New York Resident Holly Caristo Captures WCHR Finals Class riding Indian Summer at the Capital Challenge Horse Show

Upper Marlboro, MD – October 8, 2004 - The only class Holly Caristo of Happaugue, NY, rode in at the Capital Challenge Horse Show in Upper Marlboro, MD, was the World Champion Hunter Rider (WCHR) Adult Amateur Finals. And after posting scores of an 86 and 88 in the two-round class Caristo, 53, led the victory gallop aboard her first-year green horse Indian Summer. Caristo won the WCHR class once before back in 1991 and the saddle she won then she still uses today.

“I’ve been putting off riding him because I’m so timid, but he’s so nice,” said Caristo of the six-year-old gelding who also picked up ribbons in the first year green division with Sandy Ferrell in the irons.

The rides that Ferrell had gave Caristo confidence to compete in the Amateur Finals class. She said, “I just knew the way he went he was going to be good for me. That was important to me. I’m chicken. Once I get out there I’m OK. It’s getting into the ring.”

Capital Challenge was the young gelding’s first time showing indoors. The Swiss-bred was imported by the Caristos last fall. The family works together finding horses and it was their daughter Heather who rode the stallion in Switzerland and knew he would be a perfect mount for her mother. Indian Summer started showing in Palm Beach, Fla., last winter and won the first year green Winter Equestrian Festival Circuit Champion and then went on to claim the grand champion at Devon (PA), as well as the championships at Monmouth (NJ) and the Hampton Classic (NY).

Her husband’s plan is for Holly to eventually compete in the amateur-owner hunter division on Indian Summer. She said, “(Ralph) has been trying to convince me to do the 3’6”, and it’s going to take some convincing. But (Indian Summer) is just so nice… I said to Ralph, there might be some 3’6 jumps left in me.”

The Capital Challenge Horse Show runs through Sunday, October 10 and will showcase the nation’s best hunters and jumpers. The $40,000 Ariat Congressional Cup Grand Prix is the highlight of the jumper action. Held at 7:30pm on Saturday, October 9, the FEI World Cup Qualifying class will feature Olympic Team members Chris Kappler, Beezie Madden and McLain Ward. Admission to the show is free and classes run in two rings throughout the day. Results, photos and the time schedule can be found on the Capital Challenge website: www.capitalchallenge.org . For more information on the Capital Challenge Horse Show call (301) 260-2467 prior to the show or (301) 952-7944 during the show.