Washington, D.C.—Oct. 23

Allison Cederberg and Zero Tolerance didn’t start off as the perfect pair, but you wouldn’t know that watching them top the $10,000 WIHS Adult Amateur Hunter Championship. You also wouldn’t know it was their first time ever contesting the Washington International Horse Show, as Cederberg and “Zero” looked like they’d been riding in the Capital One Arena all their lives.

Allison Cederberg and Zero Tolerance made their WIHS debut with a win in the $10,000 WIHS Adult Amateur Hunter Championship. Photo by Kieran Paulsen.

“It’s my first year really doing the indoors,” Cederberg, 22, said. “I’d done [the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in] Harrisburg before, but this is my first year doing Capital Challenge (Maryland), Harrisburg, and Washington. My horse was just amazing; he’s incredible, and it’s amazing to get to be here.”

Cederberg trains with Ricci, Stephanie and Michael Desiderio out of Tranquility Farm in New Jersey, but lives in Fort Collins, Colorado. She and Zero went late in the order for the first round, which saw multiple riders struggle at the last line. It wasn’t encouraging  to see two horses eliminated and a handful of others rack up refusals. Cederberg and Zero—a 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood (Roven—Kim)—have been together for six years, and the strength of their relationship helped carry them through to a strong first-place finish in the first round.

Allison Cederberg was overjoyed with her win. Photo by Kieran Paulsen.

“I was nervous, but [Zero] walked in like he’d been doing it his whole life, and everything just turned out really well,” Cederberg said. “He jumped amazing, and that’s all you can ask for. We both struggle with confidence issues, so in the beginning our partnership struggled a little bit. I couldn’t give him the confidence he needed, and he couldn’t give it to me, but over the years we’ve both built it together. Now we trust each other to know it’s always going to be all right.”

Britta Lippert and Indigo finished the second round on top, Cederberg’s combined score bested hers by just a point, so the pair took second place. Addie Jabin scored two 80s on her own Axtrex to claim third.

Second Time’s The Charm

Lily Pollin’s first trip to the Washington International Horse Show in 2017 ended with an unlucky fall and bruised confidence. She came back this year in a big way by winning the $10,000 WIHS Children’s Hunter Championship aboard Pura Vida.

Lily Pollin got redemption by winning the WIHS Children’s Hunter Championship with Pura Vida. Photo by Kieran Paulsen.

“It means everything to win here,” Pollin, 15, said. Pura Vida is a 9-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding owned by Katie Austensen. Pollin has leased him for two years; she started riding him under the guidance of her trainers, Patty Foster and Mary Lisa Leffler of Rolling Acres Farm in Brookeville, Maryland.

“He was perfect; he did everything perfectly,” Pollin said of her mount as she wiped away tears from under her glasses.

Pollin, a native of Bethesda, Maryland, scored an 82 in their initial round, which earned them a spot in the top 12 riders invited back for the final round. She battled her nerves and stayed cool for the win on a score of 168.

“The first course I went in and was really nervous,” Pollin admitted. “But [Pura Vida] took care of me. The second course I went in just wanting to have fun because I was so happy. I was very nervous showing here [because of what happened last time]. I pretended I wasn’t showing, walked around, didn’t learn the course until late and that helped.”

Pollin isn’t the only member of her family competing at WIHS. Her mother, Kirsten Pollin, has made several trips around the Capital One Arena in the amateur-owner divisions. This year she placed second in both the under saddle and first jumping round of the amateur-owner working hunter, 36 and over, division, putting her in a competitive spot for the championship on her own Incognito.

IMPORTANT LINKS:  All the COTH Washington International  coverage  |  What You Need To Know  |  live results/order of go  |  live streaming  |  show website

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