from Jump Media
Samantha Bourque, of Glenwood, MD, and Linda Hake’s Colbrew, won the Maryland Horse Shows Association (MHSA) Gittings Horsemanship Finals, which was a featured event on Saturday (October 19) at the WIHS Regional Horse Show, held in Upperville, Virginia.
While Bourque, 17, competed at the WIHS Regional Horse Show three times before, this was her first appearance in the Gittings Final, and she notes her win was relatively unexpected.
“Over the past year, I competed in the Gittings class 10 times and placed second in four of those classes before winning a class,” explained Bourque of her journey to qualify for the final, which requires competitors to obtain a minimum of 10 points and one first-place ribbon. “It was a little bit difficult coming in as an underdog and the last person to qualify for the Gittings Final. I felt like I needed to prove that I deserved to be in the class.
“It feels amazing, and it makes me so happy to know that my partnership with Colbrew has developed, and it enabled us to top the class,” Bourque continued of her win. “We were able to conquer the different challenges we’ve been working through, and it really means a lot to know it’s not just me thinking, ‘I know I can do this.’ The win is really validating that the judges and others recognized I could do it. I’m so grateful that all of my hard work has paid off because it really was a tough season trying to qualify and get here. I knew I could do it. I really needed to push through and make it happen.”
With Colbrew, a horse she’s only been partnered with since August, Bourque demonstrated that her qualification was well earned by tackling the course designed by Patrick Rodes of Argyle, TX, and impressing the judges, Rodes, and Tucker Ericson of Philadelphia, PA.
“My trainer, Kim [Williams], really prepares her students and treats all shows like a big final,” Bourque continued. “She wants us to be ready for any challenge that a course or test might present to us in the future. For this final, Kim emphasized having me stay tight around the turns and having me move up in the long lines to show off Colbrew’s adjustability and our compatibility throughout the course.”
Though Bourque’s skilled ride earned her the win, she is quick to acknowledge the team effort behind her recent success.
“I really want to thank Kim and Willow Wood. Everyone at the barn is like one big family,” Bourque stated. “The support and encouragement have been amazing, and everyone knows how hard I’ve been working. Everyone’s kind words and their positive vibes helped carry me through this year and the hard times. I also want to thank my mom and dad for making my riding career possible. My mom is my biggest supporter, and she loves the horses just as much as I do. I’m so thankful for everyone who has supported me; I couldn’t do it without them.”
In addition to competing at the WIHS Regional Horse Show, Bourque has played an integral role in the planning and execution of the Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) as a member of the WIHS Junior Committee for the past four years and as one of three WIHS Youth Ambassadors for 2024. WIHS Junior Committee members work alongside staff during the week-long competition and serve as WIHS representatives within the local equestrian community. As a WIHS Youth Ambassador, Bourque holds a leadership role as co-chair of the Junior Committee.
Looking ahead, Bourque’s goal is to continue competing Colbrew in the 3’3” and 3’6” equitation classes in the 2025 show season.
Behind Bourque, Carry Murray took second place riding her own Freedom G, while Kelly Rose Abel rode her own Herbie Z Van Het Eelshof to third place. Alexandra Haley Meehan and Mary Elizabeth Sand’s Just Love finished in fourth, with Haven Harrison and Hilary Gibbons-Neff’s Cinco De Mayo rounding out the top five.