October 2023 Issue

Page 34 October 2023 EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN Racing for Food to benefit the 89 th Pennsylvania Hunt Cup Races November 5, 2023 NSA Timber & Flat Races Pony Races Carriage Parade Boutique Shops Tailgates Party Tents General Admission On-Line Ticket Sales start September 1 For more information, visit pahuntcup.org ©Jim Graham 65 th Washington International Horse Show Planned The 65th annual Washing- ton International Horse Show (WIHS), presented by MARS Equestrian will host riders from across the nation and around the world to The Show Place Arena at Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD, on October 23-29, 2023. As one of the sport’s most time-honored, competitive, and entertaining events, WIHS will offer nearly one million dollars in total prize money to the best hunter, jumper, equitation, and pony riders com- peting for coveted year-end titles throughout the week. Competitor Experience The Show Place Arena will be fully decked out to serve as the backdrop for the exciting week of competition, including several new classes. Enhancements for 2023 include top footing installed to ensure a high-quality surface and multiple warm-up arenas to allow plenty of space for prepa- ration. In addition to the always impressive professional divi- sions such as the High Perfor- mance and Green Hunters, and the hotly contested Amateur di- visions, new hunter classes have been added for Junior, Child, and Adult riders. The $10,000 3’3” Junior Hunter division for Small and Large horses is new this year on Thursday and Friday. The WIHS Children’s and Adult Hunter Champi- onships, both presented by MARS Equestrian™, have been expanded to include a $2,500 Welcome Class on Monday and a thrilling $10,000 Final on Tuesday. Jumper riders will also be riding for increased prize money at WIHS 2023. High- lights include the $25,000 High Junior Amateur Jumper Division featuring the Show Jumping Hall of Fame (SJHOF) East Coast Final on Saturday, and the WIHS Children's and Adult Jumper Championships, each of which now includes an increased purse of $12,500 and concludes on Wednesday. The elite WIHS Equitation Finals caps off the show season for top junior riders, who have worked all year to be one of 40 competitors invited to partic- ipate. The hunter phase takes place on Friday, while the jumper phase and final work-off will be featured on Saturday evening in front of a sold-out arena. Qualification WIHS Children’s and Adult Hunter and Jumper competitors must be WIHS members in order for points to count for the WIHS Championships, presented by MARS Equestrian™. WIHS Equitation and Pony Equitation competitors must also be WIHS members in order for points to count for the WIHS Equita- tion Finals and the WIHS Pony Equitation Finals, presented by Huntland. Riders competing at the WIHS Regional Horse Show & USHJA Zone 3 Champion- ship, presented by TTR Sothe- by’s International Realty and the Lowham-Ruzzo Family, in Upperville, VA, on October 19-22, 2023, will also have an opportunity to earn an invitation to WIHS 2023. Winning riders at the WIHS Regional Horse Show can qualify for the WIHS Championships held at WIHS. In addition, after a three-year ab- sence, the WIHS Regional Hunter Finals will once again be held at WIHS on Monday. Complete entry and qual- ification requirements for all divisions are detailed in the prize list. Onsite Amenities The complimentary WIHS Exhibitor Lounge will offer breakfast and lunch daily and will also be open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings for viewing. WIHS VIP Club tables are available for purchase and offer a premium competition viewing experience for your guests, barn mates, family, and friends, with breakfast, lunch, and dinner service, as well as an open bar during the evening sessions. Hospitality and Travel WIHS offers a Hospitality Campus at National Harbor, situated on the banks of the historic Potomac River, just minutes from downtown Wash- ington, D.C. National Harbor is home to an MGM Grand Casino, eight hotels, 160 stores, and 40 restaurants. WIHS has exclusive dis- counted rates at the Gaylord National Hotel & Convention Center for exhibitors. This dis- counted rate is limited. Call (301) 965-4000 to book your rooms and reference Washington Horse Show. For more information about WIHS, visit wihs.org , join WIHS on Facebook, Instagram, Tik- Tok, and YouTube. Tag using #WIHS2023, #FEIWorldCup, and #Longines