Of the 24 horses and riders in the grand prix, eight went clear and returned to the eight-fence jump-off (see course below). In the shortened course, Dinan and Brego, a 17-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, jumped clear in 33.5 seconds, ahead of Germany’s Rene Dittmer and Corsica X, who placed second with a time of 34.4 seconds. After the competition, Dinan shared some insights that helped put her in a winning mindset during the jump-off.

Q: Tell us about Brego.

A: It’s hard not to love Brego. He’s a super horse. We’ve been together for a little over five years. [The WIHS CSI-W 5*] was our first five-star grand prix win together. He’s 17, and he really deserved it. In the jump-off, he showed all of his amazing qualities. He’s got huge scope, quality, bravery, intelligence, he tries hard. As a rider, you can’t really ask for more from a horse. I think he knew he won.

Q: Can you share what was going through your mind during the jump-off?

A: I had gone over the jump-off course with my coach, Beat Mändli [Suisse Olympic silver medalist]. We watched Rene, who had an amazing week and was so fast in the jump-off. 

Beat said, “OK, you can’t really waste any time. If you want to win, you have to do everything. Don’t get stressed at the first three jump-off fences. Then really try to take the first one you see at the blue on the angle [jump-off fence 4]. Keep moving, don’t worry about what [distance] shows up. As soon as you start to think about setting up, you’re going to be too slow.”

The very forward one showed up at the double [jump-off fences 7AB], but I thought, ‘If not now, when?’

Then I was lucky, a good distance showed up to the last line [jump-off fences 14 and 5]. I kept on moving, and there was a lot of noise from the crowd, and I saw my distance. I thought, ‘This is a lot more forward than it’s supposed to be.’ Brego sprouted wings, and it was a good ending. I wish I could tell you it was perfectly executed, but it was more hats off to my horse. 

Q: You’ve been working on those kind of jump-off turns and going faster. Can you just tell us about that process?

A: I realized that Brego was a really fast horse, and if I wasn’t going fast in the jump-off, it was because of me. So I had to work on that and find a way—even if he’s not your classic small, catlike horse that can just run around—to be smarter and better as a rider and let all of his best qualities shine. 

I really have been pushing myself to try to win these classes and take the risk. Even if something happens—I have one [rail] down or I make a mistake trying to go fast—I’m trying to have higher expectations and know that my horse can do it. I’m not always just waiting for the big class to try to win the jump-off but working on my speed as a rider when I can. Obviously when it pays off like this, I’m ecstatic.

Q: How do you manage Brego at this point in his career while keeping him fresh and jumping so well?

A: I try to not show him too much and make the most of it when I do. Before Washington [late October], he had jumped only a handful of grands prix in the summer and fall. The last grand prix we jumped was at the Hampton Classic Horse Show in the [late summer]. … I’m picking and choosing my classes with Brego.

Q: Can you describe his personality?

A: He needs to warm up to you a little, but when he does, he is really sweet and affectionate. Sometimes he’ll stand in the back of his stall and I think he’s meditating. He doesn’t want to be disturbed. Consistency for him makes the difference. When you ride him, he’s similar. He really likes to take care of his rider and do the right thing. What does surprise people is that he’s very alert, and he’s got a lot of energy. He is very attentive to everything around him. Even though he’s so good and kind, you always need to be paying attention.

Brought to you by Cosequin

This special episode, sponsored by Cosequin®, features the top three finishers of the $450,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Washington CSI5*. Katie Dinan (USA) and Brego R’N B placed first. Rene Dittmer (GER) and Corsica X placed second. And Devin Ryan (USA) and Eddie Blue placed third. The conversation comes from the press conference following the competition, part of the 2023 Washington International Horse Show.

This class is one of eight qualifiers for the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Final’s North American League. The qualifiers narrow down the riders from North America who will compete in the 2024 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Final, April 16-20, 2024, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The Top Three

The Washington International Horse Show was held October 23-29, 2023, at Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. In the press conference, Dinan, who charged through the jump-off with Brego R’N B, talks about winning their first five-star class. She shares how Brego had “wings” over the last fence in the jump-off. Practical Horseman’s Instagram page has a reel of them over that oxer.

Second-place finisher Dittmer was on fire during the week. He and Corsica won the $78,000 FEI Welcome Stake on Thursday night. Also on Thursday night, Dittmer and Burlington Riverland won the $40,000 Accumulator Costume Class. And on Friday night, that pair placed fifth in the $78,000 Speed Final.

Finally, third-place finisher Ryan chats about his longtime partner, Eddie Blue and the course, which was designed by Bernardo Cabral.

The Course

Here’s a look at the FEI Longines Jumping World Cup Washington course, designed by Bernardo Cabral. The jump-off fences are listed in the top right of the photo.

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Those strengths paid off Saturday with Tosh capturing the three-phase equitation final, whose third round included the riders swapping horses. Eleanor Rudnicki placed second in the overall final and Carlee McCutcheon placed third.

The competition is part of the Washington International Horse Show at Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, October 23-29, 2023.

One of the judges, Michael Morrissey, said the top riders were close in the final standing, and the competition could have been won by any of them. “I thought, for the most part, the entire class handled the pressure of this final very well. It was exciting and fun to watch these guys go out and compete at such a high level.”

The final consists of a hunter phase on Friday and a jumper phase on Saturday. In the final phase, the top 10 riders swapped horses with one another.

Maddie Tosh: ‘We Know Each Other Really Well”

Tosh started riding Dr. Betsee Parker’s Daktari about three years ago. “I feel like every final so far and every class he’s gone in, he’s just gotten better and better. And coming in here, we know each other really well. I felt pretty confident with him, and I was pretty much just trying to stay out of his way,” she said. “To be able to go in and just kind of count on him, and he came to play today for sure.”

For the third phase, Tosh swapped onto Rudnicki’s horse, Kosher. She said Kosher has a hunter-type style, and she’s used to riding a lot of hunters. “I feel like the horse I switched onto, I clicked with pretty well,” she said. “There was maybe a couple places where I could have helped him out a little more, stayed out of his way, but I felt like overall it went really well.”

Hunt Tosh: A Proud Dad

Tosh is the daughter of top hunter rider Hunt Tosh, who helped coach her along with trainers from North Run. Tosh said he appreciated that his daughter and Rudnicki were supportive of one another in the horse swap. “The camaraderie and watching them compare notes and talk about each other’s horses before the swap. … They talked about each other’s horse’s weaknesses and strengths. So they had a little advantage of what they could ask the horse to do, their entrance into the ring, their idiosyncrasies, what the horses did …. It’s fun watching them to get together and really want the horses to go well.”

He said that both Maddie and Rudnicki have brought their horses up through their educational careers. “So to be able to watch them go in with a different rider tonight and do that, it’s fun to watch horses develop and get to that level,” he said.

Eleanor Rudnicki: ‘Let Him Do His Job’

Rudnicki said Kosher is newer to the equitation, “but he’s had plenty of miles in the jumper ring, so he’s kind of seen it all.”

She said she brought him to the Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunter Seat Medal Final at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg in mid-October, “and he was great, so we decided to bring him here too, and he was perfect.

“He’s a beautiful jumper, so the hunter phase went well and he was able to show off his style,” she continued. “And then in the jumper phase, I just stayed out of his way, let him do his job, and he was very good.”

Rudnicki swapped onto Tosh’s horse for the third phase. “He’s also very hunter, like my horse, so I just let him go around with his nose sticking out, and he’s a great jumper,” she said.

Carlee McCutcheon: ‘I Knew I Could Trust Him’

McCutcheon said she was looking at the equitation final as any other competition. “I try not to put too much pressure on myself going into it. I’m just trying to look at it as another Washington, any weekend at any normal horse show. My horse is very experienced at this, more than I am for sure.”

She said that in the first phase, the hunter phase, she was a bit too relaxed and had a couple of swapped leads, which put her down in the standing going into the Jumper Phase. But she climbed her way back up.

“I knew coming int o today, I really had to put in my best performance. And he was really there for me today, and he showed up for sure. I really couldn’t have asked any more for him. He likes to win, so I knew I could trust him and move up into the horse swap.”

McCutcheon swapped on Amira Kettaneh’s Gossip SA “I got pretty lucky to end up on Gossip. I rode her at the [2023 Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals – East] as well. So I had an advantage there, and she was really great. I ended up having a back rail doing an inside turn, but I couldn’t have asked her to be any better.” McCutcheon placed second in the Talent Search Finals, held in early October.

For complete results, click here.

Thanks to Cosequin® for our coverage of the 2023 Washington International Horse Show, including competition reports, photos, videos and more.

Dinan was the last rider to test the jump-off track in the highlight of the Washington International Horse Show at Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, Maryland October 23-29, 2023. The class is a North American League qualifier for the 2024 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Final. That event will be held April 16-24, 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Of the 24 horse and riders who jumped the first round, eight went clear and returned to the eight-fence jump-off. In the jump-off, Dinan and Brego jumped clear in 33.5 seconds. Thursday night Welcome Stake winners Rene Dittmer (GER) and Corsica X placed second with a clear jump-off round in 34.4 seconds. And Devin Ryan (USA) and Eddie Blue came in third, going clear in 34.74 seconds. For complete results, click here.

The Course

The course was designed by Bernardo Cabral. The first round had 12 numbered fences and 15 jumping efforts.

“The course was very fair. It’s a five star, so I need 1.60-meter verticals and 1.52-meter oxers. It was nice for the riders,” Cabral said. “They had space to get to the jumps. They had time to ride. I think I was a little kind today, but the height was there. It was a real five star. I think the horses jumped beautifully.”

After the third horse went in the first round, Cabral increased the time allowed from 61 seconds to 63. “I hate to change the time allowed. We try to measure it as accurately as we can. And after having two clears of the first three, it would be very easy for me not to change the time allowed. But I thought for the speed [350 meters per minute], especially because I left not much room for them to finish the round after number 12, I thought it was fair to give a couple seconds just to let them breathe a little bit. … I was in peace with myself.”

Katie Dinan and Brego R’N B

Dinan described her jump-off strategy with the 17-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, whom she called “a gentle giant.” She’d reviewed the jump-off with her longtime coach Beat Mändli, who won Friday night’s Speed Final. They watched Dittmer go, and Mändli said, “‘OK. You can’t really waste any time. If you want to win, you have to do everything. Don’t get stressed 1-2-3, and then really try to take the first one you see at the blue on the angle. Keep moving, don’t worry about what shows up. As soon as you start to think about setting up, you’re going to be too slow.’”

After taking the shot at the in-and-out, which was the fifth and sixth jumping efforts in the jump-off, Dinan said she was lucky that a good distance appeared to the last line. “I kept on moving, and there was a lot of noise from the crowd, and I saw my distance. I thought, ‘This is a lot more forward than it’s supposed to be.’ Brego sprouted wings, and it was a good ending. I wish I could tell you it was perfectly executed, but it was more hats off to my horse.”

Dinan Working to Improve Speed

Dinan said she has been working on improving her speed in the jump-offs. “I really tried to push myself to try to win these classes and take the risk … and not going for the more conservative, like, definitely go for it clear, get a really nice placing but have higher expectations, and know that my horse can do it.”

Describing Brego, Dinan said, “Sometimes he’ll stand in the back of his stall, and I think he’s meditating. He doesn’t want to be disturbed. The people he knows, he’s really loving to on the ground. He’s had the same groom, Lou Beudin, since we got him five years ago, and he loves her so much. They’re a really great pair.

“Consistency for him makes the difference,” Dinan continued. “When you ride him, I’d say he’s similar. He really likes to take care of his rider and do the right thing.”

Rene Dittmer and Corsica X

Dittmer won both the $78,000 Welcome Stake and the $40,000 Accumulator Costume Class on Thursday. “The week started very well with two wins on Thursday. It could not have started better and kept going,” he said. “Yesterday fifth place [in the Speed Final] and today was unbelievable. I can’t be more proud of my horse.”

The German rider said in Saturday’s jump-off, he took the safer option to the last line with Corsica X, an 18-year-old Oldenburg mare. Even still, “I’m still happy with my second place today. It was an amazing jump-off.”

And of riding at the Washington International Horse Show for the first time, he said, “It’s great to come in here because it’s such a great atmosphere. The spectators really cheer you on. It’s a super good feeling to come into this indoor. I really love it.”

Devin Ryan and Eddie Blue

Ryan said that his 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding jumped great. “He jumped the second round and even felt looser and even better. I’m very grateful that I have such a good animal, and he’s still going strong. I’ve had him since he was 4 years old. Hopefully it keeps on going, and he has a few more years in him at this level.”

He added that the ring at The Show Place Arena is rounded, “so it really pushes you in and makes the jumps come up a little quick. That’s what really gives it the technicality, the shape and the size of the arena.”

When asked to describe his longtime partner, Ryan said with a smile, “Honestly, I have to say he’s not much of a people person. He doesn’t like other horses. He’s a bit of a grouch in the barn, but he loves carrots. You become his best friend as soon as you walk in the stall with a carrot for him.”

The Washington International in Upper Marlboro

This is the second year the Washington International Horse Show is at Prince George’s Equestrian Center. “The secret is really that everybody’s getting behind this,” said Vicki Lowell, president of the Washington International. “Everybody—the county, the sponsors, the local media, the media in D.C.—the support that we had across the board is phenomenal. Just even to see also the kids today, and everybody is turning up because I think that they want to see the horses in this area.”

Thanks to Cosequin® for our coverage of the 2023 Washington International Horse Show, including competition reports, photos, videos and more.

The strategy paid off with the 11-year-old Selle Français mare winning the class by less than a second. “She’s super chilled. She’s super nice. She’s basically a perfect horse. I know we always say this, but, really, she’s a perfect horse,” Mändli said. “She’s nice for everything. She just likes to do her job.”

The pair beat 19 other combinations for the win. They went clean in a time of 51.06. Conor Swail (IRL) and Casturano, a 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding, placed second with a speed of 51.67. And Katie Dinan (USA) and Atika des Hauts Vents, a 13-year-old Selle Français mare, placed third with a speed of 52.89.

Mändli originally thought to ride “Sherry” in Saturday night’s $450,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup qualifier. But then his No. 1 horse, Dsarie, was feeling easy in Thursday night’s Welcome Stake. She was “fresh” Friday morning, so he decided to save her for the Saturday highlight.

The Speed Final

For Sherry’s ride in the Friday night Speed Final, Mändli “was hoping not to go too fast. It was basically I warmed her up with a nice class, and everything showed up nicely. I would have never thought I would have won the class, to be honest, but sometimes it works out.”

“When we walked, I thought it looked a bit bigger than normal,” Mändli continued about the course. “It wasn’t just a speed class, really. There were also some lines and the jumps were big enough. Obviously when you go fast, the chance to knock one down is higher. It was a tough class. It was nice, and obviously when you win it, it’s even better.

Mändli, who won the 2017 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup qualifier in Washington, says he’s aiming to qualify for the 2024 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Final in April in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, though he’s just getting started riding in the qualifiers. In addition to Saturday night’s Washington qualifier, he plans to ride in qualifiers in Lexington, Kentucky, and Toronto, Canada, next month.

Mändli’s Training Routine

Mändli, who won the 2007 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Final in Las Vegas, Nevada, said that he has his all of his horses on a similar training program. “We did a little more pole work before the first indoor, because everything is a bit tighter. We worked a bit on the rideability and their response to waiting. I always go back to the roots. A little bit of pole work. Keeping the horse happy. Make sure when you put the leg on, they go forward. When you hold, they have to wait and listen to you,” he said.

“Especially now when we do three shows in a row, we try to keep them as fresh as possible with all the traveling so they’re not already deflated when the indoors start. That’s probably why they were a little fresh yesterday . But it’s OK. I like them a little better like this.”

For complete results, click here. Mändli rode Sherry to sixth place in Thursday night’s $40,000 Accumulator Costume Class.

The Top Three in Photos

Thanks to Cosequin® for our coverage of the 2023 Washington International Horse Show, including competition reports, photos, videos and more.

The class was at the Washington International Horse Show held at Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.

Rene Dittmer (GER) who dressed as the German beer won the class with Burlington Riverland. They scored 65 points in 44.32 seconds. In the costume class, riders and horses jump a course and earn increasing points with every clear jump. In addition, the last jump, a high vertical, is worth 20 points if cleared. Those points are subtracted if they have a rail. The crows, filled with barns for the popular “Barn Night,” loudly cheered on their favorite riders with each fence.

“To be honest, at first when I walked in and I had the beer hat on it was very hot, but now I put it over the helmet which was better,” Dittmer said. “I was really completely fine. I could ride like this every day.”

Dittmer said his girlfriend, Chloe Reid, picked out his costume. “She went to the costume store and thought, ‘Well I have a German boyfriend, so he gets the beer costume,'” he added.

Aaron Vale (USA) and Elusive, dressed as a unicorn, were second with 65 points and 45.58 seconds. Vampire Connor Swail (IRL) and Castarano placed third with 65 points in 46.32 seconds. Matthew Williams (AUS) and Fayuri AWR won the prize for best costume. Williams was dressed as Taylor Swift and Fayuri sported a Kansas City Chiefs saddle pad, representing Swift’s new beau, Travis Kelce.

For full results, click here.

Check Out the Photo Gallery

Below are photos from the Accumulator Costume Class. Scroll down to vote for whose costume you like the best.

The Top 12

More Costume Fun

Vote for Best Dressed at the Inspection

Thanks to Cosequin® for our coverage of the 2023 Washington International Horse Show, including competition reports, photos, videos and more.

$406,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Washington CCI5*-W

“Tonight really it’s kinda about Crosby,” the Irish rider said of 15-year-old Hanoverian gelding. “He’s been just incredible for me since I got him. This is his first five-star win. I think maybe he’s been second four times, so I’m just so thrilled for him, to be honest.”

The World Cup qualifier for the North American League was at The Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, for the first time. Thirty riders tackled Bernardo Cabral’s 16-effort track in the first round, which had fence heights up to 1.60 meters. Nine horses and riders jumped it clear to advance to the jump-off. Additionally, four riders had four faults, two had eight faults, three had nine faults; other fault totals ranged from 12 to 24.

First Five-Star Win for Count Me In

Swail said Crosby “deserved to win one because he’s incredibly consistent. He’s just such a wonderful horse.” The pair rode the jump-off in 35.76 seconds. Israel’s Daniel Bluman and Gemma W, an 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare, jumped clear in 36 seconds to earn second place. U.S. rider Brian Moggre and MTM Vivre le Reve, a 13-year-old Westfalen gelding, were also clear in 36.74 seconds to place third. Four other riders put in fault-free jump-offs. For complete results, click here.

Swail and Crosby started their partnership about 16 months ago after Swail took over the reins from Canada’s Beth Underhill. “It took us a little while to figure it out, but since we got going it’s been an incredible run,” Swail said.

Swail: A Lot of Firsts

The pair won more than six FEI classes in 2021 in a six-month period, including the $215,000 Longines Jumping World Cup Fort Worth CSI4*-W last December. They competed in the 2022 Longines FEI World Cup Final in Leipzig, Germany, where they finished eighth. And in August, they rode a double-clear round to help win the Longines FEI Nations Cup of Ireland in Dublin and earn the coveted Aga Khan Cup.

“There was a lot of firsts with Crosby and I,” Swail said. “We’ve done our first World Cup together. I jumped in Aachen for the first time because of him. I won my first Aga Khan in Dublin because of him. So he’s really changed my career, and he’s brought me to a lot of places I’ve never been and has been very successful doing it.”

Swail’s winning ways haven’t been with just Count Me In. He won the first leg on the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup North American League with Vital Chance De La Roque. That was the $228,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Sacramento in California three weeks ago. Swail is now leading the North American League standings with 40 points. The 2023 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Final will be in Omaha, Nebraska, next April.

Bluman: A Costly Mistake

Bluman said he was pleased with how Gemma W went this week. “Gemma is a really special mare. She tries hard. She always wants to play the game. She enjoys it,” he said.

As for the split second that separated him and Swail, Bluman said it was pilot error. “I didn’t get to see [Swail’s] jump-off, but I knew if I performed the way that I wanted and rode my plan that I had a pretty good chance to beat it,” Bluman said. “Unfortunately, I made a mistake in one of the bending lines from the oxer to the Liverpool. And I think if you want to beat Conor Swail right now, you can’t make any mistakes.”

MTM Vivre le Reve: ‘A Blessing’

Moggre said he and MTM Vivre le Reve haven’t had their best results the past few shows, so he was happy with their Washington performance. “I didn’t really have many expectations other than knowing he was gonna try his hardest. So I maybe didn’t take as much risk as I normally would, but he jumped amazing, and I’m super happy with the result.”

Their longtime partnership also made their placing special. “It’s always great to have a great result with a horse that you’ve had for so long,” he said. “So to have Vivre le Reve back here still jumping top sport after seven years of partnership, every time I get to go in the ring with him is a blessing.”

The Event: A Year of Big Changes

Portugal’s Cabral said he thought the course, the first five-star for the Washington International, jumped nicely. “It’s been amazing. The difference from last year and going to five star and with this caliber of riders, no second to it any place in the world,” he said. “I had to make sure that I had the course to be the same quality as the way they ride, and actually, I wasn’t that good because I had a little too many clean. But I think they had fun.”

Washington International Horse Show President Vicki Lowell said the organizing committee is pleased that the riders believed in the show. “This was a big, big year for us. A lot of change, a new venue,” she said. “It was really important to us to put our best foot forward and wow people. We wanted the footing to be top notch, we wanted the prize money to be top notch and getting to that five-star level has always been a goal for us.”

Iwasaki Earns WIHS Equitation Finals Win

Earlier in the afternoon, Junior riders competed in the Jumper Phase of the Washington International Horse Show Equitation. Then the top 10 were called back to switch horses and ride over the same course. Augusta Iwasaki, who won Friday’s Hunter Phase, earned third place in the Jumper Phase. That put her in second place overall going into the Work-Off.

She switched horses with Jumper Phase winner Skylar Wireman. “In the horse swap, my strategy was to ride the horse like it’s my horse. The warm-up was really great, and I had so much fun riding Famous.”

After the work-off rides, Iwasaki moved up with a final overall score of 270.175. Wireman finished on 267.750.

As for her overall riding strategy, Iwasaki said, “In the Hunter Phase, that’s honestly probably our best eq class. I just wanted to be as smooth as possible and make everything look as seamless as possible. In the jumper phase, I was thinking about being consistent and efficient.”

Wireman talked about preparing for the unique finals with its hunter and jumper phases. “I also think that practicing different patterns at home, change the training, do a little bit more at home, thinking I need to be aware of the time allowed,” she said. “Just doing some nice hunter rounds and just seeing how straight can you be.”

For complete results, click here.

Thanks to Vita Flex Pro for sponsoring Practical Horseman’s coverage of the 64th annual Washington International Horse Show. Check the PH website and social media for reports, photos, videos and more.

All three horses galloped down to and cleared the 6’10″ wall in Friday night’s $25,000 Defender Puissance. The class ended in a three-way tie for the puissance title at the Washington International Horse Show. The event is being at The Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, Maryland though Sunday.

Four horses competed in the puissance class, which started at height of about 5’4″. Over the maximum-allowed five rounds, the ring crew gradually built the wall until it was its final height.

Catoki: ‘Barely Bigger Than a Pony’

Ward and Catoki tied with Coyle to win the puissance class at last year’s Washington International Horse Show. So Ward brought the 13-year-old Westfalen stallion to the competition specifically for the class this year. Then one of Ward’s other horses had an issue and couldn’t compete in the $75,000 Speed Final right before the puissance, so Catoki competed in that, too. He and Ward had the fastest round in the speed class. With one rail down there, they finished in second in that class.

“I knew he was always brave, but he’s barely bigger than a pony. He did it beautifully last year, and so we actually brought him here just to do this class,” Ward said. “… it’s incredible. Barely any spur and the horse pulls you down there like a lion. And I think he enjoys it.”

Oak Grove’s Carlyle: ‘Tonight Was Simple’

Ireland’s Daniel Coyle said Oak Grove’s Carlyle typically jumps grand prix classes, but the 14-year-old Holsteiner gelding hadn’t been in top form. “I jumped the small class yesterday, and he didn’t go great,” Coyle said. “And I jumped a small show last week at home, and nothing bad happened, but he just didn’t feel like himself. … He’s just not in the zone, not in the rhythm. So [we] decided to jump him in the puissance and see if that would give him bit of heart. And for sure, he jumped great every round. And that’s him, he’s one or the other. He’s either frantic or he just goes and does it very simply. Thankfully tonight it was very simple.”

Eristov Didn’t Like Winding Down

Coyle’s brother, Jordan, said his horse, Eristov, a 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, wasn’t sure about jumping the wall the first few rounds Friday night. But by the end of the class, Coyle felt they could have jumped anything. “He won a World Cup qualifier, and he was my first big-time horse,” Coyle said. “I’m thankful for everything that he’s done for me. Everything was my first with him. We gave him a break, planning to wind down and retire him, but he didn’t love that so much. We brought him to Hickstead, and he was fifth in the Hickstead Derby.”

After jumping a warm-up triple-bar oxer and making the left turn to approach the wall, Coyle brought Eristov to a walk and picked up the right lead. “He doesn’t have great balance, and that’s actually why he’s not at the top sport anymore,” Coyle said. “On the right lead, he finds himself much more steady than on the left lead. Every time I had to approach on the right lead. This was very easy for him.”

Devin Ryan (USA) and Hangover competed in all five rounds in the puissance class. But in the final round, the 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding knocked the wall down. It was the horse’s first puissance class.

For complete results, click here.

The Need for Speed

A few hours earlier, Catoki and Ward had cruised into second place in the 1.50-meter $75,000 Speed Final behind Laura Kraut (USA) and the 10-year-old Calgary Tame. Kraut and Calgary Tame rode around the speed course in 57.13 seconds without hitting any rails. Ward and Catoki had three seconds added to their time of 56.40 to finish at 59.40.

Kraut said Ward’s Catoki is a faster horse, “but I think mine went fast, and I didn’t really leave too many doors open.”

Of Calgary Tame, she added, “The funny thing about this horse is I’ve had a little bit of steering issues along the way, and tonight you definitely needed all of your power steering. So I thought, ‘Well, I have nothing to lose. I’m gonna have to give it a go.’ He’s super brave. And he was just right on it for me.”

For complete results, click here.

Iwasaki Wins Hunter Phase of Equitation Final

Another close finish was in the Hunter Phase of the Washington International Horse Show Equitation Final. In the end, Augusta Iwasaki led the way with a score of 91.875. Luke Jensen was second with 91.250. And Zayna Rizvi was third with 89.375.

“My plan was just to keep things as smooth as possible,” Iwasaki said of the first of three phases for the final. And consistency is also her plan for Saturday’s jumper phase, and, if selected, the work-off. “Hopefully we can keep it up for the second round and then for the third round as well,” she said.

For complete results of the hunter phase, click here.

Follow along with Practical Horseman’s coverage of the 64th annual Washington International Horse Show on Practical Horseman’s website, Facebook and Instagram. Thank you to the sponsor of our coverage, Vita Flex Pro.

“She’s very opinionated. [Her] groom, Greg … sometimes he’ll leave food sitting where he’s tacking her up, and she’ll take it,” Coyle said after the class. “And she kind of gets away with everything because she wins a lot and she’s a fantastic horse. So she’s really the boss. And with the other horses, she’s also the boss. If something’s in the way, she’s gonna scream and let everybody know, which is great because I only need her for an hour a day, so whatever she does in her own time, that’s up to her.”

Coyle Wins Welcome Stake

The first round of the Welcome Stake class included 27 riders, nine of whom jumped clean to move into the jump-off. Two U.S. riders who qualified for the jump-off withdrew their horses from the second round—Margie Goldstein-Engle and Dicas and Natalie Dean and Chance Ste Hermelle.

Of the remaining seven jump-off riders, Coyle and Legacy rose to the top with a clear round in 27.42 seconds. U.S. rider Hunter Holloway and Pepita Con Spita, an 11-year-old Westphalian mare, jumped clear in 30.32 for second. U.S. rider Katie Dinan and Atika des Hauts, a 12-year-old Selle Français mare, also jumped clear in a time of 30.80 seconds.

Portugal’s Bernardo Cabral designed the course, which included 12 numbered fences and 15 jumping efforts in the first round. In addition to the nine clear rounds, one horse-and-rider combination had two time faults and 12 pairs had four faults.

Coyle said he thought he made up time in two places in the seven-fence jump-off. “I turned after the second fence in the jump-off and had a little slip,” he said. “And actually in the end, [it] probably made it a little faster. I wouldn’t teach that, and that’s not something I would want to happen, but it worked out for me tonight. I would say probably back to the double [Fence 3] and the second-to-last fence is where it came up good for me.”

Coyle, who started riding Legacy when she was eight, competed with the mare last summer in the ECCO FEI World Championships and the 2021 FEI Jumping European Championships. She also won the $500,000 Great American Grand Prix at HITS Ocala in Florida earlier this year. “She knows the ropes now, and we’ve sort of gelled together over the last four years, and hopefully we continue to,” Coyle said.

For full results, click here.

Colorful Costumes

After the Welcome Stake, riders jumped into the spirit of Halloween for the $37,000 Accumulator Costume Class. Rider costumes included Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Winnie the Pooh, Harry Potter, the Incredibles, Captain America, Top Gun movie characters, unicorns, a gorilla and more.

The class raised $3,000 for the Capital Breast Care Center.

Israel’s Daniel Bluman and 10-year-old Mecklenburger gelding Ubiluc took first place in the class, earning 65 points in a time of 41.58. Bluman dressed as a priest. Originally, he was going to be his usual self. But then he borrowed a costume that included a long black robe and white collar.

“I was going to dress as an Hermés rider, which is normally how I dress every time I compete, and I’m very proud to wear that,” Bluman said. “I felt like I was out of place before the class when we were going to walk the class, so Baylee McKeever very kindly gave me this outfit to wear in tonight’s class.”

‘Have Some Fun’

The course included 10 jumping efforts. Riders accumulated points for jumping each fence. The points started at one point for Fence 1 and increased as the course continued until riders jumped the Fence 10 “joker” fence, which was worth 20 points. If riders hit a fence, they didn’t get the points for that fence. And if they knocked down the joker, 20 points were deducted from their score.

Of his round, Bluman said, “Ubiluc normally jumps the five-star grand prix, so in this class he was jumping a little bit smaller than what he’s used to. But that was the plan so he could come and have some fun. My strategy was to try and turn as tight as I could all over the place and do the leave-outs in the lines. He felt really good, and he was responsive from the get-go. I felt like he was looking for the jumps.”

In addition to Bluman, U.S. rider Evan Coluccio and Egalini, a 13-year-old gelding of the Anglo European Studbook were second with 65 points and a time of 42.24 seconds. They were dressed as Top Gun characters. Ireland’s Conor Swail and Theo, a 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding, also earned 65 points in 44.66 seconds. He was dressed as a gorilla.

Great Britain’s Grace Debney and Zarina de Vidau dressed up as the television Game of Thrones’ character Khaleesi. They won the best costume for the evening. The pair hit the joker fence and finished in 18^th place.

For full results, click here.

Follow along with Practical Horseman’s coverage of the 64th annual Washington International Horse Show on Practical Horseman’s website, Facebook and Instagram. Thank you to the sponsor of our coverage, Vita Flex Pro.

Top Athletes to Compete

WIHS has a distinguished history of hosting world-class show jumping competition. With its new FEI five-star designation, a stellar list of the world’s top riders and their horses from 10 countries are expected to compete in 2022. Athletes include Olympic medalists McLain Ward, Jessica Springsteen, Laura Kraut, Kent Farrington, and Rodrigo Pessoa, as well as last year’s grand prix winner Tiffany Foster of Canada. Fan favorites Margie Engle, Brian Moggre, and Aaron Vale will also be in attendance. 

The Main Events

Hunter, jumper and equitation classes will showcase top talent from juniors to amateurs and professionals. On Thursday, October 27, international jumping will debut with the $75,000 International Jumper FEI Welcome Stake. To wrap up the evening, athletes go wild with costumes for both horse and rider in the $37,000 International Jumper Accumulator Costume Class.

Friday, October 28, the three-phase WIHS Equitation Finals for junior riders commences with the Hunter Phase. In the evening, horse-and-rider combinations will test the crowd-favorite $25,000 International Jumper Puissance. The brave will jump the great wall until only one pair remains fault-free.

The WIHS Equitation Finals continue on Saturday, October 29, with the Jumping Phase in the afternoon, followed by the final work-off in the evening. And the night will be topped off with perhaps the grandest class of them all—the $406,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup CSI5*-W.

To conclude the 2022 WIHS on Sunday, October 30, the WIHS Halloween Hunt Teams compete over fences in teams of three riders decked out in costume.

More Than Competition

In addition to top competition, fans are encouraged to attend and take part in many of the long-standing, family-friendly evening traditions, events, and exhibitions, including WIHS Barn Night, WIHS Military Night, and World Cup Night.

The show’s new partnership with National Harbor also offers exhibitors, spectators, and sponsors special access to top lodging, entertainment, and community events, including the popular WIHS Kids’ Day presented by Delta Airlines.

About Washington International Horse Show

Established in 1958, the Washington International Horse Show is one of North America’s most prestigious, competitive, and entertaining equestrian events with competition for international, professional, amateur, junior, and child riders. Highlights include the $406,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Washington for the President’s Cup presented by Experience Prince George’s, and the WIHS Equitation Finals and Children’s and Adult Hunter and Jumper Championships, plus popular community and charity events, including Kids’ Day and Barn Night. WIHS, an official USEF Heritage Competition, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization. For more information, visit wihs.org.

To purchase tickets, click here.

Keep Up with the Washington International Horse Show

Follow along with Practical Horseman’s coverage of the 64th annual Washington International Horse Show on Practical Horseman’s website, Facebook and Instagram. Thank you to the sponsor of our coverage, Vita Flex Pro.