Throughout the years the future hunter division has been a proving ground for many young horses at Capital Challenge. Some of those youngsters have shown on the Winter Equestrian Festival (Fla.) and throughout the season, while others come to Capital Challenge with little to no show experience. They face the rings in Upper Marlboro with wide eyes. Sometimes a rider gets lucky and their mount approaches showing with the serenity and grace of a seasoned hunter. 

     Thoughtful has proven to be one of those naturals in the ring. Scott Stewart was thrilled with the 5-year-old who collected the future hunter championship in the Thoroughbred/Thoroughbred-cross section and went on to win the $27,250 North American Future Hunter Championship.

     “He is so consistent and so unflappable,” said Stewart. “He’s pretty automatic for not really knowing what he’s doing.”

      Stewart was understandably pleased with young horse, who wasn’t even jumping a year ago.   Capital Challenge was the gelding’s second show after having the summer off and living at owner Molly Ohrstrom’s farm. 

      “It was a hard course for the pre-greens,” said Stewart of the championship class, primarily referring to a spooky in-and-out on the side and line up the center followed by a tight left turn. He explained,  “It naturally almost set you up to turn the other way so that was a little rough. There certainly were enough good trips though.”

    Stewart and Thoughtful posted an 88.9 in the first round of the championship and nailed the second trip to hold the lead. He said, “I think the round was excellent. He didn’t jump as high in the second round but all in all it was a better trip.”    

The pair posted a 90.4 to secure the championship title. 

     In addition, Thoughtful was named co-grand future hunter champion. The young hunter tied Significant, ridden by Sandy Ferrell. 

    Last year one of Stewart’s mounts took the reserve champion in the future hunter colts and geldings section.  This year the gelding moved up and took the Capital Challenge by storm.

     “He went way better than I thought he’d be at his first indoor show,” said Stewart who explained that the young horse was a little spooky last year during the future hunter championship class. and he hasn’t jumped in an indoor ring since then.

     Stewart took West Point into a first year green class for a warm up, and they won that class too. He said, “After the first round he was excellent. He had a lot of 90s. He’s a beautiful horse and a beautiful mover and his jump can be perfect. It was a nice show.”

    West Point won nearly every class entered and accumulated 47 out of 50 possible points earning the green conformation hunter championship, and grand conformation championship, and also shared the title for grand hunter championship with MacArthur Park and Peter Pletcher.

      Lynn Walsh was all smiles after her MacArthur Park collected the regular conformation hunter championship and went on to tie for the grand hunter title.  The big-bodied bay loped around collecting points in every class.

     MacArthur Park was imported from Germany as a registered Hanoverian breeding stallion.  Walsh had him collected and then gelded him.  Pletcher has been working with him ever since. 

      Walsh said, “Peter has done an amazing job with him. He has really developed this horse.”

       Walsh keeps MacArthur at her farm in Magnolia, Texas, and ships in to train with Pletcher.  Walsh has known Pletcher since he was 15 years old and has been riding under his guidance for 10 years.

       “It is a great barn because there are a lot of amateurs. We always go to the shows together and it brings your riding up a bit. You have to because they’re all good riders.  It’s a great environment.”

      Walsh loves riding MacArthur Park in the amateur-owner hunters. She said, “He’s a wonderful amateur horse because he would literally jump a car if it was in front of him, and I always know that he’s going to do his job.

     “The best thing about him is if you think you’re getting deep you just sit up and he just slows down and backs up,” she said. “He doesn’t take you past the distance. He’s very smooth.”

      Although this is the gelding’s second year in the amateurs, Walsh believes that the gelding has blossomed in the four-foot division this year. She said, “He’s just fabulous over these big fences. It makes it fun for me in the amateur owners.”

      Not only is his jump spectacular, but he’s also a nice horse. She said, “He’s just very sweet…his disposition is just so wonderful and lovely to be around – especially for an amateur.”