Competition on Wednesday, October 23, continued with a full schedule for hunters and jumpers at the 2024 Washington International Horse Show, presented by MARS Equestrian™ at the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, MD. The Amateur-Owner Hunters named two new grand champions in Sophie Gochman with Colter and Caroline Signorino on Sandori. In the evening Katherine Mercer piloted Colina SN, owned by Taylor Landstrom, to the $10,000 WIHS Children’s Jumper Championship, presented by MARS Equestrian, while Kimberly Coyle and her own Dartani were fastest in the $10,000 WIHS Adult Jumper Championship, presented by MARS Equestrian.

Katherine Mercer and Colina SN. Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography

Mercer and Coyle Speed to Jumper Wins at 2024 WIHS

Twenty-two horse-and-rider combinations went to post in the $10,000 WIHS Children’s Jumper Championship, presented by MARS Equestrian over a course designed by Nick Granat. Eight found the key to a clear round and returned for a jump-off. Of those eight, the fastest clear was Katherine Mercer riding Colina SN, who finished in 34.771 seconds. In 2021, Colina SN and owner Landstrom won the same class.

Mercer, of Wellington, FL, has been riding Colina SN, a 14-year-old Warmblood mare, for a year since she first tried Colina a year ago at WIHS. In that time, Mercer said, the horse hasn’t changed but Mercer’s understanding of her has.

“When I got her, I thought she was just disorganized and I couldn’t see a distance,” she explained. “It was not very pretty, but now I understand her, and I understand that I have to calm down so she can calm down and it all just comes together. If you flat her properly then the jumping part is really easy.”

Katherine Mercer and Colina SN in their winning presentation. Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography

Of her win, Mercer said, “It is kind of strange coming back and achieving this because this is actually my first big top three ribbon at this show, and for it to be in one of my first Children’s Jumper Finals ever is pretty amazing. Competing here is really, really cool because when I was younger, I always watched the professionals show here. It’s really amazing to get to do the jumper classes here. I really hoped this would happen but that was kind of a hope; I didn’t think it would actually happen, so it’s honestly kind of surreal that my dreams came true.”

Following behind Mercer in the victory gallop were Ella Tarumianz on Nicarmargue, owned by Emma Brody, with a time of 34.939 seconds. Eva Froio and her own Imago finished third in a time of 35.394 seconds.

Eleven were clear in the first round of the $10,000 WIHS Adult Jumper Championships and resulted in an exciting jump-off. Kimberly Coyle of Central Valley, NY, sped through to win on her 13-year-old Holsteiner mare (Casall), Dartani, in 33.938 seconds. Dara Castle and her own As Di Boy were second in 35.481 seconds. Third place with a time of 36.339 seconds went to Madison Jaronski and her own Catoki’s Clever.

Kimberly Coyle and Dartani. Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography

Coyle has made this class at WIHS a major goal over the years, and this was the third time riding in it with Dartani. “Third time’s a charm,” she laughed. “We’ve had tough luck in this class in the past, so this year I wanted to have fun and just go with it. I have a great horse, and she wants to do the right thing if I can just guide her, stay out of her way, and let her take me, we can do it.”

As last to go in the jump-off, Coyle knew she had to do something extra to set the winning time. “I made up time going to the first jump and hit the gas once I saw the timer,” she recalled. “I kept going through the turn and rolled back tight to the skinny. She hit the out of the combination, but it stayed up luckily. I heard my husband say, ‘Go!’ and I knew it stayed up, so I just went flat out to the last.”

Coyle and her husband Jordan, an international show jumper from Ireland, spent the summer competing in Europe and she showed for the first time in France, Holland, and Ireland. Coyle and Dartani won three of their six FEI one-star classes.

“It was a big accomplishment. I said that if I could win Washington this year, I don’t know what the goal is from here!” she said. “I’ve been really lucky to have such an incredible horse, and I feel like I don’t know what’s next. I don’t want to move up, so we will focus on having some fun. We are lucky to do what we do.”

Honored in the Delta Winner’s Circle were Kimberly Coyle and Dartani. Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography

Gochman and Signorino Are Grand in Amateur-Owner Hunter Divisions

Grand Champion Amateur-Owner Hunter combinations were crowned in the 3’6” and 3’3” divisions on Wednesday morning at WIHS, with Sophie Gochman  of West Palm Beach, FL, taking the spotlight of the 3’6” height aboard Colter and Caroline Signorino of Basking Ridge, NJ, securing the 3’3” grand title with Sandori.

Gochman’s success on her 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Franziscus) in the Amateur-Owner Hunter 18-35 division – they received first in the stake, two second places, and a sixth – earned them the overall victory at the higher height. It was the second championship of the week for Colter, who was champion in the Green Hunter 3’9” division on Tuesday with trainer Scott Stewart.

“He is one of the easiest horses I’ve ever ridden,” remarked Gochman. “My first time riding him indoors was at Capital Challenge, but this week I was definitely more aware that he is still a green horse. I was a bit nervous, but he was very brave, and I think that was a big advantage.”

Sophie Gochman and Colter. Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography

The victory follows a large gap in Gochman’s hunter career after she switched primarily to the jumpers in her final junior years and only picked up the reins on a hunter horse again two years ago.

“It was actually harder than I thought it would be at first to get back into it because I still had been doing the jumpers the whole time,” admitted the 22-year-old. “Scott is always having to yell at me, ‘It’s not a jump-off right now!’ I didn’t compete at indoors last year because they were during school, but I may be going abroad for grad school next year. I figured since my hunter horses were going so well right now that I would prioritize it.

Sophie Gochman and Colter in their winning presentation. Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography

“I have a lot of fun doing the hunters,” she continued, “and I don’t know when I’ll be able to do this again, so I really wanted it to go well. I had a little mistake in the handy round so I was anxious going into the last round and felt a lot of pressure to get it done. I’m so happy I was able to pull it off.”

Young amateur Caroline Signorino rose to the challenge and accepted the grand champion honors with the Signorino Family Farm LLC’s Sandori in the Amateur-Owner 3’3” Hunters.

Earning top ribbons across the Amateur-Owner Hunter 18-35 division at the 3’3” height, Signorino guided the eight-year-old Holsteiner gelding (Sandro Boy) to his first of hopefully many WIHS grand championship titles.

Caroline Signorino and Sandori. Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography

“I think knowing that he is green and that I’m going into every round just trying to give him confidence in an indoor is kind of a settling feeling for me actually,” detailed Signorino. “There’s a little less expectation that comes with it, and it helps my mindset.”

Having only been partnered with Sandori since early 2024, she has taken the time and patience to guide him into many of his first experiences and new situations, including his first full indoors season.

“He is just getting to learn the ropes a bit and we are taking our time with him, so it’s been very rewarding to see him progress and figure things out,” she expressed. “This is his first real indoor season, so I am doing my best to just train him over every round and not bring out any of his nerves.”

The title was the first for Signorino, who stated her last big score at WIHS was as reserve champion in the pony hunters.

Caroline Signorino and Sandori in their grand champion presentation. Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography

Grand Champion Amateur-Owner Hunter
Leading Amateur-Owner 3’6” Rider

Amateur-Owner 3’6” 18-35
Champion: Colter, Sophie Gochman, Sophie Gochman
Reserve Champion: Grand Remo, Stella Propp, Aquitaine Equine

Amateur-Owner 3’6” 36 & Over
Champion: Coconut Grove, Irene Neuwirth, Irene Neuwirth
Reserve Champion: Just Apple, Margot Peroni, Margot Peroni

Grand Champion Amateur-Owner 3’3” Hunter
Leading Amateur-Owner 3’3” Rider
Bucky Reynolds Memorial Award
Amateur-Owner 3’3” 18-35

Champion: Sandori, Caroline Signorino, Signorino Family Farm LLC
Reserve Champion: Bauer, Melissa Jacobs, Melissa Jacobs LLC

Amateur-Owner 3’3” 36 & Over
Champion: Loewie, Margot Peroni, Margot Peroni
Reserve Champion: Scout’s Honor, Irene Neuwirth, Irene Neuwirth

The 2024 WIHS continues on Thursday, October 24, with the start of junior hunter competition as well as the international jumpers, which feature the $63,000 Welcome Stake and $32,000 Accumulator Costume Class as part of MARS Barn Night.

Schedule of Events and Results by Date

About Washington International Horse Show

Established in 1958, the Washington International Horse Show is one of North America’s most prestigious, competitive, and entertaining equestrian events. Highlights include the $406,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Washington CSI5*-W for the President’s Cup, the WIHS Equitation Finals and Children’s and Adult Hunter and Jumper Championships, plus popular community and charity events, including WIHS Kids’ Day and Barn Night. WIHS is an official USEF Heritage Competition, and a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization. For more information, visit wihs.org.
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