![Lili Hymowitz and Westside (Anne Gittins Photography)](/images/articles/3948/lili.jpg)
Lili Hymowitz and Westside (Anne Gittins Photography)
Enjoy the Laughter, Hymowitz's eight-year-old German Riding Pony, took home the reserve championship title. Hymowitz and Enjoy the Laughter won the under saddle class and jumped to two second places on day one before earning fifth and second place ribbons over fences on day two. The duo was also named Rider/Owner Champion for the division.
Enjoy the Laughter is Westside's greener counterpart, but Hymowitz is more than pleased with how his first year out of green divisions is going. Hymowitz described, "He's grown up so much in the last year! He was a lot greener last year and a lot harder to ride, but now he's so much easier."
Westside and Hymowitz's partnership has been much shorter than her career with Enjoy the Laughter. The pair won a majority of the classes of the division despite it only being their third show together. "He's amazing and so much fun," Hymowitz stated. "He jumps really well and is really easy to ride. You just point [him at the jump], and he doesn't have any spooks or quirks."
Hymowitz believes Westside's enthusiasm in the show ring is what makes him a winner amongst the tough competition at the FTI WEF. "He's really pretty to watch around the ring because he has a great facial expression. His ears are always forward so his expression is really good and he just tries his hardest," Hymowitz explained.
The pair's methodical approach to courses also makes them difficult for competitors to beat. "I like going slow and jumping up, and he likes to do the same. When he gets too fast he gets frazzled, so we think exactly the same," Hymowitz stated.
Hymowitz also participated in Saturday Night's Great Charity Challenge, an event she looks forward to each season at the FTI WEF. "Showing in the International Arena is one of my favorite parts of WEF. The Charity Challenge is so much fun. The atmosphere is so great," Hymowitz described.