Washington, DC – October 27, 2016 – The Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) $2,500 Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper speed class, sponsored by The Strauss Family, was held on Thursday afternoon at the Verizon Center with a one-two finish for 17-year-old Isabel Ryan of Locust Valley, NY. Ryan rode Heritage Farm, Inc.’s Levistano 2 to victory and finished second riding her own Abilitydance.
Twenty-two entries started over Alan Wade’s (IRL) one-round speed course, which saw eight clear trips. Ryan and Levistano 2 cleared the course in 48.52 seconds. Abilitydance stopped the clock in 49.21 seconds, and Quinn Larimer and Nestledown Equine Services LLC’s Bronson CR finished the track in 49.40 seconds to place third.
Isabel Ryan and Levistano 2
For the win, Ryan was awarded the Beagle Brook Farm Perpetual Trophy. This was her first time winning at WIHS since riding ponies, and her first trip back to the show in three years. In 2014, she started riding with Andre Dignelli at Heritage Farm and just started doing the jumpers last year.
“It was a good return (to WIHS),” Ryan admitted. “My horses were so good. I was really happy because Billy (Abilitydance) is younger, and he was perfect. He really listened to me, which I was worried about. Levi (Levistano 2) was amazing. He was fast, but I was able to get him back really easily, and that was the goal going in. They were both amazing.”
Ryan first started showing Levistano 2 in the jumpers last year and learned quickly with an experienced partner in the 14-year-old Holsteiner gelding (by Levisto). Abilitydance is a newer partnership, but the 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (by Orame) has also given the young rider great experience.
“I’m fairly new to the jumpers, and I first got Levi because he is older and very experienced,” Ryan detailed. “He was my first real jumper. I started with him at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) this year in the Low Junior Jumpers and then I slowly moved up. Billy was actually my equitation horse last year and then we switched him to the jumpers in week two of WEF this year. He has been getting used to this job, and he was amazing.”
Bridget Love Meehan of WIHS and ringmaster John Franzreb join Isabel Ryan and Levistano 2 in their presentation.
It was a different experience competing on a horse in the jumpers compared to Ryan’s last experience at WIHS on ponies, but her horses gave her two great rounds.
“It was a little nerve-wracking, especially because the last time I was here I was jumping 2’3”, so that was a big difference,” Ryan acknowledged. “It was really nice to have Levi because I have a lot of confidence in him, and I knew that even if it wasn’t the most competitive round, at least he was going to help me have a nice, good experience at Washington. With Billy, my main goal was just to have a nice round and be clean because this is a big step up from anything that he has done before, so it was a great experience showing here.”
WIHS was Ryan’s last show before heading down to the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL, for the winter show season. She is a senior in high school and recently submitted applications to colleges. She plans to continue riding as much as possible.
Eve Jobs and Sandor de la Pomme
The $5,000 High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper speed class, sponsored by Staysail Farm, was held during the evening session with a win for 18-year-old Eve Jobs of Palo Alto, CA, riding her own Sandor de la Pomme. The pair was awarded The “Footloose” Perpetual Trophy in remembrance of Ruth Ellen Wilmot, donated by The Curtin Family in honor of 1990 winner “Footloose.”
Twenty-four entries showed in the speed competition with just eight clear rounds. Katherine Strauss and All In led with a time of 52.88 seconds, but were pushed to second place in the end as Jobs crossed the finish line in a time of 50.16 seconds. Alexandra Pielet and Co-Pielet LLC’s Helene Ve finished third in 54.62 seconds.
Jobs was competing at the Washington International Horse Show for the first time on Thursday and had great confidence in her mount, a 14-year-old Belgian Sport Horse gelding (Vigo d’Arsouilles x Darco) that she has ridden for two years. The pair also won the Junior Jumper Championship at the Devon Horse Show earlier in the year. Jobs has trained with Missy Clark and John Brennan at North Run in Warren, VT, for the last six years and will take a gap year to continue her riding in 2017 before heading to college at UCLA in September. For now, the rider will enjoy a hard-won victory in the challenging competition on Thursday.
“These are my really good friends, and I know that a lot of them are very fast riders. I did not get to watch much, so I was a little intimated walking in there of course,” Jobs admitted. “I think because my horse had such a big stride I was able to do the nine strides down the second to last line, and then the six coming home, which I don’t think many people did. That is probably where I picked up the most time.”
Speaking further of her mount, Jobs smiled, “This horse is so special. Everything that I have done has been because of this horse. He has taught me an exponential amount. He is truly one of the best horses I have ever ridden.”
Eve Jobs in her winning presentation with ringmaster John Franzreb and Bridget Love Meehan of WIHS.
Jobs’ main goal this year was to compete in the major equitation finals, and she will also show in the WIHS Equitation Finals this week, starting with the hunter phase on Friday. She then heads to the CP National Horse Show in Kentucky to conclude the season. She will begin competing as an amateur at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL, starting in January.
Commenting on her first experience at WIHS, Jobs stated, “All of the horses were wonderful. I think the show is a lot of fun. I think the atmosphere is unlike anything I have ever been to. It is a small ring, but the track rode really nice, and I am very happy with my first day.”
The Washington International Horse Show continues on Friday with the championships for the Junior Hunter divisions as well as the hunter phase of the WIHS Equitation Finals. The Low and High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers will have jump-off classes in the afternoon session. The evening session begins with a $50,000 International Jumper Speed Final, followed by the $25,000 International Jumper Puissance, presented by The Boeing Company. For full results, visit www.wihs.org.
Final Results: $5,000 High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper speed class, sponsored by Staysail Farm
Placing Number Horse Rider Faults Time
Color Age Breed Sire Owner
- 0790 Sandor de la Pomme Eve Jobs 0 penalties 50.161 sec
chest / 14y. / BWP / Vigo D’Arsouilles / Eve Jobs
- 0354 All In Katherine Strauss 0 penalties 52.886 sec
brown / 11y. / KWPN / Aachen / Katherine Strauss, LLC
- 0198 Helene Ve Alexandra Pielet 0 penalties 54.628 sec
bay / 9y. / BWP / Diamant De Semilly / Co-Pielet, LLC
- 0786 Romie Kendra Gierkink 0 penalties 55.382 sec
grey / 11y. / SF / Airborne Montecillo / Kadley Holdings LLC
- 0810 Wallenberg Sophie Michaels 0 penalties 57.675 sec
grey / 13y. / HANN / Stakkato / Serenity Equestrian Ventures
- 0801 Great White Daisy Farish 0 penalties 57.788 sec
grey / 8y. / HOLST / Cumano / Daisy Farish
- 0688 Feeling Jordyn Rose Freedman 0 penalties 58.747 sec
brown / 11y. / HOLST / For Pleasure / Tammy Marek
- 0102 Wilhelmus S Samantha Cohen 0 penalties 60.893 sec
chest / 13y. / KWPN / Emilion / Freedom Group
- 0269 Tosca Du Feugre Lauren Fischer 4 penalties 51.677 sec
chest / 9y. / SF / Calvaro / Cheryl Fischer
- 0672 Hamlet Lucy Deslauriers 4 penalties 53.362 sec
grey / 9y. / BWP / Cicero / Lisa Deslauriers
Final Results: $2,500 Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper speed class, sponsored by The Strauss Family
Placing Number Horse Rider Faults Time
Color Age Breed Sire Owner
1. 0814 Levistano 2 Isabel Ryan 0 penalties 48.521 sec
bay / 14y. / HOLST / Levisto / Heritage Farm, Inc.
- 0813 Abilitydance Isabel Ryan 0 penalties 49.217 sec
brown / 11y. / KWPN / Orame / Isabel Ryan
- 0390 Bronson Cr Quinn Larimer 0 penalties 49.409 sec
chest / 10y. / KWPN / VDL Navarone / Nestledown Equine Services, LLC
- 0582 Lundback T Hastak Abbey Soffer 0 penalties 52.929 sec
bay / 12y. / SWB / Dirco Hastak / Abbey Soffer
- 0808 Darero Sophie Michaels 0 penalties 54.661 sec
bay / 8y. / KWPN / Ginus / Sweet Oak Farm
- 0252 Lothario Julie Roberts 0 penalties 54.902 sec
bay / 9y. / ISH / VDL Douglas / Julie Roberts
- 0474 Sofia Car Nikki Prokopchak 0 penalties 57.654 sec
bay / 10y. / OLDBG / Galiani Car / Nikki Prokopchak
- 0127 VDL Endorado Ryal K Amanda Seale 0 penalties 58.791 sec
grey / 7y. / KWPN / VDL Indorado / Seale Horses, LLC