UPPER MARLBORO, Md.--Nick Haness of Temecula, Calif., won the $30,000 USHJA World Championship Hunter Rider Professional Finals for the fourth time in a row at the Capital Challenge Horse Show on Friday, Oct. 3, at the Prince George’s Equestrian Center.
Nick Haness on ONeal (Photo by Shawn McMillen)The nation’s top three hunter riders—Nick Haness, Geoffrey Hesslink, and John French—were joined by Amanda Steege, winner of the 2025 WCHR Professional Challenge, for a head-to-head four-round class on unfamiliar horses, showcasing skill and adaptability at the highest level.
The four horses chosen for the class were Daily Planet, owned by Marlene Holland, O’Neal, owned by Valerie Renihan, Klutch, owned by Caitlyn Gidle and Ton Amie van Spieveld, owned by Ellie Goodfriend.
While Haness had a rail on his first horse to score 87, he more than made up for it as his scores in each successive round increased.
His highest score of 95.33 came in the final round riding Daily Planet over a course set by Ken Krome, Meghan Rawlins and Joe Carnicom.
Having walked before they saw the horses school over the first course with their own riders, Haness had a plan but had to completely change it once he saw Daily Planet and talked with its trainer, Michael Britt-Leon.
“THAT WAS a curveball, that I didn’t really have a solid plan,” he said. “I had to go first, and I had all these options with a horse I didn’t know. I went with my gut and tried to listen to what I thought the horse would do the best and what the ultimate best track for the horse was.”
“This is a very fun class, and I’m fortunate just to be here,” he said. “I think we all are. This is a fun part of our lives, the horses are great, and events like this are special. It can go any which way, so to win this for the second time is a great accomplishment and super fun.”
For second-place finisher Steege, she set the tone with her borrowed rides before even getting in the saddle by carefully watching for specific aspects of the horses as they schooled with their own riders.
“You're looking for their stride length and how they do the lead changes,” she said. “You see if there is a certain lead that they like to land more or less, if there are any little quirks on the ends of the ring, as well as their jumping style and if they look like they want you to ride them loose or they want you to ride them with a little connection at the base of the jump.”
For Hesslink, who was riding for the fifth time in this class and placed third, what is also key is the communication between the four riders as they discuss each horse after the rounds.
“There is definitely camaraderie,” he said. “Everyone was quite helpful and trying to compare and talk about which horse went better for someone else.”
French, who has competed in the WCHR Professional Finals 16 times, keeps an even mindset no matter what happens in the ring.
After having an early rail in his first round, he regrouped and had two subsequent scores of 92.33 and 95, and French finished in fourth place.
“Usually if I have a rail or something goes wrong, then I’m just super relaxed,” he said. “I know that I have to make the rest smooth and not worry about trying to win the class. Then the rest of the course ends up being even better than it would have been.”
“This is my fourth year in a row being the WCHR Professional Rider National Champion, which feels amazing,” said Haness. “Qualifying and keeping that lead through this whole week has been a struggle because there are so many quality horses and riders here, and they’re very competitive. I’m so grateful for the support of all my owners, clients, trainers, and mentors in the past that were also here with me tonight or texting saying they’re rooting for me. That was really nice to feel that support. This is my life; this is my world. I love this.”
As the only horse to score in the 90s every round, Daily Planet was honored with The Far West Farms Perpetual Trophy for tallying the highest scores in the Finals.
