The weekend of October 21-23, 2005, a week before the Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) festivities take place in downtown Washington, D.C., local riders will compete at Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD. This horse show allows riders to qualify for the Local Finals at the MCI Center that will take place on Sunday, October 30.

Along with the qualifying classes, this competition features the USEF Zone 3 Finals and offers Regular “C” rated points for the Maryland Horse Show Association and the Virginia Horse Show Association, as well as numerous non-rated classes. Approximately 500 horses will attend this event.

Classes held at Prince George’s Equestrian Center, including qualifying classes for the WIHS Local Finals at the MCI Center, are open to all horses and ponies, regardless of geographical location. Horses who then qualify for the Local Finals must stable within a 100 mile radius of the nation’s capital.

The USEF Zone 3 Finals on Sunday, October 23, include the following divisions: Adult Amateur Hunter 18-35, Adult Amateur Hunter 36 & Over, Children’s Hunter 14 & Under, Children’s Hunter 15-17 and Children’s Hunter Small/Medium and Large Pony. The top 20 horses in each division, according to the United States Equestrian Federation zone points, will receive a letter of invitation in mid-September to attend this event.

Some of last year’s winners at the MCI Center include Emily Bernstein and her horse, Hidden Springs Born to Flirt. The duo won grand champion of the Local Hunter Pony Finals, while Brantley Siegel and her mount, Tuckahoe, won the Local Hunter Horse Finals Championship. In the jumper divisions, Hope Guzzo and Quietly Dun took the championship of the WIHS Local Children’s Jumper division, while Melissa Marineau rode her mount, Justifiable, to win the Local Adult Jumper Championship.

The WIHS Local Weekend is proudly sponsored by The Tack Box, Inc., from Middleburg, VA. “We decided to sponsor the WIHS Local Weekend because we have so many riders from Middleburg who will be competing there,” commented Berk Lee of The Tack Box. “We want to help out the folks who help us so much!”

For driving directions and more information on the WIHS Local Weekend and Zone 3 Finals, please visit their websites at www.wihs.org/competitor/local.cfm and www.wihs.org/competitor/local.cfm.

The official website of the Washington International Horse Show is www.wihs.org.



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