Scott Stewart and Declaration Garner Grand Champion Hunter Award at Washington International Horse Show

Washington, D.C. – October 22, 2009 – The professional hunter divisions and the Amateur-Owner Hunter divisions wrapped-up their second day of competition today at the Washington International Horse Show with the presentation of Grand Championship awards. Scott Stewart and Declaration led the way, earning the Green Conformation Hunter Championship, and going on to win the Grand Green Working Hunter Award, as well as the Grand Champion Hunter Award. After his excellent performance, Stewart also received the Leading Hunter Rider Award, sponsored by Mr. & Mrs. Ernest M. Oare.

Stewart, of Wellington, FL swept the over fences classes with Declaration, owned by Fashion Farms of New York, NY, during the Green Conformation Hunter division, sponsored by Penelope Ayers and Ravens Wood Farm. The pair took home the championship prize and The Valiant Hawk Memorial Challenge Trophy. Shelley Campf and Costar, were victorious in the under saddle class and earned this year’s reserve championship honors. Stewart’s excellent performance with Declaration won him Grand Green Working Hunter Award and the Grand Champion Hunter Rave Review Challenge Trophy.

Scott Stewart and Declaration

Declaration has been great all year,” smiled Stewart (left). “He did the Green Conformation mostly in Florida, and I did Regular Conformation a few times as well. He does the four-foot easily, but he’s still a bit green at it. The four-foot really helped him at the three-six and it helped him just get a little mileage.”

Stewart’s winning streak continued when he was named First Year Green Working Hunter Champion for his ride aboard Way Cool. The Pryde Family sponsored the division. Stewart and Way Cool earned two first place ribbons over fences during yesterday’s competition. The reserve championship prize was presented to John French and Small Affair, owned by Iwasaki & Reilly of Pacific Palisades, CA, who won today’s stakes class, as well as the under saddle class.

This is the first year that Way Cool has competed at Indoors and Stewart is very pleased with his performance. “Way Cool was amazing,” he expressed. “Capital Challenge was his first indoor experience and he’s still green. He has an amazing jump and he’s really fun to ride.”

Stewart bought the seven-year-old gelding five years ago after seeing a video of him free jumping. “I took my time with him,” continued Stewart. “He was always jumping too high, but now he’s leveled out. He has a great personality, and he’s really just matured and grown up.”

During the Regular Conformation Hunter division, sponsored by Mrs. Stephen C. Clark, Jr., it was Maggie Jayne and Francesca, owned by Pony Lane Farm of Bluffdale, UT, who claimed The Marry Farren Perpetual Trophy and the championship ribbon after winning three blue ribbons. Stewart and Declaration scored another tricolor victory by earning the reserve championship honors.

This is the second Regular Conformation Hunter Championship win for Jayne and Francesca, who also scored the championship prize at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show. “It feels great,” said Jayne. “Francesca has been awesome, she’s been very relaxed and she hasn’t been spooky at all. She got to go in the ring the first day, and other than that I’ve just been hacking her in the schooling ring. She’s not at all spooky and she’s been fine.”

Hunt Tosh also had an excellent day, claiming two championship ribbons. He scored a hat trick with Lone Star, owned by Douglas Wheeler of Keswick, VA, winning the Regular Working Hunter Championship at the Capital Challenge Horse Show, the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, and now the Washington International Horse Show. The pair were presented with The “NOT ALWAYS” Challenge Trophy for their victory. The reserve championship ribbon was awarded to Jennifer Alfano for her ride aboard Jersey Boy, owned by SBS Farms Inc., of Buffalo, NY.

“He’s fabulous, he really does try every time he walks in the ring,” commented Tosh. “He walked in there and won the first class yesterday, which he’s done everywhere we’ve been. Then he came back and won again and was great for us. It’s fun a to have horse like him.”

Tosh also won today’s Second Year Green Working Hunter Championship with Rosalynn, owned by Ernest Oare of Warrenton, VA. The Wasserman Foundation sponsored the division. Tosh and Rosalynn were the winners of the today’s Stake class and had the best trip for the second year in a row to win The Windy Acres Challenge Trophy. Jack Hammond and Sanmorino, owned by Ann Lindwall of Duncan, B.C., was the winner of this year’s reserve championship prize.

Rosalynn competed with Tosh as a First Year Hunter, and this year the pair stepped-up to the Second Year Hunters. “She was great, she tried really hard in every class and was really good here,” he said. “She was really good here last year as well, so this is a good horse show for her.”

Tosh was very proud of how Rosalynn handled the new atmosphere at the indoor horse show. “She’s great about the jumps and she’s a quiet horse,” he explained. “She’s great about walking into new rings and not being spooky, so you don’t have to worry about that at all.”

The Amateur-Owner Hunter divisions competed next, and there was a tie for the Grand Champion Amateur-Owner Hunter Award. Erin Stewart was the winner of this year’s Amateur-Owner 18-35 Hunter Championship with Confidential, while Teri Kessler and Pavarotti took home the Amateur-Owner 36 and Over Hunter Championship. The pair had an equal number of points for their performances and tied for the Grand Amateur-Owner Hunter Championship.

AO Champions

 

Erin Stewart and Confidential (left) with Terri Kessler and Pavarotti (right)

Stewart, of Ocala, FL, and Confidential were the winners of the Amateur-Owner 18-35 Hunter Championship after earning the top ribbon in the under saddle and today’s first over fences class. She was also awarded the Leading Amateur-Owner Rider Award for her excellent performance. The reserve championship prize was presented to Jessica Van Brocklin, of Alexandria, VA, and Second Hand News.

This is the first year that Confidential has competed at the Washington International Horse Show, and Stewart was concerned that he might be nervous. “Yesterday I rode him like he was going to be nervous,” she explained. “I kept sitting there waiting for him to pick up and he didn’t. Today he was amazing; he’s really fun and pretty easy to ride. He’s sensitive and he wants to do everything right.”

Kessler, of Armonk, NY, had the win during today’s stake class and yesterday’s under saddle with Pavarotti to score the Amateur-Owner 36 and Over Hunter Championship, as well the co-Grand Amateur-Owner Hunter Championship. Brad Wolf, of Memphis, TN, and Andiamo also performed well and earned the reserve championship honors.

Last week Kessler and Pavarotti won the Amateur-Owner 36 and Over Hunter Championship at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, and she could not be more thrilled with her horse’s performance. “I’m walking on air,” she smiled. “I’m really excited, and I think the world of my horse, but right now I’m a little bit in awe of him.”

“He just wanted to jump well,” Kessler continued. “I didn’t even have to think about how to help him jump well; he was just trying he hardest and it seemed like he just wanted to jump well for fun.”

Pavarotti went home and got turned out for a day after the Pennsylvania National Horse Show. Kessler admitted when she came to Washington she was focused on riding well, because she felt Pavarotti had out performed her at the last show. “He was wonderful, but there were a couple moments at Harrisburg where I felt like I had let him down,” she said. “He doesn’t want to be ridden badly or half way, and he knows the difference When I came here I was thinking this time I really want to ride him well, and that’s what really mattered to me.”

The Washington International Horse Show is one of Kessler’s favorite shows to attend each year. “The people who run this horse show are so devoted to it,” she expressed. “This is a grass roots horse show because it reaches people who don’t know anything about horses. On Friday and Saturday night you will see a lot of young kids that come out to see the horses. My mom took me to a horse show at Madison Square Garden when I was a little kid and that was the first time I knew I wanted to ride horses, and I’ll be darned if I didn’t. I wasn’t a farm kid, no one in my family rode, and this show touches a lot of people like me who wouldn’t see horses otherwise.”

Tomorrow the Junior Hunter divisions will get underway at the Washington International Horse Show. The top riders will receive championship and reserve championship prizes on Thursday after two days of competition. This week’s highlight event is the $100,000 President’s Cup Grand Prix, which will be held Saturday, October 24, at 9:30 p.m. The show runs through Sunday, October 25, and will conclude with the presentation of the Grand Champion Pony Hunter prize and the Best Child Rider Award.

For more information about the Washington International Horse please visit www.wihs.org .

Photo Credit: Scott Stewart and Declaration were the winners of the Grand Green Working Hunter Award and the Green Conformation Hunter Championship. Photo By: Rebecca Walton/PMG. Photograph may be used only in relation to this PMG press release.

Scott Stewart and Declaration

Photo Credit: The Grand Hunter Championship Award was presented to Scott Stewart and Declaration at the Washington International Horse Show. Photo By: Rebecca Walton/PMG. Photograph may be used only in relation to this PMG press release.

Photo Credit: Erin Stewart and Confidential tied with Terri Kessler and Pavarotti for the Grand Champion Amateur-Owner Hunter Award. Photo By: Rebecca Walton/PMG. Photograph may be used only in relation to this PMG press release.