Upper Marlboro, Maryland, USA – 26, 2023 – The 2023 Washington International Horse Show (WIHS), presented by MARS Equestrian™ continued on Wednesday, October 25, at Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD, where the day concluded with the $12,500 WIHS Children’s Jumper and $12,500 WIHS Adult Jumper Championships, both sponsored by MARS Equestrian™. Hailey Guidry and Colina SN were victorious in the children’s championship.

The children’s championship was the first title up for grabs, and it was Hailey Guidry, 13, of Wellington, FL, who saved the best for last, galloping into the top spot with Colina SN in 29.094 seconds.

For her achievement, Guidry was awarded the H. Fenwick Kollock Memorial Perpetual Trophy, donated by Friends of Fen.

Bernardo Costa Cabral (POR) and assistant Nick Granat (USA) were the masterminds behind the course, which saw 15 combinations jump a fault-free first round to advance to the jump-off. Colin Sweetnam, 13, of Wellington, FL, was the first to race around The Show Place Arena and set the time to beat at 31.460 seconds. He left the rest of the field chasing his time with no one able to duplicate the effort. As the first-place point earner from the WIHS qualifying season, Guidry was last to go and the final challenger to Sweetnam’s time. She and Colina SN gave it all they had, and when the clock stopped at 29.094 seconds, cheers erupted from her support team.

Guidry showed Colina SN at Capital Challenge Horse Show but didn’t quite have the result they wanted when ‘Lina’ ticked a rail out of a one-stride in the first round. With that fresh in her mind, Guidry was determined to not make the same mistake.

“I was mainly thinking about the seven-stride bending line to the one-stride on the far side of the arena,” she explained of her plan for the first round. “That line was challenging because Lina can drift right sometimes. I really tried to keep her left.”

No rails fell for Guidry today, so when she returned for the jump-off, she was ready to lay it all on the line.

“I honestly wasn’t counting strides,” admitted Guidry, who trains with Abby Blankenship of Three Ships LLC. “I was just trying to go for it. I was really debating on doing the inside turn at the end of the course, and I ended up just doing it. It turned out exactly how I wanted it to turn out.”

It was a bittersweet moment for Guidry, who was emotional after the class as it marked her final competition with Lina.

“I’m very proud, and I just love her so much,” expressed Guidry of her mount of two years. “She’s one of the horses I can trust the most. I knew I could go in and have a good round, stick it out, and end up winning, and I’m very happy with how it ended up. This morning I really thought about it hard. I really just love her with all my heart. She’s the sweetest thing ever. I was really going to be happy either way, but she really made me proud. She’s everything anyone could ever want.”

Fittingly, Lina’s groom, Alberto Gomez Martinez, had her all decked out for the occasion in perfect braids with pink plaiting bands, and Guidry had her favorite treats ready to go.

“Her favorite is Snaks 5th Avenchew,” shared Guidry of the 13-year-old Warmblood mare owned by Taylor Landstrom. “She loves any treat, but she really loves the fancy treats.”

Sweetnam ended up finishing in second with Just Noble, a 10-year-old Swedish Warmblood mare by Character 1243 owned by Sweet Oak Farm. Caroline Hoover, 18, of Bethesda, MD, rode Elinea VDL, Redfield Farm’s 14-year-old Warmblood mare by Marlon, to third place in a time of 31.672 seconds.

Final Results – $12,500 WIHS Children’s Jumper Championship

1) Hailey Guidry (USA) & Colina SN – 0 / 0 – 29.094

2) Collin Sweetnam (USA) & Just Noble – 0 / 0 – 31.460

3) Caroline Hoover (USA) & Elinea VDL – 0 / 0 – 31.627

Source: Press Release from Jump Media for the Washington International Horse Show

Photos: © WIHS / Shawn McMillen Photography

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Link