Tag Archives: Vermont Summer Festival

Peter Wylde Clinches Back-to-Back Grand Prix Victories at Vermont Summer Festival

Peter Wylde guided Lewin 5 to victory in the $30,000 Battenkill Grand Prix. Photo by David Mullinix Photography.

East Dorset, Vermont — Olympic gold medalist Peter Wylde and Lewin 5 sped to their second Grand Prix victory in a row at the Vermont Summer Festival, winning the $30,000 Battenkill Grand Prix, presented by Johnson Horse Transportation, during week two of the six-week show jumping competition.  The Vermont Summer Festival continues through August 11 at Harold Beebe Farm in East Dorset, VT.

Wylde edged out student Agatha D’Ambra and Udiana for the first place finish with just over a second to spare.  D’Ambra and Wylde were the only riders to advance to the jump-off out of the 22 entries that contested the Grand Prix.  Wylde also qualified on his second mount, Wiesielotte, but settled for third place after incurring 12 faults in the jump-off.

“The course was careful; I think you had to have a very careful jumper,” Wylde commented of the course designed by Canadian Chris Brandt.  “There were very technical and tight distances, but our horses seemed to handle that really well.  I was really pleased. Agatha and I had five horses between us and they all did five really nice rounds.  We’re very happy.”

D’Ambra was thrilled with her mare Udiana’s performance and was more than content to finish second to her new trainer.

“Coming in second place at all is incredible.  I’m very happy with it.  My horse was brilliant today.  I couldn’t be happier with her.  Peter Wylde is the best, so just the fact that I came in front of his other horse and presented a challenge for him, I’m pretty proud of myself,” D’Ambra beamed.

D’Ambra was first to return in the jump-off and Wylde admitted to doubting whether he would be able to catch her after a perfectly executed second round.

“She nailed the jump-off and I thought, ‘I’m going to have to really go if I’m going to get it.’  I think the only place I caught her was to the last fence.  I really raced to the last fence.  I think I was probably a little bit behind her going into the last fence but I made up some ground there.  She was pretty much perfect in her jump-off,” Wylde revealed.

Wylde described how Lewin 5, an 11-year-old gelding owned by Société Civile de l’Ecurie Meautry, has come into his own the last several months of competition.

“Lewin’s been consistently right at the top the last grand prix and the last few months I’ve been riding him.  The horse is fantastic and this is now the third grand prix he’s won in the last two months,” Wylde explained.

“I’ve ridden him for a year and a half now and he’s really developed into being a superstar.  It’s exciting!  He’s fun and he’s also learned to go fast.  He’s got a lot of self-confidence now and I can pretty much ask him to do anything and he’ll do it for me.  He really is there for you,” Wylde continued.

Wylde and D’Ambra’s partnership is newly formed, yet the pair is clearly well-matched.  D’Ambra of Saratoga, NY, contacted Wylde when she heard he was moving his training business to New York.

“I sent him a message saying I needed a trainer and I needed some help and he said he’d love to help me.  I shipped in for a lesson two weeks before HITS Saugerties and it was just an immediate click.  I think it’s pretty obvious in the results that we share the same philosophy with the horses and that we get along really well.  I see really good things coming,” D’Ambra shared.

Both riders were extremely grateful for the support of their sponsors, whose invaluable support enables them to compete at the highest levels of the sport.

“I want to thank my sponsor John Cooley at Elite Equine Veterinary,” D’Ambra said.

“I would also like to thank my sponsors Cavalor, Dover Saddlery, Tredstep and of course Tad Coffin Performance Saddles, which are the saddles I’m using on my horses now which I just love and my horses love, too!” Wylde added.

The Vermont Summer Festival, celebrating its 20th anniversary in its current Manchester location, offers more than $750,000 in prize money, making it the richest sporting event based on purse in the state of Vermont.

The first five Saturdays of the Vermont Summer Festival feature a $30,000 Grand Prix.  The $50,000 Vermont Summer Celebration Grand Prix will be held during the sixth and final week on Saturday, August 10.  The weekly $10,000 Open Welcome Stake, Presented by Manchester Designer Outlets, is held each Thursday.  The hugely popular $5,000 3’3” Hunter Derby is also held each Thursday for the first five weeks, with week six featuring the $15,000 Hunter Derby.

The Vermont Summer Festival is a proud member event of the Show Jumping Hall Of Fame, the Marshall & Sterling League, and the North American League (NAL).  For more information about the Vermont Summer Festival, please e-mail info@vt-summerfestival.com or visit www.vt-summerfestival.com.

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

Michael Dorman and Zephyr Can’t Be Caught in $10,000 Vineyard Vines Welcome Stake

Michael Dorman rode Zephyr to victory in the $10,000 Vineyard Vines Welcome Stake. Photo by David Mullinix Photography.

East Dorset, Vermont — Michael Dorman and Zephyr breezed into first place in the $10,000 Vineyard Vines Welcome Stake, presented by Manchester Designer Outlets, at the Vermont Summer Festival.  The six-week competition continues through August 11 at Harold Beebe Farm in East Dorset, VT.

Nine horse and rider combinations advanced to the jump-off including week one’s Welcome Stake winners, Mark Bluman and G&C Lagran.  2004 Olympic gold medalist Peter Wylde was the first double clear round of the day, setting the time to beat at 36.251 seconds with AK’s Clowney.

Dorman and Zephyr sliced two full seconds off of Wylde’s time by stopping the clock in 33.746 seconds.  Four more horse-rider pairs jumped-off, but none succeeded in catching the time set by Dorman.

“I have a very big stride (with Zephyr) and I think I won the class because I was able to leave out a stride,” Dorman revealed.  “Most people were doing eight.  I could get seven.  That’s one of his positive things, that he has a huge stride.”

Zephyr, a nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood that Dorman has brought along for the last two years, has only stepped up to the Grand Prix level this year.  The chestnut gelding has proven to be a quick study under Dorman’s guidance.

“He was third last week in the [Vermont Summer Special] Grand Prix, so he’s catching on.  The jump is easy for him.  He just has to concentrate more quickly since everything happens so much faster and the jumps are bigger.  That’s his learning curve,” Dorman explained.

Zephyr’s natural talent and mild-mannered personality make him a pleasure for Dorman to ride.  “He’s an easy going guy.  I think jumping is basically just pretty easy for him.  He really enjoys jumping and he’s a straight-forward, happy horse,” Dorman remarked.

Canadian Chris Brandt designed the course for the $10,000 Vineyard Vines Open Welcome Stake in the Grand Prix ring, beginning with an open-ended approach to the first fence which allowed riders to start from the left or right lead.  “I chose the left, there were less jumps in the way.  I thought you could get a better rhythm, especially in the jump-off,” Dorman explained.

Dorman’s decision paid off as the rest of the course was smooth sailing for Zephyr, even through a demanding triple combination.  “It was challenging because [Zephyr] has a very big stride and the combination was an oxer down the hill to two tight verticals, so I was concerned whether he could balance and shorten up enough.  Once he got through that I was pretty comfortable,” Dorman commented.

Dorman, who is based at Wyndmont Farm in Wellington, FL, spends his summer traveling back and forth between the Vermont Summer Festival and HITS Saugerties (NY).  He looks forward to the trip north each summer.  “I think the management [in Vermont] tries really hard to make everything friendly.  The footing in the ring is nice and they have beautiful jumps.  They make a big effort to have nice jumps,” Dorman concluded.

For his efforts, Dorman took home a $1,000 gift card to Vineyard Vines in addition to his share of the prize money.  Zephyr and Dorman will also contest Saturday’s $30,000 Battenkill Grand Prix, beginning at 1 p.m. at Harold Beebe Farm.

2013 marks the 20th anniversary of the Vermont Summer Festival in its current Manchester area location.  The Vermont Summer Festival offers more than $750,000 in prize money, making it the richest sporting event based on purse in the state of Vermont.

The first five Saturdays of the Vermont Summer Festival feature a $30,000 Grand Prix.  The $50,000 Vermont Summer Celebration Grand Prix will be held during the sixth and final week on Saturday, August 10.  The weekly $10,000 Open Welcome Stake, Presented by Manchester Designer Outlets, is held each Thursday.  The hugely popular $5,000 3’3” Hunter Derby is also held each Thursday for the first five weeks, with week six featuring the $15,000 Hunter Derby.

The Vermont Summer Festival is a proud member event of the Show Jumping Hall Of Fame, the Marshall & Sterling League, and the North American League (NAL).  For more information about the Vermont Summer Festival, please e-mail info@vt-summerfestival.com or visit www.vt-summerfestival.com.

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

Carly Morrison and Wendy Collins Claim Sunday Classics in Vermont

Carly Morrison riding Duvel won the $10,000 SJHOF High Junior/Amateur-Owner Classic. Photos – David Mullinix Photography.

July 7, 2013 – East Dorset, Vermont – Canada’s Carly Morrison and Connecticut’s Wendy Collins were the two big winners on Sunday, July 7, at the Vermont Summer Festival running July 2 through August 11 at Harold Beebe Farm in East Dorset, VT.  Morrison took the win in the $10,000 SJHOF High Junior/Amateur-Owner Classic riding Duvel while Collins emerged victorious in the $5,000 NAL Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Classic.

Morrison was the first of six to return for the jump-off in the $10,000 SJHOF High Junior/Amateur-Owner Classic, and a tidy tour of the jump-off track yielded a four-fault score in a time of 44.38 seconds.  Others who followed opted to try for slow and steady clear rounds, but the rails kept falling.  Helena Le Picart came closest to catching Morrison, but her four-fault effort in a time of 44.62 seconds aboard Bon Vivant would not be fast enough to take over the lead.

“As the first one in, you always want to be the one to set the bar because you are not in a position to chase anyone,” said Morrison of Creemore, ON.  “We did an inside turn and unfortunately had it down, but we got lucky.  Our strategy worked out.”

Morrison trains with Christi and Mac McQuaker at Gryphon Farms in Schomberg, ON.  Mac McQuaker had imported Duvel as a three-year-old from Holland, and Morrison purchased the now nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding when he was five.

“He was my dream horse, the one I always longed for in the barn,” said Morrison, who has now been partnered with Duvel for the past four years.  “He’s got tons of personality.  He’s spunky, full of energy, and so much fun to be around.  We developed together from the one-meter jumpers.  We know each other very well, and I think that’s what makes us click.  It also helps that Mac has been the trainer all along.”

Entering her second year at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, ON, Morrison is showing at the Vermont Summer Festival for the third time, having also competed in 2009 and 2010.

“It’s a great show, and it’s so beautiful here,” said Morrison, 19, who will also be contesting week two of the Vermont Summer Festival.  “Everyone in the community is really helpful.”

In the $5,000 NAL Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Classic, four riders qualified for the jump-off including Vivian Yowan with two mounts.  As the first rider back to challenge the shortened jump-off track set by Irish course designer Alan Wade, Yowan laid down a clear trip in a time of 44.10 seconds with G&C Sacramento, a 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding.  Chelsea McCarthy was next in the ring with Poco Van Depco, but an eight fault score would leave them fourth in the final standings.

Wendy Collins piloted Tomasa to victory in the $5,000 NAL Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Classic
Wendy Collins piloted Tomasa to victory in the $5,000 NAL Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Classic

Collins then took up the challenge, posting a fault-free effort in a time of 39.10 seconds to move into the lead.  Yowan had one last chance to take the title, but it wasn’t meant to be as a rail down with Cloverleaf Farm’s Ralvesther in a time of 40.26 would leave her third in the final standings.  With that, Collins scored her first victory in a Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Classic.

“Consistency was what I was looking for today,” said Collins of her performance with Tomasa, a 12-year-old bay mare.  “We were clear, and it all paid off.”

Owned and normally shown by her mother, Tomasa is on loan to Collins as she completes her final year as a junior competitor.  In the fall, Collins will be starting school at Skidmore College and will part of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) program.

“The trainers from Skidmore are also competing here in Vermont, so I got to know the trainers and they got to see me win,” said Collins.  “Riding is such an individual sport, so I am really excited to ride as part of a team and represent my school.”

Originally from Seattle, Collins moved to Greenwich, CT, two years ago where she trains with Amy Lowrey of Narnia Farms.  She will be competing at the Vermont Summer Festival for weeks one and two, noting, “I love it here; it’s gorgeous.  I love all the green.  It’s very beautiful.  And the footing is great!”

Earlier in the day, the $2,500 Marshall & Sterling Adult Jumper Classic was won by Lauren Brody riding Urfee de Bornival for owner Lib Equine LLC.  Haley White, who trains with Holly Hill Farm, rode Tiona to victory in the $1,500 Marshall & Sterling Children’s Jumper Classic.

The six-week Vermont Summer Festival, celebrating its 20th anniversary in its current Manchester location, offers more than $750,000 in prize money, making it the richest sporting event based on purse in the state of Vermont.

The first five Saturdays of the Vermont Summer Festival feature a $30,000 Grand Prix.  The $50,000 Vermont Summer Celebration Grand Prix will be held during the sixth and final week on Saturday, August 10.  The weekly $10,000 Open Welcome Stake, Presented by Manchester Designer Outlets, is held each Thursday.  The hugely popular $5,000 3’3” Hunter Derby is also held each Thursday for the first five weeks, with week six featuring the $15,000 Hunter Derby.

The Vermont Summer Festival is a proud member event of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame, the Marshall & Sterling League, and the North American League (NAL).  For more information about the Vermont Summer Festival, please e-mail info@vt-summerfestival.com or visit www.vt-summerfestival.com.

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

Olympic Gold Medalist Peter Wylde Wins $30,000 Vermont Grand Prix

Peter Wylde guided Lewin 5 to victory in the $30,000 Vermont Summer Special Grand Prix. David Mullinix Photography.

July 6, 2013 – East Dorset, Vermont – Peter Wylde made his first trip to Manchester, VT, a winning one by claiming victory in the $30,000 Vermont Summer Special Grand Prix on July 6.  The six-week Vermont Summer Festival is running July 2 through August 11 at Harold Beebe Farm in East Dorset, VT.

A veteran of the United States Equestrian Team, Wylde was the individual bronze medalist at the 2002 World Equestrian Games in Jerez, Spain, before claiming team gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics.  Having been based in Germany for the past 12 years, Wylde recently relocated his business to Millbrook, NY, and is back competing on the U.S. show jumping circuit.

Wylde included the Vermont Summer Festival on his 2013 tour schedule.  The decision proved to be a wise one, as he was one of three competitors to advance to the jump-off over the track set by course designer Alan Wade of Ireland.  Agatha D’Ambra also jumped clear with Quivola, but incurred two time faults for exceeding the 86-second time allowed.

Returning first for the jump-off, Michael Dorman posted a clear round in a time of 40.31 seconds riding Zephyr to put the pressure on those who followed.  Mark Bluman, the winner of Thursday’s $10,000 Open Welcome Stake with G&C Lagran, was next up, this time riding G&C Carla.  Bluman only began riding the grey mare two weeks ago, having been given the ride by his brother, Ilan.  In their first grand prix together, the pair posted a clear round in 36.16, despite a big stumble upon landing after the second fence, taking more than four seconds off of Dorman’s time to move into the lead.

Wylde was the third and final challenger, and the seasoned veteran made short work of the jump-off course, smoothly guiding Lewin 5 over the fences, around the turns and through the timers in 34.39 seconds for the victory.

“Alan Wade, in my opinion, is one of the best course designers in the world,” complimented Wylde.  “I am always happy to go to a show where he’s building because his courses are consistently excellent.  I never have a worry.  I thought that the course was well-set, and was a good challenge.”

The win in the $30,000 Vermont Summer Special Grand Prix marked the second recent victory for Wylde and Lewin 5, an 11-year-old bay German-bred gelding by Lewinski owned by Baron Eduard de Rothschild of Société Civile de l’Ecurie Meautry in Deauville, France.  The pair also won the $35,000 Garden State Grand Prix in Augusta, NJ, on May 4.

“I thought it was a really nice class,” said Wylde of the $30,000 Vermont Summer Special Grand Prix.  In addition to taking the win, Wylde also placed tenth after having a rail down at 12‘c’ of the triple combination with AK’s Clowney, also owned by Société Civile de l’Ecurie Meautry.  “Clowney had a beautiful round and just lightly touched the rail coming out of the triple.  I was a bit surprised by that.  I sort of expected him to go clear so I didn’t go too fast.  That was my fault.  My student Agatha D’Ambra was fourth.  She rode well and her horse jumped well.”

Of Lewin 5, Wylde noted, “He’s been building up to this level and is now consistently in the ribbons, both indoors and out.  He’s a lamb.  He’s the sweetest horse, very kind.  He’s a little lazy, but picks up just enough in the ring, and is very careful.  It was a fast enough jump-off today, and he was excellent.  I imagine he’s going to be sold pretty soon.”

The grand prix was the first class of the week for Wylde, who arrived in Vermont the night before.

“I spent the 4th of July with my dad on the beach in Massachusetts,” said Wylde, 47.  “There were a lot of reasons why I wanted to come back to the States and spending more time with family was a main one.  I have a great support team in my stable.  I was able to sneak away on vacation for four days and met my horses here last night.  I’m always a little anxious when I go away, but I have a great team.”

Wylde will remain in Vermont for the second week of the Vermont Summer Festival, and is already making plans to return next year, saying, “I haven’t been here before and this was the plan that I devised.  Next year, I’ll be tailoring my plan based on experience, and I’m already having a great experience here.  I love the grounds and the layout.

“It’s only been a few months, but I’m basically up to speed with where I want to be,” said Wylde, who is now basing his business, Mullenders & Wylde Horses LLC, out of Winley Farm in Millbrook, NY.  “I’m really happy with the way things have fallen into place for me since Florida.  Winley Farm, in my opinion, is the best training facility I’ve ever been to.  It’s an old thoroughbred breeding farm on 190 acres with paddocks and riding trails.  Built in the middle is a high-tech show jumping training facility with 40 box stalls.  I’ve never seen this combination of high-tech stable with so much turn-out and grass.  I’m so happy and my horses are so happy, which is obvious because they have been performing so well.

“I would like to say thank you to my sponsors, Dover, Cavalor, Tredstep and Tad Coffin Performance Saddles,” concluded Wylde.

The Vermont Summer Festival, celebrating its 20th anniversary in its current Manchester location, offers more than $750,000 in prize money, making it the richest sporting event based on purse in the state of Vermont.

The first five Saturdays of the Vermont Summer Festival feature a $30,000 Grand Prix.  The $50,000 Vermont Summer Celebration Grand Prix will be held during the sixth and final week on Saturday, August 10.  The weekly $10,000 Open Welcome Stake, Presented by Manchester Designer Outlets, is held each Thursday.  The hugely popular $5,000 3’3” Hunter Derby is also held each Thursday for the first five weeks, with week six featuring the $15,000 Hunter Derby.

The Vermont Summer Festival is a proud member event of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame, the Marshall & Sterling League, and the North American League (NAL).  For more information about the Vermont Summer Festival, please e-mail info@vt-summerfestival.com or visit www.vt-summerfestival.com.

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

Samantha Schaefer Scores Vermont Hunter Derby Victory

Samantha Schaefer guided Per Se to victory in the $5,000 NEHJA Hunter Derby. Photo by David Mullinix Photography.

East Dorset, Vermont — Samantha Schaefer of Westminster, Maryland, celebrated the Fourth of July by winning the first $5,000 NEHJA Hunter Derby of the six-week Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT.  Offering over $750,000 in prize money, the Vermont Summer Festival runs July 2 through August 11 at Harold Beebe Farm.

The first time proved to be the charm as the Vermont Summer Festival marked Schaefer’s first competition riding Per Se, owned by Iron Horse Farm of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.  In the opening week of competition at the Vermont Summer Festival, Schaefer and Per Se claimed the Pre-Green 3’3” Championship title, having won four out of five classes in the division.  Based on their success, Schaefer decided to enter Per Se in the $5,000 NEHJA Hunter Derby.  The event is a qualifier for the $15,000 NEHJA Hunter Derby Final to be held at Fieldstone Show Park in Halifax, MA, on August 22.

A total of 31 entries contested the first $5,000 NEHJA Hunter Derby of the six-week Vermont Summer Festival.  Schaefer and Per Se received the highest score from the judges in the opening round, an 85, and therefore were the last to go of the 12 competitors that qualified to return for the handy round.  A score of 84 added to her first round score gave Schaefer a two-round total of 169 for the win.

“The course was nice, I thought it flowed really well, and I liked the handy, too,” said Schaefer of the course designed by Doug Russell, which spanned two rings.  “There were definitely lots of places to be handy.  I think the derbies here are really fun, and you get a different group of horses.  They make it special.  The natural jumps are beautiful.”

Although it was only Schaefer’s first competition with Per Se, she could not have been happier with the horse’s performance.

“He was brave and jumped around like he had been jumping those jumps his whole life,” said Schaefer, handling the ride for Kate Conover who is away in Europe.  “I could ride him right up to the naturals and he made a really beautiful jump out of it.  He understands the game.  You have horses with a lot of talent, but they struggle because they don’t know how to win.  They have to want to fight for you and be on your side.  This one always wants to please you.  You really appreciate a horse with that type of character.

“He is one of the easiest horses I’ve ever had to ride,” continued Schafer.  “We don’t lunge – he is literally stall to the ring.  He really wants to be good.  He goes in a plain snaffle without a martingale, which says a lot about a horse’s character.”

In addition to her success during opening week with Per Se, Schaefer also showed Kaskade to the reserve championship title in the 3’ Pre-Green division.

A successful junior competitor, Schaefer won the WIHS in 2009 and the USET in 2011.  She currently attends Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where she is entering her junior year and rides on the NCAA team.

“I like that the NCAA program gives you the opportunity to go to school on a scholarship, and it’s neat to bring the sport to that level,” said Schaefer, 20.

When not at school, Schaefer is based at her family’s Shadow Ridge Farm in Westminster, MD, training alongside her mother, Stacey Schaefer, and her 12-year-old sister, Madeline.  They are competing during the first three weeks of the Vermont Summer Festival.

“It’s exciting to be able to show together,” said Schaefer, who is also contesting the High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper division with Sugar Ray.  “Now we shift and it’s Maddy’s turn for the weekend!  She’ll be competing in the small and medium pony hunter divisions.”

The featured event of the weekend is the $30,000 Vermont Summer Special Grand Prix held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, July 6.  The gates open at 8 a.m. and admission prices on Saturday are $7 for adults, $5 for children.  100% of the gate receipts benefit the Manchester area non-profit organizations Mark Skinner Library, Friends Foundation for MEMS, Community Food Cupboard, and Community Sharing Project.

The Vermont Summer Festival, celebrating its 20th anniversary in its current Manchester location, offers more than $750,000 in prize money, making it the richest sporting event based on purse in the state of Vermont.

The first five Saturdays of the Vermont Summer Festival feature a $30,000 Grand Prix.  The $50,000 Vermont Summer Celebration Grand Prix will be held during the sixth and final week on Saturday, August 10.  The weekly $10,000 Open Welcome Stake, Presented by Manchester Designer Outlets, is held each Thursday.  The hugely popular $5,000 3’3” Hunter Derby is also held each Thursday for the first five weeks, with week six featuring the $15,000 Hunter Derby.

The Vermont Summer Festival is a proud member event of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame, the Marshall & Sterling League, and the North American League (NAL).  For more information about the Vermont Summer Festival, please e-mail info@vt-summerfestival.com or visit www.vt-summerfestival.com.

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

Colombia’s Mark Bluman Receives Warm Welcome in Vermont

Mark Bluman rode G&C Lagran to victory in the $10,000 Open Welcome. Photo by David Mullinix Photography.

East Dorset, Vermont — Mark Bluman of Colombia won the $10,000 Open Welcome, presented by Manchester Designer Outlets, held Thursday, July 4, at the Vermont Summer Festival.  The six-week equestrian competition is running July 2 through August 11 at Harold Beebe Farm in East Dorset, VT.

A total of 10 horse-rider combinations jumped clear in the opening round over the track set by course designer Alan Wade of Ireland to advance to the jump-off.  Three of those horses were ridden by Bluman, and it all came down to his third and final ride in the jump-off.  Agatha D’Ambra riding Udiana held the lead with a clear round in a time of 35.39 seconds when Bluman entered the grand prix ring as the final competitor.  He and his experienced mount, G&C Lagran, sped over the shortened course, stopping the clock at 35.16 seconds to take victory.

“The course designer did an amazing job, being the first week of the series,” said Bluman, 22, who currently resides in Wellington, FL.  “The course was technical, and Agatha was pretty fast.  I asked my partner, Luis Larrazabal, if I should go for it, and he said the time was catchable, so I gave it my all and it worked out well.”

Formerly competed by Venezuela’s Pablo Barrios and most recently Rodrigo Pessoa of Brazil for owner Gustavo Mirabel of G&C Farm, G&C Lagran is a new ride for Bluman.  The pair began competing together at the end of May.

“That horse has all the experience; he’s done a lot with Pablo and won a lot of good ribbons,” said Bluman of the 14-year-old Oldenburg gelding.  “He’s a winner, and wants to go clear every time.  He always tries to do things right.”

Of the horse’s personality, Bluman laughed, “He’s a prince.  If you see him at the show grounds, he is always posing and looking around at everyone to see who is looking at him.  He’s a cocky horse, but that’s what makes him what he is.”

It was the second year in a row that Bluman won a $10,000 Welcome Stake, presented by Manchester Designer Outlets, at the Vermont Summer Festival.  Last year, Bluman claimed the final $10,000 Welcome Stake of the six-week circuit with G&C Blue.  In addition to $3,000 in prize money, Bluman was also awarded a $1,000 gift certificate from Manchester Designer Outlets.

“I want to say thank you to them for sponsoring this class and for giving me the chance to go shopping!” smiled Bluman.  “I arrived here with no money, and now I feel like I can shop for free!”

Of his second visit to the Vermont Summer Festival, Bluman said, “For the horses we have right now, it’s the best place to be.  We’re able to figure in the ribbons, and the horses love it.  It’s nice and quiet, very relaxing for us.  We’re able to rest, go to nice restaurants, and enjoy the shopping.  We’ll keep coming back!”

In addition to winning the class with G&C Lagran, Bluman also placed fourth after jumping double clear with G&C Carla, a horse owned by his brother, Ilan Bluman, and eighth with G&C Blue.

“Thank you to Gustavo Mirabel, Rodrigo Pessoa, Luis Larrazabal, and all of the grooms and staff at G&C Farms,” concluded Bluman.

Having qualified three horses for the jump-off in the $10,000 Welcome Stake, presented by Manchester Designer Outlets, Bluman will be one to watch in Saturday’s $30,000 Vermont Summer Special Grand Prix.

The Vermont Summer Festival, celebrating its 20th anniversary in its current Manchester location, offers more than $750,000 in prize money, making it the richest sporting event based on purse in the state of Vermont.

The first five Saturdays of the Vermont Summer Festival feature a $30,000 Grand Prix.  The $50,000 Vermont Summer Celebration Grand Prix will be held during the sixth and final week on Saturday, August 10.  The weekly $10,000 Open Welcome Stake, Presented by Manchester Designer Outlets, is held each Thursday.  The hugely popular $5,000 3’3” Hunter Derby is also held each Thursday for the first five weeks, with week six featuring the $15,000 Hunter Derby.

The Vermont Summer Festival is a proud member event of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame, the Marshall & Sterling League, and the North American League (NAL).  For more information about the Vermont Summer Festival, please e-mail info@vt-summerfestival.com or visit www.vt-summerfestival.com.

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

Vermont Summer Festival to Host Young Jumper Championship Qualifiers

Devin Ryan and Roman Saluut won the $30,000 Mount Equinox Grand Prix during the 2012 Vermont Summer Festival. David Mullinix Photography.

East Dorset, Vermont – The next generation of grand prix horses will take center stage during the first three weeks of the Vermont Summer Festival with qualifying classes for the Young Jumper Championship series.  Running July 2 through August 11 at Harold Beebe Farm in East Dorset, VT, the Vermont Summer Festival is the richest sporting event based on purse in the state with more than $750,000 in prize money.

“The Vermont Summer Festival has been hosting qualifiers for a number of years and we’re happy to have their support again this year,” said Cheryll Frank, Director of the Young Jumper Championships.  “The whole purpose of the program is to give young horses quality experiences and whenever you have events with the caliber of the Vermont Summer Festival, it provides a tremendous opportunity for our members.”

Five-year-old, six-year-old, and seven- and eight-year-old jumper classes will be held during weeks one, two and three of the Vermont Summer Festival.  These qualifiers will count towards earning a spot at the Young Jumper Championship Eastern League Finals at the Hampton Classic, August 25 to September 1, in Bridgehampton, NY.

“The Young Jumper Championships are an important tool for developing up-and-coming grand prix horses,” said John Ammerman, organizer of the Vermont Summer Festival.  “These classes provide an exciting opportunity to see some spectacular young horses at the start of their careers.  Many of the horses competing in the program have returned to Vermont and enjoyed tremendous success here.”

Devin Ryan of Long Valley, NJ, is just one of several regular competitors at the Vermont Summer Festival whose horses have benefitted from the Young Jumper Championship program.  Two of his top mounts, No Worries and Roman Saluut, have become regulars in Vermont’s winner’s circle after competing in the young horse classes.  Roman Saluut won the $30,000 Vermont Summer Special Grand Prix in 2011 and the $30,000 Mount Equinox Grand Prix in 2012, the same year No Worries claimed victory in the $30,000 Otter Creek Grand Prix.

“The Young Jumper Championships really provide a pipeline for future grand prix horses,” explained Ryan, who operates River Run Stables.  “Young horses need to be properly developed and this series provides that opportunity.  The horses compete against their peers, not seasoned show horses, and the courses are designed to build confidence and encourage clear rounds.  More needs to be done to support classes like these so that riders have the ability to bring along American-bred horses instead of importing from Europe.”

Created in 1998, the Young Jumper Championships is designed to provide an age-appropriate program for the development of young show jumping horses and to identify the most promising prospects competing in the United States.  For more information about the Young Jumper Championships, please visit www.youngjumpers.com.

For over 20 years, the Vermont Summer Festival has attracted exhibitors and their families to the Manchester region in southern Vermont.  Known for its wide variety of area amenities including a large range of lodging options, restaurants to suit every taste, outdoor activities, and lots and lots of shopping, Manchester-area businesses warmly welcome horse show competitors to the area each summer.

The first five Saturdays of the Vermont Summer Festival will feature a $30,000 Grand Prix.  The $50,000 Vermont Summer Celebration Grand Prix will be held during the sixth and final week on Saturday, August 10.  The weekly $10,000 Open Welcome Stake, Presented by Manchester Designer Outlets, will be held each Thursday.  The hugely popular $5,000 3’3” Hunter Derby will also be held each Thursday for the first five weeks, with week six featuring the $15,000 Hunter Derby.

The Vermont Summer Festival is a proud member event of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame, the Marshall & Sterling League, and the North American League (NAL).  For more information about the Vermont Summer Festival, please e-mail info@vt-summerfestival.com or visit www.vt-summerfestival.com.

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

Colin Syquia and Don Pedro Triumph in $15,000 Oughton Limited NEHJA Hunter Derby

Colin Syquia and Don Pedro won the $15,000 3’3” NEHJA Hunter Derby. David Mullinix Photography

East Dorset, Vermont – Colin Syquia, of Ancramdale, NY, rode Perrin Martin’s Don Pedro to victory in the $15,000 3’3” NEHJA Hunter Derby, sponsored by Oughton Limited, on Thursday, August 9, at the 2012 Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT.  The six-week competition began on July 4 and continues through August 12 at Harold Beebe Farm.

The $15,000 3’3” NEHJA Hunter Derby was the final derby event of the six-week Vermont circuit.  In order to qualify for the class, a rider or owner must have competed in a hunter derby during weeks one through five of the 2012 competition.  The $15,000 3’3” NEHJA Hunter Derby was generously sponsored by Oughton Limited, a Vermont-based equestrian luggage manufacturer that presented a beautiful ‘Wellie’ barn tote to the weekly derby winner. The final winner also received a pair of Ovation Rhona Country Boots.

A total of 20 entries showed in Thursday’s hunter derby, jumping a beautiful course designed by J. P. Godard, of Aiken, SC. The course spanned two rings and featured stunning natural obstacles. The picturesque backdrop of Vermont mountains helped set the tone for a great afternoon of competition.

Continue reading Colin Syquia and Don Pedro Triumph in $15,000 Oughton Limited NEHJA Hunter Derby

Mark Bluman and G&C Blue Gallop to Victory in $10,000 Welcome Stake

Mark Bluman and G&C Blue won the $10,000 Not Your Daughter’s Jeans Welcome Stake. David Mullinix Photography

East Dorset, Vermont – Colombia’s Mark Bluman and G&C Blue, owned by Gustavo Mirabal, were the winners in the $10,000 Not Your Daughter’s Jeans Welcome Stake, presented by Manchester Designer Outlets, on Thursday, August 9, at the 2012 Vermont Summer Festival.  The six-week Vermont Summer Festival is running at Harold Beebe Farm in East Dorset, VT, from July 4 through August 12.

Eric Hasbrouck is the course designer in the grand prix ring for the sixth week of jumper action in Vermont. In Thursday’s $10,000 Not Your Daughter’s Jeans Welcome Stake, Hasbrouck saw seven out of 30 entries jump the first round course without fault. Three went double clear in the jump-off, and it was 21-year-old Mark Bluman and G&C Blue who had the fastest time of 31.21 seconds for the win.

Wednesday’s $5,000 Open Jumper 1.40m winners, Tracy Magness and M/M John Bartko’s Tarco Van Ter Moude, finished second. Magness, of Hughesville, MD, blazed through the short course in 33.27 seconds as the seventh entry to go with Tarco. Their time held the lead for most of the class, but was surpassed by Bluman 19 rounds later.

Continue reading Mark Bluman and G&C Blue Gallop to Victory in $10,000 Welcome Stake

Tracy Magness and Tarco Van Ter Moude Win $5,000 1.40m in Vermont

Tracy Magness and Tarco Van Ter Moude won the $5,000 Open Jumper 1.40m class. David Mullinix Photography

East Dorset, Vermont – Week six of the 2012 Vermont Summer Festival kicked off on Wednesday, August 8, with its Vermont Summer Celebration Horse Show at Harold Beebe Farm in East Dorset, VT. The $5,000 Open Jumper 1.40m was the highlight class of the day with a win for Tracy Magness, of Hughesville, MD, riding Tarco Van Ter Moude. The Vermont Summer Festival runs July 4 through August 12.

Eric Hasbrouck is the course designer in the grand prix ring this week. In Wednesday’s $5,000 Open Jumper 1.40m, Hasbrouck saw 13 out of 21 entries navigate the first round course without fault. Seven entries went double clear in the jump-off, and Tracy Magness and Tarco Van Ter Moude, owned by M/M John Bartko, had the fastest time of 36.48 seconds for the win.

Second place honors went to Ireland’s Paul O’Shea and Wizz, owned by O’Shea and Daniel Walsh, with a clear jump-off round in 38.16 seconds.  Charlotte Jacobs, of East Aurora, NY, grabbed the third and fourth place prizes with her mounts Promised Land and Kachina. Riding Promised Land, owned by Candy Tribble and Windsor Show Stables, Jacobs stopped the clock in 38.40 seconds to finish third. With Kachina, owned by Deeridge Farms, Jacobs finished in 40.30 seconds to place fourth. Catherine Tyree, of Barrington Hills, IL, jumped double clear with Wetter in a time of 42.07 seconds to place fifth. Ireland’s Darragh Kenny rode North Star’s Umberto and Cyrina Z to double clear rounds as well, finishing sixth and seventh respectively.

Continue reading Tracy Magness and Tarco Van Ter Moude Win $5,000 1.40m in Vermont