Entering its sixth year of competition, the Winter Equestrian Festival Equitation Championship for the R.W. Mutch Trophy is a showcase for the season’s top young riders.

This year’s championship will be held during the CSIO**** United States – CN Finale on Saturday, March 12, 2005. The competition takes place in the afternoon as the featured event in the Grand Hunter Ring.

The R. W. Mutch Educational Foundation sponsors the R. W. Equitation Classic. The trophy is named for Ronnie Mutch, a life-long horseman. Mutch won the AHSA Medal Finals in 1950 at the age of 15. At 18, he was the youngest rider at the time to ride for the United States Equestrian Team. Mutch established one of the most successful show jumping stables in the country, Nimrod Farm in Weston, CT, and trained seven national equitation winners. In 1978, 28 years after Mutch won the AHSA Medal Finals, Mutch's son, Bert, won the Medal Finals. Ronnie and Bert Mutch are the only father and son combination to have won the Medal Finals.

The class, one of the most challenging tests of horsemanship in the United States, is open to the WEF winners of the USEF Medal, the ASPCA Maclay, the USET Talent Search and the three phases of the Washington International Equitation class. Since only the best of the best meet for the championship, the competition year in and year out is simply outstanding.

The 2005 championship will be even more competitive than ever as invitations are being extended to the equitation winners from the Indio, California Desert Circuit Series of shows as well.

The one-of-a-kind format for the R.W. Mutch Trophy class offers a unique challenge to the riders. Unlike other classes or championships, riders in the R.W. Mutch Championship are completely isolated from their trainers and support staff and must put their strategy in order and prepare for the class on their own. Riders are responsible for the management and schooling of their mount and are required to walk the course on their own. Communication between riders and trainers is not allowed.

The class itself is judged by four judges, two nationally known hunter judges and two jumper judges. A fifth judge observes the schooling area and reports to the other judges on the practice and procedures of the riders as they prepare for the event.

The competition format features two extremely challenging rounds plus the possibility of a third round work-off. The courses for the event are designed by the judges and offer tests for the riders that include gymnastics, trot fences and combinations. The second round course, in addition to the stiff jumping test, includes a mandatory simple and flying change of lead. Round three becomes even more difficult with the possibility of exchanging horses and answering oral questions.

The R.W. Mutch Trophy and the Winter Equestrian Festival Equitation Championship have been the path to national glory for many of its past champions.

1999 Champion Sarah Willeman followed her win with victories in both the 2000 USET Medal Finals and the USEF National Hunt Seat Medal Finals. Willeman also won the WIHS Medal Finals in 1998. Brian Walker, winner of the R.W. Mutch Trophy in 2001, won the USEF Medal that same year. 2003 winner Whitney Roper was victorious in the WIHS Finals in 2003. Last year’s winner, Brianne Goutal took home top honors in the WIHS National Finals and the Bates Equitation Championship.

For more information on the R.W. Mutch Educational Foundation, please visit www.rwmutch.com.