Washington, D.C. - October 22, 2009 - The professional hunter divisions
and the Amateur-Owner Hunter divisions wrapped-up their second day of
competition today at the Washington International Horse Show with the
presentation of Grand Championship awards. Scott Stewart and Declaration
led the way, earning the Green Conformation Hunter Championship, and
going on to win the Grand Green Working Hunter Award, as well as the
Grand Champion Hunter Award. After his excellent performance, Stewart
also received the Leading Hunter Rider Award, sponsored by Mr. & Mrs.
Ernest M. Oare.

Stewart, of Wellington, FL swept the over fences classes with
Declaration, owned by Fashion Farms of New York, NY, during the Green
Conformation Hunter division, sponsored by Penelope Ayers and Ravens
Wood Farm. The pair took home the championship prize and The Valiant
Hawk Memorial Challenge Trophy. Shelley Campf and Costar, were
victorious in the under saddle class and earned this year's reserve
championship honors. Stewart's excellent performance with Declaration
won him Grand Green Working Hunter Award and the Grand Champion Hunter
Rave Review Challenge Trophy.

Scott Stewart and Declaration"Declaration has been great all year,"
smiled Stewart (left). "He did the Green Conformation mostly in Florida,
and I did Regular Conformation a few times as well. He does the
four-foot easily, but he's still a bit green at it. The four-foot really
helped him at the three-six and it helped him just get a little mileage."

Stewart's winning streak continued when he was named First Year Green
Working Hunter Champion for his ride aboard Way Cool. The Pryde Family
sponsored the division. Stewart and Way Cool earned two first place
ribbons over fences during yesterday's competition. The reserve
championship prize was presented to John French and Small Affair, owned
by Iwasaki & Reilly of Pacific Palisades, CA, who won today's stakes
class, as well as the under saddle class.

This is the first year that Way Cool has competed at Indoors and Stewart
is very pleased with his performance. "Way Cool was amazing," he
expressed. "Capital Challenge was his first indoor experience and he's
still green. He has an amazing jump and he's really fun to ride."

Stewart bought the seven-year-old gelding five years ago after seeing a
video of him free jumping. "I took my time with him," continued Stewart.
"He was always jumping too high, but now he's leveled out. He has a
great personality, and he's really just matured and grown up."

During the Regular Conformation Hunter division, sponsored by Mrs.
Stephen C. Clark, Jr., it was Maggie Jayne and Francesca, owned by Pony
Lane Farm of Bluffdale, UT, who claimed The Marry Farren Perpetual
Trophy and the championship ribbon after winning three blue ribbons.
Stewart and Declaration scored another tricolor victory by earning the
reserve championship honors.

This is the second Regular Conformation Hunter Championship win for
Jayne and Francesca, who also scored the championship prize at the
Pennsylvania National Horse Show. "It feels great," said Jayne.
"Francesca has been awesome, she's been very relaxed and she hasn't been
spooky at all. She got to go in the ring the first day, and other than
that I've just been hacking her in the schooling ring. She's not at all
spooky and she's been fine."

Hunt Tosh also had an excellent day, claiming two championship ribbons.
He scored a hat trick with Lone Star, owned by Douglas Wheeler of
Keswick, VA, winning the Regular Working Hunter Championship at the
Capital Challenge Horse Show, the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, and
now the Washington International Horse Show. The pair were presented
with The "NOT ALWAYS" Challenge Trophy for their victory. The reserve
championship ribbon was awarded to Jennifer Alfano for her ride aboard
Jersey Boy, owned by SBS Farms Inc., of Buffalo, NY.

"He's fabulous, he really does try every time he walks in the ring,"
commented Tosh. "He walked in there and won the first class yesterday,
which he's done everywhere we've been. Then he came back and won again
and was great for us. It's fun a to have horse like him."

Tosh also won today's Second Year Green Working Hunter Championship with
Rosalynn, owned by Ernest Oare of Warrenton, VA. The Wasserman
Foundation sponsored the division. Tosh and Rosalynn were the winners of
the today's Stake class and had the best trip for the second year in a
row to win The Windy Acres Challenge Trophy. Jack Hammond and Sanmorino,
owned by Ann Lindwall of Duncan, B.C., was the winner of this year's
reserve championship prize.

Rosalynn competed with Tosh as a First Year Hunter, and this year the
pair stepped-up to the Second Year Hunters. "She was great, she tried
really hard in every class and was really good here," he said. "She was
really good here last year as well, so this is a good horse show for her."

Tosh was very proud of how Rosalynn handled the new atmosphere at the
indoor horse show. "She's great about the jumps and she's a quiet
horse," he explained. "She's great about walking into new rings and not
being spooky, so you don't have to worry about that at all."

The Amateur-Owner Hunter divisions competed next, and there was a tie
for the Grand Champion Amateur-Owner Hunter Award. Erin Stewart was the
winner of this year's Amateur-Owner 18-35 Hunter Championship with
Confidential, while Teri Kessler and Pavarotti took home the
Amateur-Owner 36 and Over Hunter Championship. The pair had an equal
number of points for their performances and tied for the Grand
Amateur-Owner Hunter Championship.

Stewart, of Ocala, FL, and Confidential were the winners of the
Amateur-Owner 18-35 Hunter Championship after earning the top ribbon in
the under saddle and today's first over fences class. She was also
awarded the Leading Amateur-Owner Rider Award for her excellent
performance. The reserve championship prize was presented to Jessica Van
Brocklin, of Alexandria, VA, and Second Hand News.

This is the first year that Confidential has competed at the Washington
International Horse Show, and Stewart was concerned that he might be
nervous. "Yesterday I rode him like he was going to be nervous," she
explained. "I kept sitting there waiting for him to pick up and he
didn't. Today he was amazing; he's really fun and pretty easy to ride.
He's sensitive and he wants to do everything right."

Kessler, of Armonk, NY, had the win during Wednesday's stake class and
Tuesday's under saddle with Pavarotti to score the Amateur-Owner 36
and Over Hunter Championship, as well the co-Grand Amateur-Owner Hunter
Championship. Brad Wolf, of Memphis, TN, and Andiamo also performed well
and earned the reserve championship honors.

Last week Kessler and Pavarotti won the Amateur-Owner 36 and Over Hunter
Championship at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, and she could not
be more thrilled with her horse's performance. "I'm walking on air," she
smiled. "I'm really excited, and I think the world of my horse, but
right now I'm a little bit in awe of him."

"He just wanted to jump well," Kessler continued. "I didn't even have to
think about how to help him jump well; he was just trying he hardest and
it seemed like he just wanted to jump well for fun."

Pavarotti went home and got turned out for a day after the Pennsylvania
National Horse Show. Kessler admitted when she came to Washington she
was focused on riding well, because she felt Pavarotti had out performed
her at the last show. "He was wonderful, but there were a couple moments
at Harrisburg where I felt like I had let him down," she said. "He
doesn't want to be ridden badly or half way, and he knows the difference
When I came here I was thinking this time I really want to ride him
well, and that's what really mattered to me."

The Washington International Horse Show is one of Kessler's favorite
shows to attend each year. "The people who run this horse show are so
devoted to it," she expressed. "This is a grass roots horse show because
it reaches people who don't know anything about horses. On Friday and
Saturday night you will see a lot of young kids that come out to see the
horses. My mom took me to a horse show at Madison Square Garden when I
was a little kid and that was the first time I knew I wanted to ride
horses, and I'll be darned if I didn't. I wasn't a farm kid, no one in
my family rode, and this show touches a lot of people like me who
wouldn't see horses otherwise."

For more information about the Washington International Horse please
visit www.wihs.org.

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