The
CAPITAL CHALLENGE HORSE SHOW Surviving and Thriving During the Pandemic
By Katherine O. Rizzo Imagine 10 days during which riders from all
over the country descend on Maryland, fl ood- ing the economy with a staggering $25 million worth of economic impact. From booked hotels and packed restaurants to supplies purchased from local vendors, the Capital Challenge Horse Show provides Maryland with a signifi - cant annual economic boost as well as provid- ing the Hunter/Jumper world with the biggest horse show on the fall East Coast calendar. In 2019, the show hosted 736 riders represent- ing 49 states for a total of 1,133 entries. Over the course of the show, 43 division champions were crowned as well as 15 Grand Champions. Fifteen Leading Rider awards were handed out along with four National Medal Finals and 10 World Champion Hunter Rider National Champions. T e 2019 show held an impressive 4,096 jump rounds. In 2020, the Capital Challenge Horse Show
was forced to move from its traditional home at the Prince George’s Equestrian Center to Ohio due to Prince George’s County COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. But this year, it is back at PGEC and is bigger than ever.
In the Beginning… T e Capital Challenge Horse Show was the
brainchild of then show managers Oliver Ken- nedy and Billy Glass. “We had a show up at the Columbia Horse Center but it wasn’t doing all that great,” Kennedy remarked. “T e barn could do better making money from lessons so we were looking for a place to move the show.” Right around the same time, Kennedy, a
Maryland-native, got wind of a new equestrian center being built in Prince George’s County. “We immediately contacted them and held our fi rst show there in December 1993,” Kennedy said. T at fi rst show was also the fi rst event ever held at the newly constructed Prince George’s Equestrian Center (PGEC). T e following year, the show was shifted to
September with the intent of being a preview competition for the fall indoor circuit and was run over six days. “We thought we would just be a good prep for the fall indoors, but now we are the biggest show on the fall circuit,” Kennedy added. Over the years, the show has grown and is
currently run over 10 days with Kennedy as the sole show manager. Twenty-eight years later, this year’s show runs October 1-10 and is shap-
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ing up to be a big one. “We have the biggest wait list we have ever had,” said Kennedy. “We currently have over 1,600 entries and will prob- ably run about 1,400.”
All About the Riders With over 700 riders from all over the coun-
try competing each year, the competition at this show tends to be fi erce. “We always have amaz- ing competition,” Kennedy remarked, adding, “Riders say it’s the hardest show in the country to win at because of the level of competition. Scoring an 84 somewhere else often gets you the win but at our show, that might only be sev- enth place because of the level of competition.” Riders such as Carleton Brooks of Balmoral
Farm in West Los Angeles, CA, have high re- gard for Capital Challenge, returning year after year with several horses and clients. Brooks, who is also a coach, clinician, trainer and rated judge, said, “it is the prestige of competing there that brings us back each year. T e best of the best are there with the top [riders] fi ghting it out.” Brooks typically brings 10-15 horses from for
California the East Coast competition
circuit, with Capital Challenge being the fi rst stop. “I like to think of it as the ‘Triple Crown’ of show hunters with Capital Challenge, Har- risburg, and Washington International,” he said. T is year however, Brooks is skipping the Washington International Horse Show and heading to Kentucky instead after the Pennsyl- vania Horse Show. “We love Washington when it’s in D.C.... there is nothing like competing in the city like that... but we are going to Ken- tucky instead of Tryon this year.” Brooks added that competing in the indoor at PGEC is important to his training methods for its “coliseum feel.” He explained, “T e coliseum setting is really important for the industry as we are losing a lot of great indoors like that.”
Pandemic Pandemonium While most of the country had shut down
early in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was looking like the Capital Challenge Horse Show could be held at PGEC in the Fall, under COVID-19 safety guidelines. T en on August 17, 2020, the show organizers announced that it would be moved to the World Equestrian Center in Ohio due to “Prince George’s Coun- ty Parks Department’s tightened regulations surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and its
continued...
“It is the prestige of competing there that brings us back each year,” said California rider/trainer/judge Carleton Brooks, pictured here competing Striking at an early Capital Challenge Horse Show.
Top riders from all over the country have competed at the Capital Challenge Horse Show, including U.S. Olympic Medalist Joe Fargis, shown here competing in 2000.
“Just pulling off the show last year [during the pandemic] was a huge feat,” said show manager Oliver Kennedy, pictured here ringside in 2002.
THE EQUIERY YOUR MARYLAND HORSE COUNCIL PUBLICATION | OCTOBER 2021 | 23
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