Ashley Holzer Gambols Her Way to First Place at the Washington International Horse Show $10,000 Dressage Invitational Championship

Photo Credit: Ashley Holzer on Gambol. Photo By: Diana DeRosaC

Washington, D.C.- October 28- The Washington International Horse Show started a new tradition last night when three of North America's top dressage riders competed at the MCI Center in the $10,000 Washington International Invitational Dressage Championship. Ashley Holzer, Cathy Morelli, and Heather Blitz competed for a purse of $10,000. Last night's Grand Prix Competition was the first half of the Invitational Championship. Tonight riders returned for the Musical Freestyle portion. Ashley Holzer performed a stunning routine for the win with her mount Gambol, an eleven year old Dutch Warmblood stallion.

In the Grand Prix Competition, Holzer, who represents the country of Canada, was the first to perform in the indoor arena. Her performance was met with thunderous applause from the crowd, and this reaction set the pace for the entire dressage competition.

Cathy Morelli and BeSe of Bedminster, NJ, competed next in the arena, and their moving performance left Morelli smiling and BeSe whinnying with excitement. BeSe, a twelve year old Dutch Warmblood gelding, did not seem to mind the indoor atmosphere. "I think he really enjoyed himself out there," commented Morelli. "He's never shown indoors before, so I wasn't sure how he would like it. But, he was great!" Heather Blitz of Mandeville, LA then elegantly exhibited her routine to a graceful finish with her chestnut Arabella. The nine year old Arabella is owned by Denise Arroyo.

Riders returned this evening for the Musical Freestyle portion, and Heather Blitz was the first of the three to dazzle the audience. Morelli and BeSe participated second in the order, and Holzer and Gambol concluded the dressage championship with a spectacular presentation. Holzer and her stallion earned the blue ribbon in the Grand Prix Competition, and she was congratulated amiably by the other two riders.

"I wanted to put him in situations that would scare him a little bit," commented Holzer about her horse's first performance indoors. "I had no idea that there would be a huge, screaming crowd here, and I am so pleased with his response. I think he was thinking, 'Oh my gosh, what is happening?' I don't think he wanted to leave the ring!"

Holzer added, "This is a great experience for our horses. The next time I have to go to a major competition with a big crowd, I know it's not going to bother Gambol. I know how he'll deal with it. In the beginning, he was looking around a little bit, but he rode nicely here. He's still a green horse, and he's been very successful so far. I don't want to put too much pressure on him."

When asked how Holzer felt about the WIHS hosting a dressage competition, Holzer reported, "If you don't have indoor shows here in America, it's hard for these horses to deal with the public during international shows. I think this show is great preparation for us for future competitions in Europe."

These international dressage riders demonstrated pristine talent and were well received by an appreciative crowd. The $10,000 Washington International Invitational Dressage Championship successfully set the stage for next year's WIHS challenge, and the future looks bright for the sport of dressage at Washington International.

For more information on the Washington International Horse Show, please visit their official website at www.wihs.org .

Full results for the Washington International Horse Show are available at www.ryegate.com .