Julie Welles and Twan.
Welles and Shane Sweetnam Take Top Calls in $8,000 Danbury Porsche Audi 1.40m Open Jumpers
North Salem, NY – September 10, 2014 – The 2014 edition of the American Gold Cup CSI4*-W kicked off today at Old Salem Farm, and from the perfectly manicured jump field to the phenomenal weather and the equally phenomenal competition, there was no place better to be horse showing today – particularly if you were Julie Welles or Shane Sweetnam.
Welles and Sweetnam each rode away with victories in the $8,000 Danbury Porsche Audi 1.40m Open Jumpers. With over 100 entries, the 1.40m class was run as two split sections on the Grand Prix Field at Old Salem Farm. Welles earned the top call in the morning’s first section aboard Twan and Sweetnam and Bijzonder finished with the blue ribbon in the second section.
Welles and Twan, co-owned by Stephex Stables and Missy Clark of Warren, VT, were one of 22 pairs to go clear over the first Alan Wade designed course and advance immediately to the jump-off course. As one of the last to go, Welles and Twan’s time of 30.478 seconds just edged out second place finishers Laura Kraut and Wilhelmus, owned by Graham Fletcher, who had a time of 30.534 seconds.
It was a tight race at the top of the list; third place finishers Beat Mandli and Grant Road Partners LLC’s (New York, NY) Zaza Harvey were just hundredths of a second behind Kraut and Wilhelmus, tripping the timers at 30.572 seconds.
“The jump-off was a lot of fun,” Welles said. “It was a nice gallop and a rollback and a nice long gallop to the last. You just had to pick and choose how tight you turned and what kind of a direct line you wanted. I was fast enough so it worked for me!”
Welles has had the successful ride on Twan all summer after the 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding came to North Run following the 2014 winter circuit in Florida. The pair earned a grand prix victory at the Vermont Summer Festival Horse Shows, and they have been extremely consistent since.
“He’s so much fun. He just goes in there and tries his hardest to leave the poles up, go fast and do whatever you want,” Welles said. “He has a massive stride. So once you get your gallop, you can kind of hear him counting the strides for you. Once you pick up that canter you know you’re good to go. As long as you aim him at the right jump and tell him where to go, he just does it for you.”
In addition to compliments for her mount, Welles had nothing but complimentary things to say about the American Gold Cup itself.
“I think we have to give Stadium Jumping a huge thank you for throwing this event. They do a fantastic job putting on this show,” Welles said. “It’s a delight to come here. It’s relaxing; it’s beautiful, and they do everything to please the exhibitor.”
Welles continued, “I love going out on the grass field. There aren’t that many grass fields that you get to go out on, and it’s nice to do it, especially when the horses jump so well off of it.”
Sweetnam, who won the same class on last year’s opening day of the American Gold Cup, is also quick to compliment the show and the continuous improvements he sees it making each year.
“It’s a great show. They’ve put in a lot of effort in the last couple years to make this a really high standard show,” Sweetnam said. “It’s maybe one of the best in America at the moment.”
He is also quick to compliment his winning mount today, 8-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Bijzonder.
“He’s been doing very well this year. I’m very happy with where he’s at at the moment,” Sweetnam said. “He’s already won on grand prix in Kentucky, and he placed well in the Hamptons. He’s going to do the [$100,000 Hermès American Gold Cup Qualifier] class on Friday, which will probably be his biggest class yet. I’m not sure he’ll be competitive this Friday, but it will be a good opportunity for him to learn.”
Finishing in second behind Sweetnam, it was again Laura Kraut. This time she took the second place position aboard Woodstock O, owned by Treesdale Farms in Carmel, IN.
Other victories today included a win for Todd Minikus and Two Swans Farm’s Calypira Z in the $2,500 1.35m Jumpers and a win for Annie Phillips and her own Lennox Lewis 2 in the $2,500 1.30m Jumpers.
The 2014 American Gold Cup CSI4*-W will continue tomorrow with the $34,000 Don Little Memorial Welcome Stake, as well as the $3,000 High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers.
Major highlights throughout the week will include Friday’s $100,000 Hermès American Gold Cup Qualifier, the $34,000 Fidelity Investments Speed Derby and the Region 2 ASPCA/NHSAA Maclay Regional Championships on Saturday and Sunday’s main event: the $200,000 American Gold Cup CSI4*W Grand Prix.
All competition will be webcast live throughout the week at www.theamericangoldcup.com, and more information can be found by visiting the website.
45th Annual American Gold Cup Fast Facts
What:
The $200,000 American Gold Cup, an FEI World Cup Qualifying Competition CSI4*-W
When:
September 10-14, 2014
Where:
Old Salem Farm, 190 June Road, North Salem, NY
Hours:
8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday with the ASPCA Regional Championships on Saturday afternoon.
Facility: Old Salem Farm is New York State’s Westchester County’s premier equestrian facility, offering 26 annual competitions, boarding, top-level training and sales. It offers state-of-the-art facilities surrounded by 120 gorgeous acres.
Stabling:
Stalls are 10 x 10 and housed under canvas. The FEI stalls are 10 x 12 and stabling area will be secured by fencing with 24/7 security. FEI horses will be scheduled to school separately from non-FEI horses. Schedules will be posted and riders will be given notification of times during the horse inspection.
Parking:
Available on the grounds
Directions:
From Interstate 84 or Interstate 287: Take interstate 684 to exit 8 (Hardscrabble Road), turn right. Old Salem Farm is on the right.
Information:
Before Show – before 9/6/14: 941-744-5465/800-237-8924
During Show – 914-669-5610 ext 201
Stable office – 941-744-5465
Prize List Advertising – 941-744-5465
Vendors – Matt Morrissey 941-915-3457
Website – www.theamericangoldcup.com
Televised Broadcast:
The 2014 American Gold Cup Grand Prix will be broadcast on NBC Sports Sunday, September 21 at 4:00 p.m. EST.
Tickets:
Weekdays: Admission is free to the public.
Saturday and Sunday: Admission is $20 per person, $15 per child 4-12 years and seniors 65+, children 3 and under are free.
Gates open at:
Wednesday – Saturday: 8 a.m.
Sunday: 12 noon
Tickets are on sale now and are available online at www.theamericangoldcup.com and at the gate. (Online ticket sales will be available June 1 – Sept. 1.)
Charity Partners:
JustWorld International
http://www.justworldinternational.org/
ASPCA
http://aspca.org/
Sponsorship Opportunities:
Matt Morrissey
941.915.3457
matt.morrissey@stadiumjumping.com
Connie Sawyer
518.461.6288
sawyer.equestrianevents@gmail.com
Advertising Opportunities:
Mary Silcox 800-237-8924
mary.silcox@stadiumjumping.com
Ring dimensions and footing:
Grand Prix Field 350′x450′, footing bluegrass mix turf. Grand Prix Annex 200′x250′, Schooling 130′x170′. Jumper Annex 146′x307′, Schooling 155′x173′. Indoor 115′x195′, Schooling 74′x135′. Hunter 138′x243′, Schooling 108′x158′. Footing in all arenas is all- weather German-designed fiber and sand.
Hotels:
Official Hotel of the American Gold Cup
Danbury Crown Plaza
(877) 270 1393
Ridgefield, CT
West Lane Inn (203) 438-7323
Brewster, NY 5 – 10 min
Heidi’s Motel (845) 279-8011
Mt. Kisco, NY 5 – 10 min
Holiday Inn (914) 241-2600
Danbury, CT 10-20 min from grounds
Hilton Gardens (203) 205-2000
Comfort Inn (203) 205-0800
Danbury Plaza (203) 795-0600
Ethan Allen (203) 774-1776
Spring Hill Suites (203) 744-7333
Residence Inn (203) 797-1256
Management:
Stadium Jumping, Inc.
1301 Sixth Ave. West, Suite 406
Bradenton, FL 34205
Tel: (941) 744-5465 Fax: (941) 744-0874
Media Contact:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12012 South Shore Boulevard, Suite 105 Wellington, FL 33414
Tel: 561.753.3389 Fax: 561.753.3386
pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
www.phelpsmediagroup.com