Horse Connection

christine deherrera

It’s hard to believe that the indoors season is upon us again. By the time you read this, it will be nearly complete! After another exciting show season the nation’s top point earners have made their way to championship shows, which it seems, continue to multiply in number.

It used to be just the big three—Harrisburg, Washington and the National. Now the Capital Challenge is one of the most popular and the Marshall and Sterling League Final continues to grow. And then, of course, there is the National held in Wellington, Florida.

This month you will find results and photos from the first two indoor shows—the Marshall and Sterling National Indoor Finals and the Capital Challenge Horse Show. Check back next month for Harrisburg, Washington and the National Metropolitan.

Marshall and Sterling

Since 1991, the Marshall & Sterling League has served to encourage and enhance the competition level of children's and adult amateur hunter and jumper riders by providing the opportunity to qualify for a prestigious National Finals Competition. Having grown from ten member shows and approximately one hundred riders in 1991, to over four-hundred and fifty horse shows and more than thirty-five hundred riders in 2003, the Marshall & Sterling League is becoming one of the premier hunter/jumper leagues in the country.

The Marshall & Sterling League offers members the opportunity to compete throughout the year for points that earn them a place at the Marshall & Sterling League National Indoor Finals Horse Show, held this year on September 22-26, 2004, at Worcester's Centrum Centre, Worcester, Massachusetts. Finals competition for eleven hunter divisions, six jumper divisions, and three equitation medal finals were held. A national points system determined the qualifiers in each division. More than seven-hundred horses and riders competed at this year’s finals.

Among the highlights of the show was the $100,000 Grand Prix won by Christine Tribble, riding Promised Land. Tribble rode two flawless rounds over course designer Dave Ballard's courses, and was the fastest in a six-horse jump-off. Jonathon Millar, of Perth, Ontario, and Karat, took second place in the competition, the same spot the pair held last year. Third place went to Laura Linback, of Mundelein, Illinois, aboard Remember Me 9. Linback has just returned to competition after an injury, so her third place win was a nice start to her comeback.

Twenty-three horse and rider pairs competed over a challenging twelve-obstacle first-round course. "The double combination to the vertical proved to be the toughest test," said course designer Dave Ballard. "Given that this was the first indoor finals of the season, a number of the horses were just getting acclimated. Overall I was very pleased with the outcome. Six clean was a good number."

Capital Challenge

The 11th annual Capital Challenge Horse Show opened on Saturday, October 2nd, showcasing the best equitation riders in the country in the Monarch International’s Show Circuit Magazine North American Equitation Championships. The Capital Challenge, held at the Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, continued through Sunday, October 10th, offering spectators the opportunity to witness excellence in the hunter and jumper arenas.

Nearly every day, the exciting World Champion Hunter Rider Finals challenge classes and classics, were seen in the Show Place Arena, culminating in a second victory in the professional World Champion Hunter Rider class for Texan, Peter Pletcher.

In addition, other featured classes included the Show Circuit Magazine National Children’s Medal Finals, won by Lindsey Mohr, and the ARIAT National Adult Medal Finals won by Sandra Willekis. Both classes have become quite prestigious over the years as only the top thirty riders from around the country are invited to compete at the final.

For the fifth year the Capital Challenge showcased the industry’s up-and-coming equine talent in the Future Hunter classes. Held indoors and out, this unique division offered trainers the opportunity to give young hunters valuable show experience.

Consistency is a rare trait to find in the future hunter division. Most young horses don’t have the experience necessary to lay down a number of good trips in a row. But Touché, a six-year-old from Germany, has the mind of a seasoned show hunter. The six-year-old gelding ridden by professional rider, Ken Berkley, of Flemington, NJ, dominated the six and over division winning all five classes. The pair then went on to top the two-round $26,200 Future Hunter World Championship, at the Capital Challenge Horse Show, in Upper Marlboro, Md.

“He jumps great and moves great. And he’s got a great mind. He’s just gotten better and better,” said Berkley, who found the young hunter a year and a half ago, “in a backyard with a German man.” The brilliant mover and talented jumper has shown lightly but has never shown indoors prior to the Capital Challenge.

Berkley attributes the horse’s consistency to his mind as well as his way of going. Berkley said, “His gallop is so rhythmic and so elevated anyone could find a distance. He’s elastic in the body for a big horse. He rides like a little horse. A horse that is 17 hands doesn’t usually have that kind of buoyancy.”

Touché will move up to the first year green division next year and will also show in the amateur-hunter division with his owner, Marilou Case.

The excitement at the Capital Challenge peaked on Saturday, October 9th, as the evening session drew top show jumping riders from across the country to compete in the $40,000 Ariat Congressional Cup Grand Prix, an FEI World Cup Qualifying class, presented by Arwen Stables, Stillwell-Hansen Inc., and Woodrun Farm.

Kim Frey and Marlou bested a field that included Olympic team members, Chris Kappler, Beezie Madden, and McLain Ward to win the $40,000 Ariat Congressional Cup.

Frey went in the middle of the pack in the seven horse jump-off. She eclipsed the previous riders’ times and finished with an unbeatable clear round. Frey said, "Chris Kappler is very fast and Peter Pletcher is very fast. I didn't even watch anyone before I went because I knew the fastest horse would win. They were both so close to me. I thought it was very exciting."

Following the grand prix Olympic rider and class competition, Lauren Hough commented, "I really want to say what a fantastic venue it is to have a World Cup Final qualifier at this place. We don't have a lot of Indoor events and I really commend the management for stepping up to the plate and holding an FEI class. I think the course was set up fantastic and it was really good sport and good competition tonight.”