Upper Marlboro, Md.—Oct. 7

Last night Katie Robinson texted her husband and changed her plans. Originally she was supposed to head back home to New York after a day of showing at Capital Challenge in the adult amateur hunters, but things went so well with Mahalo that she wasn’t quite ready for it to end.

So she filled out her entry for the WCHR Adult Amateur Challenge and was the first in the ring, setting the standard with an 86, which held through 36 trips to take home top honors.

“It’s awesome. I love it,” said Robinson. “I felt so special. It’s not just about the top riders—it’s not just about the professionals or the grand prix riders. We’re all in this sport, we all love it and it’s nice to feel special and they really do a good job at that and it’s fun.”

Though Robinson has been showing at Capital Challenge for years, family obligations always meant she went home before the Challenge class round. So in her first time contesting the class, she pulled out the win—and on a horse she’d never shown before.

“He’s owned by the Michaels family and Further Lane Farm, and my daughter’s been riding him,” said Robinson, who typically shows in the amateur-owners. “I have a couple of horses that are resting right now, and I wanted to show so Andre [Dignelli] said, ‘You should take him.’  I did and I had a great time. He’s just a solid, solid horse.

“Having not been out there in a while he was great,” she continued. “He showed me the way. He just marched around like a trooper.”

Allison Fithian Reunites With An Old Partner

When Allison Fithian exited the ring after her victory gallop in the Ariat Adult Medal Finals, she had to quietly wipe away tears. Not often does life present opportunities to finish business left undone with a beautiful tricolor ribbon.

For Fithian, 2011 did not end the way she expected. The Monterey, Calif. native traveled over to Beacon Hill Stables in Colts Neck, N.J., in 2010, with her trusted mount Lucky D’ Etenclin, to train with Stacia Madden for her last junior year. But after placing third in the USEF/Pessoa National Hunter Seat Medal Final, Lucky got hurt. Which left Fithian to compete with other mounts for the remaining equitation finals.

“It kind of felt like unfinished business on him, like I could have done a little bit more,” said Fithian. “So I was a little sad at the end of my junior year when I knew I wasn’t going to be able to ride him again and see if I could do something more on him.”

Allison Fithian won the Ariat Adult Medal Final. Photo by Laura Lemon.

With Fithian heading off to New York University, Lucky remained in Beacon Hill, taking his leased kids to equitation finals while Fithian studied psychology. But after graduating in 2015, the stars aligned for Fithian and Lucky to reunite in the equitation ring for this show season.

“It was really just lucky that he was kind of ready to have a lighter show schedule after his last indoors [in 2015],” said Fithian. “And I had more time after being out of school to go to some shows and ride during the week.”

And with that, the 23-year-old set out with the goal of competing her 17-year-old Selle Francais in the Ariat Adult Medal Finals.

“This was the goal for the year,” she said. “This was like, ‘I’m going to do the equitation finals on him. We’ll go in the Ariat Finals. So that’s what we’re going to do.’ ”

And with much practice and motivation at home with the junior riders gearing up for equitation finals, Fithian and Lucky felt prepared walking into the ring at the Capital Challenge, especially after their win in the North American Adult Amateur Equitation Championships five days prior.

Leading after the first round with an average score of 88.33, Fithian tried to remain calm and confident for the second round.

“The plan for the second round is just like try not to beat myself,” she said. “Not try to make anything too complicated. Everyone else seemed pretty consistent in this round. So as long as I stayed consistent, I thought that I would be okay.”

Duplicating her performance with an 88.66, the pair proved they hadn’t lost their touch with the end of Fithian’s junior career.

“I feel really proud of myself that I am still able to compete at that level and kind of verification for my riding abilities,” said Fithian. “So it means a lot. I feel really good about it. I’m so happy that he’s feeling so great still and is doing so well.”

But one definitive plan for the future, even with Fithian pursuing a master’s in occupational therapy? Lucky will always remain with her.

“He’s my baby, I’d never sell him,” said Fithian. “He’s not going anywhere.”

– In yesterday’s  WCHR Low Amateur-Owner Challenge, Lindsay Maxwell was originally declared the winner of the class aboard her horse Kingston, but after she was disqualified, Missy Kuczak-Smith (who had been in second place) took the title aboard her Executive.