Via: The Chronicle of the Horse
Jessica Lohman summed up her feelings on winning the $10,000 Washington International Horse Show Adult Amateur Championship aboard Davenport in one word: accomplished.
“I feel accomplished because—and this has been the situation all year long—if we don’t win it’s because I did something stupid,” said Lohman. “That is the only way about it. The horse never does a darn thing wrong any way you look at it.”
Lohman, Poolesville, Md. won the first round of the two round classic, held at the Washington International Horse Show at the Verizon Center in Downtown D.C., and finished strong to earn the title over Carnaval Elite and Whitney Lind, with Contina and Jacquelyn Maggiore finishing third.
Lohman got the ride on Davenport by accident. During a stressful work trip, she called her husband and trainer, Alan Lohman, and asked him to put a horse on the trailer for her so she could compete at the Virginia Horse Park in Lexington.
“I told him, ‘Just find me a horse, I don’t care, just throw something on the trailer,’ ” she recalled.
That horse turned out to be a barn favorite, Davenport. With owner Dani Di Pietro working abroad in India, “Dylan” needed a job. He and Jessica clicked, and next thing she knew, she had a new partner for the season.
Jessica travels regularly for her job as the commercial livestock marketing manager, and credits her husband and Deloise Noble-Strong for getting her and Dylan ready. And for a little extra luck, she indulged her superstitions, painting her nails blue, wearing a blue headband and navy sweater.
“It’s just been wonderful—a lot of generous people came together, all the stars lined up,” she said.
On A Hot Streak
Zentina B and Samantha Karp found the perfect way to wrap up their career in the children’s hunters: Winning the $10,000 Washington International Horse Show Children’s Hunter Championship.
Karp and Zentina B scored matching marks of 87—the exact same scores as last weekend when she won the North American League Children’s Hunter Final at the Pennsylvania National in Harrisburg.
“I wasn’t really expecting this to happen,” said Karp, Wellington, Fla. “To get two 87s at Harrisburg then two 87s here—that was not expected at all. I don’t think it could have gone any better than this. I’m definitely very happy.”
Karp scored a commanding win over Czech Mate and Carly Martin, with Lekha Ramachandran and Playmore finishing third.
This is Karp’s first time competing on the indoor circuit, and she counted on “Tina,” who used to compete with Lillie Keenan in the junior jumper division, to help her out.
“It was nerve wracking, but she’s a pro,” said Karp, 18. “I don’t think I could have been on a better horse to show me the ropes and give me experience doing this.”
In her last show as a junior rider, Karp woke up at 4 a.m. to warm up at the Verizon Center to prepare Tina for this class.
“This is a harder atmosphere for her,” she said. “But she really tried her best and we pulled it out. She did an amazing job and I can’t thank her enough for that.”
“I didn’t have much of a junior career, this is the first year I’ve ever done anything,” she continued. “But it couldn’t have ended any better.”
END