Holly Orlando and Eclypse (The Book LLC)
The Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows are in the second week of competition and run through Sunday, May 17 at the picturesque Old Salem Farm in North Salem, NY. The shows feature over 130 hunter and jumper classes each week, bringing together top competitors, including Olympic show jumpers, from all corners of the country to compete for more than $500,000 in prize money.
Flirting with a sweep of the entire First Year Green Hunter division, Orlando and Eclypse won the under saddle before jumping to first in all three classes over fences and second in the handy. A near perfect point total landed them the Grand Hunter Champion honor.
Orlando co-owns Eclypse, a seven-year-old Hanoverian mare, with Markus Beerbaum who imported the mount from Germany specifically for Orlando's hunter endeavors. “He has a great eye for a hunter,” she said of Beerbaum. “Eclypse is the third one he's sent me, and she is one of the nicest, if not the nicest horse I have ever ridden.”
Bringing Eclypse along has taken some time, admits Orlando, but the slow pace has proved prudent. “We had a couple nice ribbons last week, but it really came together this week,” said Orlando. “When she gets it right, there’s nothing better – he's exactly what you're looking for in a hunter.”
Holly Orlando, her daughter Logan and co-trainer Lyman Whitehead accept winner's prizes with Eclypse (The Book LLC)
For Orlando, showing in North Salem is a welcome trip down memory lane. After working and training out of Old Salem Farm herself for five years, she is always eager to return. “It's such a nice horse show and we were in really good company this week,” she said after besting the likes of many decorated hunter riders to win the $5,000 Leading Hunter Rider Award. After the culmination of her performances in professional hunter divisions over two weeks, Orlando led by nearly 200 points to clinch the award.
Orlando claims that the extra winnings will go right back into the show “pot” for Bunny, as she calls Eclypse. “She has really big ears and when we first met her, she was always putting her nose all over us and she looked like a bunny,” explained Orlando. “Sometimes it stands for the Energizer Bunny – she has a little more energy than she needs to, but she is so scopey and this week she was consistent from start to finish.”
Reserve Champion in the First Year Green Hunter division was awarded to Sandy Ferrell and El Primero, owned by Brian Baldwin/Meralex Farm. They were second under saddle, and first, second and fourth over fences for Reserve. Ferrell also earned second-place in the $5,000 Leading Hunter Rider standings, with Jennifer Bauersachs placing third. The Leading Hunter Rider Award presentation will take place before the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby on Saturday.
Peter Lutz Wins $3,000 Open Jumper 1.30m
Peter Lutz and Adorose (The Book LLC)
Peter Lutz is happy to call Westchester home and has been showing at Old Salem Farm for over 25 years. That home-court advantage served him well as he jumped Adorose to the fastest speed round in today's $3,000 Open Jumper 1.30m. They crossed the timers in 53.483 seconds for the win over a course set by Ireland's Alan Wade.
Mclain Ward continued his success at Old Salem Farm by jumping his own Emma to second in 55.13 seconds. Carolyn Curcio and Sagamore Farms' Bella Donna capped the top three just fractions slower in 55.311 seconds.
Adorose, a 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare, came under the direction of Lutz when long-time client Kelly Tropin bought her as a five-year-old. “She's a winner,” said Lutz. “She is very fast, very careful and always looking for the next jump. In a speed like today you can just keep galloping across field and covering ground – she always sights in, respects the jump when you get there, takes the time to jump and then looks for the next one.”
While Adorose clearly took to The Grand Prix field, Lutz admits that he loves the surface as well. “I grew up eventing in Pony Club and was always riding cross country – for me, this is home,” he said.
Final Results: $3,000 Open Jumper 1.30m
1 ADOROSE PETER LUTZ LIBERTAS, LLC 0/53.483
2 EMMA MCLAIN WARD MCLAIN WARD 0/55.134
3 BELLA DONNA CAROLYN CURCIO SAGAMORE FARMS 0/55.311
4 ANTONOV PETER LUTZ JOANNA WOLFFER 0/55.566
5 ZELDA SARAH SEGAL T.K. FARM 0/56.270
6 RAFINO LINDA LANGMEIER BEL FARMS, LLC 56.428
7 ROBAIN DE MARS VICTOR AMAYA LEIGH OFER 0/57.115
8 CORD 11 JEFFERY WELLES MECO EQUESTRIAN, LLC 0/57.140
9 JEWEL'S CARAT PETER LEONE JEWEL COURT STUD USA, LLC 0/57.789
10 D ELIA VAN HET MOLENHOF DARRAGH KERINS ASHLEY BAKER 0/58.468
11 CARTIER SAVANNAH TALCOTT AMERICAN EQUESTRIAN ASSOCIATES II, LLC 0/59.811
12 CANTERO Z DANA ESCALES ILAN FERDER 0/60.234
Open Jumper competition continues with tomorrow’s $5,000 1.40m and $3,000 Open Jumper 1.30m on the Grand Prix Field, while Grand Adult Amateur Hunter Champion will be crowned in the Hunter Ring.
To enjoy what is still to come at The Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows, tickets can be purchased HERE. Live streaming of all events is also available Friday-Sunday at www.oldsalemfarm.net.
Major events on the live stream include (times are subject to change):
Week 2
$35,000 Grand Prix of North Salem, presented by Karina Brez Jewelry, on Friday, May 15, 1 pm
$20,000 Speed Derby of North Salem, presented by Miller Motorcars, on Saturday, May 16, 12 pm
“ShowNet Time Allowed” Pre-Game Show, on Saturday, May 16, 1:30 pm
$10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, on Saturday, May 16, 2 pm
“ShowNet Time Allowed” Pre-Game Show, on Sunday, May 17, 2 pm
$100,000 Empire State Grand Prix, presented by The Kincade Group, on Sunday, May 17, 2:30
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Full horse show results can be found at www.horseshowsonline.com.
Photos by The Book, LLC
Old Salem Farm, located just one hour north of New York City, is one of the best equestrian competition venues in North America, as rated by the North American Riders Group in 2011-2014. Host of the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows, the prestigious American Gold Cup CSI-W 4*, and year-round competitions, the facility offers a state-of-the-art turf grand prix field, indoor riding arena, and two all-weather footing rings. As a boarding and training facility, Old Salem Farm is second to none and home to top trainer Frank Madden. For more information, please visit www.oldsalemfarm.net or call 914-669-5610.