North Salem, NY – August 27, 2012 – When the American Gold Cup makes it much anticipated return this year at Old Salem Farm in North Salem NY, it will be a star-studded lineup of world-class show jumpers that will compete for the 2012 title. The show, now just a couple of weeks away, is scheduled for September 12th through the 16th, 2012, with the famed $200,000 American Gold Cup as the highlight event on the final Sunday.
This year’s event has been designated an FEI CSI 4*-W, with Sunday American Gold being an East Coast League World Cup qualifying event for the 2012/2013 show jumping season.
With over $30 million dollars in improvements, Old Salem Farm, in New York’s Westchester County, is a premier equestrian venue, offering state-of-the-art facilities, surrounded by 120 gorgeous acres.
Highlighting the roster of riders scheduled to compete are four of the five members of the 2012 London Olympic team, including starters Beezie Madden, Reed Kessler and McLain Ward and first alternate, Charlie Jayne.
Madden and Ward are both two-time Olympic Gold medal winners.
Interestingly, while Madden is the defending champion, having won the event when it was last held in Cleveland in 2010, the American Gold Cup is one of the few major American show jumping events that McLain Ward does not include on his long list of victories. He will try and add that elusive Gold Cup title to his impressive resume in September. Madden, by the way, also won the American Gold Cup in 1989 in Philadelphia.
Madden will choose from an outstanding array of mounts, including Cortes C, Mademoiselle and Vanilla. Ward has four of his top horses entered for the Gold Cup. Led by veteran campaigner Rothchild, Ward will also have Zander, Vocas and Pjotter van de Zonnehoeve to choose from.
“I’m thrilled that the American Gold Cup is getting new life,” said Ward. “It’s one of the great competitions of our country and it’s one I’ve never won. It is an event I’d really like to put on my resume at some point.”
Ward, who is based in nearby Brewster, NY, added, “I’m very excited that the show is coming to our hometown. The Hakim family has invested a tremendous amount of money in the facility at Old Salem which is really first-rate now. I think what’s happening, with the Old Salem show in the spring and now, having the Gold Cup here in our area, which really is the true original horse capital of the United States, just adds to that excitement,” he said.
Kessler, who became the youngest show jumper to ever compete in an Olympic Games last month, has two mounts, Mika and Onisha. Meanwhile, Jayne has Urbanus entered at Old Salem.
The American Gold Cup is a title that has also eluded America’s winningest grand prix rider, Margie Engle. Engle will try and change that when she comes to North Salem with her top two mounts, Indigo and Royce.
Christine McCrea, the 2011 Pan Am Games Individual Gold Medalist is also on this year’s roster of world-class riders.
Other top American riders scheduled to compete at this year’s American Gold Cup include Kent Farrington, who is coming off a tremendously successful run at the summer series at Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Canada earlier this year. Farrington is energized about the return of the American Gold Cup. “The Gold Cup is one of the oldest and most prestigious events in U.S. Show Jumping so I think it’s really exciting that we’re continuing that tradition,” he said. “I think North Salem is a great location for a horse show. There are a lot of horse enthusiasts in that area; it’s close to New York City and I think it will be nice to have a great show in a great facility. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Candice King, the winner of this year’s Fidelity Jumper Classic will be there with Campbell VDL and so will Molly Ashe-Cawley, a winner at Devon this year. Ashe-Cawley brings Executive Privilege and Carissimo, who she rode to victory earlier in the year at Old Salem in the $25,000 North Salem Grand Prix. Charlie Jacobs will have two horses at Old Salem, including Flaming Star, winner of the $25,000 Fieldstone Grand Prix just a week ago.
Also on the list is Quentin Judge, who will compete with HH Carotino and Cara Raether, from nearby Bedford, NY, who brings three horses to this year’s class. Georgina Bloomberg, summer-based in North Salem, just recently returned to grand prix action following back surgery and will compete at this year’s American Gold Cup with three of her top mounts.
Internationally, the British Isles will have great representation in North Salem with Richie Maloney and Shane Sweetnam of Ireland and Tim Gredley of Great Britain scheduled to compete. Sweetnam comes off a win in Lexington just weeks ago while Maloney had a clutch ride that keyed the exciting Irish victory in the FEI Nations Cup competition at Dublin, Ireland, recently. Also competing is Brazil’s Paulo Santana with Taloubet.
The American Gold Cup will feature a full array of jumper classes, including sections for Children and Adult Jumpers, Low and High Junior/Amateur Jumpers, plus Young Jumpers. A $25,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Classic will take center stage on Saturday and the day will also include $10,000 NAL Classics for Children, Adults and Low Junior/Amateurs.
Highlight events for Open Jumpers include the $7,500 Hallway Feed & KER Sport Horse Nutrition Open Jumpers on Wednesday, $10,000 1.45m Speed class on Thursday, the $50,000 American Gold Cup Qualifier on Friday, the $35,000 Double H Farm American Gold Cup Jumper Classic on Saturday and of course, Sunday’s main event, the 42nd edition of the $200,000 American Gold Cup.
This year’s event in September will be much more than an equestrian competition, but rather a family destination, offering the non-equestrian enthusiast a children’s fair, a petting zoo, live musical entertainment and a trade fair. The famous Just World International Horseless Horse Show, always an exciting attraction for children attending the event, will also be held.
The official prize list for this year’s event is now available on line at: www.stadiumjumping.com and www.theamericangoldcup.com.
AMERICAN GOLD CUP FAST FACTS
What:
The $200,000 American Gold Cup
When:
September 12-16, 2012
Where:
Old Salem Farm, 190 June Road, North Salem, NY
Hours:
8am – 5pm daily
Facility:
Old Salem Farm is New York state’s Westchester County’s premier equestrian facility, offering 26 annual competitions, boarding, training and sales. At Old Salem you will find state-of-the-art facilities, top-level training, all surrounded by 120 gorgeous acres for riding.
Old Salem annually holds 26 USEF A, B & C rated competitions. The venue holds at least one competition a month. The most prominent are May 8-13, 2012 AA rated with a Grand Prix and May 15-20, 2012 with Grand Prix. The American Gold Cup will provide the elite high performance competition to Old Salem’s calendar. In 2010 the Old Salem Spring Show was voted one of the Top 25 Horse Shows in America by NARG. The owners have spent over $30 million in renovations to make this a world class facility.
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 9/7/12 941-744-5465 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.stadiumjumping.com
Charity Partner:
JustWorld International
Sponsorship Opportunities:
Carrie Wirth
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12230 Forest Hill Blvd.
Suite 214
Wellington, FL 33414
612-209-0310
561-753-3389 (office phone)
561-753-3386 (fax)
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.
Footing in all rings and schooling areas have drainage mats, sand and fibermix. Schooling areas are located adjacent to all competition rings. Lighting can be made available for the outdoor rings. However no night classes are scheduled. If inclement weather arrives there is the option to use the indoor sand arena as either for competition or schooling.
Hotels:
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
Ridgefield
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
Management:
Stadium Jumping, Inc
STADIUM JUMPING INC.: Corporate Office
1301 Sixth Ave. West, Suite 406
Bradenton, FL 34205
Tel: 941-744-5465
Fax: 941-744-0874
Media Contact:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12230 Forest Hill Blvd.
Suite 214
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax)
pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
www.phelpsmediagroup.com