Washington, D.C.—Oct. 26

This year Betsee Parker decided to dedicate the leading hunter rider award that she sponsors to Scott Stewart. So when Stewart won that award—for the ninth time—it felt extra special.

“She mentioned it about a month ago,” said Stewart. “It’s very nice of her, but I’m a little embarrassed. I feel a little old!” 

Stewart won the award after piloting David Gochman’s Catch Me to the second year green, grand green and grand hunter championships at Washington, and he rode another Gochman ride, Fun, to the green conformation title. 

“Catch Me used to be really spooky at home,” said Stewart. “We couldn’t really do a whole course there. But he’s really matured as a second year horse. He’s much more relaxed. 

“Fun was great too,” he continued. “Today he got a little green with the lead changes, but he’s only 6. He doesn’t act stupid, but he looks just a little immature still, even though he’s beautiful.”

Rivers Edge trainer Samantha Darling presented Fun for the green conformation championship. Photo by Mollie Bailey.

Another of his rides, reserve champion high performance hunter Cameo, won the prestigious Protocol award, awarded to the high performance hunter with the best performance at Devon (Pa.), the Pennsylvania National and Washington.

“I was surprised—I wasn’t expecting that,” said Stewart, who splits his time between Flemington, N.J., and Wellington, Fla. “He had medium results at all those shows. The only time he was champion at a major show was last year here. He’s fun and easy to ride, but he never has a light rub—only a major one. He doesn’t always put it all together at the right time.” 

Scott Stewart piloted Betsee Parker’s Cameo to the reserve high performance title and the Protocol Trophy. Photo by Mollie Bailey.

The award felt especially meaningful to Stewart as he remembers watching Danny Robertshaw and Protocol when they dominated the hunter ring. Robertshaw, who was judging, came center ring to present the award.

“I really looked up to him,” said Stewart. “I remember showing against him. I was quite young and not competitive at the time. 

“At the beginning I wasn’t so good at the hunters,” Stewart admitted. “I was much better at the equitation and the jumpers. In the hunters I would always go too fast or make some big mistake.

“When I was a junior I was a working student with Bill Ellis, who was great, and I got to work with George Morris and Bill Steinkraus as well and had really good training,” he continued. “Eventually I got better. It was just going out there and doing it. I don’t know if I’m the most naturally talented one, but I just kept going and getting lots of mileage.”

Scott Stewart had his hands full collecting all his prizes after the awards presentation. Photo by Mollie Bailey.

A Triumphant Return

John Bragg can’t remember how long it’s been since he was last at the Washington International Horse Show, but suffice to say it’s been a while. But this year he knew he wanted to get back to the horse show to show off the horse who’s leading the U.S. Equestrian Federation first year green hunter, increment standings.

Early August earned two hunter championships with John Bragg up. Photo by Mollie Bailey.

“He’s so brave,” said Bragg about Ann Thornton’s 9-year-old Belgian Warmblood (Quadrillo—Epona Ter Wilgen). “He wants to be careful. I never worry about the jumps; he just makes everything easy. He has just the right temperament.”

Early August won both the first year green and high performance hunter titles handily. That horse has been on a roll since he came east this September. He placed third in the $50,000 Duchossois Cup held during the Rolex Central Park Horse Show (N.Y.), earned the high performance championship at the Pennsylvania National, and narrowly missed out on the first year title there as well.

“It doesn’t get any better than this,” said Bragg, San Juan Capistrano, Calif. “It’s been a slow progression, and he just keeps getting better and better. I’ve never had so many people come up and tell me how much they like a horse that I have.” 

One To Remember

John French knows exactly which round he wants to buy from the videographer at the Washington International: Boss’s regular conformation hunter stakes trip.

“I needed him to be good today, and he just went for it,” said French, Paso Robles, Calif. “He galloped to the jumps, and he jumped amazing. When I heard the 94 it was awesome. It was one of those rounds where you’re like I’ve got to get that round so later on I can always remember that.”

Boss jumped to his second consecutive championship at the Washington International Horse Show with John French aboard. Photo by Mollie Bailey.

Boss, (Samba Hitt—Vulana D) owned by Laura Wasserman, has spent much of the year in the junior hunters with Katherine Dash, winning the grand junior hunter title at Capital Challenge and the regular conformation title with French up as well. At Pennsylvania National he rested during senior week, but he won the small junior hunter, 16-17, title as well. 

French thinks he likes the atmosphere at Washington, as this is the second year he’s won a championship here. 

“If you’re at a boring place where he’s shown 40 times it’s hard to keep any horse bright,” said French. “But he really likes it here. I don’t jump him as big in the warm-up area as I usually do [because it’s so small]. I don’t want him to get jumping too high and hanging up in the air. I know when we go in the ring that he can gallop a bit, and it’s going to be fine.” 

Small Gesture earned the reserve second year green hunter title with John French. Photo by Mollie Bailey.

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Want more Washington International Horse Show? No problem—we have you covered. And don’t miss the Nov. 14 issue of the Chronicle of the Horse magazine for full analysis of the competition.