Washington International Horse Show: For The Laughter and Meredith Darst Garner Grand Pony Hunter Championship

Source: JWM Inc./Photo Credit: Photos © Shawn McMillen Photography, www.shawnmcmillen.com and Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

For The Laughter and Meredith Darst Garner Grand Pony Hunter Championship at the 53rd Washington International Horse Show 
Tritschler Triumphs in WIHS Pony Equitation Classic Finals,
Pawlak and Medeiros Win Regional Finals

Washington, D.C. - The 53rd Washington International Horse Show concluded competition at Verizon Center in downtown Washington D.C. today with the presentation of championship awards in the pony hunter divisions. For The Laughter, owned by Dr. Betsee Parker of Middleburg, VA, won the Large Pony Hunter championship for the second year in a row and earned the coveted Grand Pony Hunter Champion award with Meredith Darst in the irons.  

Watch Meredith Darst and For the Laughter in their winning round!
All show videos are available at www.shownet.biz

The WIHS Pony Equitation Classic Finals were also held this afternoon with a win for Ali Tritschler of Southport, CT. The WIHS Regional Finals concluded the day with wins for David Pawlak and Dr. Betsee Parker’s Liseter Clever Star and Mary Claire Medeiros riding Olivia.  

Meredith Darst, of Lebanon, OH, earned two championships aboard Dr. Betsee Parker's talented ponies this morning. Darst rode For The Laughter to the championship in the Large Pony Hunters, sponsored by Rose Hill Farm. The pair finished first in all four classes to take top honors in the division and was awarded The Pegasus Stable Perpetual Trophy donated by Ms. Fenwick Kollock. Daisy Farish and All The Best, owned by Katherine Strauss LLC, finished in reserve with two second place ribbons.  

Darst and For The Laughter were then presented with The Miles River Moonglow Perpetual Trophy donated by Scott Novick and Rustic Woods for the Grand Pony Hunter Championship. Darst was excited to earn top honors and explained that she tried not to let the pressure get to her. "I just thought about riding my best," she stated.   

For the Laughter and Meredith Darst

Darst has been riding For The Laughter all year since first showing him in Florida last winter and has had a lot of success with the pony, lovingly known as "Bubbles." "He's very quiet, so I give a lot of leg, and I try to land the leads," she described. "He jumps really well, moves really well, and he has a big stride. He is really comfortable and really adjustable."

Owner Dr. Betsee Parker spoke about the partnership between Darst and Bubbles this year, stating, "I think when you watch Maddie Darst ride this pony you see something elevated from sport to art form; it appears almost like a type of ballet. Both the pony and rider are so soft and graceful that your eye can see it and that is why they keep going in there and bringing up those very high scores."  

Parker noted that For The Laughter has a lot of quirks, for instance, a fear of plants in the ring, but explained that he is able to overcome his "shyness."

For the Laughter and Meredith Darst in their grand championship presentation

"The thing that brings this pony through all the time is his desire to be a good boy; he wants to please," she said. "He will go beyond fear and beyond not understanding things to just give you every ounce he has. People always talk about what a lovely pony he is in appearance, but his temperament is at least as lovely. He is a genuinely wonderful pony and it is a complete privilege for me to own a pony like him."

Darst also guided Parker's Enchanted Forest to the championship in the Medium Pony Hunters earlier in the morning with first, fifth and sixth place ribbons over fences and a win under saddle. Laugh Out Loud, owned by John and Stephanie Ingram and ridden by Martha Ingram, finished first in both rounds over fences today to secure the reserve championship.  

Enchanted Forest and Meredith Darst

For the championship, Darst and Enchanted Forest were presented The Shenandoah Sundowner Perpetual Trophy Donated by Evan Coluccio and Ashmont Farms, Ltd.  

Ten-year-old Madeline Schaefer, of Westminster, MD, dominated the Small Pony Hunters this weekend earning the championship aboard Hi Lite and the reserve championship with Cardiff Mardi Gras. Schaefer just purchased Hi Lite from Madison Maners today. The pair earned first, first and fourth over fences and placed second under saddle. Riding Cardiff Mardi Gras, Schaefer earned second, second and third.   

The Small Pony Hunter division was sponsored by Further Lane Farm. Schaefer was awarded The Stombock Saddlery Challenge Trophy, donated by Stombock Saddlery, in memory of E.P. (Bud) Stombock.   

Hi Lite and Madeline Schaefer

Schaefer is following in the footsteps of her big sister, Samantha, who was champion and reserve in the same division in 2004 aboard Halcyon Hawthorn and Rainbow Canyon. Samantha has since gone on to great success in the junior divisions, including a win in the 2009 WIHS Equitation Classic Finals and a victory in this year's $2,500 Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper speed class aboard Sugar Ray.   

Younger Schaefer was excited to get her first championship win at WIHS this year and felt confident that she would win the division after securing high scores of 89 and 87 in this morning's stake class.  In addition to the championship, Schaefer received the Potomac Trophy as the high scoring junior hunter rider on a pony with her score of 89 on Hi Lite. Schaefer was also presented with the award for Best Child Rider on a Pony sponsored by Gotham North. She was presented The Captain V.S. Littauer Perpetual Trophy donated by Hugh J.B. Cassidy III, Mrs. William Dillon and Miss Marion Lee.  Talking about her ponies, Schaefer explained, "Hi Lite needs a smooth and quiet ride. Mardi you have to kick; he is very quiet."

Madeline Schaefer with Hi Lite and Cardiff Mardi Gras

"Hi Lite is really sweet. Mardi is sweet too, he just likes to bite you and if you give him treats he bites you even more," she laughed.  Schaefer said that, although the ponies do not like being in the city, she enjoys the show. "I like showing in that ring, I don't know why, but I do," she said with a smile. "They were both really good in the ring."

Later in the afternoon, the young riders competed in the WIHS Pony Equitation Classic Finals with a win for 13-year-old Ali Tritschler riding Rose Hill Farm’s Hallelujah. Tritschler earned the high score of 85 over fences and came out on top after a final work-off. For her victory, Tritschler was presented The Jane Marshall Dillon Memorial Perpetual Trophy donated by the friend and students of Mrs. Jane Marshall Dillon. She was also awarded a pair of custom chaps provided by Journeymen Saddlers, Ltd. Emma Lemke finished second, Audrey Muscari third, and Daisy Farish fourth.  

You can see Ali Tritschler's winning ride!
All show rides are available at www.shownet.biz

Tritschler trains with Abbi Ferrigno and borrowed her friend's pony Hallelujah for today's class. She explained that she was really happy with her jumping round.   

"This win was surprising because I have only ridden him a couple of times," Tritschler stated. "He is exactly my ride. He helps me out a lot so it is easy for me not to get nervous or over think anything." Tritschler has shown at WIHS five times and previously won a handy class here in the Small Pony Hunters in 2008.   

Ali Tritschler in her winning presentation

Concluding the week of competition at the 2011 WIHS were the regional hunter championships. The WIHS Regional Pony Hunter grand champion was David Pawlak riding Dr. Betsee Parker's Liseter Clever Star. Pawlak received The Liseter Clever Star Perpetual Trophy donated by Dr. Betsee Parker, who was also the sponsor of the division. The reserve champion was Sarah Boston riding Blackberry. In their final class today, Pawlak and Liseter Clever Star finished on top with a score of 85 over fences. Elena Desanti followed with a score of 80 aboard Sand Castle, owned by Streett Moore. Boston and Blackberry finished third with a score of 78.

David Pawlak triumphed today in the WIHS Regional Finals - Ponies on Liseter Clever Star, owned by Dr. Betsee Parker. The 15-year-old rider has been riding the famous pony for a little less than a year. They qualified by winning both over fences classes last weekend at the WIHS Regional Horse Show & USHJA Zone 3 Finals.

Liseter Clever Star and David Pawlak

Boyce explained how he got the ride on his pony, "Janet Hitchen, a photograper, is a good friend of Betsee Parker's. She saw me ride a lot and suggested that she have me ride her pony. There's nothing not to like about him. He's great, perfect basically. It's really cool to ride him."

He added, "I was looking forward to coming here. I was just here to have fun basically. I've never shown here before. It was really fun to show in this arena; it was a totally new experience. It means a lot to win here. We've come a long way from when I started."

The WIHS Regional Hunter Horse Finals immediately followed with a grand championship win for Molly Cole riding Newport, owned by Streett Moore. Cole was awarded The Black, Starr and Frost Perpetual Trophy donated by Black, Starr and Frost. Reserve went to Mary Claire Medeiros riding Olivia.

Newport and Molly Cole

Medeiros and Olivia won today’s final class with a high score of 83. Black Magic and Marissa Simmons scored a 76 for second place and Cole finished in third with a score of 71 aboard Newport.

The 13-year-old rider from Chevy Chase, MD, just started riding Olivia this summer. The WIHS Regional Horse Show last weekend was only their second time showing at three foot, but their second place finish over fences qualified them to compete at the Verizon Center.

Medeiros said, "I had never done the three foot, but we really wanted to come to the Verizon Center. She was really good for me. I was really nervous, but I was pretty sure she was going to be good for me because she schooled really great and I was very happy with her."

Olivia and Mary Claire Medeiros

Medeiros had to get used to riding a horse as well as work through challenges with her new horse. "She got really heavy on her front end and it was hard for me," Medeiros explained. "She is getting a lot better and I am really happy that she was good today. I have never really ridden a horse, I have always ridden ponies, so it was a big transition. I like that she is so easy to move up and she is really sweet around the barn and everywhere."

She concluded, "It makes me really happy to win here and I hope that good things will come from here."

For full results and more information, please visit www.wihs.org.

Final Results: WIHS Pony Equitation Finals
Rider, Jumping Score
1 395 Ali Tritschler                             85.000
2 723 Emma Lemke                             82.500
3 444 Audrey Muscari                             80.000
4 585 Daisy Farish                             79.000
5 410 Carly Hoft                             82.000
6 514 Parker Wright                             83.000
7 482 Alexandra Crown                             78.000
8 324 Madeline Schaefer                             77.500
9 527 Ashton Alexander                             76.000
10 281 Ellie Ferrigno                             77.000

Final Results: WIHS Regional Hunter Finals - Ponies
1 905 LISETER CLEVER STAR David Pawlak Dr. Betsee Parker   85.000
2 903 SAND CASTLE Elena Desanti Streett Moore   80.000
3 908 BLACKBERRY Sarah Boston Sarah Boston   78.000
4 925 JUST BECAUSE Abigail Kaufman Abigail & Jillian Kaufman   77.000
5 909 SHAM'S LOGANBERRY Grace Boston Streett Moore   76.000
6 906 CLOUD COVER Emily Gebhardt William Barr   75.500
7 911 FARNLEY MILTON Jack Sullivan Frances Ann Merryman   75.000
8 904 SWIZZLESTICK Laramine Fink Linda Foster   73.000

Final Results: WIHS Regional Hunter Finals - Horses
1 922 OLIVIA Mary Claire Medeiros Mary Claire Medeiros   83.000
2 902 BLACK MAGIC Marissa Simmons Marissa Simmons   76.000
3 912 NEWPORT Molly Cole Streett Moore   71.000
4 914 LITTLE WHISKEY GIRL Kathryn A Davilli Rick Toering   70.000
5 917 HERE COMES THE SUN Logan Bodzer Logan Bodzer   68.000
6 913 URBAN Chelsea Director Chelsea Director   66.000
7 901 WEEKEND AFFAIR Catherine Rodda Elizabeth Perretta   60.000
8 916 BUENA VIDA Casey Schmitz Casey Schmitz   58.000

About The Washington International Horse Show:

An equestrian tradition since 1958, the Washington International Horse Show is the country's leading metropolitan indoor horse show and the pinnacle of the equestrian year with leading riders, including Olympic medalists, and fabulous horses. More than 500 horses participate in show jumping, hunter and equitation events during the six-day show. Highlights include the $100,000 President's Cup Grand Prix, the Puissance high-jump competition; and WIHS Equitation Classic Finals featuring the country's top junior riders. Special exhibitions, boutique shopping and community activities will round out this family-friendly event.

Since its debut, the Washington International has been a Washington, DC, institution attended by presidents, first ladies, celebrities, business and military leaders, as well as countless horse enthusiasts of all ages. Washington International Horse Show Association, Ltd. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization headquartered in Washington, D.C.