"We're dedicating the Caprilli Award, sponsored by Sweet Briar College, to Victor Hugo-Vidal this year," Lendon said, noting that the recently deceased judge was one of the first officials to participate at the event. "He loved this show. After the first one he judged he told me he was coming back! And he said would do whatever we wanted - he said he'd do in-gate just to be here."

Dr. Max Gahwyler judged the classes in Ring 2 today. "The Caprilli goes way back," he said noting that the class had been dropped from competition in 1929, but that he reintroduced it in the 1960s. When Lendon started her Championships, he suggested that she include it. "Dressage riders should be able to jump," he said.

When judging the Caprilli, Dr. Gahwyler said he looks for relaxation of the horse, ability of the rider, smooth transitions after the jumps into whatever gait is required, and freedom of movement of the horse. He noted that the First Level difficulty set for the riders at the Championships was actually very low; the jumps were 2' but in the 1960s the Fourth Level riders jumped 3' 6".