Upper Marlboro, MD – October 3, 2013 – John French didn’t have the best year of his life in 2013. Between a broken foot in January and shoulder surgery in June, he spent more time riding in a golf cart than riding his horses.
 
But when the fall indoor show season rolled around, French, of Woodside, CA, decided he would take a few of his favorite horses and venture to the East Coast for a few shows, including the Capital Challenge Horse Show, presented by the Gochman Family.
 
His decision turned out to be richly rewarded, as he and Iwasaki & Reilly’s Small Affair jumped to victory for the third time together in the $25,000 WCHR Professional Challenge, sponsored by Pony Lane Farm, held on Wednesday evening.
 
French chose the 10-year-old Selle Francais gelding (by Elf d’Or) for the two-round class-that featured 23 of the country’s top professionals-because of their five-year partnership together and one that’s resulted in victories from coast to coast.

“I know him so well, and I’ve been riding him since his first year in 2009,” said French. “His first round was exceptionally great. He just jumped high and it was super smooth. I think I had enough of a lead coming into the second round. I’m not sure where I ended up in the second round, not the top, maybe third or fourth. But when you add the two scores together, it was enough to win.”
 
Indeed, French’s two-round total of 178.41 points earned him the Little Brook Farm Perpetual Trophy, and his name will now be engraved as the winner for 2013, as well as in 2010 and 2011. Kelley Farmer, the 2013 WCHR Professional National Champion, guided Mythical to second place with 177.83 points, and Hayley Barnhill rode Fonteyn to third place with 175.66 points.
 
“That was good having that cushion coming in,” said French, who edged Farmer by just .58 points. “He had a rub in the second round, but otherwise he was great. He showed here during the week in 3’6″ Performance Hunters and was reserve champion as well.”
 
While French was on the sidelines healing, Small Affair led many victory gallops over the year with junior rider Samantha Sommers, including grand championship honors in the West Coast U.S. Junior Hunter Finals.
 
“He tries really hard,” said French. “When he first started out, he was very cautious and a little bit spooky because he’s so careful. He always wants to jump a really good jump. I think there are some horses that you just have a partnership with. I wouldn’t have wanted to ride any other horse in the class tonight because I know him so well. He always gives and tries to jump a beautiful jump every time.”
 
The WCHR Professional Challenge determined the six riders that qualified for Friday night’s WCHR Professional Finals. They include: Kelley Farmer, John French, Scott Stewart, Elizabeth Boyd, Peter Pletcher and Amanda Steege. 
 
Greg Crolick Conquers the WCHR Developing Pro Challenge
 
Even though Greg Crolick may have been teased this year for entering the WCHR Developing Pro Challenge at age 41, the good-natured ribbing will now become a cherished part of his first experience in the class-along with his championship ribbon and cooler.
 
Crolick, of Bloomfield Hills, MI, guided Adrienne Marciano’s Grey Street to a convincing victory in the two-round class over a field of 28 competitors from throughout the country.
 
“It’s all fun banter, more or less,” said Crolick with a smile. “It means a lot to win this class. Last year I was here watching it, and this year I’m doing it. I’m glad I was here and had a great outcome. It worked out really well.”
 
Crolick and Grey Street, 10, a Brandenburg gelding, began their partnership last winter in Florida. “I took him in his first hunter classes in Wellington and then Ocala,” he said. “We had a great circuit in Ocala, and he was circuit champion in Ocala and Tampa. He’s just a great horse.
 
“Honestly, he’s still a little green in the hunters even though he’s 10,” Crolick added. “But each day gets better and better. He was imported in October of last year and was doing the jumpers. He was imported to be a jumper here, but you could tell by watching him he’s not a jumper.”
 
Crolick returned for the second round of the WCHR Developing Pro Challenge as the class leader, and he didn’t let the pressure impact his performance, scoring a two-round total of 176 points for the win. Jamie Taylor finished a close second with Cipriani (175.66), and Taylor Ann Adams guided Taken to third with 174.99 points.
 
“My thought process tonight was to try and stay relaxed,” said Crolick. “Again, it was my first time doing the class. You didn’t know what to expect, so I tried to stay relaxed and keep the focus. I have a tendency to get aggressive when I’m in there, like a handy derby. So, in this type of classical hunter round you needed to be a little quieter and be a little more subdued, like the classic hunter style.”
 
The outcome of the class also determined the WCHR Developing Pro National Champion, with Adams clinching the title over Tayor by 14 points.
 
“This year it was weird to be qualified as a Developing Professional because I’m 41 and have been doing this a while,” continued Crolick. “But I met all of the qualifications, and, hopefully, next year I’ll be in the Professional Challenge.”
 
Crolick’s fall indoor season will also be memorable for a more personal reason: He and his wife Jessica are expecting their second child on Oct. 20. “And, of course, the baby will come right on time, and then it will be on to the National Horse Show,” he said with laugh.   

Other WCHR Award winners honored included:
 
·         Derbydown Trophy – (tie) Rivers Edge’s Classical and Scott Stewart scored a 90.5 in the Futures 6 & over section and Caroline Moran’s Bacardi and Havens Schatt scored a 90.5 in the First Year Green section – Awarded to the highest-scoring hunter round by a professional rider in the professional hunter sections.
 
·         Jeffery Katz Memorial Trophy: Quotable and Kelley Farmer – Honors the horse-and-rider combination that accumulates the most points in the First Year Green, Second Year Green or Green Conformation Hunter sections from their top four WCHR member event shows, plus their section here at the Capital Challenge.
 
·         Winter’s Run Sportsmanship Award: Mitch Steege (awarded by a WCHR membership vote to the person who best exemplifies the ideals of sportsmanship)
 
·         Rox Dene Perpetual Trophy: Larry Glefke & Ken Garber’s Quotable – Awarded to the high-score horse ridden by a professional that accumulates the most points in the Performance Working Hunter 3’6″, High Performance Working Hunter, First Year Green, Second Year Green, Green Conformation or Regular Conformation sections, from their top four WCHR member event shows plus their section here at the Capital Challenge.
 
·         Alabama Clay Conformation Hunter Award: Larry Glefke & Ken Garber’s Quotable – Presented to the WCHR high-score horse that accumulated the most points in the Green Conformation or Regular Conformation sections, from their top four WCHR member event shows plus their section here at the Capital Challenge.
 
·         USHJA/WCHR Course Designer Perpetual Trophy: Skip Bailey (This trophy is not awarded annually, but rather only when an extremely worthy recipient, who has proven innovative and ground-breaking in hunter course designing, is identified. This year is the award’s fifth presentation.)
 
Action continues at the Capital Challenge Horse Show this week with the WCHR Amateur-Owner 3’6″ and 3’3″ Challenges (Oct. 3), the WCHR Adult Amateur Challenge and the WCHR Professional Finals (Oct. 4), the $5,000 WCHR Handy Hunter Challenge (Oct. 5) and the WCHR Pony, Children’s and Junior Challenges (Oct. 6).
 
Professional, Junior and Amateur Riders are invited to compete at the Capital Challenge Horse Show by qualifying through the WCHR National and Regional programs throughout the year. A rider’s top four WCHR shows count toward awards in these categories: Professional and Developing Professional, Junior, Amateur Owner (3’6″ and 3’3″), Adult Amateur, Handy Hunter, Children’s and Pony. Riders are then invited to contest WCHR Challenge Classes, and the WCHR presents its national awards at the Capital Challenge. Regional champions are also recognized in two separate parades.
 
For full results please visit Capital Challenge online.
 
A special thank you to the 2013 USHJA WCHR Program sponsors: Blue Ribbon Custom Blankets, Official Cooler Sponsor of WCHR, Charles Owen, the Official Helmet of the WCHR and Rood & Riddle, Official Equine Hospital and Veterinary Pharmacy of the USHJA.
 
The WCHR Program was founded in 1995 to recognize and celebrate the hunter rider. Since the inaugural WCHR Professional Finals in 1995, the WCHR program has expanded to include coveted National and Regional year-end awards for Professionals, Developing Professionals, Amateur-Owners, Amateur Adults, Juniors, Children’s and Pony riders.
 
The USHJA World Championship Hunter Rider Program while honoring hunter riders, also supports the mission of the USHJA Foundation. It is through the generosity of supporters that this program is able to continue to achieve its goals.
 
Visit USHJA online to learn more about the WCHR Program or to enroll for the 2014 season. Questions may be directed to Kelley Douglas at (859) 225-6717.