Steege, Kenny, and Haness Capture Impressive Victories at 2024 Capital Challenge Horse Show
October 2, 2024 – Upper Marlboro, MD – In a day full of incredible hunter competition, three names stood apart as winners of major classes on Wednesday, October 2. These impressive victories went to Amanda Steege and Lafitte de Muze, owned by Cheryl Olsten, in the $50,000 World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) Professional Challenge, presented by The Gochman Family and the John R. Ingram Fund; Ryan Kenny riding Outshine, owned by Michael Britt-Leon in the $10,000 WCHR Developing Pro Challenge, presented by the John R. Ingram Fund; and Nick Haness with Odette, owned by John & Stephanie Ingram LLC, in the $25,000 KASK/Vogel Green Hunter 3’ & 3’3” North American Championship, presented by The Wheeler Family.
Lafitte de Muze Is Foot Perfect
Amanda Steege and Lafitte de Muze set a standard in their first year together in 2018 and capped it with victory in the WCHR Professional Challenge. Six years later, they would return to the winner’s circle in the class, more mature and with a bond that is evident every time they are in the spotlight. They set the tone in round one with a leading score of 93.66 and followed it up with 91.16 for a total of 184.82 that surpassed the following field by six points.
Amanda Steege and Lafitte de Muze
David Wilbur piloted Four Aces, owned by Marita Zuraitis, to second place with an 88.41 in round one and a stellar 90.33 in round two for a total of 178.74. Michael Britt-Leon and Private I, owned by Kelly Sims, placed third with scores of 90 and 87 for a 177.
In their seventh year together, Steege is mindful of Lafitte’s career and plans his schedule accordingly.
“We pick certain classes throughout the year that we really aim Lafitte for and try to have him peak at,” she said of the 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding by the great sire Darco and out of Everlychin de la Pomme, a mare that campaigned in the jumpers with Shane Sweetnam and won the Grand Hunter Championship at CCHS in 2013 with Scott Stewart. “Derby Finals was obviously one of them, and this class was one of them. I felt so happy that the plan came together here, and I've really been working with Lafitte. We have this motto of calmly confident – just trying to go out there and pick up the canter and show a little pace without overdoing it and attacking the jumps.
“Now here we are, seven years later, and to win this same class again is very exciting,” she continued. “I think it's remarkable to have a horse like Lafitte for seven years and have him still be so at the top of his game. Every round that I do on him, he tries so hard. He never comes out of his stall and feels like he doesn't want to go to the ring. I just am so thankful to have him for the last seven years, and I'm looking forward to quite a few more.”
Steege noted that Lafitte is “unbelievably intelligent” and “really a ham” who is always up for a photo opp and posing with his prizes. While Steege and Lafitte have an incredible partnership, it’s Steege’s boyfriend, Tim Delovich, who “is so responsible for Lafitte being Lafitte.”
“Lafitte is amazing, but he's an athlete and he's sensitive,” she explained. “Tim is his person and sort of pulled it all together with him. I really do think Lafitte understands this whole thing and that he's really supposed to be showing off when he's out there. He makes us all better.”
Following Capital Challenge, Lafitte de Muze will make his debut appearance at the Washington International Horse Show.
Hesslink and Paisley Park Are Grand
With two firsts and a second over fences along with a win in the under saddle, Paisley Park and Geoffrey Hesslink, riding for Andesite Equestrian, handily took home the Grand Hunter Championship sponsored by Brad Wolf. They won the Performance Hunter 3’6” division championship, and Hesslink praised Paisley Park as “the classic hunter horse.” They were presented with The Janet Polk Read and Margaret Hough Sabbatini Memorial Trophy, donated by The Goguen Family, Tim and Kelly Goguen.
Paisley Park and Geoffrey Hesslink
Hesslink was also named the Leading Hunter Rider sponsored by RGA Architect.
Additional professional hunter awards included:
Grand Champion Conformation Hunter
Sponsored by Snowfield Farm
The Kenneth M. Wheeler Perpetual Trophy donated by BJ Meeks and Pablo Perez
All Inklusive, Ava Berman, Samantha Schaefer
Grand Champion Green Hunter 3’ & 3’3”
Sponsored by David Belford and Christopher Payne, New Hope LLC
“A Rare Diamond” Perpetual Trophy donated by “The Friends of Mickey”
Maverick, Sadie Furr, Michael Britt-Leon
Grand Champion Green Hunter 3’6”
Sponsored by Memorial Park Hunters
Monarchy, Shadowfax Equestrian LLC, Geoffrey Hesslink
Grand Green Hunter Champion
Sponsored by Carleton and Traci Brooks, Balmoral
Colter, Sophie Gochman, Scott Stewart
Six Months a Pro, Kenny Captures Major Title
At 21 years old and with six months of professional riding under his belt, Ryan Kenny of Alpharetta, GA, rode Outshine, owned by his trainer Michael Britt-Leon, to victory in the $10,000 WCHR Developing Pro Challenge presented by the John R. Ingram Fund.
Ryan Kenny and Outshine
The pair showed no signs of their burgeoning partnership in the class, securing scores of 91.33 and 93 for a total victorious score of 184.33, which gave them the win by more than eight points. With a total score of 176 after twin scores of 88, Dottie Barnwell Areson and Moonshine, owned by Hallowell Lane Farm LLC, placed second. Pieter Luyckx and Chief, owned by Stephanie Bulger, were third with a score of 173.16.
In addition to their class win, Ryan and Outshine were presented with the Developing Professional High Point Award sponsored by Maria Rasmussen and Sea Change Farm. The new award is given to the developing professional rider who receives the highest scoring round in a professional division in honor of Jeff Wirthman, which the pair won with an 89.5.
Kenny’s original expectation for the Challenge was to have a good experience in order to aim for victory in the future. After an “incredible first round where he jumped out of his skin,” Kenny scored his first-ever scores in the 90s.
Heading into the second round, Kenny remarked, “I was a nervous wreck because I wasn't planning on actually being able to win this class, but [Outshine] was on fire. He was jumping high, and I just knew that we were going to have another big score. It was extremely fun. That was probably one of my favorite rounds I've ever done.”
Ryan Kenny and Outshine
While nerves remained through both rounds for Kenny, he did note that they keep him “more centered and focused on everything I'm doing. Occasionally, they do get the best of me. However, on ‘Paul,’ I just trust him so much. He's an incredible animal. He never lets me down.”
Kenny began training with Britt-Leon in his last junior year after riding at a local barn in Georgia. “I wanted to further my success in the equitation and junior hunters,” he said. “I was successful with my last six months as a junior, and that success continued into the adult amateurs, where I won the Horse of the Year award.”
Outshine, a 17-year-old Westphalian gelding, was imported by Greg Crolick as a nine- year-old and then had success in the equitation with Alexandra Worthington and Beacon Hill Show Stables. After a career on the West Coast with Archie Cox and Stella Wasserman as well as the Rose family, Britt-Leon purchased the experienced horse in February 2024 for Kenny to ride.
Kenny expressed, “I am so extremely grateful for all of the horses I get rides on. They're such incredible animals, and I'm so thankful that they do what they do for us and to learn from them and to get these experiences.
“It feels so amazing to have reached this goal,” continued Kenny, who observed the WCHR Challenge classes at CCHS every year to learn from the best. “It's something I've always wanted to win since watching it as a little kid. These classes are so important to me, and winning it was definitely a dream come true.”
Odette Is Richly Rewarded
The $25,000 KASK/Vogel 3’ & 3’3” North American Green Hunter Championship presented by The Wheeler Family had 31 entries that qualified through their respective division performances this week. Coming in on top with a first-round score of 91.33, Nick Haness of Temecula, CA, and Odette were able to top that in the second round. The judges rewarded their smooth, precise trip with an average score of 93 for a total of 184.33 and the win.
Nick Haness and Odette
In addition to the victory, Haness finished third with Cannon Beach (176.99), owned by West Coast Equine Partners LLC, fourth on Et Cetera (176.82), owned by Glade Run Farm LLC, eighth riding Kannon Hill (172.99) owned by HLF Equestrian LLC, and tenth on South Coast (168.66), owned by West Coast Equine Partners LLC.
“I’m pretty used to catch riding a lot of horses,” said Haness of his busy afternoon. “Going into this class, every single one of my horses was completely different than the horse before. I had to quickly readjust. I had a horse in this class that it was his first time ever competing and has only been jumping for six months. Riding him is completely different than riding Odette. I’m able to compartmentalize each horse differently and try to separate how each of them likes to go.
“It’s mentally taking a minute – even though I don’t have very many minutes to myself when I’m this busy – and just thinking about what that horse needs for this class and how they like to go,” he continued. “I adjust little things about them to make them go their best.”
Second place went to Scott Stewart riding Balthazar, owned by Rivers Edge. After an 88.33 in the first round, they moved up from third after a strong second-round score of 90.16 and a total of 178.49.
While Haness feels he knows Odette well and they have already had major success, this class was their first time jumping indoors. Odette was unfazed by the atmosphere.
“It’s a lot of pressure for these younger horses. You go in with the mindset that it is what it is, and hopefully you’ve prepared for it,” he explained. “I was calm and relaxed with Odette – and tired – so that made me relax and go in and focus on what she needed. She’s so intuitive and so smart. I was able to glide around the course.”
Haness described the eight-year-old Oldenburg mare by Casallco as having an “exquisite style” with an attitude and brain that improves at every show.
Haness won this class last year with On Call but still remembers when he regularly attended Capital Challenge and watched from the stands. “I was watching these classes and the best riders, trying to study and learn from them,” he recalled. “It’s really nice to be here with a great support system for myself. I have a great team of horses and trainers, and everyone behind me right now has been so amazing. It’s great to be here amongst the best of the best in the country and have such nice horses.”
For their win, Haness and Odette were presented with The Beverly Brooks Solter Memorial Trophy donated by Hilary Scheer Gerhardt and Zan Martin Dillon.
Additional awards included:
EMO Green Hunter 3’ & 3” Trip of the Show
Sponsored by The EMO Agency
Balthazar, Dr. Betsee Parker, Scott Stewart
Banks, Eurasia, Inc., Colin Syquia
EMO Professional Trip of the Show
Sponsored by The EMO Agency
Kenzo, Maher Family LLC, Samantha Schaefer
Derbydown Trip of the Show
Sponsored by Louise Serio
Kenzo, Maher Family LLC, Samantha Schaefer
American Style of Riding Award – Developing Professional Challenge
Sponsored by Bill Rube
Pieter Luyckx
American Style of Riding Award – Professional Challenge
Sponsored by Bill Rube
David Wilbur
Hero Horse Show Award
Sponsored by Bill Rube
J.P. Bordeleau
Tribute Award
Tribute Perpetual Trophy, donated by Scott Stewart and Ken Berkley, Rivers Edge
Autograph, Ceil Wheeler, Hunt Tosh
William “Bill” Ellis Horsemanship Award
Sponsored by Julie Karpan and Dr. Robert and Michelle Barber
Dedicated in memory of Bill Ellis for his exceptional commitment to horsemanship, awarded to the best turned out horse in the Green Hunter 3’ & 3’3” North American Championship
South Coast, West Coast Equestrian LLC, Nick Haness
The 2024 CCHS continues on Thursday, October 3, with grand championships for amateur and adult hunters as well as the $10,000 North American League 1.15m Junior Jumper Final presented by EquiFit and the $10,000 NAL 1.15m Amateur Jumper Final presented by SmartPak.