Swail Makes Speed Count at 2024 WIHS

The 2024 Washington International Horse Show (WIHS), presented by MARS Equestrian™ had a full day of competition on Friday, October 25, from junior hunters and equitation to five-star show jumping.

Swail Makes Speed Count at 2024 WIHS

The highlight class of Friday’s schedule was the $63,000 FEI Speed Final, and it came down to one of the last entries in the class to show the fastest track over the course set by Nick Granat (USA). Conor Swail and his veteran campaigner Count Me In, owned by Mannon Farm and Sandy Lupton, squeaked into the winner’s spot with a time of 61.24 seconds, less than two-tenths of a second faster than McLain Ward (USA) and First Lady, owned by Robin Cleary Parsky, who recorded a time of 61.40 seconds. Simon McCarthy (IRL) and Narcotique v/h Dingeshof, owned by Ilan Ferder, had the fastest time of the night, but with one rail down converted to three extra seconds, they finished third in a total time of 62.23 seconds.

“I was lucky enough I was able to see most of the riders,” explained Swail. “I saw McLain and Simon going, and I thought Laura actually had a great round early on. I was very lucky I rode ‘Crosby’ today. He's very careful and a serial winner, so it's very nice to know that if I give him a good opportunity to do everything right, he normally repays me.”

Swail has been riding Crosby, a Hanoverian gelding by Count Grannus x Sherlock Holmes, for more than three years, and the pair has won 26 FEI classes together. Along with Crosby at WIHS, Swail also has Vital Chance de la Roque, aka “Vinny.”

“They are kind of my two old timers; one is 17 and the other is 15, so they are getting to the twilight of their career, but they are still competing at a very high level for me,” said Swail, who won the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Washington CSI5*-W in 2022 with Crosby. “They are all healthy and jumping very well for me, so I’m enjoying life at the moment.”

Swail noted that WIHS is on his calendar every year, thanks to the fantastic prize money and the opportunity to earn World Cup qualifying points. “If you win here, you deserve it,” he remarked. “It's nice we have a good group of riders here, a lot of top riders. It's always nice to compete against the best.”

WIHS donated $25,000 to its military partner, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, thanks to clear rounds over the TAPS jump.

Winning Is In The Air

In a new class added to the FEI division for international jumpers at WIHS, the $32,000 Two Phase presented by Nissan of Bowie hosted 21 entries in a format that brings speed into the equation halfway through the course. Finding the clear ride in the fastest second-half time was Jessica Mendoza (GBR) on her own In the Air, who sped through in 32.32 seconds. Just behind them in 32.79 seconds were Jordan Coyle (IRL) and King Kannan GP, owned by Elan Farm. Carly Anthony (USA) and Jet Blue, owned by Portfolio Horses LLC, finished third with a time of 32.47 seconds.

“The two phase actually worked in my favor today because I rode her in the costume class yesterday,” said Mendoza, who placed third in the Accumulator class. “She went fast, so it was nice to get the first seven or eight jumps just getting her back and not rushing. Then getting to do the last few jumps fast is always fun with her.”

Mendoza found “Fly,” an 11-year-old KWPN mare by Air Jordan x Indoctro, in Holland and ended up also purchasing her half brother out of the same dam from their breeder. “She's incredible,” said Mendoza, who is competing at WIHS for the first time. “She's so athletic; she's like a little cat when she jumps. She's been great because I can use her for all of the speed classes, and she can be used for a big class. She's very useful to me and so careful and wonderful.”

Liberty Road Finds the Path to a Grand Championship

Molly Gfroerer of Buffalo, NY, and Liberty Road took the top path to the Grand Junior 3’3” Hunter Championship following the division tricolor in the Large Junior Hunter 3’3”. They won two over fences classes, were fifth in the handy class, and third under saddle.

“We just started showing together in Florida, and he’s amazing,” said Gfroerer of her partner affectionately known as “Poppy.”

The partnership was a fruition of fate as the Buffalo Therapeutic Rider Center’s 14-year-old Holsteiner gelding originally came into her barn as a donation to the therapeutic riding program.

“He was actually originally donated to our farm, but then he went on lease and as soon as he came available, he was the obvious next step for me,” she explained. “He has truly made all of my dreams come true.

“This is my first season doing indoors, and I just came to these shows wanting to leave with a ribbon, so leaving with champion and grand champion is unreal. I can’t thank my horse enough,” she added.

Babylon Has a Grand Repeat

A triple blue performance on Thursday and Friday granted the Small Junior Hunter 16-17 championship, Grand Junior Hunter 3’6” Championship, and the Overall Grand Champion Junior Hunter title to Paige Walkenbach of Paradise Valley, AZ, and Babylon.

Babylon repeated his grand championship performance from 2023, when he stood in the winner’s circle with previous owner Ariana Marnell.

“This is actually the anniversary of when I tried him last year,” recalled Walkenbach. “I knew this outcome was definitely possible, but I wasn’t sure what the result would be of course. He’s such a successful horse. You can’t just sit there and look pretty, but I definitely knew I was capable. Everyone has been so supportive and loving.”

Since Walkenbach took over the ride on the nine-year-old Oldenburg gelding and has dealt with her horse’s fame in the hunter ring as well as his quiet nature in the ring.

“He’s on the lazier side so you definitely have to keep your leg on the whole time, but he has a tell,” she laughed. “He has to poop in the warm-up ring. If he doesn’t, you better keep kicking. Every time he goes poop in the warm-up ring, we clap and we know, ‘Ok, one less thing to worry about off of our shoulders.”

While “Crumbles’s” success relies largely in part on his pre-round bathroom breaks, Walkenbach credits much of her success to the help she receives from trainers Jim Hagman and John French.

“Jim has been helping me for about seven years, and he’s great because he just knows me so well at this point,” she said. “John just started working with me when I got Babylon, and he’s been so helpful as well. It’s so nice to have some different perspectives and telling me what I need on each horse.”

Walkenbach was also the co-winner of the Best Child Rider on a Horse award alongside Elizabeth Rinehart.

Small Junior Hunter 3’3”
Champion: Esperanza, Madison Licata, Madison Licata
Reserve Champion: Juan Carlos, Lily Sonneborn, Andesite Equestrian

Large Junior Hunter 3’3”
Champion: Liberty Road, Molly Gfroerer, Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center
Reserve Champion: Spencer, Lily Sonneborn, Andesite Equestrian

Small Junior Hunter 15 and Under
Champion: Jagerbomb, Violet Tatum, Tatum Equestrian LLC
Reserve Champion: Iladin Du Rouet, Eva Mackenzie, Eva Mackenzie

Small Junior Hunter 16-17
Champion: Babylon, Paige Walkenbach, Walkenbach Equestrian LLC
Reserve Champion: Magic Moment, Kate Hagerty, The Hagerty Family

Large Junior Hunter 15 and Under
Champion: No Secret, Elizabeth Rinehart, Donald Stewart
Reserve Champion: Carlson, Violet Tatum, Archibald Cox

Large Junior Hunter 16-17
Champion: San Pedro 15, Paige Walkenbach, Walkenbach Equestrian LLC
Reserve Champion: Kapatero, Kate Hagerty, The Hagerty Family

Georgetown High Score Junior Hunter Owner/Rider
Kapatero, Kate Hagerty, The Hagerty Family

Kosloske Takes First Junior/Amateur Jumper Title

Jole Kosloske of Tampa, FL, and Crystal Claire, a nine-year-old Swedish Warmblood mare by Crystallo 1, won the tricolor in the 1.20/1.25m Junior/Amateur Jumpers. The 17-year-old rider trains with Jimmy Torano. The pair was fifth in the opening class on Wednesday and won the speed class on Thursday. In the $10,000 1.25m Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic, they placed second with a double-clear performance and a time of 31.776 seconds in the jump-off. The top placings gave them the division championship.

Kosloske started riding “Claire” at the beginning of the summer in 2024, and they have forged a partnership quickly. “I’ve learned to really trust her,” she said. “I’m really proud of her.

Describing herself as “a mare person,” Kosloske added, “Once they trust you, you’re locked in with them. I like to do flat work with her. I feel like we really link when we get to be with each other a lot, and she likes seeing me in the stall.”

The winners of the classic, Caroline Signorino and Liberty, were the reserve champions. They won with a time of 31.144 seconds in the jump-off. Third place in the classic went to Claire Mullally and Sonic Boom, owned by Judgment Farms LLC.

The penultimate day of the 2024 WIHS on Saturday, October 26, will host all heights of the Pony Hunter divisions, followed by the $15,000 1.30-1.35m Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic and the $20,000 1.40-1.45m Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic before the top 40 equitation riders take center stage for the WIHS Equitation Finals. The action will culminate in the $340,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Washington CSI5*-W for the President’s Cup, presented by Experience Prince George’s in the evening where 32 of the world's most elite athletes will vie for top honors.