Upper Marlboro, MD – October 1, 2003 – “I really wanted to win this,” said Emily Williams after piloting Strapless to the top of the prestigious $15,000 World Champion Hunter Rider Professional Challenge at the Capital Challenge Horse Show in Upper Marlboro, MD.

“I normally don’t say anything because I don’t want to jinx myself but I wanted it so badly,” said Williams. “It is such a fun class. They make such a big deal out of it and everyone cheers everyone else on.”

Twenty-five horses and the nation’s top professional hunter riders competed for the honors and the $4500 first-place purse. Williams and Strapless were brilliant in both rounds, posting a 97.2 and a 97.6 average, showing the style and consistency that have characterized their rounds for the past three years.

The ten-year-old Danish mare is owned by the Lindner Family of Cincinnati, Ohio. Clara Lindner will be riding Strapless in the junior hunter division later in the week.

Williams faced stiff competition from last year’s Chronicle of the Horse Professional World Champion Hunter Rider Peter Pletcher. The Professional Challenge was a critical event for Pletcher who went into the class just seven points shy of qualifying for the World Champion Hunter Rider Professional Finals on Friday evening. His scores aboard January’s Best, a 93.1 and a 95.4, earned him a second in the Challenge class, and he picked up enough points to earn a spot in Friday’s “Final Four” class to defend his title. The other three riders who will be competing for the title include Havens Schatt, Scott Stewart, and Samantha Darling.

Williams’ success on Wednesday was not limited to the Professional Challenge. She also rode Priceless to the blue in the World Champion Hunter Under Saddle. Priceless is an eight-year-old bay warmblood also owned by the Lindners.

In the $20,000 Added Future Hunter World Championship Scott Stewart piloted Dynamic to the blue ribbon. Owned by Mimi Tashjian of Greenwich, CT, the six-year-old chestnut Hanoverian made his first indoor appearance at the Capital Challenge.

“Escort” was imported from Europe almost a year ago and was shipped straight to Florida to show at the Winter Equestrian Festival in West Palm Beach, Fl, where he picked up the Pre Green Circuit Championship.

According to Tashjian the huge 17.1-hand gelding has loads of personality. She said, “He’s a real baby, and he makes us laugh with the things he does. He’s brave and pleasant, has a wonderful attitude and is great to work around. I ride him at home a lot and he jumps high! He clearly wants to perform for you.”

The plan for next year is to have Stewart show Escort in the First Year Green division and Tashjian may show him in the Adult Amateur division.

The Capital Challenge Horse Show will run through Sunday, October 5, bringing together the top hunters and jumpers from across the country. The highlights of the week include the ARIAT Adult Medal Finals, the State Line Tack Children’s Medal finals, and the “The Final Four” - Friday night’s WCHR Professional Finals.

The main event held this weekend will be the $30,000 Ariat Congressional Cup Grand Prix. The FEI World Cup Qualifier will draw the top riders on the show jumping circuit looking to qualify for the World Cup Finals. Past winners of the Ariat Congressional Cup Grand Prix include Olympic team medalists Leslie Howard and Joe Fargis, as well as Olympic veteran Margie Goldstein-Engle and United States Equestrian Team veteran and Virginia-based rider Alison Firestone.

Admission and parking are free throughout the week. The schedule, photos, and results can be found on the Capital Challenge website: www.capitalchallengehorseshow.com or on www.ryegate.com. For more information on the Capital Challenge Horse Show call (301) 260-2467 prior to the show or (301) 952-7944 during the show.