UPPER MARLBORO, Md.--Scott Stewart won the Leading Hunter Rider Award on Tuesday, Oct. 20 at the Washington International Horse Show.

Scott Stewart on California Love (Photo by Erin Gilmore)In an amazing performance of ability and consistency, this was the 16th time that Stewart of Flemington, N.J. won the Leading Rider Award.

Stewart also rode California Love to sweep the High Performance Hunter division with five wins, leading to the division championship as well as Grand Hunter Championship.

Stewart found California Love in Germany as a 4-year-old, and people still ask Stewart if he came with his name, which is from his dam, Daytona Love, and sire, Clarimo.

"He has always been really laid back,” said Stewart of the 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding. “I showed him a little bit as a 5-year-old, then brought him out as a Green Conformation Hunter when he was 6. He has been great ever since.”

 

WHEN THE first day at Capital Challenge Horse Show didn’t go their way, Stewart scratched from day two and saved “Love” for WIHS.

Although WIHS is at the same venue, there is enough change to make a difference for Love.

“The ring is quite different from Capital Challenge,” Stewart said. “There is more for horses to look at, so I think it actually perked his interest a little. The spookier the ring, the better. He’s almost too laid back sometimes, so I think in an environment like this he really excels.”

As the Leading Hunter Rider, Stewart was presented with the trophy that was named in his honor, the Scott Stewart Leading Hunter Rider Perpetual Trophy, donated by Dr. Betsee Parker.

“I’m honored that Betsee put the trophy in my name,” said Stewart. “It’s a beautiful trophy. I’ve been lucky enough to win it a bunch of times, but sooner than later, someone else will win it.”

In Green Hunter 3’3”, the Champion was Cardiff Castle, ridden by Stewart, and the Reserve Champion was O’Rockstar, ridden by John French.

The Green Hunter 3’6” Champion was First Edition, ridden by Hunt Tosh, and the Reserve Champion was A Lister, ridden by Stewart.

The Green Conformation Hunter Champion was The End, ridden by Jacob Pope, and the Reserve Champion was Velvet Elvis, also ridden by Pope.

The High Performance Working Hunter Champion was Navigator, ridden by Hunt Tosh, and the Reserve Champio was: Encore, ridden by Stewart.

The 1.15m Junior and Amateur Jumper Championships were also competed on Tuesday.

Robert Mercer on Colina SN won the $12,500 WIHS 1.15m Junior Jumper Championship, while Elizabeth Craddock on Muchachomalo vd Knuffel was  fastest in the $12,500 WIHS 1.15m Amateur Jumper Championship.

Trusting the incredibly fast 16-year-old Swedish Warmblood mare Colina SN, Mercer left nothing to chance and effectively shut the door on the remaining competition as he clocked in at 29.794 seconds.

“She has a really fast foot speed, so she’s good at making the tight turns and getting there quickly and deep,” he said. “If you get there deep, she can just pop over it; she’s a tiny little girl, but, obviously, she knows how to get around.”

Nine went clean from a starting field of 22 over the course set by Colm Quinn of Ireland.

Mercer returned halfway in the order for the jump-off and clipped almost three seconds from previous leading rider Ellie Goodfriend’s time of 32.041 seconds.

“At the end of my round, I started crying when they told me my time and that I was winning,” said Mercer. “I’ve kind of felt like I had some pressure to win this class because my sister also won it two years ago.”

While it was Mercer’s first year competing at WIHS with horses, Colina’s winning experience in the division dates back several years.

The 2026 class win was the third of her career, having taken Robert’s older sister, Katherine Mercer, to the win in 2024 and Landstrom to the top of the podium in 2021.

“She knows what she’s doing, and she never likes to lose. She always wants to win,” said Mercer. “She’s been in our barn for three years, but I’ve been riding her for a little under a year. This is only my third jumper final with her, and we were fourth in the final at Devon and won the speed class at Capital Challenge.”

Goodfriend was third place on Claudia’s K, and Brooklyn Webb on Limerick Kws was second, just falling short of Mercer’s time in 30.829 seconds.

Craddock on Muchachomalo vd Knuffe, going last in the jump-off, finished clean in 332.577, winning by two seconds in the $12,500 1.15m Amateur Jumper Championship.

Craddock’s barnmate Samantha Hill on Hematite finished second in 34.585 seconds, and Laura Scalzi on Kaj was third in a time of 37.678 seconds.

“I really tried to focus on the plan we had talked about but with a little added competitiveness,” said Craddock. “Overall, the course rode pretty well. It was pretty technical, but it’s fun when it’s technical like that. In the first line, we did seven strides in the first round so stepping up and getting it done in six strides and keeping her super straight was our main goal. In both rounds she did it great and was so responsive to everything I was asking.”

Craddock, who is a senior at University of Kentucky, trains with Summer Justus and Andrea Simpson but is originally from Jackson, Miss..

“This is our first big win, and ending on such a high note is really special,” she said.