Edited Press Release
September 28, 2025 – Upper Marlboro, MD – The 2025 Capital Challenge Horse Show Equitation Showcase, presented by BIGEQ.com, concluded on Sunday, September 28, at Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD, with the Palm Beach International Academy (PBIA) North American Junior Equitation Championships and the $10,000 North American League (NAL) Adult Hunter Finals, presented by Lauracea.
In the PBIA North American Junior Equitation Championships, Taylor Cawley of Wellington, FL, topped the competitive field of 125 riders aboard Cheap Trick WM Z, a nine-year-old Zangersheide gelding owned by Ardencote Stud. Despite being relatively new to the equitation discipline, the young horse is already amassing impressive accolades with Cawley, having also won the Gladstone Cup together over the summer.
“I think he was very quick to adjust,” said Cawley of the gelding’s development in the equitation rings. “He naturally has a huge stride and a really nice rhythmical canter. He’s been so much fun to work with, and I’m so happy I get to ride him.”
Course designers Meghan Rawlins, Ken Krome, and Joe Carnicom tested riders’ skills over two winding courses with in-and-out combinations, a wall, and a triple bar. Three panels of two judges each awarded a score, which were averaged for the rider’s official mark. Ginny Edwards and Geoffrey Case sat on one panel, Brian Lenehan and Dale Pederson made up a second panel, and Robert Crandall and James Waldman were panel three.
With a score of 91, Cawley held first place after the first round. The 20 highest-scoring riders were called back in reverse order of standings to contest a shorter course.
“The first round, I thought, was a bit more of a simple course that needed to be perfected. The second round was a bit more technical,” explained Cawley. “The last line was a one-stride and a patient six to a Swedish oxer with the high side on the outside, which I think was a big test. Also, being in an indoor ring, the horses tend to cut off the ends of the ring a bit quicker. The test there is to get your horse back enough that you can be right in the middle of the jump while having enough for him to be able to push across the back rail as well as clear the front rail.”
Cawley brought home another top score of 92.50 in the second round for a total of 183.50, leading the final standings by three points to take the class without the need for a test. Anna Markcrow, of Manchester Center, VT, took second aboard Daphne Markcrow’s The Diplomat with scores of 90.25 and 90.16 for a total of 180.41. Adriana Forte, of Water Mill, NY, rounded out the top three by scoring a 90.50 and 89.58 with Julie Thibault’s Zinzano for a total score of 180.08.
For her win, Cawley also claimed the title of Best Equitation Rider, and Stacia Madden of Beacon Hill Show Stables was named the Leading Equitation Trainer as Cawley’s coach.
Madelyn Godard, of Aiken, SC, was presented the Glenna Wirtanen Sportsmanship Trophy by Peter Lane, an award designated by stewards and schooling supervisors to recognize a junior rider who has demonstrated the exemplary qualities of a true horseperson, sportsmanship, horsemanship, and turnout of horse and rider.
The Marshall+Sterling Equitation Trip of the Show award, presented by Sue Bopp of Marshall+Sterling Insurance, was presented to JJ Torano, of Wellington, FL, for achieving a score of 90.5 over fences in Section B of the 13- & 14-Year-Old Equitation division with The Northjet Group’s Favorite Edition Z.
