Lydia Todd excels under lights in Gittings Horsemanship Finals at WIHS Local Weekend

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jenny Ross for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International

MEDIA CONTACT: Jenny Ross of Phelps Media Group, Inc. International at (561) 753-3389 or at pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com

WEB SITE: Phelps Media Group, Inc. International Press Releases and Photos are available for download at https://www.phelpsmediagroup.com

 

Photo Credit: Lydia Todd and Good Question in the Gittings Horsemanship Finals. Photo by: Al Cook Photography. Photograph may be used only in relation to this PMG press release.

 

Lydia Todd Excels Under Lights in Gittings Horsemanship Finals at Washington International Horse Show’s Local Weekend

 

Upper Marlboro, MD – October 20, 2006 – Opening day at Washington International Horse Show’s Local Weekend set the pace for an exciting weekend of competition at Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD. Riders from the local Washington, D.C. area competed for top honors in hopes of qualifying for the WIHS Local Finals at the Verizon Center. The Washington International Horse Show offers Local Pony Hunter Finals and Local Horse Hunter Finals on Sunday, October 29, 2006.

 

Today’s highlight was the Gittings Horsemanship Finals, an equitation class held for junior members of the Maryland Horse Shows Association. These junior riders were invited to compete in the finals after qualifying for the event during the 2006 show year, and tonight the young equestrians showed under lights in the Show Place Arena. After an eight o’clock p.m. start time, 29 exhibitors negotiated a course of nine fences that stood 3 feet in height.

 

The late hour and bright lights added a level of difficulty to the course; however, Lydia Todd of Elizabethville, PA, performed with ease and executed a polished ride with her horse, Good Question. After 29 entries competed, six riders were then asked to return to the arena for a test. The test included hand galloping over specified fences, halting and backing up, and returning to the lineup at the sitting trot. Todd’s brilliant round and beautifully controlled test resulted in a blue ribbon finish.

 

“I was excited and really nervous about the finals tonight,” admitted fourteen year old Todd after her win. “My horse, Good Question, was good in the indoor arena. He’s usually a little nervous, but today he was great. He was responsive and better inside than I thought he would be,” she revealed. “I rode in the Children’s Hunters earlier today to prepare for this class, and I think that was helpful.”

 

Other top finishers included: Allison Wherley, who captured second; Caroline Clemens, who finished in third; Jennifer Naylor, the fourth place recipient; fifth place winner Noah Abramson; Lauren Moyer, who took home sixth; and Hannah Williams and Emily Williams, who came away with seventh and eighth places, respectively.

 

Along with the qualifying classes, WIHS Local Weekend features the USEF Zone 3 Finals and offers Regular “C” rated points for the Maryland and Virginia Horse Show Associations.

 

Classes held at Prince George’s Equestrian Center, including qualifying classes for the WIHS Local Finals at the Verizon Center, are open to all horses and ponies, regardless of geographical location. Horses who then qualify for the Local Finals must stable within a 100 mile radius of the nation’s capital. WIHS Local Weekend is proudly sponsored by The Tack Box, Inc. from Middleburg, VA.

 

Local Weekend action continues tomorrow with Small, Medium, and Large Pony Hunters.

 

For driving directions and more information on the WIHS Local Weekend and Zone 3 Finals, please visit their website at https://www.wihs.org/competitor/local.cfm.

 

For more information on the Washington International Horse Show, please visit www.wihs.org.

 

WashingtonInternational Horse Show Fast Facts

 

What: Now in its 48th year, the Washington International Horse Show is one of the world’s leading equestrian events.  It features top horses and riders from the U.S. and abroad competing for more than $400,000 in prize money and championship titles. Approximately 600 horses will be on hand for the six-day event. Riders from Great Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Brazil and Ireland are expected to participate at the show in the Olympic sport of show jumping.

 

When: October 24 – 29, 2006  

 

Where: Verizon Center at 601 F Street NW (7^th and F Streets NW), Washington, D.C., home of the Washington International Horse Show since 2000, as well as professional and college sports teams including the NBA Wizards, the NHL Capitals, the WNBA Mystics and the Georgetown Hoyas, concerts, family shows and sporting events. ***Take Metrorail or Metrobus to Gallery Place-Chinatown for an easy trip to the show.

 

Highlights:

— $100,000 President’s Cup Grand Prix (Sat., Oct. 28-evening)

— $25,000 Puissance (Fri., Oct. 27-evening)

— Invitational Dressage Championship Grand Prix (Thurs., Oct. 26-evening) and Musical Freestyle (Fri., Oct. 27-evening)

— Washington International Equitation Classic Finals (Sat., Oct. 28-evening)

— $15,000 AHJF Nations Cup Hunter Challenge (Sat., Oct. 28-day)

 

Website: www.WIHS.org

 

General Information:

The Washington International Horse Show (WIHS), one of the nation’s leading championship horse shows since 1958, hosts some of the finest horses and riders from the U.S. and abroad, including Olympic and World Cup medalists. Unique among horse shows, the WIHS takes place in the middle of a city, and not just any city–the nation’s capital!  For six days, the WIHS transforms local city streets around the Verizon Center into stabling and exercise areas for hundreds of horses. Show jumping, hunter, equitation and dressage competition is the mainstay of the show, with entertaining exhibitions of racing terriers, a celebrity sports challenge and barrel racing rounding out a very full program. Riders of all ages – from children as young as seven riding ponies to experienced riders well into their 50’s on powerful jumpers and dressage horses – compete throughout the year and throughout the country to qualify to ride at Washington. 

 

New this year is side saddle, with riders evoking the elegance and style of past eras, the AHJF Nations Cup Hunter Challenge, an innovative hunter competition pairing WIHS equitation (junior) riders with international show jumping riders, and a polo exhibition.

Barn/Group Night, Thurs, Oct. 26, is a favorite with local young riders who attend in groups and vie for prizes based on best group spirit, best essay, largest group, etc. All participants get a free tee-shirt and have the unique opportunity to walk the show jumping course with grand prix riders (and get autographs) following the $20,000 Gamblers Choice class. On Saturday afternoon, younger children will enjoy pony rides, face painting and horse-based learning activities at the Pony Pavilion located just outside the Verizon Center.  

More than 60 vendors offering equestrian gear, apparel, jewelry and other unique items are conveniently located on the concourse around the competition arena.  Spectators also may bid on more than 60 unique and one-of-a-kind items in the Silent Auction.

WIHS Local Weekend offers local amateur riders, who otherwise may not qualify, a chance to ride at the Washington International. Local children and adult amateur hunter riders based within 100 miles of Washington, D.C. may compete in a qualifying event Oct. 20-22 at Prince George‘s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, Md., with the top finishers eligible to ride in the WIHS Local Hunter Finals at the Verizon Center on Sunday, October 29th.   

The WIHS is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization benefiting local and national charities. Current and past donation recipients include the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation, NBC4’s Camp 4 Kids, ASPCA, Childrens’ Inn at the National Institutes of Health, Community Services for Autistic Adults & Children, National Center for Therapeutic Riding, Newspapers in Education, Starlight Starbright Foundation-Midatlantic, and many more. 

Horse Show Office: 16063 Comprint Circle, Gaithersburg, MD 20877, (301) 987-9400, Fax: (301) 987-9461, website: www.wihs.org, Executive Director: Susie Webb, Susie@wihs.org

 

Management: Austin Kiplinger, Honorary Chairman of the Board; Jorge J. Carnicero, Chairman; Dr. Sheila C. Johnson, President; Susie Webb, Executive Director; Hugh Kincannon, Show Manager

Public Relations: Diana De Rosa, Press Link: (631) 773-6155, Cell: (516) 848-4867, dderosa1@optonline.net, website: www.presslinkpr.com

 

Media: Phelps Media Group/Mason Phelps, Jr. (561) 753-3389, mpjr@phelpsmediagroup.com.  Press releases and photos are available at https://www.phelpsmediagroup.com.  For accreditation, visit https://www.wihs.org/news/media.cfm and complete a media accreditation form.

 

2006 Washington International Horse Show

Tickets and Schedule ***Program subject to change***

Tickets go on sale September 5, 2006

 

Hours: Two performances daily except Sunday: Day (Tues-Sun): 7:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; Evening: (Tues-Sat): 7:00-10:30 p.m (ending times approx.) 

Tickets – www.ticketmaster.com or call 202-397-SEAT

 

Performance                Day                 Evening           Evening VIP**

Tuesday                       $15                  $20                  $40

Wednesday                 $15                  $20                  $40

Thursday                     $15                  $30*                $45*

Friday                          $15                  $35                  $60

Saturday                      $20                  $35                  $60

Sunday                        $15                  —                    —

 

Anytime Package: $85 (a $235 value); good for all 11 performances.

Pony Pavilion: Tickets for the Pony Pavilion available only at the Pony Pavilion on Sat., Oct. 28, 1:00-4:00 p.m. Entry by donation. Donations of $5 or $10 are readily accepted at the Pony Pavilion with net proceeds going to the Meadowbrook Foundation.

 

*Barn Night/Groups (10 or more) receive $5 off each ticket on Thursday night only.

**VIP seats include premium arena-level seating and a complimentary WIHS program book ($10 value).

 

Students, Seniors, and Military save $5 off tickets for Sat., Oct. 28 daytime performance, with proper ID. (Excludes VIP tickets.)

Metro Special: Save $5 off tickets for any performance with presentation of bus or rail Metro card.  (Excludes VIP tickets.)

***Discount offers cannot be combined.      

 

Tentative Schedule:

Tuesday, Oct. 24: Daytime performance: Regular and Green Conformation Hunters; First/Second Year Green Hunters; Regular Working Hunters; Amateur/Owner Hunters (Riders 35 & Under and Over 35); Evening performance: WIHS Children’s Hunter and Adult Hunter Championships

 

Wednesday, Oct. 25: Daytime performance: Regular Working and Regular Conformation Hunters; Second Year Green and Green Conformation Hunters; A/O Hunter (35 & Under and Over 35); Amateur/Owner Jumpers; Evening performance: WIHS Children’s Jumper Championships and Adult Jumper Championships

 

Thursday, Oct. 26 (BARN/GROUP NIGHT): Daytime performance: Small Junior Hunters (15 & Under); Large Junior Hunters (15 & Under); Small Junior Hunters (16-17), Large Junior Hunters (16-17); Side Saddle; $25,000 President’s Cup Qualifier; Amateur/Owner Jumpers, Junior Jumpers; Evening performance: WIHS Invitational Dressage Championship Grand Prix; $20,000 Gambler’s Choice, Side Saddle, Barrel Racing, Terrier Races

 

Friday, Oct. 27: Daytime performance: Small Junior Hunters (15 & Under); Large Junior Hunters (15 & Under); Small Junior Hunters (16-17), Large Junior Hunters (16-17); WIHS Equitation; Amateur/Owner Jumpers; Junior. Jumpers TFR (time first round); $25,000 Open Jumpers; Evening performance: Polo, WIHS Invitational Dressage Championship Freestyle; $20,000 Accumulator Class, $25,000 Puissance, Barrel Racing, Terrier Races

 

Saturday, Oct. 28: Daytime performance: Small, Medium and Large Pony Hunters;  $20,000 Hit & Hurry Class;Media Sports Celebrity Challenge; $15,000 AHJF Nations Cup Hunter Challenge;  Junior Jumpers; Pony Pavilion; Evening performance: WIHS Equitation Classic (Jumper Phase & Final work-off); $100,000 President’s Cup Grand Prix, Terrier Races

 

Sunday, Oct. 29: Small, Medium and Large Pony Hunters; WIHS Pony Equitation Classic; Local Hunter Finals (Horses); Local Hunter Finals (Ponies)

 

Photo Credit: Lydia Todd and Good Question in the Gittings Horsemanship Finals. Photo by: Al Cook Photography. Photograph may be used only in relation to this PMG press release.