Wellington, Fla. – February 15, 2026—Bridget Hickton of Pittsburgh, PA, and her own Rebel De Vizy, a 20-year-old Selle Français, claimed the top prize in the $5,000 NAL/WIHS Peggy Cone Memorial WCHR Adult Hunter Classic, putting a close on the World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) hunter action in the International Arena during WEF 6 of the Winter Equestrian Festival. Hosting 12 weeks of international competition, WEF runs at Wellington International through March 29 in Wellington, FL.
Bridget Hickton & Rebel De Vizy. Photo ©Sportfot
Taking place over two rounds before determining the winner, the top-12 riders from round one returned for a final challenge over fences. Hickton, 21, remained victorious throughout with an impressive score of 90 from the first round and came back to secure her classic blue by earning a second-round score of 89 for a total of 179 points.
“He’s been great all week; we’ve been close to that nineties ceiling, so getting it in the first round felt great. I was super happy with where I put us coming back,” stated Hickton, who trains with Ron Danta and Danny Robertshaw. “In the second round, I walked in, took a deep breath, and thought, ‘let’s just have fun, see what we can do, and see if we can put the pressure on top.’”
Bridget Hickton & Rebel De Vizy are presented as winners of the $5,000 NAL/WIHS Peggy Cone Memorial WCHR Adult Hunter Classic. Photo ©Sportfot
That pressure did the trick for the pair, allowing their 179 points to best the runner-up by just half a point. Irene Neuwirth of Culver City, CA, and her seven-year-old Silla Argentino mare, Daffodil, finished on scores of 88.5 and 90 to total 178.5 points. Following in third was Tricia Barr of Wellington, FL, on her own Party Started, a nine-year-old Westphalian gelding, who earned scores of 85 and 87 for a total of 172 points.
“He’s actually my mom’s horse, which is really sweet. He does the long stirrup with her, and then when I’m lucky enough that she shares him with me, I get to do him in the adults,” stated Hickton of the gelding known as Rebel in the barn. “He is the sweetest, most cuddly horse we have. My older sister was here last week, and her four-year-old daughter was doing pony rides on him all week, so she really got him ready for me.”
The junior studying business economics and political science at Brown University plans her schedule out in advance to juggle her responsibilities in and out of the saddle. “I’m very lucky that my teachers at Brown are very understanding. It’s a lot of emails before I leave and a lot of office hours.
“I had a very difficult fall schedule, but it allowed me to take a little bit of a lighter load this spring, which makes it easier to go back and forth,” explained Hickton, the youngest of six children.
For complete results of the $5,000 NAL/WIHS Peggy Cone Memorial WCHR Adult Hunter Classic, click HERE.
Two on Top in WCHR 3’3” Junior Hunter Classic
In the WCHR 3’3” Junior Hunter Classic, Avery Roper of Hobart, IN, came out on top riding Pierogifor owner Stonehenge Stables. They totaled scores of 84.5 in the opening round and 86 in the handy to top section A after a California split. Second place was awarded to Julia Sand of Houston, TX, riding Hallpass, owned by Sue Copeland, with scores of 82.5 and 86. Finishing in third on scores of 78.25 and 87 was Sidney Couch of Alpharetta, GA, and her own Grandstand.
Avery Roper & Pierogi. Photo ©Sportfot
“He’s truly one of the funnest horses I get to ride; he has that nice hunter canter, and he loves to express how he feels. He is always up for anything; he’ll take off from anywhere I want him to, even if it’s a chip or if it’s a stride away,” exclaimed the 13-year-old rider with goals of qualifying for the Junior Hunter Finals.
The Section B winner was Bridget Harris of New York, NY, riding Chaperone for owner Kelly Sims, posting scores of 88 and 85. Coming in second place was Kendall Dey of Nashville, TN, and The Funk Zone, owned by her sister Kingsley Dey, on scores of 87 and 83. Third place went to Sabrina Miller of Austin, TX and Celebration, for owner Dana Narayanappa, with scores of 77.5 and 88.
Bridget Harris & Chaperone. Photo ©Sportfot
“I got him [Angel] about six months ago, right after Junior Hunter Finals. I had been out of the saddle for about three months at that point, and I had just been kind of taking a break. He really brought my confidence back up, so I’m endlessly grateful to him,” said Harris, training under Esme McCarthy at Buckwild Farm.
For complete results of the $5,000 WCHR Junior Hunter 3’3″ Classic, click HERE.
Full results of WEF 6 are available HERE.
WCHR Sunday Champions
Defiant Whisky Adult Amateur Hunter 2’9”
Out East & Hannah Weiss
Children’s Hunter 14 & Under
Coconut Grove & Riley Treace
Swag & Lily Scheurich
Vogel Children’s Hunter 15-17
On Pointe & Lila Dubin
CWD Children’s Pony Hunter – Large
Date Night & Lacey Powers
Children’s Pony Hunter – Small/Medium
Not So Secret & Madeleine Warren
Rollingwoods Knee Deep & Isabelle Bourke
Human Touch and Frank & Eileen Low Adult Hunter
Verity & Jane Fisher
Billboard & Lauren Bialy
Low Children’s Hunter
True North & Olive Fahlenbock
Quintus & Harper Clark
Wingrove Academy Large Pony Hunter
Royal Encore & Grace Stenbeck-Werner
Maria Mendelsohn, Douglas Elliman Medium Pony Hunter
Play Date and Grace Stenbeck-Werner
Stryk Global Diplomacy Small Pony Hunter
Clovermeade Heartthrob and Grace Stenbeck-Werner
Celebration and Lilly Ward
