Sassafras Creek and Daisy Farish. (Shawn McMillen Photography)

Washington, D.C. - The 54th annual Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) concluded competition at Verizon Center in downtown Washington D.C. on Sunday, October 28, with the presentation of championship awards in the pony hunter divisions. Twelve-year-old Daisy Farish, of Versailles, KY, earned the coveted Grand Pony Hunter Championship aboard Bibby Hill’s Sassafras Creek after topping the Medium Pony hunter division. Twelve-year-old Emma Kurtz, of Hudson, OH, was named Best Child Rider on a Pony after winning the Small Pony Hunter division with Bill Schaub’s Hillcrest Blue Halo.

The WIHS Pony Equitation Finals were also held in the afternoon with a win for Lucy Deslauriers. The WIHS Regional Finals concluded the day with a win and champfor Devin Vega and Chelsea Director.??

Daisy Farish rode Sassafras Creek, a 13-year-old Welsh Pony Cross mare, to championship honors in the Medium Pony Hunters to receive The Shenandoah Sundowner Perpetual Trophy, donated by Evan Coluccio and Ashmont Farms, Ltd.?Farish and Sassafras Creek won all three classes over fences. Francesca Dildabanian and Laugh Out Loud earned the reserve honors with second and third place ribbons over fences and fourth place under saddle.?

Farish and ‘Sassy’ were then presented with The Miles River Moonglow Perpetual Trophy, donated by Scott Novick and Rustic Woods, for the Grand Pony Hunter Championship. They were also awarded a special prize for their high score of 86 in the stake class.?

It was a busy day for Daisy Farish at WIHS. The young rider just turned twelve on October 12 and had multiple ponies to show on Sunday. She arrived at 4 a.m. to prepare with trainers Patricia Griffith and Andre Dignelli of Heritage Farm, and that preparation paid off. Farish won her first championship ever at WIHS.??

“It feels good to win because I have never been champion here before and Sassy was really good,” Farish smiled. “I have done okay here before, but I’ve never done well all the way through, and this year was good.”?

Farish told us about Sassafras Creek, who she has been riding since June. “She is awesome to ride. She has a huge stride and she has a really good rhythm and she is easy to find the jumps on,” Farish described. “I was really proud of Sassy because she was so good for me and she is just so fun to ride.”??

Farish has been showing in the ponies at WIHS for a few years now and felt confident going into the arena this weekend. That confidence was bolstered by great advice from her trainers, and comfort with her ponies.?

“I have been coming to Washington a long time,” Farish recalled. “I like it here. It is a little bit hard with the times you have to wake up, but once you’re in the ring it is fun.”?

“I didn’t get nervous this show because Sassy has always been good for me; she makes me confident,” Farish added. “The last thing my trainers told me before I went in the ring for the last class was ‘Ride it like you want it,' and that’s what I did.”?

Emma Kurtz rode Hillcrest Blue Halo to championship honors in the Small Pony Hunter division to be awarded The Stombock Saddlery Challenge Trophy, donated by Stombock Saddlery, in memory of E.P. (Bud) Stombock. Kurtz and Hillcrest Blue Halo won two classes over fences. Sophie Gochman rode David Gochman’s Weebiscuit to reserve with first, second and sixth place ribbons over fences. Gochman also earned the Potomac Trophy High Score Junior Hunter Rider on a Pony award for her 87 point round in the small pony handy class.?

Kurtz was presented with the award for Best Child Rider on a Pony, sponsored by The Chungunco Family, and presented with The Captain V.S. Littauer Perpetual Trophy donated by Hugh J.B. Cassidy III, Mrs. William Dillon and Miss Marion Lee.Kurtz does not have a pony of her own, but catch rode three ponies this weekend. Her top mount, Hillcrest Blue Halo, is a pony that Kurtz had never ridden before. She is a nine-year-old Welsh pony mare by From Me to You.?

“Daisy usually rides her, but she had too many ponies this weekend, so I rode her,” Kurtz explained. “This was my first time showing her and I had never ridden her before this. I just got on her at the show for the first time.”?

“She was pretty easy and slow,” Kurtz described. “She’s lazy. I didn’t have to do anything special; she is a good girl.”?

Kurtz trains with Amanda Lyerly and Mike Rheinheimer, and has ridden ponies for many top owners and trainers this year, including the Gochmans, Mindy Darst, and Bill Schaub.

“I like it; I don’t even own a pony, so catching riding is the only thing I do,” she noted. “This has been a big year for me. I have done more and more riding and it is really fun. I have shown more this year than ever before.”?

This was Kurtz’s first time showing at WIHS, and she enjoyed the experience. She will continue showing ponies next year and hopes to move up to compete in the juniors as well.?

The final championship of the morning was in the Large Pony Hunter division, sponsored by Rose Hill Farm. Bergen Sanderford, of Santa Rosa Beach, FL, rode Katie Dinan LLC’s Keep Dreamin’ to top honors and The Pegasus Stable Perpetual Trophy, donated by Ms. Fenwick Kollock.  The pair placed first in two classes over fences. Ali Tritschler and Dreamland, owned by Linda Evans, finished in reserve after placing first and second over fences and fifth under saddle.

All of the champions also received a special award presented by Ponybeds.?