Tag Archives: Central Park Horse Show

Isabell Werth and El Santo NRW Win First Ever Central Park Dressage Challenge

Isabell Werth and El Santo NRW. Photo © Kit Houghton/Rolex.

Rafalca Retires; Ravel Returns for Final Performance

New York, NY – September 20, 2014 – The Central Park Horse Show (CPHS), presented by Rolex and produced by The Chronicle of the Horse, hosted its third day of competition in New York City’s iconic Central Park on Saturday featuring an evening of beautiful dressage competition and special performances from some of the world’s best horses and riders. The CPHS concludes on Sunday, September 21.

Five-time Olympic Gold Medalist Isabell Werth of Germany won the inaugural $40,000 Central Park Dressage Challenge, presented by The Axel Johnson Group, riding El Santo NRW. The United States’ Steffen Peters brought his superstar mount Ravel out of retirement for one special freestyle, and Jan Ebeling retired his famous mare Rafalca after the duo had their final performance together. It was an incredible night celebrating the beauty, grace, and power of dressage.

Performing their freestyle in Trump Rink with an incredible backdrop of skyscrapers in the New York City skyline, Isabell Werth and El Santo NRW received a score of 82.042% from the judges to take top honors in the dressage challenge. Dutch rider Hans Peter Minderhoud showed his mount Glock’s Flirt to a score of 78.833% to finish second, and Canada’s Karen Pavicic and Don Daiquiri scored a 73.500% to place third.

El Santo NRW is a 13-year-old Rheinlander gelding by Ehrentusch x Rythmus owned by Madeleine Winter-Schulze and Isabell Werth. The rider has had great success with the talented horse in Europe and decided to bring him to the United States for the first time for this very special evening.

“I have to say thank you in the name of all riders for the great idea for this event,” Werth stated. “In the beginning when I heard it, I couldn’t believe, but I was waiting to see if it was really coming true, and it really came true. I say a big thank you. It is a special event. If you go here through Central Park and if you arrive in New York, you can’t imagine that you will compete here in this arena. It was a lot of fun and a pleasure to be here.

“You need a special horse also, who can deal with the atmosphere here,” Werth added. “I’m really pleased with ‘Ernie.’ He did a great job. I did a really good freestyle, and I am completely happy. I had great days here; it’s my second time (in New York), but this was a special time here. It was like holidays with my horse. We are happy to come back!”

Werth also commented on the great atmosphere of the venue, which is unlike any other. “The really most impressive view is if you see the skyline from that point of view,” she stated. “If you are in the ring and you look around, this is really unbelievable, especially when you come from Germany! It’s a completely different arena or event or atmosphere to a normal show. It is something special because you are in the middle of New York. We have no other show where it’s in the middle of skylines and atmosphere like this. This is really unique and special.”

Hans Peter Minderhoud came to New York for the very first time for Saturday’s competition and was also impressed with the park setting.

“The arena is really amazing. Of course in Europe we have some great venues, but the big difference is for our horses,” Minderhoud stated. “You need a bit of a special horse. They came here this morning, and you’re not in the arena a lot. It’s tricky to go through the park, but my horse coped really well with it. I was very happy with the test. He had no mistakes, and he was really trying and going for it. For me, it was really wonderful to be here. It’s my first time in New York. As Isabell said, a big thank you to the organizers. We had a wonderful week, and it’s so nice to be in the city. I think we’ll definitely come back next year.”

Pavicic stated, “I’m thrilled to be here, and it’s an honor to be third amongst these two great riders here. I’m thrilled with my horse. It’s been a fantastic journey this year, for sure.”

Steffen Peters and Ravel. Photo © David Handschuh
Steffen Peters and Ravel. Photo © David Handschuh

Along with the evening’s freestyle competition, dressage star Steffen Peters brought his famous Olympic and World Equestrian Games partner Ravel out of retirement for one special performance. The 16-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding last competed with Peters in 2012 after a career that launched them to the front of the world dressage stage, including an individual fourth at the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong, wins in the 2009 Rolex FEI World Cup Final (Las Vegas) and the 2009 Aachen CDIO (GER), two bronze medals at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (KY), and two U.S. Equestrian Federation National Grand Prix Championship titles. The exciting evening at Trump Rink showcased the world-renowned duo for one final performance of their award-winning freestyle.

Ravel has spent the majority of his retirement at owner Akiko Yamazaki’s Four Winds Farm in Woodside, CA. When Yamazaki called to tell Peters about the idea to bring Ravel back for one night in New York, Peters knew it would be a very special opportunity.

“We were in Europe when I heard about this wonderful idea that Mark and his team put together so perfectly. I was already in France when Akiko called me and she said, ‘Guess what? You and Ravel are going to New York and you’re going to show there.’ I said, ‘Okay, great! Let’s do it!’ It’s very exciting to be here,” Peters acknowledged. “I am so proud of Ravel. Even being two years in retirement, he just gave all of his energy and expression that he had in the time when he was in his prime. I’m super excited to compete here. I’d love to get a chance to come here next year. It was awesome.”

“He was already so excited this afternoon when we had familiarization (in the ring),” Peters said of Ravel’s experience. “He is such a fun horse. It’s nothing to do with work. People tell me, ‘You make it look so easy.’ He just wants to do it. Going forward, he’s so wonderful in the bridle and still so elastic. To get to ride him once more in a freestyle is so extremely special. It’s really hard to put in words what Ravel really does for us. To compete and to show him, in what I like to call the center of the world, is really special. Central Park is just amazing. What a special feeling tonight.”

Following Ravel’s return to the ring, a moving retirement ceremony was held for Jan Ebeling’s FEI World Cup and 2012 London Olympic Games mount Rafalca, as the mare concludes her successful show career. At 17 years of age, the Oldenburg mare owned by Beth Meyer, Ann Romney and Amy Ebeling will now enjoy her time at Ebeling’s farm The Acres in California. Ebeling has plans to breed her at the beginning of the year and will keep the mare in light work. “I would like to see her out of my window with a baby in my back pasture,” he smiled.

Jan Ebeling and Rafalca. Photo © Kit Houghton/Rolex
Jan Ebeling and Rafalca. Photo © Kit Houghton/Rolex

“It was bittersweet, of course. She went fantastic. She didn’t feel like she’s 17 at all!” Ebeling said of Rafalca’s beautiful retirement ceremony and final freestyle performance. “This horse has given me so much.”

“The decision was made to retire her, and what a place to retire a horse,” he stated. “This horse show is unbelievable. Thanks to the organizer. I know you really have to stick your neck way out to do these events. I’m speechless. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to retire my horse here. I’d like to also say thank you to my family, friends, and sponsors that have made this journey for me possible. I hope I come back with another horse. I was familiar with Central Park, but I never thought I would ever ride here!”

Mark Bellissimo, CEO of International Equestrian Group (IEG), concluded another fantastic night with his closing remarks, stating, “This was a very special evening. We had some special champions here this evening, and it was amazing to see high quality dressage here. I’d like to thank Axel Johnson Group for their sponsorship of this event. Our goal was to prove you could get it done, so in many ways having some great athletes come here was icing on the cake. It was a great crowd; they were very engaged, so it was very exciting.”

In addition to the winning prize money, Wellington Equestrian Realty LLC presented a special Owner’s Award to the winning owners of El Santo NRW, Madeleine Winter-Schulze and Werth, for the Central Park Dressage Challenge. A $5,000 donation to charity in their honor will be made.

Saturday also featured two matinee performances with various exhibitions representing different disciplines of equestrian sport. The United States Pony Club Games highlighted New York’s top young Pony Club riders in a series of entertaining and competitive games. The inaugural Central Park Grand National Shetland Pony Steeplechase races, part of the WIHS Shetland Pony Steeplechase Series presented by Charles Owen, saw jockeys age seven to 16 riding atop one of the world’s most adorable pony breeds.

Young dressage phenom Barbara “Bebe” Davis represented the next generation of dressage stars. The 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games’ U.S. Vaulting Team showcased their world-class horseback gymnastics thanks to sponsor Akiko Yamazaki. Polo’s rising stars took to the ring thanks to support from Wellington’s Grand Champions Polo Club. One-of-a-kind inspirational equestrian entertainment concluded the matinees as Australian Horseman Guy McLean and his equine partners demonstrated the strong bond between horses and humans.

Along with the wonderful competition for the evening, VIP guests enjoyed beautiful seating and dining thanks to VERANDA magazine. VERANDA magazine is the sponsor of the interior design of the VIP tent including crystal chandeliers from Troy Lighting and carpets from New Moon.

The U.S. Polo Assn. Central Park Polo Challenge will conclude a fantastic weekend on Sunday afternoon at 3 pm. Entertaining matinee performances will also be held on Sunday at 9 am and 12 pm. For more information, please go to www.centralparkhorseshow.com. For tickets, please go to centralparkhorseshow.tix.com.

Discounted Hotel rooms are available at the JW Marriott Essex House at the following link: http://bit.ly/1nRumC6.

“Like” the new Central Park Horse Show Facebook page and follow them on Twitter at @CPHorseShow, and on Instagram at @CPHorseShow!

About Rolex

Leading brand of the Swiss watch industry, Rolex, headquartered in Geneva, enjoys an unrivalled reputation for quality and expertise the world over. Its Oyster watches, all certified as chronometers for their precision, are symbols of excellence, performance and prestige. A pioneer in the development of the wristwatch as early as 1905, the brand is at the origin of numerous major watchmaking innovations, such as the Oyster, the first waterproof wristwatch, launched in 1926, and the Perpetual rotor self-winding mechanism introduced in 1931. Rolex has registered over 400 patents in the course of its history. A truly integrated and independent manufacturing company, Rolex designs, develops and produces in-house all the essential components of its watches, from the casting of the gold alloys to the machining, crafting, assembly and finishing of the movement, case, dial and bracelet. Rolex is also actively involved in supporting the arts, sports, exploration, the spirit of enterprise, and the environment through a broad palette of sponsoring activities as well as philanthropic programmes.

About The Chronicle of the Horse

For 76 years, The Chronicle of the Horse has been the industry leader in providing news coverage of national and international sport horse competitions. Through our award-winning weekly magazine and web coverage we offer everything from competition results to compelling features and thought-provoking commentary. The Chronicle Untacked quarterly lifestyle publication launched in 2013 to rave review. Read more at www.chronofhorse.com.

Media Contact:
Shin-Jung Hong, Nicholas & Lence Communications
ShinJung@nicholaslence.com / Tel: 212.938.0005

Equestrian Media Contact:
Jennifer Wood, Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com

Victory in “NYC vs. The World” Speed Challenge Goes to Suncast World Team at CPHS

Kent Farrington and Waomi. Photos © Kit Houghton/Rolex.

Conor Swail and Lansdowne Best in Individual Rounds; Hilary McNerney and Oscar Top $5,000 Junior/Amateur Speed Challenge

New York, NY – September 19, 2014 – Central Park’s Trump Rink was alight with excitement Friday night as the inaugural Central Park Horse Show (CPHS), presented by Rolex and produced by The Chronicle of the Horse, continued with its second day of show jumping competition under the beautiful New York City skyline. The evening featured a $50,000 “NYC vs. The World” Team Speed Challenge, presented by Donald J. Trump, with a win for Suncast® Corporation’s World Team. Representing his home nation of Ireland, Conor Swail won the competition overall with the leading round aboard Lansdowne.

A $5,000 Junior/Amateur Speed Challenge was held later in the evening with a win for 22-year-old New York based rider Hilary McNerney and Oscar. Kent Farrington, the number 3 ranked rider in the world, guided the winning efforts in both competitions serving as captain of the victorious Suncast World Team as well as training McNerney to her win. The Central Park Horse Show presented by Rolex continues through Sunday, September 21.

Friday’s Speed Challenge featured teams for Land Rover of America NYC with riders representing the home city of New York matched up against international riders representing the Suncast Corporation World Team. Steve Stephens of Palmetto, FL set the track for the competition, which was run in a faults converted speed format. The world team was the winner overall, topping 10 of the 15 match-ups while the team for NYC, captained by Georgina Bloomberg, settled for second.

In addition to team prizes, the top eight individual riders shared in a $50,000 purse with a win for Ireland’s Conor Swail riding Susan and Ariel Grange’s Lansdowne. The pair laid down a blazing fast clear round in 45.83 seconds to win their match-up and the winner’s share of prize money.

Jessica Springsteen (USA) was second individually riding Stone Hill Farm’s Davendy S to a clear round in 47.23 seconds. Shane Sweetnam rode to third place for his home nation of Ireland with a clear round in 47.40 seconds on Cyklon 1083.

Farrington commented on the event following another great evening of competition representing his winning team. “I think this is one of the best venues we can have to showcase our sport,” he stated. “It is really exciting to be here and be a part of this event, getting it off the ground. A special thank you to everybody that has put big efforts into making this happen – Mark Bellissimo, Donald Trump, Rolex being our sponsor here, all the staff of the park, and everybody that has helped. I think for the first year, it’s a success, and I know there will be big efforts into making it better. I think that this could turn into a major stop on our tour and turn into a world-class event.”

With a very talented group of experienced international competitors on his team, Farrington’s job as captain was easy. “If you look at my list of riders they don’t need any advice,” Farrington declared. “They know what their plan is. They all know what they are doing, so I don’t really need to do anything.”

Conor Swail knew his plan with top mount Lansdowne, with whom he has had many international wins together. “I was fortunate that I have Lansdowne, and he is my top grand prix horse,” Swail acknowledged. “It was a lot of fun tonight. The horse has done a lot of big classes, so it was nice for him to run around and be able to enjoy himself and go as fast as he could. You have a good plan before you go in and you try and execute it the best you can, and thankfully it came off very well for me tonight. The horse was fabulous.”

“It’s fantastic to be invited to this show, to be a part of such a fantastic event here,” Swail added. “I think in the future it can grow to be one of the biggest shows in the world.”

Georgina Bloomberg and Washington Square
Georgina Bloomberg and Washington Square

Mark Bellissimo of International Equestrian Group (IEG) was happy with another great night of competition and congratulated the riders. He looks forward to planning an even better event next year and is already brainstorming great ideas with everyone involved.

“I think we cut our teeth on this and hopefully we’ll have a good blueprint and learn a lot of the different elements or areas of feedback,” Bellissimo stated. “Some riders have some very good ideas. We are very excited about the future of this event, and I think we will spend the next weeks and months figuring out how to work on a strategy for Central Park version number two.”

Chrystine Tauber, President of the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), was on hand for the competition as well and thanked Bellissimo for putting the event together. “To be able to bring sport horses right into the heart of New York City and have this backdrop is an absolutely amazing opportunity for our sport,” Tauber stated. “We are going to continue working together in the future to build this event. It has gone very smoothly. I want to thank everybody, and we look forward to coming up with some really interesting events that we can develop. I think this is a world-class stage, and we will make it into a world-class event going forward on all levels.”

Friday night also hosted a $5,000 speed competition for the junior and amateur riders. The class saw a win for Hilary McNerney riding Amy Carr’s Oscar with a clear round and the winning time of 51.87 seconds. For her victory, McNerney was presented with a VertuoLine Chrome Nespresso machine.

Brianne Link and E-Bay had a rail, but were still very fast to finish second in 53.05 seconds with their faults converted into time. Yamin Rizvi and Peacock Ridge Farm LLC’s Delilah jumped clear in 55.57 seconds to finish third.

“I’m super grateful because my horse is so fast, and I wasn’t worried about going into this ring with him,” McNerney said of her ride. “He can do anything. He’s a little bit older; he’s 18, so we try not to do too much with him.”

Hilary McNerney and Oscar
Hilary McNerney and Oscar

McNerney just graduated from Duke University and got Oscar this summer when she decided to get back into riding. “Kent got me this horse who is amazing. I went to school and decided to just take those four years and focus on school,” she explained. “I’d ride occasionally when I could. After school I wanted to take a year and see how it goes and get back into it. I missed it for the four years.”

McNerney recently moved into the city and was very excited to compete in Central Park at this inaugural event. “Walking into the ring, it was like, ‘Wow, we’re in Central Park!’ It’s really cool to ride in this ring and show,” she expressed. “It was surreal. I’m very lucky to be able to compete here. Oscar has done everything. Ben Maher had him, and he has done Aachen and five-star grand prix. He loves it, and he loves to win. I just try to hold on and get him in the right place, and he’s good.”

The Central Park Horse Show continues on Saturday with two matinee performances at 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. followed by a special evening of dressage. The Central Park Dressage Challenge, presented by The Axel Johnson Group, will host some of the world’s top dressage horses and riders, featuring Olympic gold medalist Isabell Werth and American superstars Steffen Peters and Ravel.

The U.S. Polo Assn. Central Park Polo Challenge will conclude the weekend on Sunday afternoon at 3 pm. Entertaining matinee performances will also be held on Sunday at 9 am and 12 pm.

For more information, please go to www.centralparkhorseshow.com. For tickets, please go to centralparkhorseshow.tix.com.

Discounted Hotel rooms are available at the JW Marriott Essex House at the following link: http://bit.ly/1nRumC6.

“Like” the new Central Park Horse Show Facebook page and follow them on Twitter at @CPHorseShow, and on Instagram at @CPHorseShow!

About Rolex

Leading brand of the Swiss watch industry, Rolex, headquartered in Geneva, enjoys an unrivalled reputation for quality and expertise the world over. Its Oyster watches, all certified as chronometers for their precision, are symbols of excellence, performance and prestige. A pioneer in the development of the wristwatch as early as 1905, the brand is at the origin of numerous major watchmaking innovations, such as the Oyster, the first waterproof wristwatch, launched in 1926, and the Perpetual rotor self-winding mechanism introduced in 1931. Rolex has registered over 400 patents in the course of its history. A truly integrated and independent manufacturing company, Rolex designs, develops and produces in-house all the essential components of its watches, from the casting of the gold alloys to the machining, crafting, assembly and finishing of the movement, case, dial and bracelet. Rolex is also actively involved in supporting the arts, sports, exploration, the spirit of enterprise, and the environment through a broad palette of sponsoring activities as well as philanthropic programmes.

About The Chronicle of the Horse

For 76 years, The Chronicle of the Horse has been the industry leader in providing news coverage of national and international sport horse competitions. Through our award-winning weekly magazine and web coverage we offer everything from competition results to compelling features and thought-provoking commentary. The Chronicle Untacked quarterly lifestyle publication launched in 2013 to rave review. Read more at www.chronofhorse.com.

Media Contact:
Shin-Jung Hong, Nicholas & Lence Communications
ShinJung@nicholaslence.com / Tel: 212.938.0005

Equestrian Media Contact:
Jennifer Wood, Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com

Georgina Bloomberg Wins Inaugural $210,000 Central Park Grand Prix CSI 3*

Georgina Bloomberg and Juvina. Photos © Kit Houghton/Rolex.

Lucy Deslauriers Victorious in $20,000 Under 25 Grand Prix

New York, NY – September 18, 2014 – The first annual Central Park Horse Show (CPHS), presented by Rolex and produced by The Chronicle of the Horse, hosted its opening night in New York City’s Trump Rink on Thursday with show jumping wins for hometown riders Georgina Bloomberg and Lucy Deslauriers.

Twenty-three of the world’s best horses and riders jumped in the inaugural $210,000 Central Park Grand Prix CSI 3*, presented by Rolex, with an exciting victory for New York’s own Georgina Bloomberg riding Juvina. The Central Park Grand Prix, presented by Rolex, was televised live on NBC Sports Network as the first live primetime broadcast of equestrian sport on a major sports network. Later in the evening, New York native Lucy Deslauriers rode her horse Hester to victory in the $20,000 Under 25 Grand Prix, presented by PwC. The Central Park Horse Show continues through Sunday, September 21.

Trump Rink in Central Park played host to Thursday night’s first ever $210,000 Central Park Grand Prix CSI 3*, presented by Rolex, featuring a course set by renowned international course designer Steve Stephens of Palmetto, FL. With twenty-three entries, the evening’s grand prix was held in a format where the top six entries returned for a jump-off. The winner was then determined by combined faults from both rounds with ties broken by the second round time.

Charlie Jayne, of Elgin, IL, was the only rider to clear the first round course without fault aboard Pony Lane Farm’s Valeska while Bloomberg and Gotham Enterprizes’ Juvina returned for round two carrying four faults. When Bloomberg jumped the second round course clear in 38.28 seconds, the pressure was on Jayne to stay on zero as the last entry to go, but an unlucky rail at the final fence tied up the faults. Jayne’s time of 38.81 seconds left him in second place as the victory, along with the winner’s share of prize money and a beautiful new Rolex watch, landed in the hands of Georgina Bloomberg. The daughter of former Mayor Michael Bloomberg jumped Juvina to a momentous victory in front of a sold-out hometown crowd.

Also completing two great rounds over the course of the evening were Paige Johnson of The Plains, VA, and Salamander Farm’s Dakota. The pair had one rail and a time fault in round one, but returned to jump clear in round two and finished third overall on a five-fault total.

Winning this unprecedented event on home turf was a dream come true for Bloomberg, riding a very special horse in Juvina. She bought the 13-year-old Austrian Warmblood mare (Cassini I x Grannus) a couple months before she stopped riding for back surgery and her pregnancy and never skipped a beat as she quickly returned to the show ring.

“I have had a long road back,” Bloomberg noted. “For the last three years I haven’t really been competing at the top level, so for me this is my first win back. It is proof that I have really worked hard and accomplished a lot to be able to get back to the top level. I got her at a time when I knew I was going to be taking a little time off and the timing wasn’t ideal, but I knew she was a horse that I could come back very quickly on.”

“She is absolutely the most talented horse I have ever sat on,” the rider declared. “She is a dream come true, and I was so lucky to find her. She sort of makes it easy; you really just point to the jumps. She throws her head a lot, but I have always gotten along with horses that have a little bit of a quirk. I like her style. I like a horse with a little bit of a fight, and I like that she knows she is good and makes you work for it.”

After a disappointing finish in a grand prix a few weeks ago, Bloomberg was determined to make her round in Central Park count.

“Our last hometown show at the Hampton Classic I didn’t have a very good round in the grand prix,” she admitted. “I wasn’t happy with the way I performed or the way my horse performed. In the car on the way home I told my son that not every day can be good. You have to get back up and try again when you have a bad day, and I remember turning around and saying to him, ‘I’m gonna win Central Park.’ I think I have proved to myself now that you need to set a goal for yourself and work hard in accomplishing that, and sometimes it actually does pay off.”

“This is obviously my hometown and the most special place on the planet to me,” Bloomberg acknowledged. “I competed at the National Horse Show when it was here in Madison Square Garden its final year, and I remember walking into the arena for the last time there and knowing that it was the most amazing feeling in the world to be able to compete in this city. To have it come back here – I really did take a minute to enjoy the moment and look around. To win is absolutely amazing to me.”

With a fantastic first night in the books, Mark Bellissimo of International Equestrian Group (IEG) thanked Bloomberg and supporters such as Mr. Donald Trump and Rolex for their help in making his dream of a Central Park Horse Show a reality.

“We are very excited about our inaugural Central Park Horse Show,” Bellissimo stated. “I would like to thank Donald Trump, who envisioned this with me about two years ago. He said we would make it happen. To his word, we did it, and very quickly. I am very thankful because I think this was just an amazingly transformational event for this sport, and I am very proud.”

“After my conversation with Donald, the next conversation was with Georgina,” Bellissimo added. “I called Georgina and said that we were going to do an event in Central Park and she said, ‘Good luck.’ She said, ‘Every year someone calls me. I don’t think it’s going to happen, but if it does, I will be there.’ What I think was spectacular is that once we got some trajectory, she has been absolutely supportive. She has a very busy schedule as a new mother and has come back with what is an amazing horse in Juvina. That is a great partnership, and I am proud to be presenting her with the winning check tonight.”

“I would also like to thank Chris Welton, the CEO of USEF. With the help of USEF we got approval to do this, and they were very supportive in making this happen,” Bellissimo continued. “Sheila Johnson has been phenomenal, a big supporter and partner, and it was so fitting that Paige was in third place today. We have a great partnership with Rolex. They have sponsored us in Wellington and other venues, but this is something that is rare for them, to put their reputation and brand on an event that was unproven and that was a very difficult event to create. We only had five days to transform Trump Rink into something that I think is one of the most spectacular show jumping destinations in the world.”

Bloomberg praised Bellissimo for putting on a great event despite her initial doubts. “One lesson I always learned from my father was that the more somebody says you can’t do something, the harder you have to try to get it done and the sweeter it is going to taste when you do it, so hats off to Mark. He has done amazing things for equestrian sport all over the country and especially here, so I have to thank him and of course Mr. Trump. Without him becoming a fan of our sport and hosting us here, this dream would not have come true.”

Sponsors of the event, including Trump and Salamander Hotels & Resorts’ Sheila Johnson, were on hand to speak to the incredible success of its first evening in Central Park.

“I just want to congratulate everybody, especially our three great champions,” Trump stated. “Georgina and I spoke a year ago at Mar-a-Lago and I said, ‘What do you think?’ It was not an easy situation and we never thought this was going to happen, but it has, and we are very proud of it. The rink is spectacular, and the location is second to none. I would imagine with Mark and his great team that this will be a very special event over a period of years. It has been a really special night. It’s a beautiful sport, and now that people see it, they are all talking about it. I just think it is amazing.”

Johnson was thrilled with her daughter’s third place finish and congratulated the riders and the producers of the event as well.

“I want to congratulate all three of the riders. They have grown up together, and I have watched them since they were young,” Johnson remembered. “Most importantly, I want to congratulate Mark. His vision to put this show on is just remarkable. He has been able to do something with the help of Mr. Trump to bring something to New York City that is so unique and so unbelievable. To look at the backdrop, to see a show ring here with all of the buildings in the background, is just amazing. I think we have been able to put horse shows on the map. Mark is really a leader and a game changer.”

Chris Welton, CEO of the United States Equestrian Federation, added, “I want to congratulate the great athletes that we have here and the remarkable performance on this stage. The background tonight was spectacular. We have a lot of responsibilities at USEF, but one of the things we are putting renewed emphasis on is growing the sport – building awareness of the sport, building the visibility of the sport, building participation and building viewership. The cooperation (here) was tremendous, and one of the things I hope comes out of this is that this show continues to prosper and grow. It should become an iconic event in one of the most iconic locations in America.”

Charlie Jayne and Valeska
Charlie Jayne and Valeska

With a clear first round and a great second place finish, Charlie Jayne had a wonderful experience in the first Central Park Grand Prix with his mount Valeska and thanked the sponsors for putting on an amazing event.

“It was a packed house, and when you ride in a packed house, it feels a little bit like home pride when you are riding in the United States,” Jayne stated. “Clearing that last fence definitely gives you goosebumps every time you jump a clear round, and I really felt the crowd riding the last three fences when I was jumping.”

“I want to emphasize how important it is that this is here in New York,” Jayne added. “I compete all over the world. When you think about a country like Ireland you think Dublin, when you think about a country like Italy you think Rome, and most people that haven’t even been to the States, when they think about the United States, they think about New York. I think it is so important that it is here in the forefront where everybody knows. I think it is the best exposure we could have.”

Finishing third, Paige Johnson was very happy with her mare Dakota and also loved the incredible backdrop of New York City.

“The atmosphere was incredible. I get excited just thinking about it,” Johnson smiled. “The crowd was so into it, and I think it makes you want to do better when you have people cheering you on. I think the sport needs more recognition, and I think this is the exact show that will do it. It was fantastic, and my mare was really good tonight. I can’t wait to come back next year and spread the word about how wonderful this venue was.”

Lucy Deslauriers Victorious in $20,000 Under 25 Grand Prix Presented by PwC

A $20,000 Under 25 Grand Prix, presented by PwC, followed on Thursday evening featuring some of the nation’s top riders under the age of 25 with a win for 15-year-old Lucy Deslauriers of New York, NY, riding Lisa Deslauriers’ Hester. Twelve entries showed with three riders advancing to the jump-off, where Deslauriers completed the only double clear round with Hester in 32.47 seconds for her victory. Katherine Strauss and All In had four faults in the jump-off in 32.71 seconds to finish second. Sydney Shulman and Back Country Farm’s Quidam 13 placed third with four faults in 33.36 seconds.

Lucy Deslauriers and Hester
Lucy Deslauriers and Hester

“It was very exciting. I didn’t really know what to expect,” Deslauriers said of her first Central Park Horse Show. “I have never ridden this close to home, for sure, but I’m very excited to be here, and it was a great class.”

Deslauriers went to school as usual on Thursday before jumping to victory later in the evening just minutes from home. “I went to a full day of school, got home, and walked over here,” she detailed. “I did some homework in between. Before I went, when we walked the grand prix, I kept saying to my friends, ‘This is so weird. We’re in the middle of the city!’ None of us have ever done anything like this before, so it was really amazing.”

The plan in the jump-off was just to go clear. “I wasn’t really going to let everyone else get to me or pay attention too much to what everyone else was doing,” she stated. “I had my plan, so I was just going to stick to that.”

She knew she could count on Hester, who she has been riding all year and has even started competing at the grand prix level. “My dad rode him, but I kind of took over the ride in spring last year. He definitely is a show horse. He lights up in the ring and has a lot of personality. I knew he would be as excited as I was to be here, but I had confidence in him coming in here,” she described.

Along with the wonderful competition for the evening, VIP guests enjoyed beautiful seating and dining thanks to VERANDA magazine. VERANDA magazine is the sponsor of the interior design of the VIP tent including crystal chandeliers from Troy Lighting and carpets from New Moon.

Thursday’s competition was just the beginning of an exciting weekend of equestrian sport in New York City’s beloved Central Park continuing through Sunday, September 21. The Central Park Horse Show, presented by Rolex will continue on Friday evening featuring the $50,000 “NYC vs. The World” Pro-Am Speed Challenge, presented by Donald J. Trump, where Bloomberg hopes to take another round of honor as captain of the “Land Rover NYC Team,” against Kent Farrington’s “Suncast World Team.”

Saturday evening will host The Central Park Dressage Challenge, presented by The Axel Johnson Group, showcasing some of the world’s top dressage horses and riders, featuring Olympic gold medalist Isabell Werth and American superstars Steffen Peters and Ravel. The U.S. Polo Assn. Central Park Polo Challenge will conclude the weekend on Sunday afternoon. Incredible matinee performances will also be held on Saturday and Sunday at 9 am and 12 pm.

For more information, please go to www.centralparkhorseshow.com. For tickets, please go to centralparkhorseshow.tix.com.

Discounted Hotel rooms are available at the JW Marriott Essex House at the following link: http://bit.ly/1nRumC6.

“Like” the new Central Park Horse Show Facebook page and follow them on Twitter at @CPHorseShow, and on Instagram at @CPHorseShow!

About Rolex

Leading brand of the Swiss watch industry, Rolex, headquartered in Geneva, enjoys an unrivalled reputation for quality and expertise the world over. Its Oyster watches, all certified as chronometers for their precision, are symbols of excellence, performance and prestige. A pioneer in the development of the wristwatch as early as 1905, the brand is at the origin of numerous major watchmaking innovations, such as the Oyster, the first waterproof wristwatch, launched in 1926, and the Perpetual rotor self-winding mechanism introduced in 1931. Rolex has registered over 400 patents in the course of its history. A truly integrated and independent manufacturing company, Rolex designs, develops and produces in-house all the essential components of its watches, from the casting of the gold alloys to the machining, crafting, assembly and finishing of the movement, case, dial and bracelet. Rolex is also actively involved in supporting the arts, sports, exploration, the spirit of enterprise, and the environment through a broad palette of sponsoring activities as well as philanthropic programmes.

About The Chronicle of the Horse

For 76 years, The Chronicle of the Horse has been the industry leader in providing news coverage of national and international sport horse competitions. Through our award-winning weekly magazine and web coverage we offer everything from competition results to compelling features and thought-provoking commentary. The Chronicle Untacked quarterly lifestyle publication launched in 2013 to rave review. Read more at www.chronofhorse.com.

Media Contact:
Shin-Jung Hong, Nicholas & Lence Communications
ShinJung@nicholaslence.com / Tel: 212.938.0005

Equestrian Media Contact:
Jennifer Wood, Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com

Central Park Horse Show Hosts the USPA Brand and USPA Central Park Polo Challenge

New York, NY – September 18, 2014 – The Central Park Horse Show (CPHS), presented by Rolex and produced by The Chronicle of the Horse, is pleased to announce that USPA Properties, Inc.’s North American licensee for its U.S. Polo Assn. brand, JRA Trademark Co. Ltd., will be the presenting sponsor at the first ever U.S. Polo Assn. Central Park Polo Challenge on September 21 at 3 p.m., in collaboration with The Chronicle of the Horse, United States Polo Association and Grand Champions Polo Club. The CPHS runs September 18-21, 2014, in New York City’s iconic Central Park and features an exciting schedule of show jumping, dressage, equestrian matinees, and arena polo.

“The Central Park Horse Show, presented by Rolex, is bringing multiple disciplines of equestrian sport to the city of New York,” said Katherine Bellissimo of International Equestrian Group LLC. “Arena polo is a fantastic addition to our Sunday schedule and we hope spectators will enjoy this exciting match.”

The match will be played in Trump Rink, which will be transformed into an arena polo venue as the finale of the CPHS. Arena polo is a high-energy, fast-paced version of polo played with a three-person team on a much smaller field than traditional polo that is gaining in popularity nationwide.

The U.S. Polo Assn. team will consist of three highly talented American polo players: Grant Ganzi, age 16, Juan Bollini, age 18, and Nic Roldan, age 31. Their opposing teams illustrate polo’s rich multigenerational heritage through players Melissa Ganzi, who is Grant’s mother, and Juan Bollini Sr., who is Juan’s father. As part of the United States Polo Association’s ongoing program to expose sports fans nationwide to the sport of polo, the match will be telecast on the NBC Sports Network (NBC SN) on October 4 at 3:30 p.m. EST. It will be the first ever nationwide telecast of an arena polo match and will feature six U.S. Polo Assn. commercial spots.

In addition to providing uniforms for the team, U.S. Polo Assn. limited edition merchandise will be available for sale on-site. Revenue generated from the sales supports the sport of polo through United States Polo Association initiatives such as the Team USPA professional player development program, nationwide interscholastic and intercollegiate polo programs, player safety and equine welfare programs and a number of other programs that promote the growth and development of the sport through its official governing body.

“Being the official brand for the sport of polo in the United States, we are excited to see the sport return to its roots in New York City, back to where it all began,” commented Jackie Harrigan, VP Marketing. “This is a symbiotic partnership as next year marks the 125th anniversary of the United States Polo Association. U.S. Polo Assn. clothing is authentic to the sport in that it embodies the same classic American spirit that you find on the polo field. We are proud to be part of this special event, especially as it includes Juan Bollini, one of the many polo player faces of our ‘Live Authentically’ global marketing campaign.”

For more information on the U.S. Polo Assn. brand, please visit: www.uspoloassnglobal.com.

For more information, please go to www.centralparkhorseshow.com. For tickets, please go to centralparkhorseshow.tix.com.

Discounted Hotel rooms are available at the JW Marriott Essex House at the following link: http://bit.ly/1nRumC6.

“Like” the new Central Park Horse Show Facebook page and follow them on Twitter at @CPHorseShow, and on Instagram at @CPHorseShow!

About U.S. Polo Assn.

U.S. Polo Assn. brand products are authentic and officially sanctioned by the United States Polo Association (USPA), the governing body for the sport of polo in the U.S. since 1890.

USPA Properties, Inc., a wholly owned, for-profit, tax-paying subsidiary of the USPA, manages its licensing program in over 135 countries through independent retail, department, online and U.S. Polo Assn. brand stores.

Primarily featuring sportswear for men, women, and children, the product offering has expanded to include accessories, luggage, watches, shoes, home furnishings and more.

As the steward of the Association’s marks, Properties’ mission is to develop a long-term source of revenue to help underwrite numerous programs for education about and promotion of the sport of polo in the U.S., from memberships and handicaps, to clubs and tournaments, from interscholastic programs to Team USPA mentoring, with particular concern for equine welfare and player safety throughout.

About United States Polo Association

The U.S. Polo Association was organized and exists for the purposes of promoting the game of polo, coordinating the activities of its Member Clubs and Registered Players, arranging and supervising polo tournaments, competitions, and games, and providing rules, handicaps, and conditions for those tournaments, competitions, and games including the safety and welfare of participants and mounts. For more information, please visit www.uspolo.org.

About Rolex

Leading brand of the Swiss watch industry, Rolex, headquartered in Geneva, enjoys an unrivalled reputation for quality and expertise the world over. Its Oyster watches, all certified as chronometers for their precision, are symbols of excellence, performance and prestige. A pioneer in the development of the wristwatch as early as 1905, the brand is at the origin of numerous major watchmaking innovations, such as the Oyster, the first waterproof wristwatch, launched in 1926, and the Perpetual rotor self-winding mechanism introduced in 1931. Rolex has registered over 400 patents in the course of its history. A truly integrated and independent manufacturing company, Rolex designs, develops and produces in-house all the essential components of its watches, from the casting of the gold alloys to the machining, crafting, assembly and finishing of the movement, case, dial and bracelet. Rolex is also actively involved in supporting the arts, sports, exploration, the spirit of enterprise, and the environment through a broad palette of sponsoring activities as well as philanthropic programmes.

About The Chronicle of the Horse

For 76 years, The Chronicle of the Horse has been the industry leader in providing news coverage of national and international sport horse competitions. Through our award-winning weekly magazine and web coverage we offer everything from competition results to compelling features and thought-provoking commentary. The Chronicle Untacked quarterly lifestyle publication launched in 2013 to rave review. Read more at www.chronofhorse.com.

Media Contact:
Shin-Jung Hong, Nicholas & Lence Communications
ShinJung@nicholaslence.com / Tel: 212.938.0005

Equestrian Media Contact:
Jennifer Wood, Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com

USPA Properties, Inc. Contact:

Lexi Miller
lmiller@uspaproperties.com / 212.994.5745 ext. 208

David Marcus to Compete at Central Park Horse Show

David Marcus and Don Kontes. Photo Credit – Sue Stickle, www.susanjstickle.com.

New York, New York – Canadian Olympian David Marcus of Campbellville, ON, will be among the world’s best riding at the 2014 Central Park Horse Show, presented by Rolex, to be held in the heart of New York City from September 18 to 21.

As part of the Central Park Horse Show, presented by Rolex, the Central Park Dressage Challenge, presented by The Axel Johnson Group, will see 13 Olympic-caliber dressage athletes facing off on the transformed Trump Rink in Central Park on Saturday night, September 20. Among those scheduled to compete are five-time Olympic gold medalist Isabell Werth of Germany and reigning World Equestrian Games team gold medalist Hans Peter Minderhoud of The Netherlands.

David Marcus, a 2012 Olympic Games veteran and a member of the Canadian Dressage Team for next week’s Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, has also received an invitation to compete.

“I am extremely honoured to have been asked to participate in the Central Park Horse Show in New York City,” says Marcus, 33. “I believe events such as this one are integral to the future of our sport, and it’s not often that we get to showcase dressage to a new and different audience.”

In the enviable position of having two top grand prix mounts, Marcus has elected to ride Don Kontes, a 14-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding owned by Deborah Kinzinger, in the inaugural event. His other mount, Chrevi’s Capital, also owned by Kinzinger, will be enjoying a rest following the World Equestrian Games.

“I am looking forward to bringing Don Kontes out for this show,” said Marcus. “He deserves a bit of the limelight now!”

Marcus made his grand prix debut at the beginning of 2012 and, six short months later, was competing at the 2012 London Olympic Games. In 2013, he topped the North American World Cup League to qualify for the annual World Cup Final. In June, Marcus won the Grand Prix at CDI-W CornerStone Spring into Dressage, the official test event for the 2015 Pan American Games, before being named to the Canadian Dressage Team for the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

Marcus operates David Marcus Dressage, a full-service dressage training facility located one hour west of Toronto. For more information on David Marcus, please visit www.davidmarcusdressage.com.

Contact: Jennifer Ward
Starting Gate Communications
Cell: (613) 292-5439
www.startinggate.ca

Immediate Central Park Horse Show Advance Ticket Purchase Opportunity – Effective Only Today

This is an advanced Ticket Opportunity. General Admission Tickets go on sale tomorrow Monday August 4th, 2014 at Noon. Tickets will be on a first come, first served basis.

There are only 1000 tickets available for the Central Park Event. We are giving you a first opportunity for tickets in partnership with the Marriott Essex Hotel. As part of our Sponsorship arrangement with the Marriott Essex Hotel, we have secured 100 rooms each night for the event.

The Marriott Essex Hotel that is located on Central Park South overlooking the Trump Rink, the site of the Central Park Horse Show. It is the official hotel for the event and will host registration and after parties.

The rooms have been discounted as follows:

Essex King with Courtyard View: $479
Central Park Queen with Park View: $569
Central Park King with Park View: $579
Essex Jr. Suite: $579

So starting immediately, the first 100 persons who secure a room using the link below will be entitled to purchase up to 2 tickets ($250 each) for each evening in advance of the official sale of tickets on August 4th. Again, because there are a very small number of seats available, the event will be selling out on the release date on Aug 4th. This is the only opportunity to buy tickets prior to the Aug 4th ticket release date.

Again, this offer is only available to the first 100 people making a reservation at the following link. In the “Please Select Guest Type” box, please select “Attendee”:

http://bit.ly/1nRumC6

Once your reservation is processed, using the link above, you will receive an email link within 2 hours from our tix.com website to purchase.

The schedule of the events is as follows:

Thursday 6:30 pm – FEI Central Park Grand Prix will be a live television event followed by a Young Rider Grand Prix and various exhibitions. See Kent Farrington, Beezie Madden, McLain Ward, Laura Kraut, Jessica Springsteen and other Top US Riders compete for the coveted inaugural Central Park Victory. There are only 1000 tickets for the entire evening. General admission tickets are $250 dollars.

Friday 6:30 pm – NYC vs The World Pro/Am Speed Class pitting Captain Georgina Bloomberg’s NYC team again Kent Farrington’s World team. The class will be followed by a Junior/Adult NYC vs The World. There are only 1000 tickets for the entire evening. General admission tickets are $250 dollars.

Saturday 6:30 pm – Central Park Dressage Challenge featuring Stefan Peters, Isabell Werth, Ashley Holzer and nine other top riders. General admission tickets are $250 dollars.

Sunday – USA v the World Polo Match at 3 pm featuring America’s and Argentina’s top players. General admission tickets are $75.

If you have any questions, please contact centralpark@chronofhorse.com.