Mill Spring, N.C. – October 30, 2021 – Competition on Saturday, October 30, 2021, came to an exciting finish at the Washington International Horse Show, presented by MARS Equestrian™ as Tiffany Foster (CAN) and Figor, owned by Artisan Farms LLC and Tiffany Foster, won the $215,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Washington CSI4*-W for the President’s Cup, presented by Mars Equestrian™.
Out of 33 first-round entries and four in the jump-off, it was the last combination to go, Foster and Figor, who would stand in the winner’s circle.
Tiffany Foster (CAN) and Figor were victorious in the $215,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Washington CSI4*-W for the President’s Cup, presented by Mars Equestrian™. Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography
The final pair to go, Foster opened up Figor’s giant stride and left a stride out of the final line. They crossed the timers in 35.73 seconds for the win.
“I know he has a huge stride, and it would probably be a risk for most to do nine [strides] to that last jump, but I knew my horse would just eat that up and that would really suit him, so that was really in my favor tonight,” explained Foster.
Tiffany Foster and Figor in their presentation with ringmaster Steve Rector, WIHS President Vicki Lowell, WIHS Chairman Anne Poulson, WIHS Vice President Evelyn Liu Treacy, FEI Foreign Judge Collene Hoffman, and Dr. Bridgett McIntosh, Director MARS Equestrian™. Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography
Watch How They Won
Dominic Gibbs Ends His Junior Career with a Win in the WIHS Junior Equitation Finals
Dominic Gibbs of Colorado Springs, Colorado, ended his junior career on a high note with victory in the WIHS Equitation Finals aboard Mountain King Ranch LLC’s Cent 15.
A field of 40 horse-and-rider combinations competed in the coveted, year-end final. The class spanned two days with the hunter phase taking place on Friday and the jumper phase held on Saturday. Riders’ average scores from the first two rounds were combined, and the 10 highest scoring competitors returned for a final work-off where they swapped horses.
Gibbs and the 13-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Carenzo earned third place in the hunter phase after they scored an 88.75 and then topped the jumper phase with a high score of 90. The rider kept his cool for the final work-off and impressed the judges, Ralph Caristo, Sissy Wickes, Molly Ashe Cawley, and Callan Solem, on Skylar Wireman’s horse, Fix Blue, to claim the top prize.
Dominic Gibbs and Cent 15 won the WIHS Equitation Finals. Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography
“I was really just hoping to stay consistent and have the three best rounds that I could,” described Gibbs. “I feel like I know Cent like the back of my hand. I had originally bought him to be my high junior jumper, which obviously did not work out. He shined like a star in the equitation ring ever since day one. I’m so lucky to have such an amazing horse that I’ve had as a consistent partner through my last few junior years.”
Gibbs and Cent 15, trained by Stacia Madden and Beacon Hill Show Stables, are well-known names in the equitation ring and definitely no strangers to the winner’s circle.
Dominic Gibbs and Cent 15 in their winning presentation. Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography
Watch How They Won
Watch the work off round for Dominic Gibbs and Fix Blue
Watch the jumper phase round for Dominic Gibbs and Cent 15
Click to watch an interview with Dominic Gibbs
Maddie Tosh and Storyteller Take the Lead in the WIHS Pony Equitation Finals
Pony competition took center stage in the Grand Hunter Ring and it was Maddie Tosh of Milton, Georgia, piloting Betsee Parker’s Storyteller to the blue ribbon in the WIHS Pony Equitation Finals presented by Huntland.
Tosh returned to the final flat phase in second place after scoring an 85 in the first round over fences. The rider’s style and technique stood out to the judges, and Tosh moved up to the top of the leaderboard. This victory was special for Tosh because not only was Betsee Parker there to celebrate, but it but it was also Tosh’s last time showing Storyteller.
Watch How They Won: Click to Watch
Bonnie, Gochman, and Dugas Win Jumper Championships
Competition on Saturday afternoon featured the $15,000 High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic, with 24 riders competing for the blue ribbon as well as the division championship title. Virginia Bonnie of San Francisco, California, and Nina Bonnie’s Efodea claimed the championship title with a first and two third place finishes. Vanessa Hood of Wellington, Florida, rode Take Two LLC’s Santauer to the classic win.
Bonnie is currently a senior in high school and manages a busy schedule between school, showing, and foxhunting with her father, who is a master at the Piedmont Hunt. Additionally, the young rider is also a member of the WIHS Junior Committee, which made this championship title even more special.
“This show and the junior committee have taught me so much about how horse shows are run and managed,” commented Bonnie. “I get to see all of the inner workings that you don’t see when you are just coming, riding, and then leaving on Sunday. It’s really been a wonderful experience for me and so much of my learning experience has come from this show. Being able to win champion here with the top junior jumpers in the country is unreal. I am a little bit in disbelief.”
Watch How They Won
Click to Watch Vanessa Hood and Santauer
Mimi Gochman continued her success to the jumper ring on Saturday when the rider took home the top prize in the $7,500 Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Classic as well as the division championship with Gochman Sport Horse LLC’s Codi BH.
Gochman, of New York, New York, and Codi BH were one of five horse-and-rider combinations that returned for the jump-off in the classic. The duo navigated the technical course with ease and finished with the winning time of 34.211 seconds.
The pair’s partnership began last year at TIEC when Gochman tried Codi BH for the first time. The nine-year-old Holsteiner mare by Casall was previously shown by one of Gochman’s trainers, Amanda Derbyshire, who thought that the pair would be a good match.
The final class of the Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper division took place on Saturday with the crowning of the division champion. Caroline Michele Dugas of Birmingham, Alabama, rode her own Skyfall to the championship title. For this achievement, Dugas was presented with The Foxbrook Perpetual Trophy donated by Joy Slater in honor of Space Citation. Sydney Myers of Plantation, Florida, piloted Myers Equestrian LLC’s Skara Glen’s Signature to the win in the $7,500 Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic.
Dugas and Skyfall won a class earlier in the week and then secured the tricolor ribbon with a second-place finish in the classic with a time of 35.739, which was less than a second behind the winner.
The 20-year-old rider has been developing her relationship with Skyfall for the past six years. Although the gelding was not initially what Dugas was expecting when she was looking for a horse, the match ended up being perfect.
Watch How They Won
Mimi Gochman and Codi BH – Click to Watch
Sydney Myers and Skara Glen’s Signature – Click to Watch
In Front of The Lens
Photos by Alden Corrigan
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