The Show Brings Thrilling Five-Star Jumping, Top Hunters, Entertaining Exhibitions, and Special Events
Since 1958, the Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) has been one of North America’s most prestigious, competitive, and exciting equestrian sporting events. WIHS is an FEI World Cup Qualifier with the top CSI5* rating.
This October, WIHS will once again bring together the finest and most talented horses and riders from across the country and worldwide for seven days of top jumper, hunter, and equitation competition, equestrian entertainment, and community and charity events.
“This year WIHS is back and better than ever, becoming the only indoor 5* event in the United States, and welcoming top Olympic riders as well as the nation’s most beautiful hunter horses and up-and-coming pony riders nestled in between racing Jack Russell terriers and Shetland Ponies, lots of shopping, and fun free events for kids,” said Mary Helen Shaughnessy, WIHS Executive Director. “Don’t miss our 3 highlight events: Barn Night on Thursday, October 27, that celebrates local barns with contests and the theme of “Gallop Green” – an effort to promote sustainable practices and reduce carbon “hoofprints.” Military Night on Friday, October 28, highlights competitions of power and speed, including the Defender Puissance high jump, where horses and riders scale a wall of over 7′ high! And Saturday is the show’s highlight, our World Cup evening, where riders will compete for the opportunity to travel to the World Cup Final in Omaha in 2023.”
Presented by MARS EquestrianTM, the thrilling competition will be held at The Show Place Arena, Prince George’s Equestrian Center, in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, from October 24-30. Daytime events include a variety of hunter and jumper divisions for professional, adult, junior, and child riders. Evening events are comprised of international show jumping, entertaining exhibitions, and WIHS Equitation Final, including:
WIHS Barn Night – Thursday, October 27
Barn Night blends exciting equestrian sport with pre-event contests and prizes for barns and horse-loving groups. The Gallop Green contest theme, created in partnership with Green is the New Blue, encourages groups to use their creativity to share eco-friendly ideas in their submissions. The contest entry deadline is Oct. 17, and winners will be announced at the show.
Local students from Frederick Douglass High School will sing the National Anthem to kick off the international jumping competition–the $75,000 Welcome Stake and the $37,000 International Jumper Accumulator Costume Class, where riders go wild with fun and surprising costumes.
WIHS Military Night presented by Boeing – Friday, October 28
Military Night presented by Boeing, is about power and speed as WIHS salutes the U.S. Armed Forces with exciting classes and exhibitions. Voices of Service, featuring military veterans, will perform the Star-Spangled Banner. Look for the “Jump for TAPS” American flag in the $75,000 International Jumper FEI Speed Final benefiting Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), the WIHS Official Military Charity since 2010.
Horses and riders will jump the great wall to breathtaking heights in the $25,000 International Jumper Puissance until only one combination remains fault free. The North American indoor record to beat is 7’ 7-1/2,” set at WIHS in 1983.
On his first trip to WIHS, Redha Gharsa and the magnificent Friesian stallion, Battlefield Angel HP “Ezra,” will perform an elegant dressage demonstration. Owned by Rhiannon Barreda, a retired career U.S. Army MEDEVAC helicopter pilot, Ezra’s performance is a salute to veterans and active military personnel for their service and sacrifice.
Making its welcome return to WIHS, Jack Russell terrier racing will keep the energy going as 12 zippy and lovable terriers race over hurdles for ribbons and prize money.
The WIHS Honor & Service Award presented by EQUUS Foundation recognizes a horse, individual, or organization that best demonstrates the values of honor and service as exhibited by its first recipient, the Caisson Platoon’s Klinger, a special horse who has touched the lives of many through his life of service with the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard).
ETHOS Award Champagne Brunch – Saturday, October 29, 11:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
WIHS is honored to host the inaugural ETHOS Award Ceremony to recognize six African Americans for their contributions to the advancement of equestrian sport. Five of the recipients come from families where excellence in equestrian sport has spanned more than one generation. Honoree Donna Cheek will receive a special ETHOS Award for breaking barriers as the first black member of the U.S. Equestrian Team when she was selected to represent the U.S. at the 1992 American Show Jumping Championships.
Click HERE to learn about the six honorees. Click HERE to purchase tickets to the ETHOS Award Champagne Brunch.
World Cup Night – Saturday, October 29
The marquee event of the week, the $406,000 Longines FEI Jumping World CupTM Washington CSI5*-W presented by Experience Prince George’s, will feature top international riders and superstar horses as they take on the biggest jumps and most challenging course for the largest purse in the history of the show.
D.C. Washington, the voice of Washington sports, will start off the evening with the National Anthem, followed by the nation’s top junior riders competing in the last phase of the WIHS Equitation Final. The Shetland Ponies and their junior jockeys will be ready to race in the concluding event of the WIHS Shetland Pony Steeplechase Championship Series.
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WIHS Kids’ Day, presented by Delta Air Lines
Free, Educational and Fun
A variety of activities are planned for the two WIHS Kids’ Day events, including pony rides, a grooming station, face painting, a horseless horse show where kids can jump on foot to win ribbons, a pony kissing booth, carousel rides (National Harbor), plus ‘special guest’ horses, ponies, and more! Admission is free for both events. These activities will be held Saturday, October 22, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the National Harbor Carousel Lot, and Saturday, October. 29, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Prince George’s Equestrian Center.
Tickets to all events are available on Ticketmaster.com. For more information, please visit www.wihs.org. To engage in the social dialogue, please join on: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok, and tag #WIHS2022, #FEIWorldCup, #TimeToBeat, and #Longines.
