Available Ohio Comes Through In $10,000 WIHS Children's Jumper Championship

Available Ohio Comes Through In $10,000 WIHS Children’s Jumper Championship

PUBLISHED

October 25, 2018
7:43 am

WORDS BY

Kieran Paulsen

Washington, D.C.—Oct. 24

Eliza Kimball was an indoors rookie, so like most rookies she partnered with an experienced mentor to show her the ropes. Unlike most rookies, Kimball’s mentor is an 18-year-old Selle Français gelding (Flipper D’Elle—Urenice De Baugy) named Available Ohio. Available Ohio’s guidance paid off for Kimball in the $10,000 WIHS Children’s Jumper Championship. The pair topped a class of 28 after prevailing in a jump-off with 19 competitors.

Eliza Kimball and Available Ohio during their victory gallop for the $10,000 Children’s Jumper Championship. Photo by Kieran Paulsen.

“It was stressful because I was in the later part of the group,” Kimball, 16, said. “I really had to go for it, so I kind of had the mentality of either go for the win or have a rail.”

Kimball hails from New York City and is a relative newcomer to the upper levels. She’s only been on the A circuit for a few years and this year is her first time competing in the full slate of indoor shows—the Capital Challenge Horse Show (Maryland), the Pennsylvania National and the Washington International Horse Show. Available Ohio won the $10,000 WIHS Children’s Jumper Championship in 2017 with owner Carly Hoft.

“[Available Ohio] has taught me to go fast,” Kimball said. “My last horse was kind of a runner, and now I have to make Ohio go fast. It’s a good balance between a horse that wants to win and a horse that can go slow too. He makes me be more accurate.”

Erin Floyd and Floyd Sport Horses LLC’s Russell came in second, and Emily Aitken rounded out the top three on Zabelle S, owned by Lima Bean LLC.

From Co-Starr To Limelight

Morgan Baugher and her own Down The Rabbit Hole went early in the 16-person jump-off for the $10,000 WIHS Adult Amateur Jumper Championship and set down a blistering time of 27.91 seconds. She was untouchable until the second-to-last rider, Stephanie King, and her own Co-Starr galloped to a time of 27.17 seconds.

Stephanie King and Co-Starr snagged the top spot in the $10,000 Adult Amateur Jumper Championship. Photo by Kieran Paulsen.

King’s plan for victory? Play it safe.

“We looked at doing some of the leave-outs, but it didn’t look like the smartest plan, so we just focused on being tidy,” said King, 33, St. Augustine, Florida.

Co-Starr, an 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood (Promise—Ragazza Drum Van Ravott), and King contested the $10,000 WIHS Adult Amateur Jumper Championship in 2017 but didn’t make the cut for the jump-off. King has owned him for four years and purchased him on the advice of Chuck and Dana Waters of Waterworks Farm in Sparr, Florida.

“[Chuckie and Dana] hand picked him,” King said. “They called me and said, ‘We have your horse!’ And they could not have been more right. He has the best personality I’ve ever seen; he’s a big puppy dog who knows his job and loves his job. I always know he’s going to take care of me in the ring.”

King started riding as a child but took a hiatus for 11 years to attend college and work outside the horse industry. She picked it back up again five years ago and trains with Brooke and Chad Watridge of Ridgewater Show Stables in St. Augustine, Florida.

Baugher finished second, and Leslie Schillat finished third on Three Pugs Farm’s SLF Destiny.