2004 Capital Challenge Horse Show

Peter Pletcher Wins Second Pro WCHR Rider Title

AHJF Continues to Change the Face of the Hunters with Innovative Challenge Showcasing Professional Hunter Riders

Article and Photos by Diana De Rosa

Upper Marlboro, MD - October 8, 2004- Peter Pletcher, Magnolia, TX, was bubbling with enthusiasm after he won the 2004 Monarch International’s Show Circuit Magazine Professional World Championship Hunter Rider title on October 8TH during the eight-day Capital Challenge Horse Show at the Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD. This was his fifth time competing in the class and his second victory.

Pletcher as the last rider to go needed close to a 90 point score to secure the win. Figuring he had nothing to lose, Pletcher decided to go for broke. His final score of 90.6 put him one point ahead of second place finisher Sandy Ferrell, Bernville, PA to clinch the victory in this coveted class. And that victory was sure sweet for Pletcher. “It’s such a great feeling. It was so close and I respect all three of the other riders and to win…It felt great.”

This year the final four in the National Point Standings were Ferrell (1890 pts); Pletcher (1748 pts); Heidi Fish (1807 pts.), Hebron, IL (who won the WCHR Professional Challenge Class) and Jenny Karazissis, Calabassas, CA (who led the National Professional Standings with 1914 points).

Karazissis, who finished third, was surprised that “I wasn’t nervous. It was my first time and it was really fun and the horses were great.”

Fourth place finisher, Fish, thought “It’s a blast,” despite the fact that after her horse refused a jump in the first round the judges opted to take advantage of the option to use an alternate horse, since riders were competing on donated horses they had never ridden before. This meant that Fish was given time to school before again making her first complete round. But she took it in stride.

Before the class took place Pletcher used his experience to offer advice to the other riders but added that it didn’t matter if you came in fourth. “We are all winners whether you are first or fourth. We worked hard to get here and it’s fine wherever we place. The fact that we made it in this class is the greatest achievement.”

The Challenge was sponsored by Carol & Gordon Stillwell, Stillwell Hansen, Inc., The Levick Family and Jaguar Equestrian, presented by the American Hunter Jumper Foundation (AHJF) and included a media sponsorship by Monarch International’s Show Circuit Magazine.