Julia Babington and Castiel WB Rise to the Challenge at the Lexington National

Lexington, VA – August 10, 2025 – Only three points separated the top three finishers in the 2025 AYR Equitation Challenge at the Lexington National Horse Show, presented by Attwood Equestrian. In a class that tested both technical skill and adaptability, Julia Babington piloted Castiel WB to first place, followed by Barbara Closter and ESH Hennessy Do Casal in second place, and Byrdie Paisley aboard Caruso rounding out the top three. The victory also earned Babington the Best Schooling Rider Award for her outstanding preparation and performance.

Babington felt confident in the track after walking it, noting that “all the lines walked well for my horse. He has a really long stride, so I knew the numbers would work out well for him.” The course included a few inside turns that had riders debating their options, but Babington felt that her mount’s agility worked in her favor. “My horse is really handy, so I thought he could take them,” she explained.

This unique jumper-style equitation class challenges riders to maintain traditional equitation form while navigating a timed course, this year’s time allowed was 90 seconds. Adding to the pressure, riders were only given the chance to learn their course as they walked into the ring for a timed course walk, warm up, and compete, all without any trainer input. The first round began with a single on the quarter line, followed by a single on the opposite quarter line bending to an oxer. Riders then rolled back to a combination on the outside, took a bending line through the middle, tackled a long approach to a diagonal oxer, and finished with a three-jump line: a combination to an oxer.

Four riders were called back for the test, which began with a trot over a single towards the gate, then a hand gallop to the long approach diagonal oxer, followed by a rollback from an oxer to another oxer. Riders then had to halt before returning to the line at a sitting trot. 

For Babington, the opening trot jump played to Castiel WB’s strengths. “He’s really good at trot jumps, so I was happy to start off with that,” she said. “I think the hand gallop worked out for the rest of it, getting that pace and then being able to settle back. He’s also stronger left, so that left rollback really worked out, and the halt after was good, too.”

Competing without a trainer’s input brought its own set of challenges. “It’s definitely a little nerve-wracking, because there are a lot of things that I wanted to ask my trainer, but obviously I couldn’t,” Babington admitted. “I think it’s good to be able to do it by yourself and always have a backup plan, and even another backup plan, so you can think on your feet. I think that’s kind of what I had to do a little bit today.”

Babington has been partnered with Castiel WB, or “Casper,” for almost two years, having transitioned him from the jumper ring into equitation. “I got him not knowing too much, he did the jumpers before, and I made him my equitation horse,” she recalled. “He didn’t know a whole lot, but he was just super eager to learn all the time and just wanted to try so hard for me. I think that really improved my confidence as well as his, and it’s been really good since then.”

She also praised the Virginia Horse Center experience. “I definitely like coming here. The schedules always run pretty smooth, and I also have a junior hunter, so when they overlap all the ring stewards are very kind and always trying to work out what’s going to be best. Last year I came, and I also did really well, so it’s always a good time.”

The class capped off an exciting week at the Virginia Horse Center, which featured top-level hunters, jumpers, and equitation. Riders and spectators are already looking ahead to next year’s Lexington National, where the competition promises to be just as fierce.