Stone Bridge Student Chosen for Washington International Horse Show Junior Committee

The Washington International Horse Show, set for Oct. 22-27 at the Verizon Center, ranks among the world’s top equestrian events, and this year Loudoun will send a couple of its young equestrians to the event to serve on the Junior Committee.

Ashburn’s Casey Schmitz, 16, a Stone Bridge High School student, will join Emily Lunsford, 17, a student a Tuscarora High School in Leesburg, on the committee, which plans Kids Day in addition to other tasks that may be assigned throughout the event. Committee members were chosen from more than 50 applicants, according to Meghan Blackburn, marketing and communications director for the horse show.

“It’s a group of really smart, bright, enthusiastic kids,” she said. “They are ambassadors to the show.”

The committee’s 20 members are chosen from public, charter and private schools in Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Maryland.

“I’ve been attending Washington International Horse Show since I can remember,” Schmitz said, attended annually with family. “I would sit there as a little girl and watch all the big horses jump the big fences and just remember that was something that was so cool that I wanted to do when I got older. And now to be able to be a part of putting the now on is a huge honor. It’s something I’m looking forward to.”

The WIHS created the Junior Committee program in 2009 to engage young equestrian enthusiasts from the local community who have an interest in learning about the show and working side by side with its staff to produce the event. 

“It’s great to see how interest in the Junior Committee program has grown over the past five years,” said Bridget Love Meehan, WIHS executive director, in a statement. “It’s terrific to see the kids working together throughout the summer and fall, and the incredible energy, great ideas and enthusiasm they bring to the projects they take on.”

Members of the 2013 Junior Committee, chaired by Youth Ambassador Elizabeth Kruse, are: