Capital Challenge Horse Show: Victoria Colvin Sweeps Junior Hunters, Rides Ovation to Grand Junior Hunter Championship

Source: JWM Inc./Photos © Parker/Russell – The Book LLC and Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Victoria Colvin Sweeps Junior Hunters, Rides Ovation to Grand Junior Hunter Championship at Capital Challenge Horse Show
Rosebud and Audrey Layman Named Grand Children's Hunter Champions

Upper Marlboro, MD - The Capital Challenge Horse show wrapped up another year of fantastic competition today and finished with younger junior and children's hunters. Victoria Colvin swept the junior hunter awards today by winning all four tricolors. She and Scott Stewart's Ovation were awarded the Grand Junior Hunter Championship sponsored by Lochmoor Stables/Mindy and Greg Darst, while the Grand Children's Hunter Championship went to Rosebud and Audrey Layman. The Capital Challenge Horse Show is held at the Prince George's Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD.

Colvin and Ovation won through their championship performance in the Small Junior Hunter 15 & Under division. They were also the High Point Junior Hunter 15 & Under, sponsored by Susie and Weatherly Stroh. Colvin swept the Small Junior Working Hunter 15 & Under division sponsored by Cynthia Williams/New England Farm; she was also reserve champion on Sanzibar, owned by Karen Long Dwight and Barbara Ridder Irwin. Ovation jumped to two blue ribbons and a fourth place, and he won the under saddle class. Sanzibar finished second, third, and fifth over fences and was sixth under saddle.

Ovation and Victoria Colvin

Ovation, an 11-year-old Warmblood gelding, competed at Devon with Colvin and they were champions at Lake Placid, but both horse and rider have taken a break from showing for the past few weeks. Colvin described Ovation as having "the best canter." She added, "It's like a couch and it's perfect. He jumps good, but it doesn't feel like it, so you don't get popped out of the tack and you don't fall off."

For their win, Colvin and Ovation were presented with The Spontaneous Perpetual Trophy donated by the Listrani Family. Colvin was named the Best Junior Rider, an award sponsored by Karen Healey and Karen Healey Stables. The EMO Junior Trip of the show went to Small Affair and Olivia Esse, who were champions in the Large Junior 16-17 Hunter division yesterday.

Ovation and Victoria Colvin in their awards presentation

The champion in the Large Junior Working Hunter 15 & Under division sponsored by Oscany Inc, was Dr. Betsee Parker's Way Cool, a nine-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Embassy. They placed first, first, and second over fences. Inclusive, owned by Scott Stewart, was second, second, and third for the reserve championship.

"Way Cool is way cool!" Colvin laughed. "He's so nice and perfect. He rubbed today, but he usually never rubs or does anything like that. The one that jumps the hardest is Way Cool, but Inclusive does too."

Way Cool and Victoria Colvin

Colvin was the Grand Pony Hunter Champion at Capital Challenge last year, but has stepped up to win consistently in the junior hunters this year. She and Sanzibar were the Grand Junior Hunter Champions at the Devon Horse Show, and last night she rode to second place in the junior/amateur-owner jumper challenge cup.

"There's not really a difference to change from jumpers to hunters," she said, "but you have to ride differently from the ponies to the juniors. With horses, you mostly have to go more forward to the bigger jumps, unless they have a humongous stride. With small ponies, you don't have to go that fast."

She continued, "It's fun to be in the juniors now, (but) I love ponies. I miss them. I (wish I) could still be showing ponies. My favorite to ride is my pony Ballou. All of the horses that I've ridden are so good, I don't have a favorite."

The talented 13-year-old from Loxahatchee, FL, who said she wants to be a professional rider one day, will show at Harrisburg in the junior hunters and jumpers, as well as the USEF Medal Finals.

Children's Hunter Champions Awarded

In the Children's Hunter 15-17 Audrey Layman walked out of the ring with a pile of ribbons and medals. The 17-year-old rider from Chagrin Falls, OH, cleaned up riding Rachel Spencer's Rosebud, winning the championship in the 15-17 division, as well as the Grand Champion, sponsored by Mary Jane King, and the Leading Rider award, sponsored by Wild Sky Farm and The Nelson Family.

Rosebud and Audrey Layman

Layman and Rosebud won the championship by finishing first and fifth over fences and winning the under saddle. Nicole, ridden by Sydney Reed for Melissa Ott, won an over fences class and was third under saddle for the reserve championship.  

"She felt really good today," said Layman smiling. "I hacked her on Friday and took a lesson on Saturday, and she was better than she has ever been at home. She has been really good at this show."

Layman has been riding the Thoroughbred cross since July when her trainer Jeff Gogul put her on to show Rosebud. Layman said of that first show, "She was amazing. We were champion there too. So Rachel let me show her for the rest of the year."

Riding the eight-year-old mare takes the right touch but Layman doesn't mind. She said, "She doesn't like to be touched at all so it is a really light ride and that's not what I'm used to. I'm used to hand and leg constantly, but she takes no leg and no hand."

Layman is thrilled to have the ride on Rosebud since her horse isn’t quite at the same level. She said, "My other horse, he's been difficult. He's only five so it was nice to have one that I knew I could do well on. It's always a little iffy with that one."

Rosebud and Audrey Layman in their awards presentation

Talking about winning with Rosebud put a smile on the young girl's face. She said, "It feels great. I bet Rachel is going to be so happy. I'm so happy for her and I'm happy for Rosebud, and I'm happy for myself too!"

Champion in the younger division of the Children's Hunters, sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Gary Duffy and Little Brook Farm Inc., went to Bases Loaded and Madison Free. Free, 13, of St. Petersburg, FL, rode the warmblood gelding to the EMO Trip of the Show, scoring an 87 to win the first class. Free also collected a second in the second over fences class. The reserve champion was Glass Castle, ridden and owned by Kylie Geddes. They won the second over fences class.

Bases Loaded was purchased from Kelley Farmer and Larry Glefke late last summer and the young rider began training with Farmer the beginning of this year. Farmer had purchased Bases Loaded in May of 2010 as a second-year horse and has won five Derbies on him in the last two years.

Bases Loaded and Madison Free

"There is nowhere he hasn't won or been champion, and he's a fantastic horse for Madison. She rode beautifully," said trainer Kelley Farmer.

Special Awards and Results on Final Day of Capital Challenge

The winner of the $1,500 Children's Finals sponsored by Stephanie Riggio and MeadowView was October Road, ridden by Julian Currey. Glass Castle and Kylie Geddes were second, while Lilli Power rode Uptown Girl to third.

Olivia Bruyn was named the winner of the Stewart-Warner Cup for Children's Hunter riders. The Stewart-Warner Cup for Junior riders was given to Barbara Ann Merryman.

The winner of the $2,500 WCHR Pony Challenge was Ringo Star, ridden by Mackenzie Graves and they were awarded the Foxlair Poker Perpetual Trophy. Beau Rivage and Victoria Press placed second, while Cleverist and Ashton Alexander finished third.

Way Cool and Victoria Colvin won the $2,500 WCHR Junior Challenge sponsored by The Caldwell and Graves Families. Chloe Reid rode Pavarotti to second, while Taylor Sutton with MTM Braggin Rights was third.

Rumba and Destry Spielberg hacked their way to the win in the $1,000 Junior World Champion Hunter Under Saddle Class.

Scott Stewart and Ken Berkley were presented with the Leading Hunter Trainer Award.

For full results, please visit www.capitalchallenge.org and for live scoring please visitwww.equestrianlive.com. If you can't attend the Capital Challenge Horse Show, remember you can log on to www.equestriansport.tv to see all the action.

  In its 18th year, the Capital Challenge Horse Show sets itself apart with a distinct and unique focus on preeminent hunter competition. Held each autumn at the Prince George's Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD, this year's show takes place on October 1-9.  

Top competitions include the ARIAT National Adult Medal Finals and the THIS National Children's Medal Finals, along with the Capital Challenge Equitation Weekend, presented by Bigeq.com. In addition to these prestigious equitation events, the Capital Challenge Horse Show will once again host the World Champion Hunter Rider Finals and will assemble the country's best horses and riders to compete in junior, amateur, and professional hunter classes.

  For more information, please visit www.capitalchallenge.org or visit the Capital Challenge Horse Show page on Facebook!  