Lake Placid, NY—July 9, 2007—The Lake Placid and I Love New York Horse Shows proved to be “Horse Show Heaven in 2007.”
With the number of entries held to about 200 horses below the record numbers of recent years, exhibitors had all the benefits of Lake Placid’s traditional world-class horse shows plus ample time to enjoy the natural wonders of the Adirondack Mountains and the warm hospitality of the Village of Lake Placid.
The Lake Placid Horse Shows featured nearly a half-million dollars in prize money, one of the world’s finest horse show facilities highlighted by the 300’ by 300’ natural terrain Richard M. Feldman Grand Prix Field, outstanding management and special amenities that enhance everyone’s experience at the horse show grounds. With fewer horses this year, showing was finished by 5:00 p.m. or earlier each day which allowed exhibitors more time to enjoy the lakes and mountains and Lake Placid’s outstanding restaurants and shops.
“If you thought Lake Placid was horse show heaven in 2007, I can assure you that it will be just as great in 2008!” said horse show chairman Richard M. Feldman. “We sent our exhibitors home happy this year and we are committed to having the same number of horses we had this year again next year.”
One of the reasons that the Lake Placid Horse Shows are so popular with exhibitors is that in addition to the first-class horse show facility, management and prize money, there are just so many fun things to do in Lake Placid. As one of the world’s premier resort destinations, Lake Placid offers an ideal setting for family vacations.
The natural wonders of the Adirondacks offer great hiking, swimming and boating, and the charming resort town has unrivaled hotels and restaurants. But the horse shows also offer many other fun things to do, most of which have become traditions in their own right.
The Lake Placid Horse Shows’ annual Animal Planet Kids’ Day again combined kids, horses, and tons of fun including activities such as a stable tour, farrier visit, a raffle, giveaways, and an autograph session with Grand Prix riders Jeff Welles, Brianne Goutal and Hillary Dobbs.
The Lake Placid Horse Show Association also sponsored its 6th annual Bowling Party for children, and Mark Walter and Beval Saddlery sponsored the 19th annual golf tournament for adult exhibitors. Another highlight was Lake Placid’s famous Fourth of July festivities including spectacular fireworks and the traditional parade down Main Street.
The 38th annual Lake Placid Horse Show saw an impressive win by Todd Minikus of Loxahatchee, FL on Pavarotti in the $75,000 Budweiser Grandprix of Lake Placid Presented by RV Sales of Broward for the Whitney Perpetual Challenge Trophy. Minikus was one of 10 entries from the starting field of 33 at the North Elba Showgrounds to qualify for a tiebreaking jump-off by riding without penalty over the 15-jump first-round course designed by Steve Stephens, course designer for next year’s Beijing Olympic Games.
Minikus, the 2001 U.S. Equestrian Federation (USEF) Horseman of the Year and winner of Lake Placid’s Hérmes Grand Prix in 2004, was sixth to try the eight-jump tiebreaker course. He finished without fault in 40.99 seconds to take over the lead from 2004 Athens Olympic team Gold medalist McLain Ward of Brewster, NY, who had finished the jump-off fault-free in 42.01 seconds on Larioso.
The final four entries failed to catch the marks of either Minikus or Ward, allowing them to hold on to the top two spots. Third place went to 10-time American Grandprix Association (AGA) Rider of the Year Margie Engle of Wellington, FL who rode her 2000 Sydney Olympic mount Hidden Creek’s Perin to a clean jump-off ride in 42.17 seconds. At age 18, Hidden Creek’s Perin was the oldest horse in the competition.
“I felt that McLain’s time was going to be tough to beat and that the only way I could catch him would be by ducking inside to the last jump. My horse was able to do what I asked of him and I am very happy with his performance,” Minikus said of his 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood whose next appearance was to be on the U.S. team at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Also highlighting the first week’s Lake Placid Horse Show was a win by Jessica Springsteen of Colt’s Neck, NJ in the $10,000 Pepsi Junior Jumper Classic. Springsteen rode La Movida to two fault-free rides and a jump-off time of 37.030 seconds to win the Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series event. Springsteen’s win earned her and La Movida the High Junior Jumper Championship. Kimberly McCormack and Nigel S, who placed second in the class, finished as Reserve Champion.
Brianne Goutal of New York, NY won the $10,000 Mirror Lake Inn Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic, also part of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series. Goutal rode Mon Gamin to two fault-free rides and a jump-off time of 47.098 seconds to claim the win and also the High Amateur-Owner Jumper Championship. Charlie Jacobs and Pia, who had the Classic’s fastest jump-off time of 43.667 seconds but with one rail down, placed fourth in the class and finished as Reserve Amateur-Owner Champion.
Springsteen and Goutal were honored, along with the horse show’s other champions, in the C.M. Hadfield’s Saddlery Parade of Champions in the Richard M. Feldman Grand Prix Arena just prior to the Juliam Farm Lead Line Class, a fun interlude featuring riders under the age of seven being led by parents or trainers.
In the I Love New York Horse Show, Christine McCrea of E. Windsor, CT, rode Promised Land to victory in the $75,000 Hermès Grandprix CSI 3*. McCrea was awarded the Richard and Diana Feldman Perpetual Challenge Trophy for Excellence that is given to the rider with the most total prize money in the Lake Placid and I Love New York Horse Shows’ two Grand Prix events. She placed 11th in the $75,000 Budweiser Grandprix of Lake Placid CSI 3*.
McCrea was one of nine entries from the starting field of 18 to qualify for the tiebreaking jump-off by riding without penalty over the 16-jump, first-round course designed by Olaf Petersen, Jr. of Germany. She claimed the win by riding fault-free over the eight-jump tiebreaker course with a blazing time of 51.49 seconds, more than three full seconds faster than runner-up Kent Farrington of Chicago, IL. Farrington, winner of the Budweiser Grandprix of Lake Placid in 2005, finished the jump-off fault-free in 54.50 seconds on Up Chiqui.
“I really didn’t think there was any way I would catch Kent,” McCrea said. “I knew I had to fly and I tried to shave time all through the course. I went as fast I could coming up the hill to the last jump and then my horse jumped it from so far away that he cut enough time to win. He is so big and powerful, he can jump over anything!”
Finishing third behind McCrea and Farrington was Alexa Weeks of Southport, CT who finished the jump-off with no penalties in 56.12 seconds on Madison.
Jennifer Waxman won The Marantz Family High Junior Jumper Classic on Outline and Hillary Dobbs won the Charlotte Bobcats High Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic on Marengo. The wins by Waxman and Dobbs in the two Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series classes earned them their respective division championships and places in the Woodlea Farms Parade of Champions.
Lake Placid Horse Show feature class winners included Ezequiel Peralta on Allain Z in the 1.35m Adirondack Store Jumper Class, Todd Minikus on Romy in the 1.45m Whiteface Mountain Open Jumper Stake, Anne Kursinski on Roxana 112 in the 1.45m Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort Open Jumper Class, Amelia Rogers on Denmark, Margaret Leufest on Faldo, and Marque Cincotta on both Words of Wisdom and Chappie in Hooker Family Children’s Jumper classes, Todd Minikus on Olinda in the Turtle Lane Farm Open Jumper Classic, Laura Chapot on Sprite in the 1.40m Hilton Lake Placid Resort Open Speed Challenge, Laura Chapot on Chili Pepper in the 1.35m Chair 6 Jumper Class, Ann Heyman on Alexander in The Whiteface Lodge NAL Adult Amateur Jumper Classic (over 40), Kelly Adams on Primeur in The Whiteface Lodge NAL Adult Amateur Jumper Classic (18-40), Christy Distefano on Upper Cut in the Adirondack Life Low Junior Jumper Classic, Philip Richter on Chekhov in the Sidelines Low Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic, Callan Solem on Warsaw in the 1.40m Crowne Plaza Resort & Golf Club NAL Open Speed Stake, Laura Chapot on Silver Lining in the 1.35m A.G. Edwards Jumper Class, and Marque Cincotta on Words of Wisdom in the Moss Communications NAL Children’s Jumper Classic (age 14 & Under) and Amelia Rogers on Denmark in the Moss Communications NAL Children’s Jumper Classic (age 15-17).
I Love New York Horse Show feature classes included the 1.35m WPTZ News Channel 5 Jumper Class won by Christine McCrea on Rioletto, 1.45m Farm & Ranch Magazine Open Speed Stake won by Debbie Stephens on All Star, The Hooker Family Children’s Jumpers won by Gabriela Mershad on Amelia, 1.40m Wild Horse Winery NAL Open Speed Stake won by Hillary Dobbs on Marengo, The Leone Family Open Classic CSI 3* won by Amy Momrow on Summer Storm, The Hooker Family Children’s Jumpers won by Mattias Tromp on Jasmine and Lauren North on Lazalle, 1.45m Nicola’s Restaurants Open Jumper won by Debbie Stephens on Quik, 1.35m Charlie’s Restaurant Jumper Class won by Laura Chapot on Face Value, 1.40m Lake Placid/Essex County Visitors Bureau Speed Challenge won by Laura Chapot on Cilthe Z, 1.35m A. G. Edwards Jumper Class won by Laura Chapot on Chili Pepper, Price Chopper WIHS Children’s Jumper Classic (age 14& under) won by Marque Cincotta on Chippie, Price Chopper WIHS Children’s Jumper Classic (age 15-17) won by Zazou Hoffman on Obsession, The Levy Family Low Junior Jumper Classic won by Tatiana Dzavik on Esther 126, Y 106.3 Low Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic won by Stacy Cascio Spencer, Kathy Scholl Equitation Championship won by Kimberly McCormack on Sundance, EquiFit WIHS Adult Amateur Jumper Classic (age 18-40) won by won by Emily Wiley on Skedaddle, EquiFit WIHS Adult Amateur Jumper Classic (over age 40) won by Gigi Stetler on Millesime du Valy, and Moss Communications Pony Hunter Classic won by Victoria Colvin on Cortina.
You must be logged in to post a comment.