Once again, the nation’s capital will be transformed as more than 500 horses take to the streets for the 61st Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) presented by MARS EQUESTRIAN™ held at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., October 22–27.
WIHS has a storied history and attracts leading national and international horses and riders and this year is no different. The premier event is Saturday’s $136,300 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Washington, presented by Events DC for the President’s Cup where riders are hoping to pick up to qualify for next spring’s Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final in Las Vegas, Nevada, April 15–19, 2020. Fan-favorites hoping to compete in the top classes include Olympians Kent Farrington, Laura Kraut and McLain Ward, to name a few.
Other Happenings at WIHS
In addition to the $136,300 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Washington don’t miss out on these highlights:
Thursday, October 24
Barn Night, a fan-favorite, in which kids can enter contests, win prizes and watch the Shetland Pony Steeplechase
-The $50,000 International Jumper Welcome Class
-The $36,000 International Jumper Accumulator Costume Class
Friday, October 25
Military Night
-The $50,000 International Jumper Speed Final
-The ever-exciting $25,000 Land Rover International Jumper Puissance, in which riders attempt to jump a wall (usually starting around 5-foot-7) and raising the height with each successful round until one horse-and-rider pair remains. The North American record to beat is 7-foot-7½-inches, set at Washington in 1983 by Anthony D’Ambrosio and Sweet ‘N Low
Saturday, October 26
-Top Juniors battle it out during the Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund WIHS Equitation Finals
-US Equestrian Chef d’Équipe Robert Ridland will be inducted into the WIHS Hall of Fame
Helpful Links:
About the North American League
The Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ North American League, now in its fifth year, consists of 14 venues in three countries – the United States, Mexico and Canada. Each venue hosts qualifiers to determine the North American riders who will compete at the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final (April 15-19) in Las Vegas, Nevada. The NAL, which offers $2.4 million in prize money, is one of 16 leagues that form the global FEI Jumping World Cup™ series, which has been in existence since 1978.
Follow the action before, during and after each qualifier with #FEIWorldCup, #Longines and #JumpToGreatness.
