Capital Challenge Horse Show Celebrates 20 Years
by Lauren Fisher
T e Capital Challenge Horse Show (CCHS) celebrates 20 years of renowned competition at Prince George’s Equestrian Center this year as many of the nation’s top competitors return to Upper Marlboro in October. Capital Challenge has grown tremendously since its inception and the 20-year milestone is an exciting one for horse show managers Oliver Kennedy and Billy Glass. Working together, the pair has seen their innovative ideas and dedication turn out one of the country’s premier indoor competitions. When Prince George’s
Equestrian Center broke ground in 1993, Kennedy and Glass had a vision to create a top competition that would lead the indoor show season in North America. Kennedy reserved the dates in advance and ran a warm- up show in the brand-new Show Place Arena that December. Kennedy and Glass hosted the fi rst offi cial Capital Challenge Horse Show in October 1994.
A Successful Start
A success right from the start, the Capital Challenge Horse Show has grown immensely over the years. T e show started out as a fi ve- day competition with around 500 horses and has expanded to nine days and over 1,000 horses. T ere is a long wait list of competitors each year who hope to earn a coveted spot to compete.
businesses,
Along with the competitors came many groups and individuals who
supported the show from the beginning. Ariat International, for instance, is the longest- running corporate sponsor of the show. T ey sponsored the grand prix that was held the very fi rst year and this will be their 20th year of sponsorship at the horse show. Capital Challenge is the premier indoor show
because of the support of its many dedicated exhibitors. T ree-time World Champion Hunter Rider (WCHR) champion Peter
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Pletcher was one of the show’s fi rst sponsors and has been a huge supporter for all 20 years. Many of the industry’s best equestrians from across the country jumped on board in the show’s fi rst years as they learned of the exciting plans for this new competition. In the fi rst years of the horse show, the
What: 2013 Capital Challenge Horse Show When: September 28-October 6 Where: Prince George’s Equestrian Center
Show managers Oli- ver Kennedy (pictured) and Billy Glass hosted the fi rst offi cial Capital Challenge Horse Show in October 1994.
community of Upper Marlboro saw a booming economic impact that has continued to grow. Along with the lucky competitors who earn the opportunity to attend the show each year come trainers, owners, grooms, family and friends. Hotel rooms book up fast, local restaurants and businesses get ready for a huge increase in patrons and local vendors prepare to show their wares at the event. Local companies are used for tent and temporary stabling rentals as well as the purchase of fl owers and plants to decorate the rings and show grounds. An economic impact report in the third year of CCHS showed an $11 million boost to the city during the event, which was
only six days at the time and hosted only 725 horses. Kennedy estimates that the fi gure has greatly increased as numbers have grown and days have been added. In 2012, 1,764 room nights were booked at the eight partner hotels of the CCHS through Equestrian Travel. T is number does not even include those who booked hotels on their own or at other nonpartner hotels.
backgrounds in the equestrian business and have years of experience running horse shows, but for them, the success of Capital Challenge has been monumental. T is year will be a celebration of all of the people and horses who have made the show special.
Kennedy and Glass each recently recalled some of their favorite fantastic moments over the years. Kennedy will never forget the moment in 1997 when Rick Fancher and Osczar, owned by Dawn Fogel, made hunter history by scoring the fi rst-ever perfect 100 in a Regular Working Hunter class. “T at was a real standout moment,” Kennedy
“We have so many good quality horses and that is what attracts the people,” said show manager Billy Glass.
remembered. “It was the fi rst time anybody had ever gotten a score of 100. I didn’t even see the round; I saw it later on a video. Billy and I were by the outside ring and all of a sudden everybody came running up the ramp. T en everybody ran back in because that was Rick’s fi rst round and they wanted to see what he scored in the second round.” “Most of my favorite moments tend to spor tsmanship and competition,”
Looking Back & Springing Forward Both Kennedy and Glass have broad
Glass noted. “One of my fondest memories is watching Jack Towell applauding for Scott Stewart after he won over Liza (Towell) Boyd in the Pro Finals. I thoroughly enjoyed that.” “T e whole basis of success for CCHS is the
level of competition and bringing everyone together to compete,” stated Glass. “We host many of the best horses and riders in the industry and we are lucky that we have a great facility to attract them. People come from California, the Midwest, the Southwest, year in and year out. We have the highest level of hunter competition.” “Once we got to 1997 and beyond, people
Longtime Capital Challenge competitor and sponsor Peter Pletcher won the 2012 $25,000 WCHR Professional Challenge with Sambalino.
were looking at it like it was an actual indoor show and embracing it that way,” Glass said of the show’s early development. “We off er the best conditions for the horses. We have a history of extremely high-level competition, so the numbers have taken care of themselves. Winners compete at Capital Challenge. I must
continued... SEPTEMBER 2013 | THE EQUIERY | 41
876961-091309
Isabel J. Kurek
Shawn McMillen Photography
Michelle Bloch
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