The 2009 Washington International Horse Show continued on Wednesday with the best horses and riders in the country competing in jumper championships. There were three jumper classes in total, and the first class victory went to Spencer Smith and Markies in the $10,000 Children's Jumper Championship. Alissa Kinsey guided Grisset to first place in the $10,000 Adult Jumper Championship. Opening up the Amateur-Owner Jumper competition, Susan Knoblauch and Carneval won the $2,500 Time First Jump-Off class.

Wednesday was just the beginning of a week full of exciting jumper competition. The courses are designed by Guilherme Jorge of Brazil. In the $10,000 Children's Jumper Championship, 13 horse-and-rider combinations were clear from the first round to advance to the jump-off. The early lead was held by Lauren Tyree on Eurocommerce Rome, who was clear in the jump-off in 28.123 seconds. The lead changed hands when Rachel Brodsky and Elliot 92 lowered the winning time to 27.671 seconds.

But it was eventually Spencer Smith and Markies, who went second to last in the jump-off, that would find the winning ride in 25.935 seconds. For their win, they were awarded the H. Fenwick kollock Memorial Perpetual Trophy, donated by Friends of Fen.

Smith and Markies, a 24-year-old veteran show jumper, were quick in the jump-off and left out strides where possible. Twelve-year-old Smith of Wellington, FL, trains with his parents, Emily and Ken Smith. He has been riding Markies for two years and said that the seasoned horse has taught him everything he knows about the jumpers.

"He is different. He switches his leads a lot and swaps a lot, but he is really good. At first I didn't like him, but now I do a lot," Smith said of Markies. "He has taught me speed, and he taught me how to ride really."

"I love going fast and I like the bigger jumps," he continued. "I think I made up time at (fence) nine, that turn back to the oxer."

This was Smith's first time competing at the WIHS and he said of his win, "This is probably one of the best that we have done together."

The last proved to be the best in the $10,000 Adult Jumper Championship. Alissa Kinsey of Ft. Myers, FL, and her 12-year-old Hanoverian mare, Grisset, scorched the jump-off course with a clear round and winning time of 24.709 seconds over 26 other competitors in the class. They were chasing another fast time set by Kenzie Donovan and Max (last year's Championship winners), who finished in 25.369 seconds. Donovan was the early leader and finished third with her horse Oyster, who crossed the timers in 25.501 seconds.

Kinsey and Grisset were awarded the Dorothy Foote "Goodie" Taylor Memorial Perpetual Trophy, donated by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ashton Hill and Miss Linden Joan Hill.

Grisset has had a very successful year, including a Winter Equestrian Festival circuit championship, and multiple wins at the Vermont Summer Festival, Showplace Spring Spectacular, and the Devon Horse Show. After an uncharacteristic rail last week at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, Kinsey was a little worried going into the class, which led to a careful first round. In the jump-off however, she knew that she could go for the time and not worry about her horse.

"I was paranoid because of the rail at Harrisburg because that is not like her, so I was just worried that for some reason the indoor was bothering her. It never has before, so I just kind of was extra careful. It wasn't that smooth, the course overall was nice, but the way I rode it wasn't what I would have liked it to be normally, but I got it done," Kinsey said of her first round.

Of the jump-off, she described, "Then the jump-off was perfect for her. Whenever there is an option to leave strides out, that is where she can make up for it. She is good turning, but she is better running, and this course had the two long gallops for her and that was good. I ran so much I screwed up two distances, and I was really lucky. I think she paid me back for the rail at Harrisburg."

This was only Kinsey's and Grisset's second horse show indoors, and Kinsey was very happy to end her year on a high note. "I think it just kind of makes me happy that she's done for the year, and she still did her job until the very, very end," Kinsey remarked. "I am happy that she stayed consistent and happy and still likes her job."

The final class of the day was the first class of the competition for the Amateur-Owner Jumpers. Twelve entries went to post, but only two found a way clear to the jump-off. Both had trouble in the jump-off round, but the win went to Susan Knoblauch of Huntersville, NC, on Carneval, who finished with 11 faults in 48.028 seconds. Clara Lindner and Seraldo were second with 12 faults in 40.470 seconds. The fastest four-faulter from the first round was Lillian Hahn on Lucky One, who had a time of 57.023 seconds.

Knoblauch and Carneval won the "Footloose" Perpetual Trophy in remembrance of Ruth Ellen Wilmot and donated by the Curtin Family in honor of the 1990 winner, Footloose, ridden by Caroline Curtin.

The 2009 Washington International Horse Show continues on Thursday with the next class in the Amateur-Owner Jumper division, the Time First Round speed class. It is followed by the first class for the junior jumpers and the first half of the class for the Open Jumpers, which features six Olympians in its roster. The evening session will begin at 7 p.m. with a special color guard presentation and will feature the second half of the class for Open Jumpers, followed by a special exhibition by Caroline Williams, terrier races, and a dressage exhibition by Olympic rider Ashley Holzer. The night finishes with the Open Jumper Gambler's Choice class.

For more information and full results, please visit www.wihs.org.