Upper Marlboro, MD – October 7, 2005 - “For the two days I’ve known him he’s been a great horse,” said Kristen Vale laughing. Vale and Adele Einhorn’s Belgique topped 24 riders to win the World Champion Hunter Rider Adult Amateur Challenge on Friday afternoon at the Capital Challenge Horse Show in Upper Marlboro, MD.

Vale picked up the ride on Belgique just two days ago but the pair looked as if they had spent the season together. They posted an 84.33 in the first round and an 83.58 in the second round for a winning score of 167.91.

“He’s very simple to ride,” said Vale. “He knows what’s going on. I felt him today before I walked in the ring, he took a deep breath, put his head down and relaxed, and I knew he was just going to walk in the ring and be perfect.”

The ten-year-old Belgian Warmblood is owned by Adele Einhorn and is currently stabled with Christina Schlusemeyer and Quiet Hill Farm as a sale horse. Schlusemeyer offered Vale her choice of a handful of horses to ride in the adult amateur division at the Capital Challenge and after riding a couple of them she picked Belgique.

Vale has been riding since she was a child but the last time she owned her own horse was when she was ten years old. After selling her pony she continued riding by catch riding anything she could. “Kristen can ride anything,” said Schlusemeyer. “And she can ride anything we have, anytime.”

Now, 31, Vale works for Horse Shows In The Sun (HITS) and spends her days running the show office in New York and Ocala, Florida, and has done so for nine years. She rides mainly on the off weeks and sometimes can slip a day in here and there when Schlusemeyer encourages her.

The Capital Challenge Horse Show runs through Sunday, October 9. The $50,000 Ariat Congressional Cup Grand Prix, presented by Stillwell-Hansen Inc. and Arwen Stables is the highlight of the jumper action. Held at 7:30pm on Saturday, October 8 the FEI World Cup Qualifying class is a great opportunity to witness US Equestrian Team veterans tackle a demanding course. As always, admission to the show is free and classes run in two rings throughout the day. Evening classes are held Wednesday through Saturday. Results, photos and the time schedule can be found on the Capital Challenge website: www.capitalchallenge.org . For more information on the Capital Challenge Horse Show call (301) 952-7944.