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Hunter Discipline Featured at Rolex Central Park Horse Show with US Open Duchossois Cup

Hunters warm up under the backdrop of the Manhattan skyline. Photo copyright Meg Banks.

New York, NY – August 24, 2016 – The Rolex Central Park Horse Show will feature show hunters for the second consecutive year in one of the most spectacular horse show venues in the world. Held at Wollman Rink in Manhattan’s Central Park on September 21-25, 2016, the Rolex Central Park Horse Show welcomes some of the country’s best professional, amateur, junior, and pony hunter riders to compete on Saturday, September 24. Tickets are now on sale for this one-of-a-kind event, so CLICK HERE: http://bit.ly/29LwkkD to buy yours today! Visit www.centralparkhorseshow.com for more information.

Some of the best hunter riders in the United States will return in 2016 to compete at the Rolex Central Park Horse Show in the Baxter Hill U.S. Open Hunters Duchossois Cup, also sponsored by Meralex Farm and Dr. Betsee Parker. Riders include: Liza Boyd, three-time USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals winner; Kelley Farmer, who has won more than $1.3 million in USHJA International Hunter Derby prize money; Scott Stewart, six-time World Champion Hunter Rider (WCHR) Finals winner; and Louise Serio, top rider and trainer and winner of the WCHR Finals.

Additional top riders expected to attend are Hunt Tosh, John Bragg, Katie Gardner, and more.

The $50,000 U.S. Open Duchossois Cup was a great success in its inaugural year. The U.S. Open winner was Jennifer Alfano of Buffalo, NY on Miss Lucy. Preceding the professional class was a $2,500 Junior/Amateur Hunter class, won by Giavanna Rinaldi of Wayne, IL on Taken.

Course designer Bobby Murphy and street artist Max Collins used inspiration from New York City’s boroughs to collaborate on the design of some of the most artistic and unique jumps ever seen in the hunter ring.

Sponsor Becky Gochman commented, “The course that Bobby Murphy designed was incredibly beautiful against the backdrop of the city.”

This year, Murphy is working with fresh, new artists to create unbelievable jumps with a “New York Pop Art” theme, including a soon-to-be-unveiled “Big Apple” jump.

Gochman was “blown away” by the effort and hard work put into making the hunter classes a success at Rolex Central Park Horse Show. Gochman’s daughters, Sophie and Mimi, took first and second place in the $1,000 Pony Hunter Classic, which included a novel element where the young riders competed to a song of their choice.

She also noted, “Care was taken that the horses would be comfortable walking from the tents to the ring and the footing, and ring proved to work nicely. I loved watching people who were walking through the park see and enjoy the horses, even if they did not have tickets. Exhibitors all commented positively about coming into the city. It was all very innovative. I chose to sponsor the show to give a city show a chance to succeed and to have a special place to showcase the hunters. New ideas are good for the growth of our sport.”

Although Jennifer Alfano won’t be able to repeat her performance in 2016 due to an injury, she looks back fondly at her Central Park experience and urges people to watch and support the hunter classes that take place at this historic event.

“We had such an amazing time at the Rolex Central Park Horse Show,” she said. “It was so exciting to compete with the New York City skyline as the backdrop. The fences were fun and interesting for the horses and riders, and they all performed so well in the venue. Although I’m disappointed that I can’t compete this year, I am making my plans for 2017!”

Fans of equestrian sport won’t want to miss Saturday’s hunter competition at Rolex Central Park Horse Show, in addition to a full schedule of equestrian disciplines returning in 2016. Make your plans to visit the Big Apple for U.S. Open equestrian competition and see the top names in horse sport.

About Rolex Central Park Horse Show
Launched in September 2014, Rolex Central Park Horse Show is the first-ever outdoor, multi-day equestrian sporting event in New York City, showcasing some of the best show jumpers and dressage riders in the world as they vie for top prizes against a backdrop of skyscrapers in one of the world’s most iconic venues. As the event founder, Mark Bellissimo is the CEO of Equestrian Sport Productions and International Equestrian Group LLC; Managing Partner of Wellington Equestrian Partners (WEF), Tryon Equestrian Partners and Colorado Equestrian Partners; and Publisher of The Chronicle of The Horse magazine. The Rolex Central Park Horse Show will feature five days of multi-discipline equestrian sport and performances, ranging from Arabians and Dressage to Hunters and Show Jumping. The Rolex Central Park Horse Show will also host the second annual U.S. Open in the following categories: Jumpers; Dressage; Hunters; U25 Jumpers; and Arabians. For more information, visit www.centralparkhorseshow.com or Facebook at www.facebook.com/CPhorseshow and follow @cphorseshow on Twitter and Instagram.

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