Washington, D.C. – October 31, 2010 – The Pony Hunters finished their divisions today, and the championships were awarded at the 52nd Washington International Horse Show (WIHS). Victoria Colvin of Loxahatchee, FL, rode Ever Luvin, owned by Scott Stewart, to the Grand Pony Hunter Championship. Wild Card Cody, ridden and owned by Sarah Anderson, was victorious in the Local Hunter Finals for ponies, while Eileen Johnson’s Valente and Megan McGovern led the victory gallop for the Local Hunter Finals for horses. Today’s competition concludes this year’s edition of one of the best horse shows in the nation. The WIHS hosts the best hunter, jumper, and equitation riders in the nation competing for top prizes at Verizon Center in downtown Washington, D.C.

In the Medium Pony Hunter division, it was Ever Luvin and Victoria Colvin who came away with the championship. They placed first, first, and second over fences to win the top tricolor. These points gave them the Grand Pony Hunter Championship. The reserve champion in the Medium division was Tuscany, ridden by Sophie Michaels for West End Stables, LLC. They were pinned third under saddle and won the stake class.

Ever Luvin and Victoria Colvin

Colvin has ridden Ever Luvin for the past two years, but this was their first time competing at the WIHS together. While Colvin says that the six-year-old German-bred pony is not spooky, he is still learning.

“He’s pretty easy to ride,” she said. “I was expecting him to be a little spooky, but he wasn’t really. He was actually pretty straightforward. He rides like a horse. He’s like a little stallion to me.”

Since Ever Luvin (who is called Norris in the barn) stays at Scott Stewart’s home farm, Colvin also rides him outside of horse shows. “He’s very kind in the barn, and he’s really funny. He always puts his lip up and you can rub his teeth. It’s pretty cool,” she said with a smile. “We actually barely work him at home. We just bring him to the horse shows and then he goes. We don’t like jumping him too much. He’s fun. He’s really good for trail rides, and he’s comfortable bareback. He’s like a dinner table!”

Ever Luvin and Victoria Colvin with WIHS CEO Eric L. Straus

For their division championship, Colvin and Ever Luvin were presented with the Shenandoah Sundowner Perpetual Trophy donated by Evan Coluccio and Ashmont Farms, Ltd. In the Grand Pony Hunter Championship presentation, they won the Miles River Moonglow Perpetual Trophy donated by Scott Novick and Rustic Woods.

Colvin also picked up the championship in the Large Pony Hunters with For the Laughter, owned by Dr. Betsee Parker. They won two over fences classes and were second under saddle. The reserve champion was Franklin’s Tower, ridden by Rachel Tavelman and owned by Donald Stewart. They won the final stake class in the division and also placed fourth over fences.

Colvin and For the Laughter had the high score of 90 in the handy hunter class after they put down a stellar trip with inside turns. “He was really good,” Colvin affirmed.

For the Laughter and Victoria Colvin

However, it was not Colvin’s original intention to be too handy.  She explained, “For the handy, I wasn’t going to go tight because he’s a little spooky at the flowers. But when I got in the ring, I just decided to do it! I changed my mind in the ring because he felt comfortable.”

She added, “He’s very easy to turn, (and) he’s good at the trot jumps.”

Colvin and For the Laughter were presented with the Pegasus Stable Perpetual Trophy donated by Ms. Fenwick Kollock. Colvin won this trophy last year with All the Best. This year, she was also won with the Best Child Rider on a Pony award sponsored by Gotham North. She was presented with the Captain V.S. Littauer Perpetual Trophy donated by Hugh J.B. Cassidy III, Mrs. William Dillon, and Miss Marion Lee.

The Small Pony Hunter championship went to Cardiff Mardi Gras, who is ridden and owned by nine-year-old Sabrina Slagowitz of New York, NY. They won two over fences classes for the tricolor. McKayla Langmeier rode Blackberry for Victoria Press to the reserve championship after they won the handy hunter class.

Slagowitz said of her rides today, “The handy was kind of bad but the stake was really good.” Slagowitz started showing Cardiff Mardi Gras this year, but this is her second time competing at the WIHS. “He’s really easy, he just swaps a lot so you have to hold him,” she described. “He’s really slow so you have to go, and wear big spurs. He’s really sweet, nice, and safe. He won’t stop at any jumps, and he’s really good. He’s really nice, and he’s perfect.”

Cardiff Mardi Gras and Sabrina Slagowitz

She said about her win today, “I feel really good, it’s really exciting.” Trick-or-treating is on the schedule for celebration, she added.

In their championship presentation, they won the Stombock Saddlery Challenge Trophy in memory of E.P. (Bud) Stombock, which was donated by Stombock Saddlery.

The competition wrapped up today with Finals for the WIHS Regional Hunters for ponies and horses. The winner of the WIHS Regional Hunter Finals for ponies, sponsored by Dr. Betsee Parker, was Wild Card Cody, ridden and owned by Sarah Anderson. Second place went to Rock Star and Elizabeth Parent, while Will Kennedy on No Boundaries was third. Rock Star and Parent won the Regional Pony Hunter Grand Championship, sponsored by Dr. Betsee Parker, and they were presented with the new Liseter Clever Star Perpetual Trophy, donated from Dr. Betsee Parker. The reserve grand champion was No Boundaries, ridden by Will Kennedy and owned by Blake Schindler.

Wild Card Cody and Sarah Anderson with Dr. Betsee Parker
and WIHS CEO Eric L. Straus

Rock Star and Elizabeth Parent

In the WIHS Regional Hunter Finals for horses, sponsored by Randall Johnson and Greener Pastures Equine LLC, first place went to Valente, ridden by Megan McGovern for Eileen Johnson. Second place was awarded to Kelly Kaiser’s Sailaway and Ashley Chucker, and Bridget Love Meehan with Rio’s Merlin finished in third. The Regional Hunter Grand Champion went to Valente and Megan McGovern. They were presented with the Black, Starr, & Frost Perpetual Trophy donated by Black, Starr & Frost. They won a cooler sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Crown and custom chaps from Journeymen Saddlers, Ltd. The reserve champion was Sailaway, ridden by Ashley Chucker.

Valente and Megan McGovern

Final Results: WIHS Regional Hunter Finals – Ponies
1.    Wild Card Cody, Sarah Anderson, Sarah Anderson
2.    Rock Star, Elizabeth Parent, Elizabeth Parent
3.    No Boundaries, Will Kennedy, Blake Schindler
4.    Macintosh, Lauren Watts, Lauren Watts
5.    Highland’s Paris, Kelsi Okun, Rachel Okun
6.    Sailor’s Take Warning, Alexandra Warner, Meredith Mateo
7.    Willow, Allison Thompson, Laramine Fink
8.    Lakeview Pickpocket, Lauren Rockwell, Lauren Rockwell

Final Results: WIHS Regional Hunter Finals – Horses
1.    Valente, Megan McGovern, Eileen Johnson
2.    Sailaway, Ashley Chucker, Kelly Kaiser
3.    Rio’s Merlin, Bridget Love Meehan, Bridget Love Meehan
4.    Sofia, Bonnie Darcey, Bonnie Darcey
5.    Color Me Blue, Cathleen Driscoll, Cathleen Driscoll
6.    Fargo, Kim Maginnis, Kim Maginnis
7.    Unscripted, Sharon Cohen, Sharon Cohen
8.    Victoria, Cori Kaylor, Cori Kaylor

Competition has finished for the 52nd Washington International Horse Show. The WIHS thanks all of the sponsors, employees, exhibitors, volunteers, and spectators for making this year’s show an incredible success.

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

About the Washington International Horse Show
An equestrian tradition since 1958, the Washington International Horse Show brings top horses and riders from the U.S. and abroad, including Olympic champions, to the nation’s capital to compete for more than $400,000 in prize money and championship titles. About 500 horses participate in show jumping, hunter and equitation events during the six-day show. Special exhibitions, Kids Day, Barn Night, WIHS World of the Horse, boutique shopping and educational and community events round out this family-friendly show. Since its debut, the Washington International has been a popular Washington, DC, fixture visited by presidents, first ladies, celebrities, business and military leaders, as well as countless horse enthusiasts of all ages. WIHS, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, charitable organization, is headquartered in Washington, DC. Learn more at www.wihs.org.

Photo Credit: Pony Hunter Photos © Jennifer Wood Media, Inc. Local Hunter Photos © Diana DeRosa. These photos may only be used in relation to this press release and with full photo credit.