Molly Cole and Newport were the WIHS Regional Horse Show Hunter Grand Champions. (Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.)

Washington, D.C. - The 2012 WIHS Regional Horse Show & USHJA Zone 3 Finals will take place on October 19-21 at Prince George's Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD. The show is now “C” rated by the USEF and offers fantastic competition for local riders. A very popular stop on the local horse show circuit, the WIHS Regional also offers an alternative way for area riders to qualify for competition at Verizon Center. The 2012 WIHS Regional Horse Show & USHJA Zone 3 Finals Prize List can be found at www.wihs.org/wihs-regional.

All of the classes at the WIHS Regional Horse Show are open to all horses and ponies regardless of geographical location. However, only horses and ponies owned by exhibitors living within 100 miles of Washington, D.C., based on owner’s zip code, are eligible for the WIHS Regional Hunter Finals at Verizon Center on Sunday, October 28. In addition, the Children's and Adult Hunter champions can qualify for the WIHS Hunter Championships on Tuesday, October 23, and the winners of the Zone 3 Finals Children's and Adult Jumper classes can qualify for the WIHS Jumper Championships at Verizon Center on Wednesday, October 24.

The WIHS Regional is proud to host the USHJA Zone 3 Finals again this year. Letters of invitation to riders eligible for the USHJA Zone 3 Finals will be emailed in the next week, and the WIHS is excited to host this year's exhibitors. Approximately the top 20 horses in each division, based on total USHJA points, will be invited. If invitations are not accepted, additional horses will be invited.

Zone 3 Finals will be held for the following divisions: Adult Amateur Hunter 18-35, Adult Amateur Hunter 36 & Over, Children's Hunter 14 & Under, Children's Hunter 15-17, Children's Hunter Pony Small/Medium, Children's Hunter Pony Large, Children’s Jumper, Adult Jumper, Pony Jumper and Low Children's/Adult Jumper.

The WIHS Regional Horse Show will use the new covered arena at Prince George's Equestrian Center for the jumper classes on Saturday and the USHJA Zone 3 Finals jumper divisions on Sunday.

An addition to this year's competition at the WIHS Regional Horse Show is a special trophy that remembers a fellow local equestrian. The new award, The Laura Pickett Trophy for Excellence in Horsemanship, was generously donated by Vicki Lowell in memory of Laura Pickett. The award will be presented to the “up and coming” adult or child rider and their trainer that best exhibits the enthusiasm, dedication, style and commitment to excellent horsemanship that brings out the best in horse and rider at the WIHS Regional Horse Show and USHJA Zone 3 Finals. A presentation will take place center ring at Verizon Center during the 54th Annual Washington International. For more information and nomination forms, go to www.wihs.org.

For more information on the 2012 WIHS Regional Horse Show & USHJA Zone 3 Finals, please visit www.wihs.org/wihs-regional.