The Capital Challenge Horse Show opened its week of rated hunters on Monday with the high quality that the show has become known for, as some of the nation’s best horses jumped around the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, MD.
Louise Serio, the 2005 World Champion Hunter Rider Professional Finals winner, had a successful day riding a familiar mount. Piloting Gray Slipper, Serio collected two blue ribbons in the regular working hunters. Owned by Bridget Hallman, the gray gelding has a successful history at the Capital Challenge dating back to 2001 as a future hunter. In 2004 and 2005, Serio, of Kennett Square, Pa., rode Gray Slipper to the regular working hunter championship, and last year Hallman piloted her horse to the grand amateur-owner hunter championship.
Serio said of her trips on Gray Slipper, “I think the first round went pretty awesome. He had a light rub behind, but he felt fantastic. He showed last week at Middleburg [Va.], but other than that he hasn’t shown since winning the double grand championship at Devon. The second round actually felt awesome too. He has such scope and stride that he’s a blast to ride. He has huge animation and suspension.”
It will be a close race in the regular working hunter championship. Serio and Scott Stewart both collected high ribbons toward the tricolor. Stewart rode High Noon to the second-placed finish in both jumping classes.
Stewart said, “I’ve been riding High Noon all year, and he went great. He was so relaxed and jumped so high. I think it’s the best round I’ve ever had on him.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Stewart also collected a blue in the same division riding Carlino. He said, “This is the first time I’ve ridden Carlino. He is really easy. I over rode him in the first round, but the second round I just let him do it on his own.”
The first year green division drew an impressive field of 66 horses, and as in the past, management split the division into two sections. Havens Schatt, of Ocala, Fla., collected the top two placings in the second class of section A riding Pirate to a score of 87.75 and Federal Hill to an 86.
Schatt spoke favorably of the horse show saying, “I really like coming here. The competition here is very strong, and before I came this year they asked me to supply a horse for the WCHR Finals. I’m third in the standings, and if all goes well this week I’ll ride on Friday night, but you never know.”
At The Capital Challenge, the ribbons won in the professional hunter classes don’t only accrue points toward division championships. Professional riders are also collecting points throughout the week in the hopes of competing in the WCHR Professional Finals class on Friday evening. Their points collected this week will be added to those they have accumulated at designated WCHR shows throughout the year.
Coming into the Capital Challenge, Stewart, of Wellington, Fla., led with 1,559 points. Peter Pletcher, of Magnolia, Texas, was in second with 1,548 points, and Schatt was in third with 1,451 points. Serio held the fourth-placed position with 1,395 points. Each of these riders will hope to hold onto one of those top four spots for a chance to be one of the “Final Four” eligible to compete in the WCHR Pro Finals.
Click here to see live streaming video of the Capital Challenge Horse Show.
