Lauren Hough and Ottaline Ace win $20,000 Gambler’s Choice

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Jenny Ross for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International

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Photo Credit: Lauren Hough and Ottaline, winners of the $20,000 WIHS Gambler’s Choice. Photo© Diana DeRosa. Photograph may be used only in relation to this PMG press release.

Lauren Hough and Ottaline Ace Washington International Horse Show Gambler’s Choice

McLain Ward and Goldika 559 Capture Victory in President’s Cup Qualifier for Fourth Consecutive Year; Maggie McAlary Votes for Pedro in Junior Jumper Speed Class

Washington, D.C. – October 26, 2006 – Sixteen entries at Washington International Horse Show took on the challenge of the Gambler’s Choice competition tonight. With various points assigned to every jump, riders created their own courses and were allotted 50 seconds to jump as many fences as possible. Obstacles jumped clear were awarded their respective points, and jumps that were lowered in height added zero points to their overall tally. A start and finish line clocked times that would serve as tie breakers in the event of equally scored points.

Early in the class, Todd Minikus and Quik, owned by Split Rock Farm, earned a high score of 700 and then cleared the Joker for an additional 200 points. His score of 900 set the goal for riders that would follow in the order. Minutes later, Aaron Vale and Faraway Farm’s Lagato tallied 750 after an impressive, quick and curvy ride. Lagato sailed over the Joker fence with ease, amassing 950 points to take over the lead.

Only three rides later, the lead changed hands once again when Beezie Madden captured an incredible 770 points with her mount Play On, crossing the finish line in 52.12 seconds. Play On, owned by Allan Shore, displayed scope and raw talent as he soared over the Joker fence and took over the top spot with 970 points.

Schuyler Riley became the crowd favorite tonight after she left early for an oxer. Catching the back rail, Riley’s horse, Cincinnati Kid, jumped her loose in the tack and caused Riley to slide down the side of the saddle. Hanging on with her leg, Riley pulled herself back into place and stayed on, celebrating with a punch in the air and a laugh. After the audience went wild with applause, the horse and rider cleared the Joker and added another 200 points to their existing score of 620.

Kent Farrington and his ride on Up Chiqui tallied 710 points, which quickly changed to 910 after the duo successfully jumped over the Joker. Their score left Farrington shy of the lead. Harry Smolders and Exquis Oliver Q, owned by Axel Verlooy and Team Exquis, had an unfortunate score after they forgot to cross the finish line. Although he left the Joker in tact, his score of 450 remained the same.

Lauren Hough and Ottaline entered the arena second to last in the order. After racking up a score of 770, Hough’s time of 50.45 flashed on the score board. The announcer informed spectators that, if she were to leave the Joker in place, her score and fast time would place her into first. Ottaline, owned by Peppercorn Ltd and Lake Hill Farm, ascended over the top rail of the Joker, landing gracefully and placing Hough’s name at the top of the leader board. Although Madden accumulated the same number of points, Hough’s time proved to be the deciding factor for tonight’s victory.

“I’m better going smooth and not doing too many turns in the beginning,” said Hough after the class. “I tried to keep it smooth, and then I lost my stirrup half way through, which made it a little bit hectic. But, she’s a super careful horse. She won one of these classes in Syracuse last year, so I knew the Joker wouldn’t be a problem,” she stated. “The big verticals are never an issue for her.”

When asked how riders plan their routes in Gambler’s Choice classes, Hough replied, “You need to do what suits your horse best. Some horses are better to start at a vertical and some are very good turning back on jumps. Normally there ends up being one or two courses that you can win with, but whenever I walk the course, I try to find what suits the horse that I’m riding best.”

“Ottaline is super indoors,” continued Hough. “She’s ten years old. I jumped her indoors last year for the first time, and she’s just a fantastic horse. She’s so competitive. She did some grand prix classes this summer in Europe, so she’s useful for all types of events. She’s going to jump tomorrow in the $25,000 Grand Prix, and then we’ll aim for Syracuse [Invitational Sport Horse Tournament] and the National Horse Show in November.”

In the President’s Cup Qualifier class, held under a Table A, Article 238.2.1 Time First Round format, McLain Ward and Goldika 559 led the victory gallop for the fourth consecutive year in a row. Out of 33 entries, Ward and his bay mare surpassed Lauren Hough and Casadora’s leading time, 48.14 seconds, after excelling over the Steve Stephens designed course in 44.18 seconds. His beautifully controlled turns and smooth pace were precise, resulting in a perfectly executed performance. Goldika 559 is owned by McLain Ward, Inc. and Bluechip Bloodstock. Candice King and Louisburg Farm’s Coco Cabana competed last in the order and edged Hough into third place after crossing the finish line in 48.01 seconds. Hough’s horse Casadora is owned by Laura Mateo.

“Goldika is a great winner,” related Ward. “She’s a phenomenal, experienced horse, particularly indoors. She’s been quite good. I gave her a little bit of a rest over the summer, and I think she’s really fresh right now. She’s been jumping very well through Capital Challenge [Horse Show], Harrisburg, and here. Hopefully it will continue through Saturday night,” he smiled. “After she does the grand prix here, she’ll have a week off and then go to Toronto, and that’s her last show for the year. Then we’re going to try to get an egg from her for a baby.”

“She’s always been a very good indoors horse,” continued Ward, “and is a particularly good winner inside. I think she’s very handy, very careful, and very fast, so these small arenas seem to suit her.” Ward and Goldika 559 will compete again on Saturday night in the $100,000 President’s Cup Grand Prix.

In the Amateur-Owner Jumper class, held under a Table 2.1(a) Time First Round format, Chloe Wormser and Modra took home the win out of a pool of 16 competitors. Wormser and her mare tripped the timers in 46.421 seconds. The red ribbon was pinned on Mr. Happy’s bridle, who was piloted by Erin Stewart. Third place went to Randy Johnson aboard Victoria De Zellik, owned by Johnson and Greener Pastures.

After twenty competitors took on the challenge, top honors in the Junior Jumper class were presented to Maggie McAlary and her mount Pedro, owned by Beaver Brook Ponies, after the pair clocked in with a time of 48.050 seconds. Hillary Dobbs and VDL Lotus Excel finished in 48.577 seconds, which held up for second place, and Lexy Reed aboard Ludwig stopped the clock in 49.607 seconds, which resulted in third.

“My horse is naturally fast,” said McAlary. “So I really don’t worry about going fast, I just have to worry about the turns. We weren’t sure until just before I went what our plans would be. There was an inside turn we walked, but we weren’t sure if it would actually work out well when I rode the course. It turns out, I went around the one place where we thought I could go inside, and then found a gap that worked better than going around in another spot.”

Show Jumping continues tomorrow at the Verizon Center with the Junior Jumpers, Amateur-Owner Jumpers, Open Jumpers, and the always popular Puissance. Tomorrow’s schedule also includes a polo exhibition, barrel racing, terrier races, and the WIHS Dressage Invitational Freestyle competition.

Results of Class 213 – $20,000 Gamblers Choice – Washington International Horse Show – October 26, 2006

Results of Class 210 President’s Cup Qualifier – 238.2.1 – Washington International Horse Show – October 26, 2006

Results of Class 207 AO Jumper – Time First Round – Washington International Horse Show – October 26, 2006

Results of Class 202 – Junior Jumper – Time First Round – Washington International Horse Show – October 26, 2006

Photo Credit: Lauren Hough and Ottaline, winners of the $20,000 WIHS Gambler’s Choice. Photo© Diana DeRosa. Photograph may be used only in relation to this PMG press release.