Upper Marlboro, MD – October 20, 2025 – Opening day at Washington International Horse Show’s Local Weekend set the pace for an exciting weekend of competition at Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD. Riders from the local Washington, D.C. area competed for top honors in hopes of qualifying for the WIHS Local Finals at the Verizon Center. The Washington International Horse Show offers Local Pony Hunter Finals and Local Horse Hunter Finals on Sunday, October 29, 2006.
Today’s highlight was the Gittings Horsemanship Finals, an equitation class held for junior members of the Maryland Horse Shows Association. These junior riders were invited to compete in the finals after qualifying for the event during the 2006 show year, and tonight the young equestrians showed under lights in the Show Place Arena. After an eight o’clock p.m. start time, 29 exhibitors negotiated a course of nine fences that stood 3 feet in height.
The late hour and bright lights added a level of difficulty to the course; however, Lydia Todd of Elizabethville, PA, performed with ease and executed a polished ride with her horse, Good Question. After 29 entries competed, six riders were then asked to return to the arena for a test. The test included hand galloping over specified fences, halting and backing up, and returning to the lineup at the sitting trot. Todd’s brilliant round and beautifully controlled test resulted in a blue ribbon finish.
“I was excited and really nervous about the finals tonight,” admitted fourteen year old Todd after her win. “My horse, Good Question, was good in the indoor arena. He’s usually a little nervous, but today he was great. He was responsive and better inside than I thought he would be,” she revealed. “I rode in the Children’s Hunters earlier today to prepare for this class, and I think that was helpful.”
Other top finishers included: Allison Wherley, who captured second; Caroline Clemens, who finished in third; Jennifer Naylor, the fourth place recipient; fifth place winner Noah Abramson; Lauren Moyer, who took home sixth; and Hannah Williams and Emily Williams, who came away with seventh and eighth places, respectively.
Along with the qualifying classes, WIHS Local Weekend features the USEF Zone 3 Finals and offers Regular “C” rated points for the Maryland and Virginia Horse Show Associations.
Classes held at Prince George’s Equestrian Center, including qualifying classes for the WIHS Local Finals at the Verizon Center, are open to all horses and ponies, regardless of geographical location. Horses who then qualify for the Local Finals must stable within a 100 mile radius of the nation’s capital. WIHS Local Weekend is proudly sponsored by The Tack Box, Inc. from Middleburg, VA.
Local Weekend action continues tomorrow with Small, Medium, and Large Pony Hunters.
For driving directions and more information on the WIHS Local Weekend and Zone 3 Finals, please visit their website at http://www.wihs.org/competitor/local.cfm.
For more information on the Washington International Horse Show, please visit www.wihs.org.
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