Youth Rules on Thursday at WIHS as Catherine Tyree and Brian Moggre Take International Jumper Wins

Washington, D.C. – Oct. 25, 2018 – The international show jumpers took center stage on Thursday, October 25, at the 60th annual Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) for their first two competitions of the week. In the $40,000 International Jumper Welcome Stake, Catherine Tyree (24) of Chicago, IL, rode the 12-year-old KWPN gelding Bokai, owned by Mary Tyree, to victory. Brian Moggre of Flower Mound, TX, and MTM Flutterby accumulated the most points to take home the top prize in the $35,000 International Jumper Accumulator Costume Class. WIHS continues through Sunday, October 28.

Catherine Tyree and Bokai Race to Win in $40,000 International Jumper Welcome Stake

Catherine Tyree and Bokai Photo: Shawn McMillen Photography
Catherine Tyree and Bokai
Photo: Shawn McMillen Photography

The $40,000 Welcome Stake was held as a “winning round” format, where the top 10 riders, regardless of how many faults they had in the afternoon’s first round, were invited back for the second round which was held in the evening session. Tyree and Bokai came back seventh in the order of the top 10 and put down a fast, clear round in 34.88 seconds for the win. They followed the 2018 FEI World Cup Jumping Final winners Beezie Madden (USA) and Abigail Wexner’s Breitling LS, who would finish in second place in 35.00 seconds.

Tyree said it was watching Madden from the in-gate that gave her the plan to win.

“Bokai is so quick, and I had the advantage of seeing Beezie go before me. She is so tight in the turns, so I was able to count some of her strides, and I really just wanted to try and do what she did,” said Tyree. “She did six [strides] to the last [jump]; I got a good gallop, and I kept going in five. I really got lucky there; my horse gave an amazing effort, which he shouldn’t have done. He just has a huge heart and he wants to win. He just rises to the challenge when it matters.”

Third place in the class went to this summer’s FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) team gold medalists, Devin Ryan (USA) and Eddie Blue, owned by LL Show Jumpers LLC, who had a time of 35.76 seconds. Cormac Hanley (IRL) and Alma Z, owned by Heathman Farm LLC, were fourth in 37.82 seconds, while fellow WEG team gold medalist Laura Kraut (USA) and St. Bride’s Farm’s Confu were fifth in 38.25 seconds.

This was the first time the class has been held as a “winning round” format, and Tyree was happy to compete in the lesser-known type of class.

“I think it’s great for the crowd,” she acknowledged. “You can guarantee that they have an exciting second round. It’s nice that it gives somebody the chance who maybe had an unlucky four faults to come back and go again. My horse, I was clear in the first round, so it was just like a normal jump-off class.”

Catherine Tyree and Bokai Photo: Shawn McMillen Photography
Catherine Tyree and Bokai
Photo: Shawn McMillen Photography

Tyree has been competing at WIHS since she was on ponies in 2004, and this is her fourth year competing in the international jumper division.

“I think the crowd and the atmosphere is great,” said Tyree, who was named the Leading Lady and Leading 25 & Under Rider at the 2017 WIHS. “It’s second to none in the States. I really enjoy the show. It’s been around for a really long time, so I always enjoy coming here. For me, I’ve just been very lucky to have such great horses every year.”

Tyree and Bokai were presented with the Ben O’Meara Memorial Challenge Trophy for their win.

Brian Moggre Makes Quick Work of $35,000 International Jumper Accumulator Costume Class

Youth continued to prevail during the evening session when 17-year-old junior rider Brian Moggre beat 14 other top professionals to win the $35,000 International Jumper Accumulator Costume Class. In his “Grease” costume, he guided MTM Flutterby, an 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare by C-Indoctro and owned by Major Wager LLC, to a top score of 65 points in the fastest time of the night in 40.23 seconds.

Brian Moggre and MTM Flutterby Photo: Shawn McMillen Photography
Brian Moggre and MTM Flutterby
Photo: Shawn McMillen Photography

The first through fifth place riders all had 65 points, which meant they cleared all 10 jumps on course, including the final “joker” jump worth 20 points. The joker jump was a specially-designed Washington Capitals hockey jump sporting the team’s winning Stanley Cup trophy and was especially fitting with Olympic gold medalist McLain Ward dressed as the Caps hockey player Alexander Ovechkin for the class.

Catherine Tyree (USA) had another fantastic finish, placing second with Mary Tyree’s Catungee in 40.50 seconds. Andrew Kocher (USA) and Quarto Mail, owned by MKO Equestrian LLC, were third in 41.46 seconds, while Amanda Derbyshire (GBR) rode Cornwall BH, owned by Gochman Sport Horse LLC, to fourth place in 43.84 seconds. Rounding out the top five was Beat Mändli on Grant Road Partners LLC’s Dibatsja in 47.54 seconds.

This is Moggre’s first season competing in the open jumpers during the fall indoor competition season. He won on opening day at last week’s Pennsylvania National Horse Show and captured the coveted Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunter Seat Medal Finals. In addition to his jumper mounts, Moggre will be competing in the Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund WIHS Equitation Final at WIHS.

Moggre had fun with his costume for the Accumulator class. “I thought it would be cool to dress up,” he said. “I knew I couldn’t put too much on my horse because she’s a bit spooky, so we had to keep it minimal on her. We stuck to painting with the stencils on her.”

While Moggre didn’t see much of the class before he went in, he said, “I could hear here and there, and I knew whatever was going to happen, I just had to go in there and give it my all and hope it worked out the best for me. It did, so I’m very appreciative of that.”

He was nervous coming down to the final joker fence, but relied on MTM Flutterby, his mount of almost five years. “My mare’s so good about compressing and jumping around and high, so she was really great then. It worked out!” he said.

Brian Moggre and MTM Flutterby Photo: Shawn McMillen Photography
Brian Moggre and MTM Flutterby
Photo: Shawn McMillen Photography

For their victory, Moggre was presented with the Crown Royal Trophy, while MTM Flutterby was awarded the Sue Ann Geisler Memorial Trophy, donated by the Washington International Horse Show, as the top horse in the class.

The Best Costume Award, presented by Equestrian Sport Productions, was given to Andy Kocher, dressed as a pirate. With 10 clear rounds over the Buck Breast Cancer jump, $5,000 was donated to the Capital Breast Care Center.

WIHS continues on Friday with presentations for the junior hunter champions, the opening hunter phase of the Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund WIHS Equitation Final, and jump-off classes for the Low and High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers in the day session. The exciting Military Night, presented by Caterpillar, Inc., will have the $50,000 Speed Final for international jumpers as well as the $25,000 Land Rover Puissance.

No Comments Yet

Comments are closed