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Alise and Lucie Oken Earn Multitudes of Championships and Win With the Best at Capital Challenge Horse Show
Written by: Jenny Ross and Rebecca Walton Client:Hi Hopes Farm LLC Release Date:2008-10-08
Upper Marlboro, MD – October 8, 2008 – At the Capital Challenge Horse Show in Upper Marlboro, MD, Alise and Lucie Oken were two names that frequented the top of judge’s score cards last week. The Capital Challenge Horse Show was held from September 25-October 5, 2008. Alise and Lucie Oken came away with many of the show’s most prestigious awards.
Alise and Lucie Oken of Charlotte, NC, ride at Hi Hopes Farm LLC. They train with rider/trainer Steve Heinecke and judge/trainer Jeff Wirthman. Hi Hopes Farm LLC is located in Weddington, NC, and is known for producing both horses and riders of the highest quality. Heinecke and Wirthman have been associated with training and riding some of the best horses and riders in the country.
Alise Oken needed an extra set of hands last week to carry all of her championship awards that she won aboard her large junior hunter Take Away. The pair took home the High Point Junior Hunter 16-17 Championship, Overall Grand Junior Hunter Champion, and the Best Junior Rider award.
Oken is quickly rising to the top on the national horse show circuit. She is not only winning in the hunters, but she is closing the gap on being the number one junior jumper rider in the country. Winning against top riders in the sport is something that Oken has been doing more and more of under Heinecke and Wirthman’s program.
Oken and Take Away dominated the Large Junior Hunter 16-17 division at the show. Oken piloted her mount to two first and two third place ribbons. Oken also competed aboard her other horse Southern Style in the same division. Oken and Southern Style picked up a forth place ribbon.
“I was thrilled; she rode well and was in the ribbons in almost every class. It was a good school for Washington and Harrisburg. At that level, it’s impossible to think you could win every class,” said Steve Heinecke. “Just to be participating and to be a player among other top riders is a great achievement. There are some really good horses and really good riders out there.”
Lucie Oken was another major player at Capital Challenge in the pony hunters. Aboard her adorable small pony Hi Lite, they took home the reserve champion award in the Small Pony Hunters. Oken rode Hi Lite to first, third, fourth and fifth place ribbons. The young rider’s consistency is resulting in more and more blue ribbons.
In the Medium Pony Hunters, Oken competed on her pony Promise, and they were awarded fifth and seventh place ribbons. Oken also competed in the Large Pony Hunters aboard Land’s End Mad Hatter. They came away with a second and two fourths in the division.
“Lucie was great. The pony divisions are very competitive. They have some good riders this year,” said Heinecke. “She has been very consistent on all of the ponies. On Land’s End Mad Hatter, she was second in a class with a 92. The girl who was first had a 94.5. Those are high scores for some ponies.”
The Oken girls will compete next week at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg, PA. The show will be held from October 9-18, 2008.
