UPPER MARLBORO, Md.--Nick Haness of Temecula, Calif., rode the champions of four divisions at the Capital Challenge Horse Show on Oct. 3.
Nick Haness on McQueen (Photo by Shawn McMillen)He rode Pavlova to win three classes as well as placing third in the stake to win the B Section of the Green Hunter 3’6 championship.
“She’s exquisite,” said Haness. “She’s a wonderful mare. She’s very fun to ride and a very athletic horse. She really knows when it’s time to shine. She’s a true champion. She feels great here, she’s into it, and she loves the indoor atmosphere. The jumps are impressing her, and she’s jumping beautifully.
“It always means the world to be able to win at Capital Challenge,” he said. “It’s such a special show. It’s the best of the best, so to win here is super exciting.”
Estimated Prophet won the championship in the High Performance Hunter division, with a second over fences with a score of 86.75, a third in the handy with a score of 86.50, a third in the under saddle class and a win in an over fences class with a 90.
“Estimated Prophet is a really fun horse to ride,” said Haness . “To show him here in the High Performance feels like a breeze for him. He’s very athletic and scopey. It feels great for him to start the indoor circuit with a championship.”
Cannon Creek, a 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Cancara, ridden by Hunt Tosh of Milton, Ga., was reserve champion.
HANESS rode McQueen to win the Green Conformation Hunter championship, and Scott Stewart of Flemington, N.J., was the reserve champion on California Love.
It was almost a clean sweep for Haness and McQueen, just placing second in the model while winning all the over fences classes with scores of 85.75, 86.75, and 89 in the handy, as well as the under saddle.
“McQueen is a wonderful horse,” said Haness. “I’m very excited for this new adventure with him as his rider. This is really our first big show with him, so for him to come out and be a champion again after a successful year is very rewarding. We’re excited to just keep adding to our collection.”
Queen Celeste was the fourth champion ridden by Haness, with all firsts and seconds with scores of 89, 89.50, and 90 over fences, plus in the under saddle.
“She is the most amazing girl,” said Haness. “She’s been champion all over the country. She’s kind of a crowd favorite. The way she jumps is just picture-perfect. She’s a mare, and I think it took me a minute to understand and be on her side. Once we became good friends, she’s given me her whole heart and all of her athleticism. She’s really so easy to ride. You basically don’t get in the way of her and let her do her thing. She knows when it’s important. She was quite a famous horse and well known on the show circuit before I got to ride her, so to be in her realm of riders in her career is very special.”
Queen Celeste’s victory put the exclamation mark on a prolific day for Haness.
“It never gets boring to have great days here at Capital Challenge,” he said. “It’s a show we all strive to be successful at, so there’s a lot of pressure leading into this week, and it feels great to have such an amazing week with so many different horses.”
John French on Amazing Grace won the Green Hunter 3’6” Section A division championship.,
“She’s just getting better and better, and she’s really peaking at the right moment,” said French. “I didn’t know what to expect, not having done indoors with her, but she seemed to really like the ring. She’s my kind of ride, super light in the mouth with a great balance to her canter. I was really happy with her.”
“Winning here is especially great because this is where I grew up – in Maryland,” said French who is now based in Wellington, Fla. “It’s one of the toughest shows since everybody wants to come here, so for her to start off winning was nice.”
The Green Hunter 3’9” champion was Drumroll, ridden by Geoffrey Hesslink of Shelburne, Vt., with Stewart on Jordan reserve champion.
“I don’t have enough good things to say about Drumroll,” said Hesslink. “I’ve watched him for a number of years under the guidance of Kelly Mullen and John Roper, and I always knew he was really special. From the moment we got him this summer, he's been nothing but amazing, and basically, has won every time he’s showed. I’m really lucky to ride him. Drumroll felt amazing here. He has a huge stride, and he is as brave as they come.”
The champion of the High Performance Conformation Hunter division was Worthy, ridden by Maria Rasmussen of Royal Palm Beach, Fla.
“Worthy is awesome; I don’t even know what else to say,” said Rasmussen. “He goes in there and tries his heart out every single time, and he always wants to go out and win the class. He felt super. He just kept jumping higher, and higher, and higher, and having more fun with it.
In the covered arena, the over fences portion of the hotly contested Performance division took centerstage. The competition then concluded in The Show Place Arena with the under saddle class. In the end, two sections of champions were awarded.
Vivian Yowan of Wellington, Fla., rode Knowingly to the Performance championship.
“Knowingly is probably one of the nicest horses I’ve ever sat on,” said Yowan. “He is incredible. He is the kind of horse that gets better and better as he goes, so I honestly thought in every round he just got better and jumped higher. This is probably my favorite horse show, so it is extra special to win here.”
