John French, the final rider in the Stillwell-Hansen World Champion Hunter Rider Professional Finals, walked into the ring needing to nail the fourth and final round to clinch the victory.

With his parents, Jill and Bob French, Sparks, Md., sitting in the Show Place Arena on Oct. 6 to cheer him on, John tactfully and brilliantly guided his mount to the highest fourth-round score to edge Peter Pletcher by .17 points to claim the title as 2006 Monarch International/Show Circuit Magazine Professional World Champion Hunter Rider at the Capital Challenge.

This year’s Pro Finals, a class based on the World Show Jumping Championship format in which four riders jump four rounds on four different horses, was one of the most competitive in recent years. Six judges presided and sat in pairs: Sue Ashe and Hap Hansen; Mindy Minetto and Jimmy Clapperton; John Roper and Randy Mullins.

French and Pletcher were joined by Scott Stewart and Louise Serio, the defending champion, in the Friday evening class. All four riders had previously won this title and knew just what it takes to earn top scores.

“It means a lot showing against these other riders,” said French, of Gilroy, Calif. “They’re really great riders.”

The four horses donated for the class, which the riders collectively said was the best group of hunter-type horses they’d ever had, included: Madaline and Rosemary Toulas’ Intuition; Morgan Hill Partners’ Locatelli; Jimmy and Danielle Torano’s Larona; and Crystal Row/Rolling Oaks’ Fortunate.

Stewart led the way after the first round with an 87.33 aboard Intuition, just .33 points ahead of French who rode Fortunate. Serio’s first mount, Locatelli, was a little fresh, and she stood fourth with 80.66, while Pletcher had a rub with Larona and an 84.66.

French moved into first place in the second round with a solid ride on Larona, although Pletcher was just behind with the round’s best score on Locatelli. Stewart dropped to third aboard Fortunate, and Serio remained fourth after her trip on Intuition.

For the third round, course designer Michael Rheinheimer adjusted the course to include a bending line. Pletcher nailed it aboard Intuition for the best single round score of the class with a 90. He moved into the lead, with French 4.5 points behind after his trip on Locatelli. After their rides, Stewart and Serio were still within striking distance, however.

A new feature this year included a handy hunter course as the fourth and final round. The riders negotiated an S-turn over the first three fences and then hand-galloped to a single oxer in the center of the ring. A sweeping rollback and an in-and-out concluded the course.

Stewart led off aboard Locatelli, and his great turns and bold hand-gallop earned a huge ovation from the crowd, which turned to boos when the score of 88 was announced. He finished with 337.99.

Serio started out strong with Larona, but an awkward jump at fence 2 left her with a score of 74.33 for a total of 323.98 and fourth place.

Pletcher’s ride on Fortunate included nice smooth turns, but perhaps his wider path kept him to an 84.66, for a total of 346.82, eventually good for second place.

For his final ride, French was fortunate to have Intuition, who was the top-scoring horse. “I knew this horse a little bit, and he’s my kind of ride,” he said. “I’m not an aggressive rider and don’t use a lot of leg, and this horse suited me.

“This [round] was my best ride,” he added. “Peter was several points ahead of me, so I needed a good score. It turned out to be just enough.” French, 44, grew up in Maryland, about 30 minutes from the Prince Georges Equestrian Center, but he’s spent the past 18 years on the West Coast. This was the third time he’d contested the WCHR Professional Finals and his second title, having also won the featured WCHR class in 2000.

“This was fantastic,” said French. “Today was my father’s birthday too. It was so nice to come back to Maryland and to have the show go so well.”

ARIAT

In her first time at the Ariat National Adult Medal Finals, Linette Dooley, of Columbia, Conn., dominated the class. Held in the Show Place Arena at the Capital Challenge Horse Show, Dooley posted an 88.6 and an 88.7 in the two-round event.

“He’s a great horse. If you’re on it, he’s on it,” said Dooley adding, “there’s nothing very difficult about him, which is what is great.” Dooley made the Ariat Finals a goal at the beginning of the year, and when she qualified she leased the 16-year-old, Thoroughbred gelding solely for the Ariat class.

The adult rider had only ridden him twice before the class and was advised to avoid schooling the gelding in the ring. “You can’t go in the ring with the horse at all before the class,” said Dooley’s trainer Armand Chenelle. He added, “He doesn’t warm up in the ring at all. [Linette] was kind of trusting us on that one.”

Although the lack of schooling made Dooley nervous before entering the ring, she was able tackle the twisting course with finesse. Dooley’s soft, flowing trip around a course that had produced scores in the 50s and 60s for many, made it clear that Dooley belonged at the top of the class.

Ten riders returned for a shortened course, and one in particular looked to give Dooley a run for her money. Courtney Cummings, ninth to return, won the Monarch International North American Adult Equitation Championship the weekend before in the Show Place Arena. After several hard rubs that produced a second-round score of 83.9, Cummings left the door open for Dooley who returned to nail the course and hold her lead for the win.

Dooley’s husband, John Dooley, and her 17-month old son, Jack, stayed home in Connecticut while Linette showed. They were able to watch her round via the live video available on the horse show’s website.

After a three-year hiatus from riding, the 39-year-old proved she could come back strong in the show ring, although she admitted she was anxious. Chenelle agreed, and attested that she got very quiet. Linette said, “I get really nervous. I didn’t even want my husband watching.”

WCHR Adult Amateur Finals

Lara McPherson, also 39, collected the World Champion Hunter Rider Adult Amateur Classic victory just prior to the Ariat Medal Final. Aboard Tenerife, McPherson posted a two-round score of 171.99 and topped second-placed Eye Remember Rio and Victoria Watters (165.50) and third-placed Grandeur with Dawn Fogel (163).

McPherson entered the second round in second position, behind Grandeur and Fogel, and moved up to the blue ribbon with a bold ride that scored 87, 84 and 88 for an 86.33 average from the six-judge panel (sitting in pairs).

She said working toward her judge’s card the past year has really helped her become a better exhibitor.

“I know now I need to really get to the first jump, for example,” she said. “Having been in the judge’s seat helps me see what the judge sees and what catches your eye.”

McPherson used what she learned in the first round, picked up a strong pace and didn’t deviate.

Going into the second, shorter round, McPherson again picked up the pace, and Tenerife jumped confidently and boldly to clinch the title. Although McPherson is a veteran competitor and a past finals victor—including the 1996 Ariat National Adult Medal Final—she credited former trainers Dale Crittenberger and Peter Foley for their words of wisdom going into the second round.

“Dale walked up to me and said, ‘Just get a score,'” said McPherson. “He said that to me years ago too, and I just kept that in my mind. It makes it so much easier instead of thinking I have to be perfect.”

McPherson, McLean, Va., trains with Miranda Scott of Meadowbrook Stables and has leased the bay, Dutch Warmblood gelding this year. She described him as a horse with “just enough attitude” to make a great show horse.

“One of his nicknames is Punk because he has that type of attitude,” she said laughing.

Scott also shows Tenerife, a first year green horse, in the green conformation division. The pair earned ribbons at Capital Challenge, and Scott contested the WCHR Pro Challenge with him earlier in the week.

“He’s a true show horse,” said Scott. “He just goes in the ring and is always the same. Today, we just took him out of the stall and went right to the ring. He knows his job, and when he’s on, he’s on.”