Anna Koenig of Hollywood, Florida, and Constantin, owned by Ashland Farms, rounded out the top three with an overall score of 169.00.
 
“Today has been an amazing day!” said Stevenson. “I recently paired up with Audi 2000 Z through my trainers, Geoffrey Hesslink and Brendan Williams, and it’s been absolutely incredible. Missy Clark and Kadley Farms were so nice to let me have the ride on him for Equitation Weekend and [the upcoming] Ariat [National Adult Medal] Finals. He’s only seven, so we wanted to give him a great experience before going into the indoor later next week. I was so impressed with him today. He felt like a real veteran, and I felt like I was riding the winner.”

Growing up, Stevenson was a successful competitor on ponies and horses, but hadn’t clinched a win of this magnitude until now. 
 
“Going into the second round [in the top spot], obviously I had a lot of nerves,” Stevenson continued. “I’ve never been in this position before, and this is only my second year showing at Capital Challenge. So, to not only make the second round but to lead going into it, I just wanted to hold myself together, keep composure, and give the horse the ride and the ribbon that I thought he deserved today.”
 
The win was that much sweeter for Stevenson who was a self-proclaimed equitation nut and Missy Clark fan from an early age. “I recently found a school journal from when I was 10 years old where I had written about Missy being the best trainer and about all the people she’s trained,” she laughed. “It’s so funny that when Geoffrey [Hesslink] presented me with the opportunity to ride Audi, Missy was one of the owners.”
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Claire Stevenson and Audi 2000 Z. Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography
​Stevenson is quick to acknowledge a true team effort that helped her achieve the win, including her trainers, the horse’s owners, and the horse’s groom, Armando Potillo.
 
“I’ve ridden Audi about three times, so Geoffrey and Brendan [Williams] have done such a great job getting to know him quickly,” she shared. “I was just trying to do my homework at home so when he showed up ready, fingers crossed, I was, too.
 
“I’ve been so fortunate to have some amazing owners let me ride their horses to gain experience for myself and, oftentimes, to help horses gain experience as well,” she concluded. “To have a chance to do it and have some success like this is sort of mind boggling—it’ll take a while to process it.”

The Sponsors That Make Capital Challenge Move

9/24/2021

 
​Upper Marlboro, MD – September 24, 2021 – All of the sponsors at Capital Challenge Horse Show (CCHS) are family, and two of them that help bring horses to the show every year are Johnson Horse Transportation and Horseflight. Without the sponsors’ support, Capital Challenge Horse Show couldn’t happen, and this year management is pleased to welcome these important partners back to Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD, on October 1-10, 2021.
 
Johnson Horse Transportation, led by founder DJ Johnson, has been a sponsor at CCHS for more than 20 years, and the draw of competitors from across the country is what brought Johnson in to sponsor. 
 
“There are a lot of people from California and the Midwest that come to Capital Challenge, so it was good exposure to people who may not have known us at the time,” said Johnson. “We are well established now, but every year we always seem to get a new customer from Capital Challenge. It’s a special horse show, and we are grateful for that.”
 
He added, “While we do have many long-term customers, the business is ever changing. There are a lot of new faces and new trainers. Even though we have been around for more than 30 years, we never quit looking for customers and good horse shows to go to. Capital Challenge provides both of those for us.”
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​While Johnson joked that his favorite part of CCHS is his “last load out,” he also appreciates how the horse show “goes above and beyond.” 
 
“It’s one of the most exciting horse shows of the year,” he said. “It’s great to see friends that we haven’t seen in a while; they seem to all appear there at the venue! This year, we’re looking forward to a healthy and happy horse show for everyone. We thank all of our customers who ship with us and can’t wait to see them at Capital Challenge.”
​Well-known trainer Emil Spadone is also a managing partner at Horseflight, which provides domestic and international air travel for horses. Horseflight became a Capital Challenge sponsor in 2013.


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Inside Capital Challenge: Derby Champion Hunt Tosh, CCHS Team Member Sue Harada, 2021 Artwork

9/8/2021

 
​A Q&A with Derby Champion Hunt Tosh
 
Hunt Tosh swept two major awards this summer, claiming victory in the Platinum Performance/USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship with Cannon Creek, owned by the Wheeler Family, and in the 3'/3'3" Platinum Performance/USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Championship with Twain, owned by Ceil Wheeler. Hunt is a regular competitor at Capital Challenge Horse Show. He won the WCHR Professional Finals in 2009 and captured the $25,000 Green Hunter North American Championship three times: in 2014 with Gotham, in 2015 on Largesse, and again in 2017 with Lights Out.
 
When was the first time you attended Capital Challenge Horse Show (CCHS)?
Hunt: It’s hard to remember! But I think the first year would have been 2000 or 2001.
 
What is your fondest memory of CCHS?
Hunt: Capital Challenge is awesome. I would have to say winning the WCHR Pro Finals; my daughter Maddie’s first blue ribbon in Small Pony Hunters – I remember her winning the handy class; and when my wife, Mandy, won the WCHR Adult Hunter Challenge with Whoville. Those are the top three memories for me.
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Hunt Tosh in his winning presentation for the WCHR Professional Finals at the 2009 Capital Challenge Horse Show. Photo by Jennifer Wood Media.
​What is your favorite thing about CCHS?
Hunt: The fact that they feature the young horses; the future hunters. You see so many of the best young horses in one spot and can watch the up-and-coming horses for the next couple of years. It’s always fun to see young horses coming along.
 
What do you think makes CCHS special or unique?
Hunt: They do so much for the riders. There are so many extra classes and championships, like the Pro Challenge and Pro Finals. I think it’s a great horse show with so many different feature classes offered for us. The future hunters of course are great. It feels like the beginning of the fall indoor season, but the show invites young horses and gives them a place to show off and learn without having to qualify and have big pressure.
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Hunt and Maddie Tosh with Cold Harbor at the 2011 Capital Challenge Horse Show, where they were co-Grand Hunter Champions. Photo by Jennifer Wood Media.
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Riding Gotham, Hunt Tosh won the 2014 North American Green Hunter Championship. Photo by Jennifer Wood Media.
​What are your plans and goals for the 2021 edition of CCHS?
Hunt: We have a great group of young horses coming along. Since Capital Challenge wasn’t held in Upper Marlboro, MD, last year and with other changes, we opted out of indoors. It’s been a two-year hiatus, so it will be fun to get back and have a real fall series and have CCHS as the first one to see where our horses are and how they are coming along. We have a group of all new horses, so it will be great to see how they’re going. Both Twain and Cannon Creek will be there. This is Cannon Creek’s first year doing the hunters. He showed as a jumper in Europe, but the “Derby Finals” was his sixth horse show in this country. We haven’t shown him inside, so this will be a new experience for him as well.
PictureCCHS Chief Financial Officer Sue Harada with CCHS Sponsorships Manager Jennifer Glass. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Glass.
​Meet CCHS Team Member Sue Harada
 
What is your history with the Capital Challenge Horse Show (CCHS)? 
Sue: I was visiting Jen and Billy Glass in Bokeelia, FL, back in 2003, and we were talking about Capital Challenge. It came up that they could really use someone with a financial background to do their books. I piped up, "I could probably do that." Meanwhile, I was newly married and had a career as a financial advisor. I knew nothing about horses or horse shows, but I had a job doing bookkeeping for various small businesses throughout college. In 2004, I started working with Capital Challenge. My career as a financial advisor was flexible enough that I could do both.
 
What is your professional background?
Sue: I started as a financial advisor in 2000. I continued with that career until 2017 when I took the plunge and started my company, Equine Financial. Upon entering the horse show world in 2004, I quickly saw that there was a real need in the industry for people with a financial background. I now work with all sorts of equine-related businesses, helping them manage their books and improve their bottom line. I think it helps to not be involved with the horses! I am passionate about helping people make money, improve their businesses, and save. In this industry especially, people work very hard for their money, and their money should work hard for them in return. I love putting the tools and organization in place so that my clients’ businesses become more profitable.
 
Where did you grow up and where do you currently reside?
Sue: I was born in Delaware but grew up in Rochester, NY, and moved to Maryland after college. Maryland is where my family is from, and it was always my plan to move there. I now live in Annapolis, MD, with my husband who is a financial advisor and two very active boys. I have a 16-year-old swimmer and a 12-year-old hockey player. We are lucky to both have jobs with flexible schedules that allow us to spend lots of time with our kids!
 
What is your background with horses?
Sue: I have no horse background whatsoever. That said, I have become quite a fan of the sport!
 
Why is Capital Challenge special to you?
Sue: Capital Challenge has opened my eyes to a whole world that I never knew existed. I am grateful for the opportunities that have come from being introduced to this industry. I have met so many interesting people over the years and am grateful for the many friendships I have made along the way.
 
What are you most looking forward to about this year’s Capital Challenge?
Sue: I am excited for us to be "back home" in Upper Marlboro in 2021 and to put on our greatest show yet. I am thinking this is the year we should bring back the light show!
 
What’s a fun fact about you?
Sue: Jen Glass and I are first cousins; our moms are sisters. She and I are the closest thing we each have to a sister, and I am grateful to be able to share experiences in this crazy business with her.

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The official artwork for Capital Challenge Horse Show is created by Sharon Lynn Campbell. Her stunning painting of Shiloh Roseboom and Heavenly Patch of Blue, based on a reference photo by CCHS Official Photographer Shawn McMillen Photography, graces the cover of the 2021 Capital Challenge Horse Show Program.
​A Note About Safe Sport to All Capital Challenge Participants
 
The management of Capital Challenge Horse Show thanks you for participating in our event and for your support of USEF’s continuous efforts to provide the safest environment possible for our athletes and other participants. Strategies for safeguarding athletes continue to evolve, and we, along with USEF, are fully committed to keeping pace with best practices.
 
We would like to remind all participants that they are bound by the U.S. Center for SafeSport Code, USEF Safe Sport Policy, and Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies, also known as the MAAPP. This includes the SafeSport Training requirement for adult members and participants who have regular contact with minor athletes. Additionally, please be reminded about reporting obligations. For any concerns that are non-sexual in nature, please use the USEF Safe Sport Incident Reporting Form available on the USEF website. Concerns or suspicions regarding sexual misconduct must be reported to https://safesport.i-sight.com/portal and the authorities if a minor is involved. All of this information can be found in the USEF Safe Sport Policy.
 
Please take a moment to review the new USEF Safe Sport web pages on the USEF website to find comprehensive resources regarding USEF Safe Sport efforts. You can also contact Sarah Gilbert, USEF Safe Sport Program Coordinator, at sgilbert@usef.org for any questions or concerns relating to the USEF Safe Sport program.
 
Thank you for your support and for helping Capital Challenge and USEF bring the joy of horse sports to as many people as possible!

Prize List Now Available for 2021 Capital Challenge Horse Show

8/3/2021

 
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Upper Marlboro, MD – The prize list for the 2021 Capital Challenge Horse Show, to be held October 1-10, 2021, at the Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD, is now available online.
 
Entries for the 28th annual show open on Wednesday, August 4, at 10 a.m. ET and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. To submit entries or to learn more about the electronic entry process, click here.  
 
“We are excited to be able to run our show back at its home in Maryland,” said Capital Challenge co-founder and show manager, Oliver Kennedy. “We have increased the prize money in a number of divisions this year, adding $20,000 to bring our total prize money offered to more than $400,000. We look forward to welcoming all of our exhibitors in October.”


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July News from the Capital Challenge Horse Show

7/16/2021

 
PictureThe Capital Challenge Horse Show is eager to welcome competitors back to the Prince Georges Equestrian Center for the 28th edition of the show. Photo by Jump Media
Upper Marlboro, Md. – The Capital Challenge Horse Show (CCHS) is officially 10 weeks away, and the horse show staff is working hard to prepare the venue and the schedule for the start of competition back at Prince George's Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD, from October 1-10, 2021. If you are interested in sponsoring the show, please contact Jennifer Glass at 239-851-8751 or jenniferleeglass@gmail.com.​

The prize list will be available on Tuesday, August 3, for review and entries open on Wednesday, August 4. Keep reading to meet our featured sponsor, rider, and staff member, and be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for all the latest updates.


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Sophia Mitchell and Chevito Capture Grand Junior Hunter Championship at Capital Challenge

10/4/2020

 
PictureSophia Mitchell and Chevito take home honor of Leading Junior Rider. Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography
Wilmington, OH – Sophia Mitchell of Wrightsville Beach, NC, rode Chevito to the Overall Grand Junior Hunter Championship on Sunday, October 4, to conclude the 2020 Capital Challenge Horse Show, held this year at the World Equestrian Center in Wilmington, OH.
 
On their way to the overall championship win, Mitchell and her own Chevito first clinched the Large Junior Hunter 3’6”, 16-17 division championship, sponsored by Beacon Hill Show Stables. The duo picked up two wins and a third-place finish over fences, as well a second place under saddle to earn the most points of any Junior Hunter 3’6” competitor at this year’s show.
 
“I’m so excited! This horse has never let me down ever,” said Mitchell of Chevito, the 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding that she has had since early 2019. “He really performed. He gave me his all this week, and I’m so happy with how it went.


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