Review of Fall Riding Season

Cierra C. ’25 Competed in NAL and WIHS National Finals
The fall calendar had the usual dates plus a few additions as we prepared a horse and rider to compete in two National Finals this fall. The preparations began in earnest the second week of September when Cierra C. ’25 attended the Maryland Horse & Pony show in Upper Marlboro, MD, to allow her quirky mare, Generosa MK (Jenny), to have a preview of the venue before competing in the North American League (NAL) and Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) Children’s Jumper Finals later in the season. Jenny and Cierra had a good show, earning good ribbons in their classes and allowing them to visualize a game plan for the upcoming finals. This extra step paid off as the pair earned an 11th place finish in the Welcome class at the NAL Finals and completed the first round of the finals on a 4-fault score during the Capital Challenge show the first week of October. While pleased with her performance and horse, Cierra was even more confident and decisive at the WIHS Finals, which took place a few weeks later at the same location. Cierra executed a beautiful round with one unlucky rail coming down and was grateful to share the moment with her family, who flew in from Colorado to cheer for her. With her first set of National Finals under her belt, Cierra is looking forward to another exciting WEF season and hopefully more qualifications for fall 2024. 

Middleburg Classic
While the anticipation of those jumper finals dictated a few additions to the fall schedule, the regular shows remained on the calendar and were well attended by Foxcroft riders. Starting the third week of September, the hunters showcased their skills at the lovely Middleburg Classic show at the Upperville venue just down the road from campus. Representing Foxcroft was Patty A. ’25 and her wonderful horse, Trending; and Alena S. ’25 and her fantastic new young horse Luxiro Z. Both riders contested some prep classes as well as the Older Children’s Hunters and achieved the following results:

Piedmont Jumper Classic
The following week, ten riders opted to stay on campus and compete at the Piedmont Jumper Classic show rather than going away for fall break. This show saw riders of all levels, some with established partnerships and some new matches competing for Foxcroft. We were especially excited to welcome new riders to the ranks: Penelope M. ’27 and her mare MTM Fashionista; Esme D. ’27 and her leased horse, Pablo; and Michelle L. ’27 on Foxcroft’s Cappuccino Ice. These three riders joined Anneliese C. ’26, Valeska F. ’26, Maddie K. ’26, Sofia K. ’26, Sarah B. ’25, and Cierra C. ’25, showing in classes ranging from the .65m - .75m to 1.15m heights. Special recognition goes to Valeska for riding Blue Star to the Reserve Championship in the Low Child division, to Esme for piloting Pablo to a Reserve Championship in her division at her first-ever show leasing him, and then some extra loud clapping for Anneliese and Noodle, who galloped their way to the Championship in the .65m - .75m! Also, a shout-out to all of the riders for the following ribbon winnings at the show:

WIHS Regional and Zone 3 Championships
With a few more weeks to firm up more partnerships and finish some horse searches, the group of riders increased in number at the WIHS Regional and Zone 3 Championships show held the third week of October. Throughout the week, 14 riders rode under the Foxcroft banner in the hunter and jumper rings. This roster also included two riders, Valeska F. ’26 and Cierra C. ’25, who qualified to compete at the Zone Championships on Sunday in the Low and the High Children’s Jumpers. 

All the riders did an excellent job and learned a lot while also finding success in many classes with high numbers of participants. It was a fun experience for riders, parents, and trainers alike!

November Harvest Classic
The fall season wrapped up with a voyage to Swan Lake Stables in Pennsylvania to compete at the November Harvest Classic show the second week of that month. Again, a large group of riders, ten with eleven horses, took advantage of this outing and brought home a wide array of ribbons from both the hunter and the jumper classes. A special moment included Penelope M. ’27 with Fancy and Maddie K. ’26 with Caspian tying for Reserve Champion in the .90m jumpers. 

And that’s a wrap for the fall season! While the winter season is a time to do riding homework and solidify basic skills, it also has some competitive activities on the calendar. Stay tuned for results from the Winter Equestrian Festival, some IEA shows, and possibly some other venues.