Washington, D.C. - October 21, 2009 - The 2009 Washington International
Horse Show continued today with the best horses and riders in the
country competing in jumper championships. There were three jumper
classes in total, and the first class victory went to Spencer Smith and
Markies in the $10,000 Children's Jumper Championship. Alissa Kinsey
guided Grisset to first place in the $10,000 Adult Jumper Championship.
Opening up the Amateur-Owner Jumper competition, Susan Knoblauch and
Carneval won the $2,500 Time First Jump-Off class.

Today was just the beginning of a week full of exciting jumper
competition. The courses are designed by Guilherme Jorge of Brazil. In
the $10,000 Children's Jumper Championship, 13 horse and rider
combinations were clear from the first round to advance to the jump-off.
The early lead was held by Lauren Tyree on Eurocommerce Rome, who was
clear in the jump-off in 28.123 seconds. The lead changed hands when
Rachel Brodsky and Elliot 92 lowered the winning time to 27.671 seconds.

But it was eventually Spencer Smith and Markies, who went second to last
in the jump-off, that would find the winning ride in 25.935 seconds. For
their win, they were awarded the H. Fenwick kollock Memorial Perpetual
Trophy, donated by Friends of Fen.

Smith and Markies, a 24-year-old veteran show jumper, were quick in the
jump-off and left out strides where possible. Twelve-year-old Smith of
Wellington, FL, trains with his parents, Emily and Ken Smith. He has
been riding Markies for two years and said that the seasoned horse has
taught him everything he knows about the jumpers.

"He is different. He switches his leads a lot and swaps a lot, but he is
really good. At first I didn't like him, but now I do a lot," Smith said
of Markies. "He has taught me speed, and he taught me how to ride really."

"I love going fast and I like the bigger jumps," he continued. "I think
I made up time at (fence) nine, that turn back to the oxer."

This was Smith's first time competing at the WIHS and he said of his
win, "This is probably one of the best that we have done together."

The last proved to be the best in the $10,000 Adult Jumper Championship.
Alissa Kinsey of Ft. Myers, FL, and her 12-year-old Hanoverian mare
Grisset (left) scorched the jump-off course with a clear round and
winning time of 24.709 seconds over 26 other competitors in the class.
They were chasing another fast time set by Kenzie Donovan and Max (last
year's Championship winners), who finished in 25.369 seconds. Donovan
was the early leader and finished third with her horse Oyster, who
crossed the timers in 25.501 seconds.

Kinsey and Grisset were awarded the Dorothy Foote "Goodie" Taylor
Memorial Perpetual Trophy, donated by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ashton Hill
and Miss Linden Joan Hill.

Grisset has had a very successful year, including a Winter Equestrian
Festival circuit championship, and multiple wins at the Vermont Summer
Festival, Showplace Spring Spectacular, and the Devon Horse Show. After
an uncharacteristic rail last week at the Pennsylvania National Horse
Show, Kinsey was a little worried going into tonight's class, which led
to a careful first round. In the jump-off however, she knew that she
could go for the time and not worry about her horse.

"I was paranoid because of the rail at Harrisburg because that is not
like her, so I was just worried that for some reason the indoor was
bothering her. It never has before, so I just kind of was extra careful.
It wasn't that smooth, the course overall was nice, but the way I rode
it wasn't what I would have liked it to be normally, but I got it done,"
Kinsey said of her first round.Carneval and Susan Knoblauch

Of the jump-off, she described, "Then the jump-off was perfect for her.
Whenever there is an option to leave strides out, that is where she can
make up for it. She is good turning, but she is better running, and this
course had the two long gallops for her and that was good. I ran so much
I screwed up two distances, and I was really lucky. I think she paid me
back for the rail at Harrisburg."

This was only Kinsey's and Grisset's second horse show indoors, and
Kinsey was very happy to end her year on a high note. "I think it just
kind of makes me happy that she's done for the year, and she still did
her job until the very, very end," Kinsey remarked. "I am happy that she
stayed consistent and happy and still likes her job."

The final class of the day was the first class of the competition for
the Amateur-Owner Jumpers. Twelve entries went to post, but only two
found a way clear to the jump-off. Both had trouble in the jump-off
round, but the win went to Susan Knoblauch of Huntersville, NC, on
Carneval (right), who finished with 11 faults in 48.028 seconds. Clara
Lindner and Seraldo were second with 12 faults in 40.470 seconds. The
fastest four-faulter from the first round was Lillian Hahn on Lucky One,
who had a time of 57.023 seconds.

Knoblauch and Carneval won the "Footloose" Perpetual Trophy in
remembrance of Ruth Ellen Wilmot and donated by The Curtin Family in
honor of the 1990 winner "Footloose," ridden by Caroline Curtin.

The 2009 Washington International Horse Show continues tomorrow with the
next class in the Amateur-Owner Jumper division, the Time First Round
"speed class." It is followed by the first class for the junior jumpers
and the first half of the class for the Open Jumpers, which features six
Olympians in its roster. The evening session will begin at 7 p.m. with a
special color guard presentation and will feature the second half of the
class for Open Jumpers, followed by a special exhibition by Caroline
Williams, terrier races, and a dressage exhibition by Olympic rider
Ashley Holzer. The night finishes with the Open Jumper Gambler's Choice
class.

For more information and full results, please visit www.wihs.org

Final Results: $10,000 WIHS Children's Jumper Championship
T/A: 63.00 T/A: 36.00
1 641 Markies Spencer Smith 0.00 54.427 0.00 25.935
Ashland Farms
2 220 Elliot 92 Rachel Brodsky 0.00 54.990 0.00 27.671
Rachel Brodsky
3 435 Eurocommerce Rome Lauren Tyree 0.00 58.190 0.00 28.123
Chloe Wormser
4 454 Kiwi Elaina Plott 0.00 60.687 0.00 28.407
Elaina Plott
5 161 Westley Rachel Horowitz 0.00 55.723 0.00 28.981
Rachel Horowitz
6 526 Vorst Alexa Adelson 0.00 56.980 0.00 29.075
Starbit Partners
7 778 Queen Of Hearts Chloe Reid 0.00 60.516 0.00 32.674
Chloe Reid Llc
8 724 Rebound Barbara Ruziska 0.00 54.265 4.00 26.084
M/M Lance Williamson
9 386 Ibizia De Malle Lucille Oken 0.00 54.253 4.00 26.867
Alise Oken
10 579 Fairplay Alex Vespico 0.00 57.965 4.00 27.419
Alex Vespico
11 348 Kabaret De Cer Jenna Friedman 0.00 58.073 4.00 27.773
Jenna Friedman
12 318 Words Of Wisdom Ashley Foster 0.00 60.603 4.00 29.275
Centennial Farm

Final Results: $10,000 WIHS Adult Jumper Championship
T/A: 63.00 T/A: 36.00
1 451 Grisset Alissa Kinsey 0.00 55.546 0.00 24.709
Alissa Kinsey
2 737 Max Kenzie Donovan 0.00 61.255 0.00 25.369
Kenzie Donovan
3 738 Oyster Kenzie Donovan 0.00 61.756 0.00 25.501
Kenzie Donovan
4 584 Undercover Meghan Abbott 0.00 56.243 0.00 26.151
Meghan Abbott
5 471 Playboy Mary Loeber 0.00 59.872 0.00 26.387
Mary Loeber
6 771 Tucker's Town Kathryn Fogarty 0.00 54.985 0.00 26.683
Kathryn Fogarty
7 549 Jewel's Idaim Christina Mangano 0.00 56.686 0.00 26.874
Christina Mangano & Class
8 433 Pasific Sun Sarah Kirson 0.00 59.242 0.00 27.288
Salima Witt
9 470 Cantinero Mary Loeber 0.00 60.744 0.00 28.264
Mary Loeber
10 436 Micenas Sarah Kirson 0.00 62.090 0.00 29.460
Norgan
11 449 Palermo Park Ahmed Alali 0.00 55.623 4.00 25.980
Aaa Equestrain Llc
12 293 Massai Rouge Kathleen Weatherall 0.00 58.138 4.00 28.016
Maureen Weatherall

Final Results: $2,500 Amateur-Owner Jumper TFJO
T/A: 67.00 T/A: 42.00
1 768 Carneval Susan Knoblauch 0.00 60.944 11.00 48.028
Susan Knoblauch
2 748 Seraldo Clara Lindner 0.00 60.989 12.00 40.470
All Seasons Farm
3 572 Lucky One Lillian Hahn 4.00 57.023
Lillian Hahn
4 744 Quriel Clara Lindner 8.00 58.828
All Seasons Farm
5 827 Condor Joelle Froese 8.00 60.387
Joelle Froese
6 547 Astro Z Benjamin Simpkins 8.00 64.937
Benjamin Simpkins
7 20 Chiron S Paige Johnson 12.00 59.915
Salamander Farm
8 822 Devito Erin Stewart 12.00 64.462
Erin Stewart
9 576 U2 Marley Goodman Ret.
Turtle Lane Farm & Marley

ARTICLE WRITTEN FOR WIHS BY JENNIFER WOOD.
PHOTOS BY DIANA DE ROSA