Upper Marlboro, MD – October 3, 2010 – The Capital Challenge Equitation Weekend presented by Bigeq.com came to a close today with three major equitation finals. The Capital Challenge Horse Show runs through Sunday, October 10, at the Prince George’s Equestrian Center. Victoria Birdsall of Topsfield, MA, beat 77 other competitors to win the 2010 North American Junior Equitation Championships. Molly Peddicord traveled from California for victory in the Taylor Harris Insurance Services (THIS) National Children’s Medal Finals. In the North American Adult Amateur Equitation Championships, Sara Green finished as the winner.

Birdsall won the George H. Morris Equitation Championship Trophy donated by Frank and Stacia Madden and Beacon Hill Show Stables. Her groom, Baldo Cruz, won the North American Equitation Champion Groom’s Award sponsored by Holly Hill Farm. The Leading Equitation Trainer Award sponsored by Acres West and Leslie Steele, went to Frank Madden. Birdsall was also honored in a presentation as the Best Equitation Rider award, which is sponsored by Karen Healey and Karen Healey Stables. The EMO Equitation Trip of the Show, sponsored by EMO Insurance Services, went to Chase Boggio, who scored a 91.5 yesterday.

North American Junior Equitation Championships

Birdsall led the class from start to finish on her horse Baheera. She scored an 88.95 in the first round and a 91.80 in the second round for a total of 180.75. She had a margin of 1.9 points over Hayley Barnhill and Dynasty, who scored 88.70 and 88.15. With less than two points between the top two riders, a work-off was mandatory. The judges – Jeff Ayers, Rob Bielefeld, Bob Crandall, Randy Mullins, and Steve Wall – decided to bring back the top four for further testing.

The four riders entered the ring to hear their test, which included a trot jump and a counter canter around the corner to the final jump. The first to contest was Amber Henter on Triumph. They entered on a two-round score of 176.75 and scored a 79.40 in the work-off for a final total of 256.15. They finished in fourth place.

Abby O’Mara and Urco were next in. They had a rub at the trot jump but performed the counter canter beautifully. Their work-off score was 86.40, and they finished with a final score of 263.25 for third place.

As the second to last in the work-off, Hayley Barnhill had a solid test and her score of 86.80 put them into the temporary lead with a final score of 265.65.

Birdsall and Baheera were the final combination. They were very smooth across the entire test and the judges rewarded them with a test score of 88, raising their total score to 268.75 for the win.

Victoria Birdsall and Baheera in their victory gallop

Sitting in the line waiting to test, Birdsall kept her nerves in check and knew her horse would rise to the occasion. She remembered, “He’s a great tester; he always has been. He’s good at all of the tricks, like coming right back to the trot, counter cantering, he’s always been amazing at that. I knew I had my horse under me and I knew he was going to be great, so I was trying not to get nervous and not let it get to my head that I was on top. That’s the place to throw away. You never want to throw that away at the last round. I was just thinking, ‘Keep your cool. Pretend you’re in a lesson. You both have done this.’ That’s pretty much what was going through my head.”

Birdsall was the only one to execute the simple change of lead into the counter canter. She explained, “It was on kind of a rounded turn, and I know he would have probably done the lead change, but I didn’t want to risk it being on top by two points. I just wanted to play it safe and not risk throwing it all away for a stupid mistake like trying to show off when it wasn’t necessary.”

Her win today is “definitely a boost of confidence,” Birdsall said. “In Florida he did the outdoor rings and it was a big deal for him, but I knew he could go outside. Coming indoors like this with all of the stands, it’s pretty nerve-wracking for them standing at the in-gate and hearing all of the people clapping. He was amazing. He was so relaxed. That definitely gives me a good feeling going into all of the finals this year.”

The win is also a “huge deal” for Birdsall. She related, “I’ve been showing Romeo and we’ve never been quite in the top with him. It’s been up and down; it’s just never been constantly solid. It’s all come together and we’re going to finals and couldn’t be better.”

Taylor Harris Insurance Services National Children’s Medal Finals

In the THIS National Children’s Medal Finals, no work-off was necessary when the top two riders were separated by 2.45 points and the judges did not request further testing. Molly Peddicord of Malibu, CA, moved up in the second round to take the victory with her horse Loupino. Second place went to Maggie Savoie on Danico.

This was Peddicord’s first time competing at the Capital Challenge Horse Show, but at just 14 years old she has already won three medal finals: the San Fernando Challenge, the Rosewood Medal Finals, and now the THIS National Children’s Medal Finals. Peddicord trains with the Karazissis family.

Peddicord said, “Being back East, it’s a lot more fun winning a medal final!”

Molly Peddicord and Loupino

With her ex-jumper Loupino, a 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding, she had good scores of 87.90 and 83.15 for the win. Peddicord said, “He’s very, very honest and really forgiving. He always forgives me no matter what I do. From the jumpers, he jumps clean. He’s really fun to ride. He’s pretty much an all-around horse.”

Although 14-year-old Peddicord was a bit relieved that she did not have to do a test, she commented, “I like the challenge though.”

North American Adult Amateur Equitation Championships

The final class of the day was the North American Adult Amateur Equitation Championships. Sara Green of Sherborn, MA, was second in the first round and moved up to first with a great second round score of 91. Adrienne Dixon and Vincenzo were just behind by 1.6 points, so the judges brought her and Green back for a work-off.

Dixon and Vincenzo were smooth and efficient, completing the trot jump, counter canter, and excellent halt after the last jump. They scored an 88.20 for a three round total of 264.40.

Green and her horse, Why Not Jack, were just that much better in the test, with a good trot jump and a well-executed simple change to go to the counter canter. They scored 89.60 to bring their total to 267.40 for the win.

Waiting for her turn in the jump-off, Green said, “I thought it was like Medal Finals all over again. It was fun though. I was trying to just play safe. I held the counter canter, and I’m glad I remember how to test from when I was a junior! The trot normally gets me every time but it was good this time. Adrienne did (the simple change) too so I didn’t need to do anything more than what she did.”

This is Green’s first year showing as an amateur, and she has been competing with Why Not Jack in the Amateur-Owner Hunters this year. “It’s fun to ride him in anything because I know him so well. This is his first horse show in the equitation since last year before finals. He was happy to be back in it,” she remarked.

Green was happy to be back on her old mount. “I know him so well that he’s always going to be there for me and I’m there for him,” she expressed. “I feel 100% comfortable on him, and I can try anything. His whole heart is in it.”

Sara Green and Why Not Jack

The Capital Challenge Horse Show continues tomorrow with the opening classes for the professional hunter divisions, whose championships will be awarded on Tuesday.

For full results and more information, please visit www.capitalchallenge.org. If you can’t attend the Capital Challenge Horse Show, remember you can log on to www.equestriansport.tv to see all the action live.

Final Results: North American Junior Equitation Championships

Horse, Rider

Judges Scores First Round, Total

Judges Scores Second Round, Total

Judges Scores Work-off, Total

Final Total

1 894 BAHEERA VICTORIA BIRDSALL
85.25 91 87 90 91.5 88.95

90.5 90.5 90 93 95 91.80

90 88 88 83 91 88.00

268.75

2 1278DYNASTY HAYLEY BARNHILL

87.5 90 86.5 87.5 90 88.30

91 92 91 90 88.75 90.55

83 87 87 87 90 86.80

265.65

3 481 URCO ABBY O’MARA

89 89 85.5 88 92 88.70

89 89.5 87 87.5 87.75 88.15

85 85 85 90 87 86.40

263.25

4 746 TRIUMPH AMBER HENTER

84.5 84 82.25 92 93 87.15

86.5 90 85.5 94 92 89.60

78 80 76 80 83 79.40

256.15

5 1281THE GENERAL MOLLY BRASWELL

88 82 84 84.5 84.5 84.60

90 91 87 92 90 90.00

174.60

6 546 SPOCK SYLVIA DETOLEDO

84 81 83 85 85 83.60

88 89 90 88 89 88.80

172.40

7 446 WAGNER HASBROUCK DONOVAN

82.8 83.75 87.5 89 84.25 85.46

86 88.5 86 89 84 86.70

172.16

8 482 WAR EAGLE MEG O’MARA

86 83 79.25 83.75 83.5 83.10

87 88 88 91 91 89.00

172.10

9 268 WORLDS FAIR SHAWN CASADY

85 85 84 83.5 84 84.30

84.5 84 84 86 88.5 85.40

169.70

10 357 W.C.SWING THEODORE BORIS

82.25 83.5 84.5 81.5 82.15 82.78

85 87 86 85 88 86.20

168.98

Final Results: Taylor Harris Insurance Services National Children’s Medal Finals

1 1188 LOUPINO MOLLY PEDDICORD

89 87.5 88 85 90 87.90

82.5 82.25 85 88 88 85.15

173.05

2 1176 DANICO MAGGIE SAVOIE

87.5 84.5 87.5 85.5 85.5 86.10

84 81.5 84 87 86 84.50

170.60

3 578 THE GOLDEN COMPASS SAMANTHA GUMBIN

90 90 91 90 86 89.40

85 85 83.5 72 77 80.50

169.90

4 403 WHIMSEY TAYLOR CLARK

86 86 89 84 84.5 85.90

83 86 83 84 80 83.20

169.10

5 1220 SHOW BOAT MAGGIE RIDENOUR

87 88 87 86 85 86.60

79 82.75 78 83 79 80.35

166.95

6 1175 DUTCH KISS HANNAH STABLER

88 89 83.5 79 81 84.10

82 82.5 80 82 82 81.70

165.80

7 442 SPORTS TALK GEOFFREY HESSLINK

85.5 82 81 77 74.5 80.00

88 83 86 86 85 85.60

165.60

8 339 ALAMO ALEXA ROSE BOGGIO

84.5 82.25 85 81 83 83.15

81 78 81 77 78 79.00

162.15

9 1276CAPELLO CAROLINE JOHNSON

84 84 84 84.5 82 83.70

74 76 76 80 71 75.40

159.10

10 909 MOZART MADELYN KECK

83 83 86 80 84 83.20

75 73 74 76 73 74.20

157.40

Final Results: North American Adult Amateur Equitation Championships

1 748 WHY NOT JACK SARA GREEN

85.5 94 84.75 85.25 84.5 86.80

88 94 93 91 89 91.00

86 90 92 91 89 89.60

267.40

2 1197 VINCENZO ADRIENNE DIXON

88 90 88 88 87 88.20

89 85.5 90 87.5 88 88.00

87 88 89 90 87 88.20

264.40

3 1270 ATHOS 163 JACQUELINE LUBRANO

83 85.5 84.5 84 82.5 83.90

86 87 85 90 85 86.60

170.50

4 200 COOL BOY RACHEL BOGGUS

81 82 87.25 85.5 80.5 83.25

84 86 89 88 86 86.60

169.85

5 144 CRIMSON Z ELSA HORRIGAN

86.5 91 87.75 87 85 87.45

81 85 81 80 83.5 82.10

169.55

6 249 REMEMBER WHEN JENNIFER WALLEN

86 83.5 85 80 82 83.30

85 84 87.5 83 83 84.50

167.80

7 1271LION KING DARBY MAZZARISI

82 85 87.5 86 86 85.30

80 81 83.5 84 82.5 82.20

167.50

8 1254 AUTOGRAPH ASHLEY GRAY BILLM

85 76 84 82 83 82.00

83 82 86 81 84 83.20

165.20

9 978 LAGUNA LAURIE BARNA

81 86 87 83 80 83.40

80.5 83 81 82 81 81.50

164.90

10 433 SANMORINO LISA WILLIAMS

84 83.75 83 79 81.5 82.25

80 80 82 87 82 82.20

164.45

Highlights of the upcoming week at Capital Challenge Horse Show will include the World Champion Hunter Rider (WCHR) Emerging Pro Challenge (Oct. 6), Future Hunter World Championship (Oct. 6), $2,500 WCHR Amateur-Owner 3’3″ Challenge (Oct. 7), the North American Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Challenge Cup (two rounds held on Oct. 8-9), the ARIAT National Adult Medal Finals (Oct. 8), and the WCHR Professional Finals (Oct. 8).

In its 17th 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 2-10. 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!

Photo Credit: Victoria Birdsall won the North American Junior Equitation Championship, Molly Peddicord was victorious in the THIS National Children’s Medal Finals, and Sara Green took the blue ribbon in the North American Adult Amateur Equitation Finals at the 2010 Capital Challenge Horse Show. Photo © Jennifer Wood Media, Inc. These photos may only be used in relation to this press release and with full photo credit.