When Lynn Walsh saw the videotape of a young warmblood that trainer Peter Pletcher had recommended, she liked what she saw. So without even trying him, she became the proud owner of Ocean Park.

And two years later she sat in the MCI Center in Washington, D.C., clapping enthusiastically as her “Parker” won every second year green hunter class to clinch the championship and grand green hunter title at the Washington Inter-national, held Oct. 26-31.

“If someone had said to me, ‘He’ll win every class,’ I’d have said, ‘No way,’ ” said Walsh shaking her head. “It’s just unbelievable.”

But, truthfully, Walsh and Pletcher each believed in Parker from the start. Pletcher saw a talented show hunter in the young dressage horse, along with a generous, willing attitude he believed would make the perfect amateur horse.

As icing on the cake–which, literally, the horse show awarded to each champion–Walsh rode Parker to the reserve championship in the amateur-owner, 36 and over, division the following day.

“I liked his easygoing temperament,” said Pletcher of his first impression of Parker. “Now, it turns out, he’s good at both divisions.”

Pletcher, Magnolia, Texas, traveled to the East Coast in September and contested the USGPL Finals (Va.), the Capital Challenge (Md.) and the Pennsylvania National prior to Washington. Parker picked up tricolors at each show, including the amateur-owner, 36 and over, championship and second year green championships at Capital Challenge.

Pletcher, the reigning WCHR professional champion, described the 8-year-old gelding as a real competitor. “I think he had one rub the entire month we’ve been showing,” said Pletcher. “He is so on. He walks into the ring and tries to win. Here, he walked from his stall to the ring. No hack, no longe. And that’s hard to do for any horse, especially a second year horse, here in the city.”

Walsh, 53, said she feels lucky to own Parker.

“When we brought him in we realized he was a diamond in the rough,” she said. “He was a good first year horse and always a great amateur horse, but this year he seems to have come into his own. [This summer] he matured and started peaking. He’s gone great ever since.”

Walsh divides her time between herfamily, showing and serving as president of the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show in Katy, Texas.

“I’m so grateful to Peter,” said Walsh, who’s known Pletcher since he was a teenager and watched him progress through the ranks. “Parker is my horse of a lifetime.”

Pletcher also earned the Protocol Trophy with Rivoli, 7, a Dutch Warmblood-Thoroughbred cross (Charmeur–Sirah), for the regular working hunter who collects the most points at Devon (Pa.), the Pennsylvania National and Washington. Pletcher rode Rivoli, now owned by Audrey Halle, to consistent ribbons at Washington, including a second in the handy class, to clinch the title.

“The Dillards owned him through the summer and sold him to Audrey Halle. She asked me to show him at indoors,” said Pletcher. “She rides him in the juniors, and he’s another horse you can always count on.”

The Winning Color

Jane Fraze is also incredibly proud of her horse, Mandarin. The bright chestnut Holsteiner, nicknamed “Orange,” earned the regular working hunter championship and top ribbons in the regular conformation division on the way to the grand hunter title.

Under Joie Gatlin, a top West Coast grand prix rider, Orange contested the East Coast fall shows for the first time. Archie Cox has trained him to the top in the U.S. Equestrian Federation national standings from their California base, so it was a natural next step to take on the eastern hunters.

“It’s so exciting to come here and to be one of the best horses and to win,” said Gatlin, who hadn’t been to indoors since 1997. “He’s gotten better and better. He’d really never shown indoors before and was nervous at Capital Challenge. He got ribbons at Harrisburg, and it looks like he’ll peak now. This is his best show so far.”

In between the Pennsylvania National and Washington, Cox laid over at Ashley Meadows Farm in Pennsylvania, where Orange practiced in the indoor arena.

“That made all the difference,” added Cox. “That really helped to settle him. He’d really never jumped in an enclosed building until he came out here. Even the Equidome [at the L.A. Equestrian Center] has open sides.”

Cox selected Gatlin to show Orange during the Indio (Calif.) circuit last winter. “Joie is one of the top riders–and it’s nice for her to have a hunter to show,” said Cox. “I thought Joie would be a good fit for the horse’s personality. He’s a very competitive horse–he loves showing–and always gives 100 percent.”

Amateurs In Action

Regall and Paige Johnson also have that competitive spirit, and they rose to the top of the amateur-owner, 18-35, division with a narrow victory in the stake class over reserve champions La Cara and Leah Schwendeman. Their two firsts, a third and fifth also garnered the grand amateur-owner title.

“We both went into the ring ready to win. We were eye-to-eye,” said Johnson, smiling.

Johnson, 19, whose home base Salamander Farm is in The Plains, Va., relocated to Florida and plans to start college in January at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale.

She’s studying fashion design and will balance a full-time schedule with riding and showing.

“Like many designers, I’d like to have my own clothing line someday,” she said with a grin. “I’m looking forward to school. I can’t wait to check it all out and see where I want to go.”

Johnson, who trains with Bill Moroney, said this tricolor at Washington had evaded her over the many years she’s been competing on ponies and junior hunters. “It was especially nice to be champion because I’ve been reserve at indoors a lot of times, often by half a point. So it was nice to overcome the reserve hex,” she noted.

With many irons in the fire, Johnson didn’t have much time to show 12-year-old Regall this year. And prior to the Pennsylvania National and Washington, their last outing was in June at Lake Placid (N.Y.).

“I couldn’t have asked for more,” said Johnson of Regall. “He was consistent at Harrisburg, with ribbons, and here he was awesome. He’s a fantastic horse, and he proved it once again.”

Georgina Bloomberg’s Action also proved his mettle at Washington as he earned the amateur-owner jumper championship in a hotly contested race over reserve champions La Belle and Danielle Torano.

In a six-horse jump-off, Torano and La Belle jumped to victory in the $10,000 Ambassador’s Cup by .7 seconds over Bloomberg and Action. But it was Action who took the championship lap of honor with his consistent placings.

“I’ve had him four years, so I know him better than any of my other horses,” said Bloomberg of the 14-year-old warmblood. “I ride him and school him every day, and we have a pretty good relationship. So I trust him. And I know where his limitations are and where I can cut the turns and what I can and can’t do.

“He’s also my favorite horse,” she added. “He’s got the best personality.”

Bloomberg, New York, N.Y., who represented the U.S. Equestrian Federation on the Samsung Nations Cup tour in Scandinavia this summer on several other horses, said Action’s perfect role is as a junior or amateur-owner jumper.

“He doesn’t have the scope to do the grand prix classes, but he’s great in his division,” she said.

Bloomberg said she enjoys the amateur division because while she’s still in school–she attends New York University each fall semester–she can still compete against her peers.

“There are days when I can’t ride, and when I go to shows and can’t give it my all, so it’s great to have this division so I can get my eye going and get into the ring,” she said. “It’s hard to just have the opens, to ride against everyone who rides every day.”

Bloomberg is in NYU’s Gallatin program, which promotes a well-rounded education and doesn’t require a primary field of study. Each student graduates with a bachelor’s degree in individualized study.

“I really want to do the horses, so I’m going to college to have a back up,” she said. “I’m doing school for myself, not for a degree. Last year I took a couple of psychology classes, which I really enjoyed. This year I’m taking a writing course, photography and a media course. So it’s great–I can change my mind every year and experience everything.

“I’m taking it year by year,” she added of her eight-year plan. “I’m happy in both worlds. I can do the school and still have a great support system with the riding. I’m very lucky to have found the program I’m in, and I have the barn that’s supportive of it.”

Adults Hit “Home Runs” In Amateur Classes

On the same night that the Boston Red Sox finally eluded their World Series jinx in St. Louis, a fittingly named chestnut called Sox Appeal and rider Alex Johnson captured the WIHS adult amateur hunter championship at the Washington International in Washington, D.C.

“He’s been around–he’s got some miles on him–so he knows what he’s doing,” said Johnson. ” ‘Spritz’ has always been my type of ride; he still is a little fresh. I have always enjoyed the Thoroughbred types.”

Johnson, 47, Norfolk, Va., and Spritz managed to keep their cool after their first round of 84, posting an 80.5 to edge Galway Bay and Cecilia Halsey of Madison, Ala., for the title.

In addition to the victory at Washington, Johnson is the reigning WCHR Mid-Atlantic adult amateur champion, and Sox Appeal currently leads the Virginia Horse Shows Association standings.

Johnson, who doesn’t own his own horse, often rises early to catch-ride before heading off to work at the law firm of Troutman & Sanders. This routine keeps him prepared to meet Spritz, who’s trained by friend and confidant Claiborne Bishop, at the shows.

“It’s been great fun returning to ride with The Barracks crew since my wild days riding during college and law school at [the University of Virginia],” said Johnson. “It would probably be fair to say I have a lot of dirt on Claiborne and she on me. If I make a mistake she doesn’t have to say a word, she just rolls her eyes.”

Jane Silfen, winner of the WIHS adult amateur jumper championship on Oct. 27, divides her time between college at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, riding on Long Island, N.Y., and showing throughout the country. This hectic schedule is a job in itself, so trainer Ronan McGuigan is a key ingredient to their program.

“I’m in and out all of the time, so Ronan keeps them going so well for me. Whenever I show, they’re always ready to go,” she said.

Silfen, 19, of New York, N.Y., and her experienced gelding Mancuso used Washington to rebound from a disappointing Pennsylvania National. “Harrisburg was rough; things didn’t go our way,” said Silfen. “We had a few rubs out there today, but everything stayed up. This is such a relief.”

With McGuigan’s help, Silfen and “Manny” managed two clean rounds in the MCI Center’s demanding ring. “Ronan said that the course was really technical and tight. It was difficult to see coming off some of the turns. The combination, 5ABC, to 6 really tested us, but Ronan had us ready.”

In the jump-off, Manny’s tight turns proved the difference. “Manny’s strength is how he turns on a dime. He really whips around the corners,” she said. “Most of the time he turns tighter than I ask him.”

Silfen reaffirmed that she wouldn’t be able to compete at this level without support. “Ronan and everyone else involved with Manny make this possible since I’m off in Philadelphia so much now,” she said. “They’ve done such a good job with all of the horses since I’ve been away. I’m probably going to fail an economics final tomorrow, but it doesn’t matter. I just love doing this.”


Goldika Glitters With President’s Cup Triumph

Goldika took center stage at the Washington International, Oct. 30, when she carried McLain Ward to his first victory in the $100,000 President’s Cup in Washington, D.C.

On the final trip of the night in the nine-horse jump-off, the tandem whirled and twisted their way through the challenging Richard Jeffery-designed course, stopping the clock clear in 35.73 seconds. The blitz brought them home just ahead of Casadora and Lauren Hough, the only other contenders to successfully negotiate all of the inside turns on the shortened course. Their time of 38.13 seconds easily topped third-placed Coco Cabana and Candice King (42.00 seconds).

The grand prix was one of four victories that propelled Ward to the leading jumper rider title. His other victories included Thursday’s gambler’s choice and Friday night’s $25,000 class with Quickstar, and the grand prix qualifier with Goldika.

“Goldika’s been in great form the second half of the year, so I wanted to win,” he said. “People want to come here, they bring the best horses and try to be competitive because this is a big, important grand prix. Plus the crowds are great.”

He continued, “I didn’t want to be overconfident, but with that horse, if she goes clear, I’ve got to screw up to lose. There’s just something about her when she’s in a jump-off–she usually can pull it off.”

Although Goldika is flying now, it took her awhile to sprout her wings after Ward acquired the ride on the seasoned mare from German Toni Hassmann.

“It’s a funny thing–through Florida, I think people expected a lot [up front], and so did I,” said Ward. “I expected for us to match right away, but we didn’t match right away. Ever since the World Cup Finals [in April], we have tried a few different things that seem to be paying off.”

Specifically, Ward has had to temper his deliberate and careful style to suit Goldika, a mare who doesn’t like to linger in between fences. “I’m typically a planner by nature, so I do everything very precisely. Goldika has to compete. If you enter a class and go slow, she doesn’t understand that–she gets too careful. When we go in the class, we have to go in to win. She gets more competitive, and it’s almost like she gets in the heat of battle.”

With a sparkling Sapphire and now Goldika and Quickstar rounding into form, Ward eagerly anticipates the spring campaign. “We’ve really tried to put a great team together. My sponsors, the Harrisons [Double H Farm], have shown remarkable enthusiasm. They’ve allowed me to go places like the Olympics and, hopefully, take a real good run at the World Cup Final [in Las Vegas in April].”