WASHINGTON, D.C.--Kimberly Coyle of Central Valley, N.Y., on Dartani won the $10,000 Adult Jumper Championship on Wednesday, Oct. 23 at the Washington International Horse Show.

Kimberly Coyle on Dartani (Photo by Shawn McMillen)Katherine Mercer on Colina SN won the $10,000 Children’s Jumper Championship, and Sophie Gochman on Colter and Caroline Signorino on  Sandori were champions in amateur-owner hunter divisions.

Coyle, the wife of Ireland's Jordan Coyle, won in an 11 horse jump-off over a course designed by Nick Granat.

Coyle finished the $10,000 Adult Jumper Championship in 33.938 seconds, Dara Castle on As Di Boy was second in 35.481 seconds and Madison Jaronski on Catoki’s Clever was third in 36.339.

Coyle has made this class at Washington a major goal over the years, and this was the third time riding in it with Dartani.

“Third time’s a charm,” she said. “We’ve had tough luck in this class in the past, so this year I wanted to have fun and just go with it. I have a great horse, and she wants to do the right thing if I can just guide her, stay out of her way, and let her take me, we can do it.”

“I made up time going to the first jump and hit the gas once I saw the timer,” she said. “I kept going through the turn and rolled back tight to the skinny. She hit the out of the combination, but it stayed up luckily. I heard my husband say, ‘Go!’ and I knew it stayed up, so I just went flat out to the last.”

 

COYLE AND her husband Jordan spent the summer competing in Europe, and she showed for the first time in France, Holland, and Ireland, winning three of her six FEI one-star classes.

Sophie Gochman on Colter (Photo by Shawn McMillen)“It was a big accomplishment. I said that if I could win Washington this year, I don’t know what the goal is from here!” she said. “I’ve been really lucky to have such an incredible horse, and I feel like I don’t know what’s next. I don’t want to move up, so we will focus on having some fun. We are lucky to do what we do.”

Eight from the starting field of 22 were clean in the $10,000 Children’s Jumper Championship.

Katherine Mercer on Colina SN finished in 34.771 seconds for the win.

In 2021, Colina SN and owner Landstrom won the same class.

Mercer, of Wellington, FL, has been riding Colina SN for a year.

“When I got her, I thought she was just disorganized and I couldn't see a distance,” she said. “It was not very pretty, but now I understand her, and I understand that I have to calm down so she can calm down and it all just comes together. If you flat her properly. then the jumping part is really easy.”

“It is kind of strange coming back and achieving this because this is actually my first big top three ribbon at this show, and for it to be in one of my first Children’s Jumper Finals ever is pretty amazing," said Mercer. "Competing here is really, really cool because when I was younger, I always watched the professionals show here. It's really amazing to get to do the jumper classes here. I really hoped this would happen but that was kind of a hope; I didn't think it would actually happen, so it's honestly kind of surreal that my dreams came true.”

Ella Tarumianz on Nicarmargue was second in 34.939 seconds, and Eva Froio on Imago finished third in 35.394 seconds.

Sophie Gochman of West Palm Beach, Fla., on Colter was Amateur-Owner Grand Champion after winning the championship in the 18-35 division, and Caroline Signorino of Basking Ridge, N.J.,,  won the Grand Championship in the 3’3” section on Sandori.

Colter had been champion in the Green Hunter 3’9” division on Tuesday with trainer Scott Stewart.

“He is one of the easiest horses I’ve ever ridden,” said Gochman. “My first time riding him indoors was at Capital Challenge, but this week I was definitely more aware that he is still a green horse. I was a bit nervous, but he was very brave, and I think that was a big advantage.”

Gochman’ showed primarily in jumpers in her final junior years and only began riding hunters again two years ago.

“It was actually harder than I thought it would be at first to get back into it because I still had been doing the jumpers the whole time,” said the 22-year-old. “Scott is always having to yell at me, ‘It’s not a jump-off right now!’ I didn’t compete at indoors last year because they were during school, but I may be going abroad for grad school next year. I figured since my hunter horses were going so well right now that I would prioritize it.

“I have a lot of fun doing the hunters,” she said, “and I don’t know when I’ll be able to do this again, so I really wanted it to go well. I had a little mistake in the handy round so I was anxious going into the last round and felt a lot of pressure to get it done. I’m so happy I was able to pull it off.”

Caroline Signorino on Sandor was champion in the Amateur-Owner 3’3” Hunters 18-35 division and was Grand Champion..

“I think knowing that he is green and that I’m going into every round just trying to give him confidence in an indoor is kind of a settling feeling for me actually,” said Signorino. “There’s a little less expectation that comes with it, and it helps my mindset.”

“He is just getting to learn the ropes a bit, and we are taking our time with him, so it’s been very rewarding to see him progress and figure things out,” she said. “This is his first real indoor season, so I am doing my best to just train him over every round and not bring out any of his nerves.”