Kirsten Coe dominated the World Champion Hunter Rider Professional Challenge riding Heartfelt by topping both rounds on Wednesday night for a total winning score of 188.99.  The win propelled Coe, Katonah, N.Y., into the coveted WCHR Professional Finals on Friday evening.

    “I knew I was close to the top six going in, and I knew earlier in the week I needed to be champion, and this class it was going to be what it was going to be,” said Coe. “I just needed to put in good rounds, and he went beautifully.”

     Twenty riders competed in the first round of the $15,000 class with 12 returning for the final round held during the evening competition.

     It was the 26-year-old’s first time riding in the Pro Challenge, and she faced two tough courses with plenty of single jumps. She said, “The first jump in the first class was a little spooky. But in an important class like that you have to have some difficult jumps, and it has to be challenging.”

     In the second round riders were challenged with an outside bending line that pushed their long-strided horses to the max, while a final single oxer coming home offered riders the opportunity to gallop down the long approach and show off their horse’s jump.

     Peter Pletcher gave Coe a run for the money riding Ocean Park. The pair came into the final round in second place with a 91.33.  Pletcher rolled along on the big bay and sailed through the course to post a 93.

     Standing in the in-gate Coe said she felt the pressure and knew that everything rested on the final trip. 
     Coe and Heartfelt made the long bending line look easy, and although she didn’t gallop down to the final fence, it was a nice forward pace that pressed Heartfelt to a brilliant last jump.

     Coe said, “He has a big stride and a beautiful jump, and basically I just have to not get in his way.”