UPPER MARLBORO, Md,--The Ingrahams dominated the Amateur Owner divisions as John Ingraham was Amateur Owner 3'6" Grand Champion and his daughter Martha Ingraham was Amateur Owner 3'3"Grand Champion on Thursday, Oct. 1 at Capital Challenge.

Martha Ingraham on Cheers! (Photo by Shawn McMillan)In the first of the jumpr divisions, Taylor Kungle on 20-year-old Quickly Stated won the $10,000 NAL 1.15m Amateur Jumper Final while Kinsley Nolte on 17-year-old Diablo Z won the $10,000 NAL 1.15m Junior Jumper Final.

For the fourth time and on a fourth horse, Martha Ingram of Nashville, Tenn., won the Grand Amateur-Owner 3’3” Championship.

This year, it came aboard Cheers!, a relatively new ride for Ingram.

Martha had two firsts and second over fences and a fourth under saddle  on Cheers and swept the division by finishing as reserve champion with Romeo and to also win the Best Amateur-Owner 3’3” Rider Award,.

Martha bought Cheers! before the start of the winter show season in 2026. 

“He's such a joy to ride. He's really easy to find the jumps on, he's super brave, and he just absolutely walks down the lines. He has a huge stride, especially for him being a relatively little horse. You really do feel like you're flying on him.”

"it’s still “a joy to win,” she said, “It’s really difficult at a horse show like this where you have 30 of the best horses. On a new partner, it brings new memories and its own set of challenges that you have to overcome, which makes it even more special.”

 

MARTHA'S father, John on Dicoblue PS, with a first and third over fences and a win the under saddle, was the Amateur-Owner 3’6” 36 & Over Hunter Champion, and he also was reserve champion on Odette to be the division Grand Champion.

John Ingraham on Dicoblue PS (Photo by Shawn McMillan)“It’s a tough division with so many really good horses and great riders,” he said. “There are just small differences between the top and the middle and the bottom, so you really have to be on it. We had a couple of rubs yesterday, and that's one of those small things that can make a big difference. Today I took that extra split second to give him a chance to jump a clean jump and not be pressing if I'm a little anxious.”

Ingram said he watches videos of Tori Colvin on the horse.

“I just need to watch Tori and then do what she does – or try to do that,"  he said. "She makes it look easy, but we all know it's not so easy.”

 “I have to say kudos to my daughter, Martha."said John. "I think she rode the best I've ever seen her ride the last couple of days. She works at it, and she cares about it. We both love our horses, and we're for them as much as we're for ourselves.”

Jumpers began on Thursday, with Taylor Kungle winning in Amateur Jumpers.

After a second-place finish in the $10,000 NAL 1.15m Amateur Jumper Final in 2025, Kungle of Wellington, Fla., on Quickly Stated won this year,

Kungle was the fastest of two clean in a four horse jump-off  from a starting field of 22 over a course set by the design team of Ken Krome, Meghan Rawlins, and Joe Carnicom.

Kayla Mahmood on Laconda finished second in 35.214 seconds, while Reilly Canard on Bull Run’s Relentless was third with the fastest time of 33.362 seconds but four faults, and Sophia Masnikoff on Eclipse MB Z  was fourth with eight faults in 38.646 seconds.

“It was so fun, and I feel like ‘Tutu’ was excited as well," said Kungle. "We were just zooming around, and she didn't want to stop. It was an incredible feeling.”

Tutu is one of 12 horses that Kungle cares for her at her home barn and has been a part of the family for three years.

“She's my best friend,” said Kungle. “She lives in my backyard, and I see her every day. I feed her breakfast and dinner and do night check every day. She's always there for me. She tried her heart out tonight, and it means the world to me.”

Quickly Stated had two foals before she began her jumping career in Belgium and after coming to the U.S., she competed to the 1.35m level with Hallie Grimes. 

“I got her a little later in her career, and it's been such a blessing,” said Kungle. “It's been so fun to have an old horse that knows what she's doing. I'm so thankful for Hallie, Team Back Country, and Josh for helping me and making this happen. Every time I go in the show ring with her, it's really emotional. I'm always very grateful to get to show her.”

Kinsley Nolte of Downingtown, Pa.,, on Diablo Z won the $10,000 NAL 1.15m Junior Jumper Final and was Best 1.10m/1.15m Junior Jumper Rider.

Diablo Z also won last year’s NAL 1.35m Junior/Amateur Jumper Final. but last year he was ridden by Loretta-Jean Devening. 

Nolte was one of nine to go clean in the first-round course out of 30 entries.

In the jump-off, Nolte was  clean and set an unbeatable time of 30.590 seconds.

. Isabelle Castellanos on ESI Lucius finished second in 32.350 seconds, while Samantha Teller and Calcite des Baillons, owned by McLain Ward, was just behind in third with a time of 32.367 seconds.

Nolte has been riding Diablo Z since June.

“He’s been the most amazing horse ever,” she said. “He's so game for anything, and he loves his job so much. I've never met a horse that loves to do their job as much as he does.”

As Nolte and her trainer Troy Hendricks prepared for the jump-off, they planned a tight inside turn after the first jump, but Nolte was unsure until she landed from the jump.

“I was not feeling super confident about it, but I just landed was like, ‘Okay, here we go!’ He turned inside and was super quick,” she said. “I had watched the first one go, and they were so fast. I was like, ‘Wow, I don't know if I can top this,’ and then I went and had it by two seconds. He's just so incredibly fast.”

This was Nolte’s third time competing at Capital Challenge, but her first in the jumpers.

“Getting into the jumper ring has been super exciting, and it's nice to try something different and have that freedom to go in and have fun,” she said. “It's been super awesome to have this opportunity with him.

“Winning this class means a lot to me,” she said. “Just being able to qualify for these finals in such a short amount of time with him has been so incredible, and I'm so thankful.”