Washington, D.C. – The 2016 Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) hosted its first day of jumper competition at Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday with a win for Andrew Kocher (USA) aboard Uppie des Lis in the feature $10,000 International Jumper speed class.
WIHS continues through Sunday, October 30, featuring hunter, jumper, and equitation highlights. The entire competition at WIHS is live streamed, so don’t miss a minute – go to www.wihs.org to watch!
Andrew Kocher and Uppie de Lis. PC: Shawn McMillen
Ireland’s Alan Wade is the course designer for jumper competition at WIHS this week. He opened the week with 45 starters in the $10,000 international speed class and 21 clear rounds. Kocher and Uppie des Lis, a 15-year-old NRPS gelding (Andiamo x Landsieger) owned by BTS Entertainment and Sales, clocked the winning round in 50.20 seconds. Shane Sweetnam (IRL) and Main Road, owned by Sweet Oak Farm and Seabrook LLC, finished second in 50.26 seconds. Catherine Tyree (USA) and Mary and Joseph Tyree’s Enjoy Louis finished third in 51.30 seconds.
Shane Sweetnam and Main Road. PC: Shawn McMillen
Wednesday’s class marked Kocher’s first win at WIHS. He has shown at the competition in the junior jumpers and hunters, as well as jumping in the Puissance class twice, but explained that he never did the bigger open classes. This week he came to WIHS to jump Saturday’s $130,000 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Washington, presented by Events DC, as he hopes to qualify for the Longines FEI World Cup Finals in March with Uppie de Lis.
“He is my most consistent horse, and I came to do the World Cup class, so I’m excited,” Kocher detailed. “I have been resting him for three or four weeks now just to have him fresh for this, and then we’ll go to Kentucky. He jumped really nice in Omaha in the spring, which is a ring like this. He is actually good in every ring. He is a very solid horse. 
Andrew Kocher and Uppie de Lis in their winning presentation. PC: Shawn McMillen
“He has a little bit of a choppy stride, so he is good at adding one in here or there,” Kocher continued. “I’m better off to add a stride and make a short turn than leave one out and gallop around. Today, my plan was just to go as fast as I can and not knock anything down. I used to just try to win every class on him, and then I just tried to aim him for bigger classes and he jumped less clear rounds that way, so I’m just going to try to win every class on him again no matter what the table (format) is.”
In addition to Uppie de Lis, Kocher has a young mare named Ciana that will jump in the speed class on Saturday, as well as a mare named C’Havinia that will jump Friday night’s Puissance. She recently tied for first place in the $50,000 Puissance at the Central Park Horse Show, so Kocher hopes that the experience will help their attempt at the wall this week. Uppie de Lis will jump again tomorrow and then rest for Saturday night’s big event.
It was a good night for up and comers like Catherine Tyree and Amanda Derbyshire who were going for broke, and a less smooth night for the veterans. Mclain Ward was eliminated on HH Carlos Z when the gelding showed no interest in jumping a bright flowery oxer in a tight corner, refusing the fence twice. Kent Farrington took a tumble off of the dutch warmblood mare Zafira when she got too deep to a fence in the middle of the ring and slammed on the brakes. Kent popped over her shoulder into the poles and nearly managed to get his leg back over her, but ultimately landed gracefully on his feet.
Kent also had a bit of a schooling round on his extremely talented young prospect Creedance, who looked to still be adjusting to the indoor atmosphere and the pair ultimately walked away with 13 faults but a good training experience. Beezie Madden’s mounts for the weekend, Quister and Vanilla both went clear with a time fault each to end up in the middle of the pack.
Tonight’s big event features a crowd favorite in the $20,000 Gambler’s Choice Costume Class, which includes entries from Andrew Kocher, Lauren Hough, Alison Firestone Robitaille, Jessica Springsteen and David Will.
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Final Results: $10,000 International Jumper Time First Round
Placing Number Horse Rider Faults Time
Color Age Gender Breed Sire Dam Sire Owner
- 0072 Uppie de Lis Andrew Kocher USA 0 penalties 50.20 sec
bay / 15y. / G / NRPS / Andiamo / Landsieger I / BTS Entertainment & Sales
- 0087 Main Road Shane Sweetnam IRL 0 penalties 50.26 sec
chest / 8y. / G / SWB / Heartbeat / Irco Marco / Sweet Oak Farm & Seabrook LLC
- 0050 Enjoy Louis Catherine Nicole Tyree USA 0 penalties 51.30 sec
bay / 12y. / G / BWP / Coriano / Kannan / Mary & Joseph Tyree
- 0082 Finou Aaron Vale USA 0 penalties 51.31 sec
10y. / G / HANN / For Pleasure / Concetto / Thinks Like A Horse & Donald E Stew
- 0038 Luibanta BH Amanda Derbyshire GBR 0 penalties 52.87 sec
bay / 8y. / M / ISH / Luidam / Abantos / David Gochman
- 0096 Cash Danielle Torano USA 0 penalties 54.60 sec
bay / 9y. / G / KWPN / Quasimodo Z / Heartbreaker / Danielle & Jimmy Torano
- 0059 Dirkie Z Nick Novak USA 0 penalties 56.76 sec
bay / 11y. / G / ZANG / Dutch Capitol / Baloubet du Rouet / Nick Novak
- 0092 Bokai Catherine Nicole Tyree USA 0 penalties 57.00 sec
grey / 10y. / G / KWPN / Mary Tyree
- 0037 Lady Maria BH Amanda Derbyshire GBR 0 penalties 57.33 sec
bay / 10y. / M / HOLST / Cartani / Corrado I / David Gochman
- 0078 Davendy S Jessica Springsteen USA 0 penalties 59.42 sec
bay / 13y. / M / BWP / Kashmir van Schuttershof / Pachat II / Stone Hill Farm
- 0005 Cassinja S Charlie Jacobs USA 0 penalties 60.24 sec
bay / 10y. / M / DSP / Carinjo / Cassini I / CMJ Sporthorse, LLC
- 0049 Nektarina B Christine Mc Crea USA 0 penalties 60.78 sec
bay / 11y. / M / HOLST / Nekton / Lancer II / Candy Tribble