Scott Stewart Secures Historic Ninth $30,000 USHJA World Championship Hunter Rider Professional Finals Victory

Upper Marlboro, Md.—Oct. 2, 2026—It was a banner week for Zone 2's Scott Stewart at the 2026 Capital Challenge Horse Show as he took home three major wins, capping it off with a historic victory in the $30,000 USHJA World Championship Hunter Rider Professional Finals on Friday, October 2. Michael Britt-Leon finished in second by just one point, while Kate Conover was third, and Victoria Colvin finished fourth.

The Final featured the top four riders in the WCHR Professional standings who qualified for the class by their rank: Scott Stewart was first, with Victoria Colvin second, Kate Conover in third, and Michael Britt-Leon in fourth. The riders competed on four unfamiliar horses chosen from a donated group of horses that were presented to the judges and ground jury on Friday morning. Six were chosen to move forward to the schooling round in the ring before the start of the class, and from there, four were used in the class.
The four horses included Checkmark, a 2018 gelding owned by Kirby Kohn McCool; Astro MF Z, a 2018 Oldenburg gelding owned by Robertson Family LLC; El Salvador, a 2021 Oldenburg gelding owned by Mckayla Brombach; and Beaulieu’s Quentin, a 2017 Selle Luxembourgeois gelding owned by Francesca Nguyen. Paradise City, a 2018 KWPN gelding owned by Logan Elizabeth Smith, served as the re-ride horse as needed.

Stewart had a standout ride on Checkmark, gaining judge’s scores of 95, 93, and 96 for an average of 94.66, but all four of the Flemington, New Jersey, rider's rounds were impeccable. He finished with a total of 371.82, marking his ninth win in the class on his 23rd appearance. While Stewart has enjoyed this class throughout the years—having first competed in it in 1998—he deemed this one “especially fun.”

“We all get along great. I think this group of riders was one of the best at getting along and camaraderie,” he said. “Winning it doesn't get old.”
For the win in the WCHR Professional Finals, Stewart was presented with the All The Way Perpetual Trophy, donated by Elizabeth Busch Burke and Lysa Burke Horkan.

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Britt-Leon, of Alpharetta, Georgia, in Zone 4, set the tone and led for the first two rounds with scores of 91.66 on Checkmark and 93 with Astro MF Z. “I had to go first in the ring, but I think that kind of worked in my favor, because nothing's in my head, and I'm not worried about what everybody else did,” he explained. “I could just kind of focus and go.”
He posted a 91.66 with El Salvador, but his highest score of the night came with Paradise City with a 94.5. His total of 370.82 put him in second place at the end of the night.

“It was amazing that so many people donated horses so we could do this class,” said Britt-Leon, who said he doesn’t like to watch too much before getting on his next unfamiliar horse. “We all do something a little bit different, so I just try to take my time trotting in the ring and figuring out how much pressure I can put on them. Then, by jump one, you kind of know what you need to do for the rest of the round.”
Britt-Leon has ridden in three Finals now, but his first in 2020 was a milestone in his career. “It was a huge win,” he affirmed. “The publicity from it was incredible. I think that 100% helped the business. I think I gained a lot of respect from my peers. It was definitely a change in my career.”

Conover, of Ocala, Florida, in Zone 4, had consistent rounds, but with a fall in the third round, she was given a re-ride on Paradise City. Her fourth-round score of 96.66 on Checkmark was the highest score of the night, and she finished with a total of 367.98.
“Everyone who donates horses gives us nice information on how the horses are, so that is very helpful,” said Conover, who was riding in her second Final after her maiden victory in 2023. “For the re-ride, at that point your adrenaline's up, and I just wanted to go back in there. Paradise City was a nice, big, scopey horse.”
Colvin, of Loxahatchee, Florida, in Zone 4, had an early rail but finished on a high note with her final ride on Astro MF Z, with a score of 94.66 and a total of 365.65. She credited the horses that she rode the entire year with getting her back into the WCHR Professional Final, which she won in 2019. “I have a lot of great horses that I get to ride throughout the year, and they're all lovely,” she acknowledged. “It wasn't really my week for the Pro Final, but that's all right.”

As the horse with the highest cumulative score of 375.31, Checkmark, along with owner Kirby Kohn McCool and trainer Jenny Jones, was honored with The Far West Farms Perpetual Trophy donated by The Karazissis Family.

Throughout the week, riders also vied for top honors in the WCHR Challenge classes. Scott Stewart and A Lister, owned by Kulkin Equestrian Inc., topped the $50,000 WCHR Professional Challenge to earn the Little Brook Perpetual Trophy, donated by Gary Duffy. In the $10,000 WCHR Developing Professional Challenge, Kylee Arbuckle rode Maya Cosgrove’s Silver Oak to the win and the Bittersweet Perpetual Trophy, donated by Rachel Kennedy. Irene Neuwirth and her own Daffodil claimed the $5,000 WCHR Amateur Owner 3’6” Challenge and the Amateur Owner Challenge Perpetual Trophy, donated by the Texas Hunter Jumper Association. The $2,500 WCHR Amateur Owner 3’3” Challenge went to Martha Ingram aboard her own Romeo, while Jessica Yeager and her own Scribble took top honors in the $2,500 WCHR Adult Amateur Challenge and received the Pat Thompson Memorial Perpetual Trophy, donated by Page Tredennick in memory of her mother.

Numerous WCHR awards and trophies were also presented throughout the week. Congratulations to the winners:

Derbydown Trophy, donated by Louise Serio of Derbydown and awarded to the highest-scoring Hunter round by a Professional in the Pro Sections at the Capital Challenge Horse Show - John French and Crystal Blue, owned by Walkenbach Equestrian LLC, with a score of 93.5
Rox Dene Perpetual Trophy, donated by Elaine and Chanda Boylen and presented to the owner of the horse ridden by a Professional or Developing Professional earning the most points in the High Performance Working Hunter, First Year Green, Second Year Green, Green Conformation, Regular Conformation or Performance Working Hunter 3’6” sections using the horse’s top four WCHR Member Events plus the Capital Challenge Horse Show - John and Stephanie Ingram, owners of Odette
Jeffrey Katz Trophy, donated by Lisa Cudahy in memory of Jeffrey Katz and presented to the Professional or Developing Professional horse-and-rider combination earning the most points in the First Year Green, Second Year Green, or Green Conformation sections using their top four WCHR Member Events plus Capital Challenge Horse Show - Scott Stewart and Cadet, owned by Stephanie Danhakl
Alabama Clay Conformation Hunter Perpetual Trophy, donated by the Weisman Family and presented to the owner of the horse earning the most points in the Green or Regular Conformation sections using the horse's top four WCHR Member Events plus Capital Challenge Horse Show - Why Worry Group, owner of In The End (Lynn Olson)
Urlala Perpetual Trophy, donated by Kimberly Maloomian and presented to the Adult Amateur horse-and-rider combination earning the most points in the Adult Amateur sections using their top four WCHR Member Events plus the Capital Challenge Horse Show - Madeline Briggs and her own Kalvarie
Charles Johnson Perpetual Trophy, in memory of Charles Johnson and presented to the high-point rider from the Midwest region - Darby Mullally
Professional Style of Riding Award - Havens Schatt
Developing Professional Style of Riding Award - Kylee Arbuckle

The year's National Champions were also recognized:

Professional - Scott Stewart
Professional Owner - John and Stephanie Ingram
Developing Professional - Hunter Kay
Developing Professional Owner - Lynn Olson
Amateur Owner 3'6" and Spiff ‘N Polish Perpetual Trophy, donated by Elizabeth Busch Burke and Lysa Burke - Sophie Gochman
Amateur Owner 3'3" - Martha Ingram
Adult Amateur - Madeline Briggs

The WCHR Committee and membership also recognized several individuals for their contributions to the sport. Philip Cillis and Daniel Geitner were honored with the Winter’s Run Sportsmanship Award, donated by Patricia Bosley in memory of her mother. Mike Rosser received the Daniel P. Lenehan Perpetual Trophy for his lifetime commitment to judging show Hunters. The David Peterson Perpetual Trophy, recognizing exceptional dedication to equine care and well-being and donated by Kavar Kerr and Jim Anderson, was awarded posthumously to Tommaso Sabbatini. Scott Stewart was selected by WCHR members for the WCHR Lifetime Achievement Award and the corresponding Old Springhouse Perpetual Trophy, donated by the Old Springhouse Corporation. Scott Starnes was named Course Designer of the Year with the USHJA/WCHR Course Designer Perpetual Trophy.

The World Championship Hunter Rider Program was founded in 1992 to recognize and celebrate the Hunter rider. Since the inaugural WCHR Professional Finals in 1992, the program has expanded to include coveted year-end awards for Professionals, Developing Professionals, Amateur Owners, Adult Amateurs, Low Adults, Juniors, Children's, Low Children's, and Pony riders. WCHR Program Participants qualify for National and Regional Awards by earning points at WCHR Events held across the country throughout the qualifying year. Points from a rider's top four WCHR Events and Capital Challenge will be used to determine the National and Regional standings. Each year, the top ten nationally ranked riders and top six regionally ranked riders in each category come together to compete in the WCHR Finals at the Capital Challenge Horse Show.

The USHJA extends special thanks to the Capital Challenge Horse Show team for hosting the Finals; Official Sponsors Herm Sprenger, Nutrena, Parlanti, and Stridefull; Supporting Sponsor of USHJA Hunter Championships GumBits; Supporting Sponsor Essex Classics; and Official Education Partner of USHJA WCHR Spectaculars ICL Academy.

For more information about the USHJA World Championship Hunter Rider Program, visit ushja.org/WCHR

USHJA WCHR Professional Finals Results

1. Scott Stewart | 88.83 | 94.66 | 95.33 | 93 | 371.82

2. Michael Britt-Leon | 91.66 | 93 | 91.66 | 94.50 | 370.82

3. Kate Conover | 87.33 | 89.33 | 94.66 | 94.50 | 367.98

4. Victoria Colvin | 88.33 | 90.33 | 92.33 | 94.66 | 365.65

Release: Jump Media and USHJA
Photos: Shawn McMillen Photography