The NBC Sports Network cameras captured all the action at the American Gold Cup. Photo by Carrie Wirth.
North Salem, NY – September 17, 2013 – If you couldn’t get to beautiful Old Salem Farm to see the American Gold Cup CSI4*-W World Cup qualifying competition in person, here’s your chance to see all the exciting show jumping action on NBC Sports Network. The international show jumping competition was compared to the finest of European events and met with rave reviews by athletes and spectators alike. Set your DVRs or have an American Gold Cup party of your own, as if you were enjoying the action live from the Hérmes Club, the first two-story VIP tent in show jumping in the United States.
Watch all the show jumping splendor unfold on Sunday, Sept. 22 at 4:30 p.m. EDT.
Need help finding your local NBC Sports channel for the American Gold Cup broadcast on Sunday? Click on the link and type in your zip code:
Angel Karolyi rode S-Acorada Donaldson to victory in the $15,000 Open Jumper Classic. Photo by David Mullinix.
Aiken, South Carolina – Venezuela’s Angel Karolyi put in an impressive performance to claim victory in dramatic fashion in the $15,000 Open Jumper Classic on Saturday, September 14, at the Aiken Fall Festival II in Aiken, South Carolina.
Nine of 15 horse and rider combinations would advance through the first round to tackle the shortened jump-off track set by designer J. P. Godard. Seven would go on to put in double clear performances, making time the deciding factor. Karolyi advanced to the jump-off aboard two mounts, S-Acorada Donaldson, the eventual winner, and Undercover.
Returning first aboard Undercover, Karolyi put in a solid clear round good enough for seventh place. He and the 12-year-old gelding by Heartbreaker have only recently begun competing together.
“I’ve had him since mid-summer and we’ve really only done a few 1.20m classes together,” noted Karolyi. “I haven’t shown him as much as some of my others because we were getting him more fit. He jumped beautifully and this was a great class for him to get more exposure and for me to get to know him a little better. He’s a lot of fun to ride and has a very flashy style over the jumps.”
As the final competitor on course, Karolyi knew he and S-Acorada Donaldson would have to put in a near flawless performance to take the lead from Mario Garcia and Pacha de Nantuel, who had set the time to beat at 38.508 seconds. Rising to the challenge, the 11-year-old Holsteiner mare performed beautifully for Karolyi, shaving 0.146 seconds off Garcia’s time to earn the win.
“It was a very good round for us,” remarked Karolyi of his winning ride. “The jump-off was tough since the lines were set so you couldn’t really do anything but the correct number of strides. We had to find other places to cut time. I knew I was really going to have to push to get the victory, and she really rose to the occasion.”
Karolyi has also only been paired with S-Acorada Donaldson since mid-summer, but the partnership has already produced a number of exciting results. In addition to Saturday’s win, they also finished fifth in the same class a week earlier. Both S-Acorada Donaldson and Undercover are owned by Hollow Creek Farm, a large training business Karolyi operates in Aiken with business partner Andrea King.
Karolyi’s student and fellow Venezuelan Victor Segovia also enjoyed success in the $15,000 Open Jumper Classic, capturing fifth aboard his veteran grand prix mount Romeo. He and the 15-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, owned by The Romeo Group, captured third in the same class during the Aiken Fall Festival I.
The Hollow Creek Farm team will next head to Argentina where star student 16-year-old Emanuel Andrade, also from Venezuela, will contest the FEI South American Junior Jumping Championship, running September 17 to 22.
Hollow Creek Farm has the unique distinction of winning three prestigious titles at the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL. Andrade was named the Leading Jumper Rider, King was named the Leading Jumper Trainer, and Hollow Creek Farm was named the Leading Jumper Owner.
Brianne Goutal and Nice De Prissey. Photo by Rebecca Walton.
North Salem, NY – September 15, 2013 – On a perfect day in front of a sold-out crowd of over 4,000, 25-year-old Brianne Goutal added her name to the historical list of riders who have won the $200,000 American Gold Cup CSI4*-W, Presented by Suncast. Thirty-six entries gathered at Old Salem Farm for the international jumping competition, but it was Goutal and her talented mount Nice De Prissey that scored the winning honors after executing a quick and accurate jump-off effort. Tracy Fenney and MTM Timon laid down the first faultless round for second place, while Beezie Madden’s speedy four-fault round over the short track earned third with Coral Reef Via Volo.
Ireland’s Alan Wade presented many tests on the Grand Prix Field for today’s riders, including an open water, a skinny fence, a tall plank vertical, a vertical-oxer double combination, and an oxer-oxer-vertical triple combination. Ten of the original 36 starters advanced to the jump-off.
“I didn’t expect that many clear,” admitted Beezie Madden, currently ranked number two in the world. “I thought it was big enough, and I was surprised the plan didn’t cause more trouble. The double I thought was going to be difficult and it didn’t cause that much trouble. The triple combination I thought would be quite scopey and it only got a few. I thought the skinny at the end would be more difficult too. It jumped a little easier than it walked. The ground was excellent and there was some good jumping.”
For the tiebreaker, competitors began over a new oxer-vertical bending line to a tall vertical and last two obstacles in the triple combination. Then they made a sharp roll back to a single over, bending to a tall vertical and finishing away from the gate over a wide oxer.
Tracey Fenney and MTM Timon. Photo by The Book LLC 2013
Tracy Fenney was the first in the ring during the opening round, and her faultless round meant she was the first in the ring for the tiebreaker with MTM Timon, owned by MTM Farm of Flower Mound, TX. The long-time partners were able to complete another perfect course, breaking the beam in 40.75 seconds to put the pressure on the remaining riders.
“I knew that all the riders behind me are super-fast riders, so I just went at my speed,” admitted Fenney. “I was glad I didn’t have to watch everyone else go, because then you get crazier than you need to be, so it was good for me to go in and go the way I go. There weren’t any super tight turns; you just did a lot of galloping.”
Brianne Goutal and Nice De Prissey, owned by Remarkable Farms LP of Royal Palm Beach, FL, were ready to answer the challenge when they stepped on to the Grand Prix Field next for the short course. Utilizing her mount’s large stride, Goutal was able to race quickly to each obstacle and leave each rail untouched. They sped through the finish line in 40.18 seconds to capture the early lead.
“My horse has a huge stride, and I should have been able to do one less in the first line, but I didn’t get it,” explained Goutal. “My second line was slow into the double, so I thought if the other riders did the numbers quicker than I did they could catch me. Normally it’s easier to go at the end of a jump-off, but I think when you are jumping on grass it is easier to go at the beginning because you have better ground.”
Although Beezie Madden’s mare Coral Reef Via Volo, owned by Coral Reef Ranch of Rancho Santa Fe, CA, is one of the smaller horses on the circuit, she has a large stride and Madden was able to leave out strides in lines to stay right on Goutal’s heels. Unfortunately, she laid on the gas to the final oxer and incurred four faults, and although her time of 39.65 seconds was faster, the reigning World Cup Champion had to settle for the third place award.
Beezie Madden and Coral Reef Via Volo. Photo by The Book LLC 2013
“I took a shot,” said Madden. “I left a few strides out and took a chance and the last fence, and if it would have stayed up it would have been great.”
Charlie Jayne was just 2/10ths of a second slower than Madden with Chill R Z, owned by Maura Thatcher and Alex Jayne of Elgin, IL, and with an error at the vertical before the last fence their four-fault round would place fourth in a time of 39.86 seconds. With horses of a similar size and speed, Kent Farrington and Uceko, owned by RCG Farm of Ridgefield, CT, tied with Katie Dinan and Nougat Du Vallet, owned by Grant Road Partners of New York, NY, for the fifth place honors after they each lowered the height of a fence and broke the beam at 40.97 seconds to round out the top six finishers and seal Goutal’s victory.
Goutal began riding Nice De Prissey four years ago when he was just 8 years old. “It took me a little time to get used to him. He has a big stride and touchy mouth. Last year he started coming into his own and jumping consistently well. Now, I am feeling really good about the way he is jumping.”
The next stop for Goutal will be the New Albany Classic, and she hopes to qualify for the team at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France.
This summer, Goutal began riding with Katie and Henri Prudent, who have helped produce some of the most talented young riders in the United States. “I trained with them a few years ago and I always said I was going to start riding with them again,” she said. “They are a great team. They are so fun, and I think when you have a team like that around you then you are very lucky. They have helped me a lot. I have great horses as well, so we are just fine tuning, and they see things that I don’t notice and I don’t think most people notice.”
Goutal also credits her barn manager Tatiana Gabrush with much of her success. “I am a mess to organize and we are always going back and forth from Europe to America,” she noted. “I am very disorganized in general. She is responsible for everything, and without her the whole thing falls apart.”
This marks the second year that the American Gold Cup has been held at Old Salem Farm, and the new home has proved to be a perfect match for the historical event. “This is a great show,” said Goutal. “I think it’s great to have this venue, and it’s going to become one of the nicest horse shows in America. I think we are all very grateful that it is here.”
Stadium Jumping created the American Gold Cup, and President Michael Morrissey commented, “This was spectacular. I think we’ve elevated the sport to where it needs to be. The crowd was wonderful. It has been a long time since we’ve had crowds like that. There is still room for a little improvement but I think this was a fantastic event at a fantastic facility. We won’t take a back seat to anybody.”
The American Gold Cup has proved to be one of the best events in the United States for many years, with the country’s top horse and rider competitions vying for the winning title and the opportunity to have their named on the prestigious trophy. This year, Brianne Goutal’s name will be added to the list of winners for her incredible effort during today’s international jumping competition.
Don’t Miss the Televised Broadcast. The 2013 American Gold Cup, Presented by Suncast, will be broadcast on NBC Sports Sunday, September 22 at 4:30 p.m. EST.
Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen (Shannon Brinkman)
Woodstock, England – The final phase of the Fidelity Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials CCI3* caused a shake-up of the leaderboard but saw top American combinations hold their top 12 placings. On a day where clear rounds were at a premium, Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen proved their place among the sport’s elite, producing one of the few faultless efforts to finish third in the world-class field. Additionally, Meghan O’Donoghue completed her first overseas competition earning 11th place and gaining wealth of experience.
Montgomery (Wiltshire, United Kingdom) and Loughan Glen were making their second appearance at the Blenheim CCI3*, having placed fifth in 2011, and used the weekend to demonstrate how much they have improved in the last 24 months. Jessica Montgomery, Kathryn Kraft, and Holly and William Becker’s 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding stood in third place following the dressage phase and a clear, quick trip on the cross country meant they maintained their position heading into Sunday’s final phase. In the show jumping, the talented combination produced another impressive effort, jumping immaculately to finish on a score of 45.5, a mere 1.5 penalties behind the winner.
Montgomery has been based in the United Kingdom since January of 2013 with the goal of improving his own and his horses’ skills as well as continually competing in world class competition. And while he was pleased with Loughan Glen over the weekend, he realized a slightly different performance on the first day could have resulted in a different outcome.
“I think I left the door open a little bit on the dressage day; his other two FEI competitions he’s done this year he was sub-40 and if I could have done that it would be a completely different situation. I just didn’t get there and you leave them an opportunity over here and these guys are too good,” said Montgomery. “Of course we’re disappointed that we didn’t win but at the same time it’s exciting to think just how good you have to get to win.”
Montgomery was awarded a USEF Land Rover Competition Grant to compete Loughan Glen at Blenheim and believes that with the assistance of the grants and direction from USEF Eventing Team Coach David O’Connor the U.S. is experiencing resurgence.
“We have the riders, we have the horses, and we have the support. David has got great plans,” said Montgomery. “We will get back up to the top, to be competitive.”
O’Donoghue (Carbondale, Illinois) and her own Pirate earned the opportunity to compete at Blenheim after receiving the Jacqueline B. Mars Competition and Training Grant from the USET Foundation. The pair seized the opportunity producing strong efforts in the jumping phases to ultimately climb 31 places following the dressage and garner a top 12 placing. On Sunday, the 11-year-old Thoroughbred gelding rolled three poles to add 12 penalties to their score and finish on an overall total of 73.1.
Additionally, the combination was honored as the highest placing first-timers at the Fidelity Blenheim Palace International Horse Trial.
Over the course of the weekend, the O’Donoghue and Pirate earned valuable experience and head back to the United States with the knowledge that they can be competitive among top combinations in the sport.
The United States was also represented by Phillip Dutton, Julian Stiller and Cindy Rawson in CCI3* competition at the Fidelity Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials. Dutton (West Grove, Pennsylvania) finished in 33rd place with Team Rebecca, LLC’s Ben on a score of 95.5 after incurring 20 penalties in the show jumping for five rails down. Stiller (Berkshire, United Kingdom) and her own Sintra BK incurred eight jumping faults and single time penalty in the final phase to finish on a score of 108 in 44th position. Riding her own and Donald Collier and Pip Bowerman’s Mocharabuiee, Rawson (Somerset, United Kingdom) had a single rail down to finish in 46th on total of 119.2.
In total only 13 of the 60 combinations that entered the show jumping were able to complete clear rounds on Sunday. These included winner Aoife Clark and Fenyas Elegance and second place finisher Jean Teulere and Matelot Du Grand Val in addition to Montgomery. Irish Olympian Clark finished on a score of 44. While France’s former World Champion, Teulere, completed the weekend on the same score as Montgomery; 45.5, but was one second closer to the optimum time on Saturday and therefore earned runner-up honors.
The sole U.S. entry in the CIC3* for eight- and nine-year-old horses, Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp (East Sussex, United Kingdom) and her own HHS Cooley, were eliminated on the cross country Sunday, after incurring trouble early in the course. The winner of the CIC3* was Great Britain’s Team Silver medalist from the 2012 London Olympic Games, William Fox-Pitt, leads the CIC3* with Fernhill Pimms on a score of 33.5.
By Helen Murray
For more information on the Fidelity Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials, click here.
Kent Farrington and Willow. Photo by Rebecca Walton.
North Salem, NY – September 14, 2013 – Kent Farrington was on fire today, topping the $50,000 Hermès Classic with his talented mount Willow by besting a nine-horse jump-off with a double clear effort in 37.91 seconds. Forty-one of the country’s top equestrian athletes turned out for the event at the 2013 American Gold Cup CSI4*-W, held at Old Salem Farm, but it was Farrington who had all the answers to beat Ireland’s Darragh Kenny with Prof De La Roque and Argentina’s Max Amaya riding Cartier, finishing second and third, respectively.
Ireland’s Alan Wade built today’s challenging track on the Grand Prix Field, which included an oxer-vertical double combination, and difficult final line with an oxer to a vertical-vertical-oxer triple combination that finished with an uphill vertical. Only nine were able to complete the course without fault, although a tight time allowed had three riders finishing with a single time fault.
For the jump-off, the competitors began with the first oxer in the final line of the original course to the oxer of the triple combination, before jumping a single vertical with a bending line to the double combination. They finished over two new fences before galloping to a single airy vertical.
Only four of the returning athletes managed to complete a second faultless round, the first of which came from Kent Farrington and Willow, owned by Amalaya Investments of Houston, TX. The duo set the target by leaving a stride out to the double combination and galloping easily over the final vertical. They crossed the finish line in 37.91 seconds, which would prove uncatchable.
“This horse has a very large stride and I just tried to take advantage of that in a couple of the lines,” explained Farrington. “I actually did one less in the combination, which I don’t think many horses can do. That’s a very unique horse that he can open up his stride that much and still be able to jump a double well.”
Darragh Kenny and Prof De La Roque. Photo by The Book LLC 2013
Darragh Kenny made a good effort to beat Farrington’s time aboard Prof De La Roque, owned by Postage Stamp Farm of Ridgefield, CT, and despite their sharp inside turns to the final obstacles, they fell just short of the leaders with a time of 38.49 seconds, which held up for second place.
Paige Johnson managed to post the next jump-off round without error riding Dakota, owned by Salamander Farm of The Plains, VA, but although they were able to leave all the rails intact, they broke the beam in 41.38 seconds for fourth place.
It was Max Amaya who slipped into the third place position with Cartier, owned by Stonehenge Stables of Ocean, NJ. They held the same pace as Johnson as they cleared the course, clocking in at 41.36 seconds, just 2/100ths of a second faster, stealing the yellow ribbon and sealing Farrington’s victory.
“This is actually my student Megan Nusz’s horse,” admitted Farrington. “I rode him one time before and I just started riding him here at this show. He’s been a good horse for her; she’s won classes on him as well and she was nice enough to let me ride him for a little bit. He’s careful and a little bit spooky, but he has a very big stride so he likes a lot of support and keep him confident.”
Tomorrow, Farrington will compete in the $200,000 American Gold Cup CSI4*-W with his veteran mount Uceko. “That’s been a long time partner of mine,” said Farrington. “He’s had a great season and he’s got some more good rounds in him this year.”
Farrington has been enjoying competing at the American Gold Cup and appreciates all of the efforts that the show has made for the exhibitors and spectators. “The management and the owners of Old Salem Farm are making a real effort to run this as an international level show,” he said. “I think that it is very important for the United States to at least have a couple of events that are run at that standard. The improvements they have made just keep raising the level of the show.”
Earlier in the day, athletes had the opportunity to showcase their skills during the $25,000 SJHOF High Junior/Amateur-Owner Classic. The Alan Wade course began at the far end of the Grand Prix field and tested riders with an oxer-vertical double combination and a vertical-oxer-vertical triple combination by the gate. Ten of the 49 starters were faultless over the track, and for the jump-off they began with a new oxer and vertical, followed by the first part of the double combination, and then a sharp bending line before rolling back over the final obstacles and finishing by the gate.
Lillie Keenan posted the first clear jump-off with Pumped Up Kicks, owned by Chansonette Farm of New York, NY, carefully leaving all of the fences intact. Although she had a handy time of 42.315 seconds, there were six entries remaining and the time would only hold up for third place.
Karen Polle and What Ever. Photo by The Book LLC 2013
Karen Polle of New York, NY, was next with her long-time partner What Ever. Despite this being the horse’s biggest class since returning from an injury, she proved she was ready to win. They made sharp turns and had a big gallop, easily winding their way through the course without error and breaking the beam at 40.663 seconds.
Frances Land of Alpharetta, GA, tried to catch Polle’s time with Vieanne, but for the second day in a row the pair had to settle for second place. They were also very quick and precise, but crossed the finish line in 41.934 seconds. The only other rider to finish the course without incurring any faults Erin Haas aboard As Di Chupito, owned by the North Face Farm of Chesea, MI. In an effort to leave all the rails in place they had a more conservative pace, finishing in 45.560, earning the fourth place ribbon and sealing Polle’s victory.
“The place where I made the most time was my turn to the liverpool, and then I left out a stride to the next vertical, which I didn’t see many people do,” admitted Polle. “My horse is just naturally fast also, so I can cover ground quickly.”
What Ever and Polle have been partnered together for three years, but the mare is just coming back from an injury. “This was her biggest class yet,” smiled Polle. “She started at Lake Placid, but we took it pretty slow. She’s so brave. I can go in and go as fast as I want. I think she’s the only horse that I’ve gotten and I’ve just clicked right away with. As soon as I got her I felt so comfortable and so calm. She just tries so hard for me and even if I make a mistake, she’s always there for me.”
The first class of the day on the Grand Prix Field was the $10,000 Mitchell-Innes & Nash Fine Art Adult Amateur Classic. Patricia Hennessy of Kintnersville, PA, topped the nine-horse jump-off aboard Little Tom with a double clear effort in 27.328 seconds. Elizabeth Lamotte of West Grove, PA, followed her with Spit Fire in second with a time of 29.650 seconds, while Tiffany Field and London, owned by Hidden Brook Farm of Salt Point, NY, rounded out the top three by finishing in 31.844 seconds.
Meanwhile in the Jumper Ring, the day kicked-off with the $5,000 NAL/WIHS Children’s Classic, where the victory went to Madison Charlton riding Petit Flipper for Ellen Mitchell of Bernardsville, NJ. Liana Cohen of New York, NY, and Zoomerang were two seconds short during the tiebreaker for second place, while Grace Foley of New York, NY, and Atlantus took home the third place award.
The $10,000 NAL Low Junior Jumper Classic was next, with just fractions separating the top two competitors. Madison Goetzmann of Westport, CT, set the pace aboard Veronieque during the jump-off, finishing in a clear 35.735 seconds for the win. Michael Hughes was right on her heels, clocking in at 35.926 seconds for the second place honors with Red Hot, owned by Dumnacross Farm of Allendale, NJ. The third place award went to Ali Tritschler riding Velinta Palo Blanco for Norfield Stables of Newtown, CT, and finishing in 36.035 seconds.
The final event was the $10,000 NAL Low Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic, presented by Houlihan Lawrence, where a single second determined the placings of the top three finishers in the jump-off. The winning honors went to Francesca Bolfo of New York, NY, aboard U2, while Maria Costa of Wellington, FL, and Reno picked up the second place award. Kenzie Snyder of West Chester, PA, and Waterloo posted a double clear effort that was good enough for the third place prize.
The 2013 American Gold Cup CSI4*-W will conclude tomorrow with the $200,000 American Gold Cup CSI4*-W World Cup Qualifier, presented by Suncast, which gets underway at 2:00 p.m. on the Grand Prix Field. The top competitors from around the world will vie for the lion’s share of the prize money and the winning title.
About the American Gold Cup
The American Gold Cup features world-class and Olympic athletes, such as Beezie Madden, reigning FEI Rolex World Cup Champion and two-time Olympic Gold Medalist and Olympic Gold Medalist McLain Ward. Also confirmed to compete are show jumping mega-stars Kent Farrington, Margie Engle, Pan American Games Gold Medalist Christine McCrea and many more, all vying to secure their position at the World Cup Finals in Lyon, France.
The featured event, the coveted $200,000 American Gold Cup, Presented by Suncast, will be held on Sunday, September 15, 2013 and broadcast on NBC Sports Network the following Sunday, September 22, 2013, at 4:30 p.m. EST.
Old Salem Farm, located an hour north of New York City, boasts a state-of-the-art stabling facility, an historic pristine grass Grand Prix field and outstanding competition and schooling arenas, all of which are surrounded by one of the world’s most quaint and picturesque competition venue settings. For the past two years, the Old Salem Farm competitions have been recognized by the North American Riders Group (NARG) on their NARG Top 25 List. For more information on Old Salem Farm, including its year-long competition schedule, prize lists, clinics, boarding, lessons and training, visit www.oldsalemfarm.net.
What: The $200,000 American Gold Cup FEI World Cup Qualifying Competition CSI4*-W
When: September 11-15, 2013
Where: Old Salem Farm, 190 June Road, North Salem, NY
Hours:
8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Wednesday – Saturday with the ASPCA Regional Championships on Saturday afternoon
Sunday: Gates open at 11 a.m. with family activities with the $200,000 American Gold Cup, Presented by Suncast, an FEI World Cup Qualifying Competition CSI4*-W at 2 p.m.
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 9/7/12 941-744-5465 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
Televised Broadcast: The 2013 American Gold Cup, Presented by Suncast will be broadcast on NBC Sports Sunday, September 22 at 4:30 p.m. EST.
Tickets:
Weekdays: Admission is free to the public
Saturday and Sunday: Admission is $15 per person, $10 per child 4-12 years and seniors 65+, children 3 and under are free.
The Jockey Club offers full service gourmet cuisine and beverages for tables of six and eight. Click here to reserve your Jockey Club table. New this year, The American Gold Cup is adding luxury suites for parties of 10 or more on the second floor of the Jockey Club. For more information and to reserve your American Gold Cup luxury suite, contact Matt Morrissey at: matt.morrissey@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.
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
Beezie Madden and Coral Reef Via Volo. Photos by Rebecca Walton.
North Salem, NY – September 13, 2013 – Friday the 13th proved to a lucky day for Beezie Madden, who stormed to victory on her veteran mount Coral Reef Via Volo during the $100,000 American Gold Cup Qualifier, presented by Double H Farm & Windsor Show Stables. Fifty-five entries showed on the Grand Prix Field at Old Salem Farm during the 2013 American Gold Cup CSI4*-W, but only eight finished without fault to qualify for the jump-off, where Madden and Coral Reef Via Volo sped past the other double clears, Brianne Goutal and Nice De Prissey in second, and Margie Engle and Royce in third.
Alan Wade of Ireland built a solid track for today’s feature event, which tested rides with a pole over an open water fence, a skinny vertical off a sharp turn, and three double combinations, as well as multiple fences off of hills and long gallops. Mid-way through the competition, a rain shower passed through, and despite eight horse and rider combinations going clear during the first half, none were faultless during the second half of the class.
The eight athletes returning for the jump-off were all females, and for the short track they began over two new oxers to a single vertical. Then they showed over a vertical-oxer double combination to a single vertical, before rolling back over the skinny jump and galloping towards the gate for the final obstacles.
Birthday girl Brianne Goutal was the first to return for the short course riding Nice De Prissey for Remarkable Farms of Royal Palm Beach, FL. The duo was quick and precise, making easy work of the fences and galloping through the timers in 41.51 seconds to set the pace, which would hold up for second place.
Margie Engle was next riding Royce for Elm Rock Partners LLC of Bronxville, NY. Despite an ankle injury, Engle proved that she had all of the answers, leaving all the rails intact and crossing the finish line in 42.48 seconds for third place.
Katie Dinan of New York, NY, was next in the ring with her first of two qualified mounts, Nougat Du Vallet. They had a single error at the second new oxer for four faults in 40.40 seconds for fifth place, while Dinan’s second mount Glory Days had a single error in faster time of 40.01 seconds for fourth place.
Tracy Fenney with MTM Timon, owned by MTM Farm of Flower Mound, TX, and Molly Ashe Cawley on Carissimo, owned by Olivia Jack of Fairfield, CT, also had a single rail each, finishing sixth and seventh respectively. Although Leslie Howard and Tic-Tac, owned by Jane F. Clark of New York, NY, were perfect in the first round, they had 12 faults in the jump-off for eighth place.
The final clear competitor in the jump-off proved to be the best, demonstrating why she is currently ranked second in the world. Beezie Madden found the perfect distance to each obstacle with her Olympic mount Coral Reef Via Volo, owned by the Coral Reef Ranch of Rancho Santa Fe, CA, opening up the mare’s big stride to the first fences and easily galloping home through the last line. They blazed across the finish line in 41.09 seconds, beating Goutal by 5/10ths of a second to lead the lap of honor.
“As far as turning on the footing for the jump-off it felt quite good, so I went to try and win,” noted Madden. “I thought I was pretty quick to the first two fences and the double, but we were on the same time at the skinny, so I must have been faster the last two fences. Even though she’s little she has all of the scope to jump big fences. She’s been good at a lot of different venues and she is pretty comfortable here.”
Leading up to this event, Coral Reef Via Volo competed at Hickstead and the Hampton Classic. “We try to split up the work load,” explained Madden, who won the American Gold Cup Grand Prix in 2010 with the 15-year-old mare. “She’s had a lot of experience in Europe and at Spruce Meadows, so we left those for the other two horses and thought she had a good chance here.”
Madden is based out of John Madden Sales in Cazenovia, NY, and she is thrilled to have the American Gold Cup in her home state. “This venue is so fantastic and the Gold Cup has a great history,” she stated. “There is a lot of prize money and we love the area. It’s close to home and we get to stay with my brother-in-law, Frank Madden.”
Frances Land and Vieanne
Earlier today, competitors showcased their speed in the to $3,000 High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper class, presented by Bedford Magazine. Alan Wade utilized different natural options through the course, including cantering down the bank, jumping through the grob, and jumping on and off of the table. Riders could choose the easier options that did not include the natural obstacles, but it would cost them on the clock.
Thirty horse and rider combinations showed over the track, but only seven managed to do so without fault. The first clear effort came from Frances Land of Alpharetta, GA, and Vieanne, who wasted no time in the air as they galloped around the field in a time of 68.027 seconds.
Catherine Tyree of Chicago, IL, tried to catch Land with her first round, Udento VDL, and while they were able to leave all the rails intact, they crossed the finish line in 68.753 seconds, just 7/10ths of a second slower for an eventual fourth place finish. Tyree came even closer to Land’s time wither her second mount, Don’t Go, but was still just fractions away with a clear round in 68.753 seconds for the third place award.
Three riders finished over the 70-second mark, choosing a more conservative pace in an effort to leave all the fences untouched. Kira Kerkorian of Sagaponack, NY, clocked in at 72.970 seconds aboard Rashmo Z for fifth place, while Katherine Strauss and Angelstone Partners’ Fidel Van De Kouldries placed sixth with a time of 73.127 seconds. Lucy Deslauriers of New York, NY, had the slowest clear round, finishing in 74.547 seconds riding Hester for the seventh place honors.
The only rider that could top Land’s early clear with Vieanne came from the smallest package. The 8-year-old mare Itty Bitty and rider Kelly Soleau of Marlborough, CT, picked up a quick gallop to the first obstacle and never held back, bravely navigating the natural obstacles and shaving off valuable seconds through each turn. They broke the beam at 66.252 seconds, jumping straight to the top of the leader board, while Land and Vieanne settled for second place.
“I was so pleased with Itty Bitty,” smiled Soleau. “For some reason I stepped in the ring today and everything showed itself. I didn’t touch the reins and she jumped brilliantly. I just stayed as tight as I could everywhere and she is a pretty fast horse naturally, so when I let her do it she is very quick.”
Soleau was excited about the challenges the course presented. “We don’t get to do the natural obstacles very often, and she’s a brave horse, so when you have a brave horse it’s really fun. This is my first time showing at the Gold Cup and they have done a fantastic job with the venue. We don’t often get to ride in a field like this. It’s so nice to do something different.”
Soleau trains with the Millar family, who bred Itty Bitty. “I started working with her when she was only 2 years old and I’ve done pretty much everything with her,” expressed Soleau. “I’ve had her since she was young, and I did her first jumps, her first walk, trot and canter, and it’s been a great time. Every year we ask a little bit more and she’s really come a long way; it’s been a fantastic journey.”
Darragh Kenny and Top Gun IV
The first event on the Grand Prix Field today was the $3,000 Roberto Coin 1.35m Open Jumper Speed class. Out of 53 starters, there were 16 clear rounds, so riders had to put on the gas to score a top ribbon. The winner was Ireland’s Darragh Kenny riding Top Gun IV, owned by Oakland Ventures of Ocala, FL, who used his mounts quick foot speed to finish in a handy 59.381 seconds without a single error. He was followed closely by Julie Welles riding Banana D’ive Z for North Star of East Aurora, NY, stopping the clock in a clear 61.716 seconds. Kyle Timm and Platinum, owned by the Apex Equestrian Center of Apex, NC, rounded out the top three with a faultless round in 62.760 seconds.
“I knew if I stayed on it in couple places that he’s a very fast horse and very careful,” said Kenny, who has only been showing Top Gun IV for a month. “The first couple of jumps I went quick, and it meant at the end I could slow down and he wouldn’t get flat. He’s very simple and very competitive; he likes to win.”
The Irish native is excited to be making a splash at the American Gold Cup this year. “They have done an amazing job with this horse show,” he commented. “It rained all last night and the footing is still fantastic. They run it like a proper horse show and the management does a fantastic job. It’s a really enjoyable show to be at and I would never miss it.”
“This is such a beautiful showcase for the horses and the jewelry,” said Martha Webster who presented the award for her husband, Peter Webster, President of Roberto Coin Jewelry, sponsors of the class. “I think it is spectacular. It is an amazing forum for not only for the horses but also for the vendors and the sponsors. It is an international group. It is a different level of clientele here.”
The 2013 American Gold Cup CSI4*-W will continue tomorrow with the $50,000 Hermès Classic and the Region 2 ASPCA/NHSAA Maclay Regional Championships. On Sunday, the qualifiers from today’s feature event will compete in the $200,000 American Gold Cup CSI4*-W World Cup Qualifier, presented by Suncast, which gets underway at 2:00 p.m. on the Grand Prix Field.
About the American Gold Cup
The American Gold Cup will feature world-class and Olympic athletes, such as Beezie Madden, reigning FEI Rolex World Cup Champion and two-time Olympic Gold Medalist and Olympic Gold Medalist McLain Ward. Also confirmed to compete are show jumping mega-stars Kent Farrington, Margie Engle, Pan American Games Gold Medalist Christine McCrea and many more, all vying to secure their position at the World Cup Finals in Lyon, France
Highlights of the schedule include the $33,000 Don Little Memorial Welcome Stake on Thursday, the $100,000 American Gold Cup Qualifier presented by Double H Farm and Windsor Show Stables on Friday and the $50,000 Hermes Classic on Saturday. The featured event, the coveted $200,000 American Gold Cup, Presented by Suncast, will be held on Sunday, September 15, 2013 and broadcast on NBC Sports Network the following Sunday, September 22, 2013, at 4:30 p.m. EST.
The American Gold Cup will also feature a full array of jumper classes, including sections for Children and Adult Jumpers, Low and High Junior/Amateur Jumpers, plus Young Jumpers and Open Jumpers. New this year, the Zone 2 ASPCA Maclay Regional Championships will be held on Saturday in the Old Salem Farm indoor arena.
Old Salem Farm, located an hour north of New York City, boasts a state-of-the-art stabling facility, an historic pristine grass Grand Prix field and outstanding competition and schooling arenas, all of which are surrounded by one of the world’s most quaint and picturesque competition venue settings. For the past two years, the Old Salem Farm competitions have been recognized by the North American Riders Group (NARG) on their NARG Top 25 List. For more information on Old Salem Farm, including its year-long competition schedule, prize lists, clinics, boarding, lessons and training, visit www.oldsalemfarm.net.
What: The $200,000 American Gold Cup FEI World Cup Qualifying Competition CSI4*-W
When: September 11-15, 2013
Where: Old Salem Farm, 190 June Road, North Salem, NY
Hours:
8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Wednesday – Saturday with the ASPCA Regional Championships on Saturday afternoon
Sunday: Gates open at 11 a.m. with family activities with the $200,000 American Gold Cup, Presented by Suncast, an FEI World Cup Qualifying Competition CSI4*-W at 2 p.m.
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 9/7/12 941-744-5465 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
Televised Broadcast: The 2013 American Gold Cup, Presented by Suncast will be broadcast on NBC Sports Sunday, September 22 at 4:30 p.m. EST.
Tickets:
Weekdays: Admission is free to the public
Saturday and Sunday: Admission is $15 per person, $10 per child 4-12 years and seniors 65+, children 3 and under are free.
The Jockey Club offers full service gourmet cuisine and beverages for tables of six and eight. Click here to reserve your Jockey Club table. New this year, The American Gold Cup is adding luxury suites for parties of 10 or more on the second floor of the Jockey Club. For more information and to reserve your American Gold Cup luxury suite, contact Matt Morrissey at: matt.morrissey@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.
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
(L to R) silver medallist Cristian Ceausescu from Romania, gold medallist Ioli Mytilineou from Greece and bronze medallist Marina Theofanopoulou from Greece. Photo: FEI/Alexic Vassilopoulos.
Istanbul (TUR), 13 September 2013 – It was a great result for the host nation of Turkey as they claimed two team and three individual titles at the FEI Balkan Jumping Championships 2013 in Istanbul last weekend. Greek riders dominated the 2012 edition in Athens, but the situation was reversed this time around when they had to settle for double-gold in the Junior category as the home-side contenders went into over-drive.
Riders from six nations – Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Romania, Serbia and Turkey – lined out at this year’s event which also included non-championship classes for Ladies along with a Young Horse category. Staged at Kemar Golf and Country Club, 28 miles from Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport, the FEI Balkan Jumping Championships once again embraced generations of equestrian athletes from the region who shared a great week of sport.
Seven Sets of Medals
French course designer, Jean Philippe Desmaret, was a busy man with seven sets of medals to be decided during the four-day fixture. And when the first set of medals went to the Greek Junior Team last Friday, it might have seemed a little like history was about to repeat itself.
The Greeks fielded three of the team that won the 2012 Junior title, Iolo Mytilineou once again partnering Ascot, Marina Theofanopoulou again riding Oscar du Perron and Anna-Maria Papageorgiou with a different horse, LC Waikiki Akino. Stefania Cheinoporos and Championess were the only new recruits to the side, and when they joined Mytilineou and Papageorgiou on a zero first-round score it was already clear they hadn’t lost their touch. Theofanopoulou produced the only foot-perfect second round, but with just a single error from her three team-mates the Greek total of eight faults left them convincing winners.
Just three countries lined out for the Junior Team title and Turkey took silver when Talya Afyoneri (Wervelwind), Zeynep Aksoy (Axioma Ter Goes Z), Elif Ozsahin (Timberland) and Buse Samli (Matcho) racked up a 24-fault result. This left them well clear of the Romanian side of Claudiu Floristean (Carnaval ll), Stefan Leonte (Ogici), Corneliu Paul Iionescu (Dona Doll) and Cristian Ceausescu (Duende) in bronze with 50 faults at the end of the day.
Mytilineou, who competed at this summer’s FEI European Junior Jumping Championship at Vejar de la Frontera in Spain and who is considered one of the great hopes for the future of the sport of Jumping in Greece, claimed the Individual title for the third time in succession, but it wasn’t without a battle. The 16-year-old rider went into a medal-deciding jump-off with 18-year-old Cristian Ceausescu from Romania who, with four faults in a slower time, filled silver-medal spot. The Greeks really left their mark on this one when Theofanopoulou claimed bronze as Cheinporous just missed out on a podium placing.
Comfort Zone
Winners of the Children’s Team title last year, the Greeks had to settle for silver this time around as the home-side competitors moved into their comfort zone. Double-clear from pathfinder Emre Eratici (Village Born), third-line rider Necmi Eren (Grandioos BZ) and anchorman Emir Kocak (Florentine) left them completely fault-free and in a position to drop the 20 collected by Ahmet Berk Basegmez (Zara).
The combined-time rule decided silver and bronze, with the Greek side of Anna-Sophia Danalis (Lili Marlen ll), Andreas Vardinogiannis (Litium), Paola Martini (Cobbydor) and Konstantinos-Evangelos Papathanassiou (Quatuor des Bordes) getting the advantage. Their time of 217.05 seconds left them almost three seconds faster than Croatia’s Laura Dragicevic (Aidora l Ritz), Filip Jadrijevic (Castro), Dunja Al Jamal (Filou du Pichoux) and Nina Madirazza (Lavai) when both teams finished on four faults. Bulgaria completed with a 12-fault total in fourth place ahead of Romania with 25.
It took a jump-off to decide the Individual Children’s title and in the end just 0.20 separated 13-year old Turkish gold medallist Emir Kocak from 14-year-old Ventsislav Isov from Bulgaria in silver, while Paola Martini from Greece claimed the bronze.
There was no Young Riders Team event this year as there were not sufficient numbers to make up more than two teams, but three nations shared the podium in the Individual Championship.
It was topped by Turkey’s Yusuf Cem Kayacan and his eight-year-old bay mare Abner while Bulgaria’s Kristian Valev steered his 11-year-old Belgian-bred mare Ching van Berkenbroeck into silver medal spot. Serbia’s Irena Ilic took the bronze with her 10-year-old Holsteiner stallion, Clear, after winning the Grand Prix on the final day.
No Stopping Home Contingent
With the bit now firmly between their teeth there was now no stopping the home contingent as they swept to team gold before clinching two of the three Senior Individual medals.
Turkish pathfinders, Husnu Dinc and Chiara, produced one of just three clears in the Senior Team Championship in which all five nations racked up significant scores. Dinc led the way with a four-fault result before producing his clean sheet second time out with Chiara, and when Sencer Can (Ballistic) and Mert Alicioglu (Valdos) collected 12 faults over the two rounds, then the 40 picked up by Kaan Kiilkaplan (Cordijana ll) could be discarded for final tally of 28. The proved plenty good enough for gold when Greece finished with 40 to take silver ahead of Bulgaria in bronze on a final scoreline of 45.
The clear registered by Monika Martini and Cleopatra Vl was pivotal to the result of the Greek team that also included Grigoris Voglis (Quetcha de Chenee), Stelios Stavroulakis (Alerion 2) and Dimitri Natsis (Cartago). Bulgarian anchorman, Angel Niagolov, was also foot-perfect first time out with Cartina, and only a single fault separated these two sides at the half-way stage.
Dramatic Improvement
There was a dramatic improvement in the Bulgarian performance in round two when pathfinder, Ivaylo Bonev, followed his eight-fault first-round effort with just a single mistake with Mister Big, Vladimir Georgiev and Farina added just eight faults to the 17 collected first time out and Asparum Atanasov and Colorado following their 22-fault first effort with 14 at their second attempt. A second clear from Niagolov would have seen Bulgaria clinch silver, but two fences down saw them finish with the bronze.
The event finished on a really high note when Turkey took two of the three Senior Individual Championship medals, including gold for Husnu Dinc and Chiara and bronze for Mert Aligioglu and Valdos. Silver went to Bulgaria’s Niagolov and Chiara.
Successful Week
Turkish Chef d’Equipe, Kerem Alkan, said, “We have really enjoyed the atmosphere here in Istanbul and we had a very successful week. In general the performance of the Turkish National Teams were satisfying and we were expecting these results from our team. Furthermore, we have high hopes for the next year’s European Children and Junior Championship.”
Junior Individual Champion, Ioli Mytilineou from Greece, said, “I was extremely happy with our performance in the Junior category, both team and individual, at this year’s Balkan championships. My horse, Ascot, was a star and did everything right, he just got better and better throughout the championship to help me win individual gold. We also won team gold, due to a strong team, with every member contributing to this achievement. I really enjoyed the competition and the place and facilities were great.”
Her mother, Hannah Mytilineou, was Greek Chef d’Equipe and commented, “I would like to thank the Turkish federation for their hospitality. This year’s Balkans took place in Kemer Club, a beautiful setting with super facilities. Everything was lovely and the new federation did their very best to keep things running smoothly. As a nation we were satisfied with our results and along with a good number of medals we heard our national anthem four times, which is always something to be proud of!”
McLain Ward and Cadence. Photo by The Book LLC 2013.
North Salem, NY – September 12, 2013 – Passing thunderstorms did not deter the exciting action during the second day of the 2013 American Gold Cup CSI4*-W. The international jumping competition featured the $33,000 Don Little Memorial Welcome Stake, where McLain Ward of Brewster, NY bested 60 entries to capture the winning honors on the Grand Prix Field at Old Salem Farm. Earlier in the day, Michael Hughes and Dromma topped a 19-horse jump-off during the $3,000 High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper class, presented by Gotham North.
Alan Wade of Ireland set a challenging track for the opening round of the $33,000 Don Little Memorial Welcome Stake, which utilized all of the Grand Prix Field and included three double combinations, as well as technical vertical-oxer-oxer line. Twenty-two of the original 60 staring entries qualified for the jump-off. For the short track, the competitors began with three fences set off of long distances, before galloping to an oxer off of a blind turn. They then made sharp rollback to a single vertical, before finishing over a vertical-oxer double combination to an airy vertical.
Yesterday’s winner in the 1.40m Open Jumpers, Ireland’s Shane Sweetnam, was the first to return for the tiebreaker, riding Cyklon 1083 for Spy Coast Farm of East Setauket, NY. They made it look easy, never touching a rail and breaking the beam at 34.90, setting the pace to beat.
Fellow Irishman Andrew Bourns had the next faultless round aboard New Boy De Logerie, but in an effort to leave the fences up their time of 39.68 would only be good enough for fourth. Although young rider Katie Dinan of New York, NY, had an untimely dismount from her first qualified jump-off mount, she returned with her second horse Couletto K James to complete the short course without error in 40.07 seconds for fifth place. Judy Garofalo Torres of Wellington, FL, was next with Quattro Queen, and they all left all the rails intact, tripping the timers at 41.33 seconds to round out the top six.
Quentin Judge and HH Wilco, owned by Double H Farm of Wellington, FL, added their names to the list of double clears with one of the faster rounds by making sharp inside turns with his experienced mount. They crossed the finish line in 37.82 seconds to take home the third place award.
Shane Sweetnam and Cyklon 1083. Photo by Rebecca Walton
The only competitor that could top Sweetnam came from the final faultless jump-off round. McLain Ward was on his home turf and proved he could not be beat with his talented mount Cadence, owned by Procedures Inc of Agoura, CA. The duo picked up a quick pace to first fence and never held back, making sharp inside turns to both of the single oxers before galloping home over the final line. Ward and Cadence captured the victory, relegating Sweetnam and Cyklon 1083 to second place.
“Cadence is a very fast horse to start out with,” explained Ward. “He’s very quick and he knows the job well. There was a very difficult inside turn to the fourth fence. He’s really honest and he tries really hard for you, so I knew I could take a little risk there. I was dealing cards a little coming down the last line, but the horse helped me out.”
Ward began riding Cadence this summer, and the pair has already been very successful, winning in Dublin, Ireland, and at the Spruce Meadows Tournament. “He’s been a great horse,” said Ward. “He’s really pretty easy and straightforward. He knows the game and he’s always trying to win for you.”
The American Gold Cup is an historical event that Ward is proud to be involved with, and thrilled that it has taken root at Old Salem Farm. “What the Hakim family has done with this venue is incredible,” he expressed. “The Gold Cup was looking for a home and I spoke with Michael Morrissey personally about coming here. This is a great match. This is a real horse community with good people. I am proud of the job that Stadium Jumping has done, that Old Salem has done, and I am proud to be a part of it with my community. I personally feel this is the best horse show in America.”
Earlier today, athletes had the opportunity to showcase their skills during the $3,000 High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers, presented by Gotham North. With 19 entries advancing to the jump-off, just fractions of a second separated the leaders. The first round course tested riders with two double combinations and many related distances as the fences wound their way through the spacious Grand Prix Field. For the short track, competitors began with an oxer-vertical line to a double combination and another oxer. Finally, they made a sharp rollback to a fourth oxer before finishing with a big gallop over a single vertical.
Brittni Raflowitz and Elios. Photo by The Book LLC 2013
Only the third athlete to enter the ring, Brittni Raflowitz wore a target on her back when she piloted Elios, owned by Maarten Huygens of Chester Springs, PA, to a faultless jump-off effort in 30.054 seconds after using a hard slice to the final fences.
Three riders came within tenths of a second to catching Raflowitz at the end of the class, causing the third place position to switch hands three times. Adrienne Sternlicht of Greenwich, CT, rounded out the top five aboard Quidam MB, posting a clear time of 30.988 seconds. She was eventually bested by Karen Polle of New York, NY, and What Ever who clocked in at 30.781 seconds with all the rails intact. Polle and What Ever had to settle for fourth, as Erin Haas entered the ring next riding As Di Chupito for the North Face Farm of Chesea, MI. After advancing to the jump-off, they also made their way across the shortened track without error, breaking the beam at 30.659 seconds for third place.
The only competitor to best Raflowitz was 17-year-old Michael Hughes of Allendale, NJ, riding the 11-year-old mare Dromma for owner Vanessa Mannix of Calgary, Alberta. Leaving strides out and using the inside turn after the second line, Hughes and Dromma galloped easily over the obstacles and were the only duo to break the 30 second mark, dashing across the finish line in 29.433 seconds. They took home the winning honors, while Raflowitz claimed the second place prize.
“I never pulled the reins to the in-and-out, and I left out a stride in the first line and after the combination so I could turn tighter back to the next oxer,” explained Hughes. “I never pulled the whole way around, which is the main thing.
Hughes added, “Dromma is a great horse and she knows how to go fast. Conor Swail rode her last year, so she knows about speed classes and she just loves to go fast. She has a really big stride, which really helps. I know I am covering a lot of ground even when I am not going very fast.”
Based out of New Jersey, Old Salem Farm is just around the corner for Hughes, who is excited to be participating in the 2013 American Gold Cup. “It’s such a great venue,” he noted. “It’s a lot of fun to show here and it’s such a prestigious event, so we are having a great time.”
The 2013 American Gold Cup CSI4*-W will continue tomorrow with the $100,000 American Gold Cup Qualifier, presented by Double H Farm & Windsor Show Stables. Saturday’s highlight events will be the $50,000 Hermès Classic and Region 2 ASPCA/NHSAA Maclay Regional Championships, while Sunday features the $200,000 American Gold Cup CSI4*-W World Cup Qualifier, presented by Suncast.
About the American Gold Cup
The American Gold Cup will feature world-class and Olympic athletes, such as current World Cup Show Jumping Champion Beezie Madden and Olympic Gold Medalist McLain Ward. Also confirmed to compete are show jumping mega-stars Reed Kessler, Kent Farrington, Margie Engle, Pan American Games Gold Medalist Christine McCrea and many more, all vying to secure their position at the 2014 FEI World Cup Finals in Lyon, France.
Highlights of the schedule include the $33,000 Don Little Memorial Welcome Stake on Thursday, the $100,000 American Gold Cup Qualifier presented by Double H Farm and Windsor Show Stables on Friday and the $50,000 Hermes Classic on Saturday. The featured event, the coveted $200,000 American Gold Cup, Presented by Suncast, will be held on Sunday, September 15, 2013 and broadcast on NBC Sports Network the following Sunday, September 22, 2013, at 4:30 p.m. EST.
The American Gold Cup will also feature a full array of jumper classes, including sections for Children and Adult Jumpers, Low and High Junior/Amateur Jumpers, plus Young Jumpers and Open Jumpers. New this year, the Zone 2 ASPCA Maclay Regional Championships will be held on Saturday in the Old Salem Farm indoor arena.
Old Salem Farm, located an hour north of New York City, boasts a state-of-the-art stabling facility, an historic pristine grass Grand Prix field and outstanding competition and schooling arenas, all of which are surrounded by one of the world’s most quaint and picturesque competition venue settings. For the past two years, the Old Salem Farm competitions have been recognized by the North American Riders Group (NARG) on their NARG Top 25 List. For more information on Old Salem Farm, including its year-long competition schedule, prize lists, clinics, boarding, lessons and training, visit www.oldsalemfarm.net.
What: The $200,000 American Gold Cup FEI World Cup Qualifying Competition CSI4*-W
When: September 11-15, 2013
Where: Old Salem Farm, 190 June Road, North Salem, NY
Hours:
8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Wednesday – Saturday with the ASPCA Regional Championships on Saturday afternoon
Sunday: Gates open at 11 a.m. with family activities with the $200,000 American Gold Cup, Presented by Suncast, an FEI World Cup Qualifying Competition CSI4*-W at 2 p.m.
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 9/7/12 941-744-5465 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
Televised Broadcast: The 2013 American Gold Cup, Presented by Suncast will be broadcast on NBC Sports Sunday, September 22 at 4:30 p.m. EST.
Tickets:
Weekdays: Admission is free to the public
Saturday and Sunday: Admission is $15 per person, $10 per child 4-12 years and seniors 65+, children 3 and under are free.
The Jockey Club offers full service gourmet cuisine and beverages for tables of six and eight. Click here to reserve your Jockey Club table. New this year, The American Gold Cup is adding luxury suites for parties of 10 or more on the second floor of the Jockey Club. For more information and to reserve your American Gold Cup luxury suite, contact Matt Morrissey at: matt.morrissey@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.
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
Shane Sweetnam and Solerina. Photos by The Book LLC 2013.
North Salem, NY – September 11, 2013 – The 2013 American Gold Cup CSI4*-W returned to the picturesque Old Salem Farm today to kick off the week-long international jumping competition featuring the world’s top athletes. Thanks to phenomenal reviews from 2012, a large number of entries created a section split for the day’s main event on the Grand Prix Field: the $8,000 Danbury Porsche Audi 1.40m Open Jumper class. During the first section, it was Ireland’s Shane Sweetnam and Solerina who bested Todd Minikus and Uraguay by three seconds at the end of the class with a quick and clear jump-off. Allison Robatille made a splash in Section B, competing in her first jump-off class since November with her veteran mount Cover Girl, who was just returning from injury, beating Meagan Nusz and Elias by a full second in the tiebreaker.
Ireland’s Alan Wade designed two tracks for the day’s feature class, each winding throughout the large field and including multiple bending lines as well a vertical-oxer double combination, and an oxer-vertical double combination. With over 40 competitors in each class, it came down to speed and accuracy in the jump-off. Fifteen horses showed over the short course in the first section, which began at the far end of the field and used the oxer-vertical double combination, as well as multiple places to slice fences and finished over an oxer towards the gate.
Todd Minikus was only the fourth athlete to compete aboard Uraguay, owned by Legacy Stables of Princeton, NJ, but he set the target early in the class. After a faultless round, they managed to mimic the clear effort during the jump-off, making inside turns and breaking the beam at 32.773 seconds.
Ten rounds later, Sarah Segal made a bid for the win with Ubris, owned by Chartwell of Flemington, NJ. Although they managed to leave all the fences intact and leave a stride out to the last fence, their time of 34.273 fell just shy of the leader and they took home fourth place. Meagan Nusz of Houston, TX, was right on Segal’s heels, piloting Waomi to a clear time of 34.763 for the fifth place honors.
Roberto Teran missed Minikus’ time by just 2/10ths of a second riding Woklahoma for the Ark Partners of Wellington, FL. They also posted a clear round, but crossed the finish in line in 32.992 seconds for the third place award.
Shane Sweetnam was one of the final competitors to show in the first section, but his experienced mount Solerina was ready to win. They had a strong gallop to the first three fences, only steadying for the double combination before slicing the final vertical and leaving a stride out to the last oxer. The duo blazed across the finish line in 29.770 seconds, jumping straight to the top of the leader board and leading the victory gallop.
“I think I was quick enough from one, two and three and then I took a little time to the double,” explained Sweetnam. “Then I just let go and went across to the second to last and I knew if I got a good shot there, that I’d have a chance to do the one less to the last. She’s got quite a big stride and she doesn’t spend too much time in the air. In the second round I know she can be quick enough to be lucky enough to keep all the jumps up.”
Owned by Spy Coast Farm and Sweet Oak Farm, Solerina is a 14-year-old Irish Sporthorse mare by Cruising that Sweetnam began riding last year. After winning the $50,000 Kentucky Summer Grand Prix, Solerina used a month of working at home to come out fresh and ready for a victory.
“I think since I’ve had her she nearly picks up a win in every class, so her results are phenomenal,” smiled Sweetnam. “She’s got a little bit of character, but her results make up for it. She’ll do two of the four indoors next. Last year she had a good indoors and I know her better this year, so I think she’ll have a good one again this year.”
Sweetnam was happy to return to the 2013 American Gold Cup CSI4*-W, noting, “Michael Morrissey and the staff do a great job here. It gets better every year. It’s great money and the footing looks to be so much better this year. They’re trying to upgrade it and make it a really good four-star show. I appreciate it and all the other riders appreciate it.”
In the second section of the $8,000 Danbury Porsche Audi 1.40m Open Jumper, fourteen horses advanced to the short course. This time the jump-off was held opposite of the in-gate, beginning with a sharp rollback from a single vertical to a single oxer, and finishing with a double combination to a final wide-oxer.
Only five athletes posted double clear efforts, the first coming from Lauren Tisbo of Wellington, FL, and Darconscheefkasteel Z. The pair stopped the timers at 31.227, which would be good enough for fourth place. Judy Garaofalo Torres of Wellington, FL, and Quattro Queen were the slowest of the double clears for fifth place.
Megan Nusz scored another top placing for Amalaya Investments, this time piloting Elias to a clear round in 31.084 seconds, which captured the second place honors. Hillary Simpson was just a fraction away from Nusz’s time with Chinwies BZ, owned by Palmyra Partners LLC of Southern Pines, NC. Their faultless round clocked in at 31.149 seconds for third place.
Allison Robatille and Cover Girl produced the fast clear jump-off. Despite today’s class marking Cover Girl’s first jump-off after sustaining an injury in November, the mare proved that she was in top form. Utilizing her mare’s large stride, Robatille picked up a quick pace to first fence, slicing the rollback, and then quickly making it towards the next two fences.
“Cover Girl is an amazing horse,” expressed Robatille. “She got injured last November after winning the Nations Cup in Buenos Aires. I’ve been slowly bringing her back. I showed her at Spruce Meadows and she did 1.10m and 1.20m, and did her first 1.45m class at the Hampton Classic. This was the first time I felt like she was ready to do two rounds in a row.”
Robatille continued, “Now that she is back jumping, I have needed to make myself put the injury behind us and just ride her like I normally would, so I am not being too cautious and too careful. I love her so much, so it’s hard.”
This is Robatille’s first return to Old Salem Farm since her days in the Junior Hunters, but after hearing rave reviews from last year’s event she was excited to show at the international jumping competition. “It’s beautiful,” she commented. “I heard great things last year and I am really impressed.”
In the $2,500 1.35m Open Jumpers held in the Jumper Ring, winning honors were presented to Roberto Teran and ADC Chef, owned by Richview Farm of Nobleton, Ontario. The duo completed a clear short course in 34.156 seconds, while Charlie Jayne and Speedy Chicolina, owned by Anna Murphy of De Pere, WI, clocked in at 35425 seconds for the second place award. Candice King and VDL Dogan picked up the third place honors, leaving all the fences intact and breaking the bream at 36,499 seconds for owner Bellissimo LLC of Wellington, FL.
Kent Farrington and Monopoly
The first class of the day was the $2,000 1.30m Open Jumpers with 69 entries. Kent Farrington came out on top, piloting Monopoly to the winning honors for Salamander Farms of The Plains, VA. The pair’s clear effort broke the beam at 32.439 seconds, while Guillermo Williams’ time of 33.322 seconds with Marbella, owned by El Milagro of Dallas, TX, was good enough for second. Paul Halpern and Royal Flush, owned by Kathleen Kamine of Oldwick, NJ, rounded out the top three, completing a spotless jump-off in 34.523 seconds.
The 2013 American Gold Cup CSI4*-W will continue tomorrow with the $33,000 Don Little Memorial Welcome Stake, as well as the $3,000 High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers, presented by Gotham North. Highlight throughout the week include Friday’s $100,000 American Gold Cup Qualifier, presented by Double H Farm & Windsor Show Stables, the $50,000 Hermès Classic and Region 2 ASPCA/NHSAA Maclay Regional Championships on Saturday, and Sunday’s $200,000 American Gold Cup CSI4*-W World Cup Qualifier, presented by Suncast.
About the American Gold Cup
The American Gold Cup will feature world-class and Olympic athletes, such as current World Cup Show Jumping Champion Beezie Madden and Olympic Gold Medalist McLain Ward. Also confirmed to compete are show jumping mega-stars Reed Kessler, Kent Farrington, Margie Engle, Pan American Games Gold Medalist Christine McCrea and many more, all vying to secure their position at the 2014 FEI World Cup Finals in Lyon, France.
Highlights of the schedule include the $33,000 Don Little Memorial Welcome Stake on Thursday, the $100,000 American Gold Cup Qualifier presented by Double H Farm and Windsor Show Stables on Friday and the $50,000 Hermes Classic on Saturday. The featured event, the coveted $200,000 American Gold Cup, Presented by Suncast, will be held on Sunday, September 15, 2013 and broadcast on NBC Sports Network the following Sunday, September 22, 2013, at 4:30 p.m. EST.
The American Gold Cup will also feature a full array of jumper classes, including sections for Children and Adult Jumpers, Low and High Junior/Amateur Jumpers, plus Young Jumpers and Open Jumpers. New this year, the Zone 2 ASPCA Maclay Regional Championships will be held on Saturday in the Old Salem Farm indoor arena.
Old Salem Farm, located an hour north of New York City, boasts a state-of-the-art stabling facility, an historic pristine grass Grand Prix field and outstanding competition and schooling arenas, all of which are surrounded by one of the world’s most quaint and picturesque competition venue settings. For the past two years, the Old Salem Farm competitions have been recognized by the North American Riders Group (NARG) on their NARG Top 25 List. For more information on Old Salem Farm, including its year-long competition schedule, prize lists, clinics, boarding, lessons and training, visit www.oldsalemfarm.net.
What: The $200,000 American Gold Cup FEI World Cup Qualifying Competition CSI4*-W
When: September 11-15, 2013
Where: Old Salem Farm, 190 June Road, North Salem, NY
Hours:
8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Wednesday – Saturday with the ASPCA Regional Championships on Saturday afternoon
Sunday: Gates open at 11 a.m. with family activities with the $200,000 American Gold Cup, Presented by Suncast, an FEI World Cup Qualifying Competition CSI4*-W at 2 p.m.
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 9/7/12 941-744-5465 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
Televised Broadcast: The 2013 American Gold Cup, Presented by Suncast will be broadcast on NBC Sports Sunday, September 22 at 4:30 p.m. EST.
Tickets:
Weekdays: Admission is free to the public
Saturday and Sunday: Admission is $15 per person, $10 per child 4-12 years and seniors 65+, children 3 and under are free.
The Jockey Club offers full service gourmet cuisine and beverages for tables of six and eight. Click here to reserve your Jockey Club table. New this year, The American Gold Cup is adding luxury suites for parties of 10 or more on the second floor of the Jockey Club. For more information and to reserve your American Gold Cup luxury suite, contact Matt Morrissey at: matt.morrissey@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.
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
Danielle Goldstein recently represented Israel at the European Championships and qualified for the 2014 World Equestrian Games. (Photo courtesy of Danielle Goldstein)
Wellington, FL (September 9, 2013) – Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Fresh off her role as chef d’equipe for the team Gold Medal-winning Israeli show jumping squad at the 19th Maccabiah Games in Yagur, Israel, Danielle Goldstein, of Starwyn Farms in Wellington, FL, continues to advance her quest to represent Israel and celebrate Israel equestrians in the international arena.
Goldstein’s top ten finish in June in the Outdoor Gelderland/Arnhem Grand Prix 3* in Holland qualified her for the ECCO FEI European Show Jumping Championships, August 20-25, in Herning, Denmark.
“The Israeli Equestrian Federation is thrilled that I was able to go and represent them,” said Goldstein. “It was a tremendous honor and huge exposure, not only for myself but for Israel, and my goal of bringing more recognition to the country’s show jumping riders and horses. I’ve received tons of emails and texts from around the world telling me what a proud moment it was to see Israel’s flag hanging from the rafters in Denmark.”
The talented equestrian and trainer, who turned professional in 2012 after a successful junior career, was pragmatic about her chances at the most important show jumping competition of the year, but said her results were “better than expected.”
“I just wanted to ride my best. I had two rails down on the first day and one down in the first round of the Nations Cup. They only call back the top fifty for team competition and I finished 54th so I was really close! It was exciting just to be in the stabling area and rings with so many great riders. I had a good horse that I’ve know for a long time and I went for the experience.” Goldstein competed under the blue and white of the Israeli flag riding Starwyn Farms’ 13-year-old bay Darco-bred BWP gelding, Adamo van’t Steenputje.
Goldstein went for the experience but rides away with a very significant accomplishment under her belt: she is now qualified to ride for Israel at next summer’s 2014 World Equestrian Games in Normandy: “Israeli athletes can compete at this international level and I intend to continue to build appreciation and recognition for Team Israel and its sponsors.”
In addition to her own riding and training goals, Goldstein founded the International Equestrian Education (IEE) series that debuted during the 2013 Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL. For more information about ‘Team Israel,’ IEE at Starwyn Farms, or Danielle Goldstein, please call 917-544-3349 or email dani.goldstein@gmail.com.
