Peter Fletcher Wins Chronicle Professional WCHR Hunter Rider Title at Capital Challenge

by Diana Derosa

Peter Pletcher took a moment to take it all in after he won the 2002 Chronicle of the Horse Professional World Championship Hunter Rider title. The Challenge was sponsored by Carol & Gordon Stillwell, Stillwell Hansen, Inc. and Jack Schock and First Savings Mortgage Corporation, presented by the American Hunter Jumper Foundation (AHJF) and hosted on October 4, during the eight-day Capital Challenge Horse Show at the Prince George's Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD.

Four riders qualified for the final competition: Sandy Ferrell, Churchville, MD; Scott Stewart, Flemington, NJ; Emily Williams, Wellington, FL and Pletcher, Magnolia, TX. He and the others had competed in this class before and felt that "doing it before helped. Emily was more nervous because this was her first time." For Pletcher it was his third try and his first victory. "I'm really glad," he admitted. "I've wanted to win this class ever since they started it. It's a very special class for me to win."

The riders alternated on riding four different horses which they had not ridden before. These included Special Delivery, a 12-year-old grey Dutch gelding by Largos owned and trained by Geoff Teall; Notra Dame, a 7-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare owned by Megan McGuire, and trained by Amanda Steege-Herrara; Capito, a 10-year-old chestnut Warmblood gelding, owned by Karen Healey; and Gandolf, a 10-year-old bay, Hanoverian gelding, owned by Sue Grange and trained by Don Stewart.

Pletcher had the high score (92.60) on Special Delivery, while Ferrell scored 89.20, Williams 86.40 and Stewart 84.60. Notra Dame, loved being ridden "soft," explained Pletcher. "The softer you rode her the better." Again Peter took the high mark of 89.20 (Stewart 86, Ferrell 75.60 and Williams 73.80).

It was Stewart who took the leading score of 91.80 on Capito (Pletcher 88.20, Williams 87.60, Ferrell 73.80). Williams took the leading score of 89.60 on Gandolf (Pletcher 88.70, Stewart 88.60, Ferrell 78.40). The riders were allowed to briefly warm-up on their first horse but for all subsequent rides they had to go directly to the course in the ring. When the final scores were tallied Pletcher had the highest total of 358.70. Then it was Stewart (351), Williams (337.40) and Ferrell (317).