Christine McCrea of East Windsor, CT, rode Sweetheart to victory in the Champlain Valley Equipment 1.45m Jump-Off to kick off the 33rd Annual I Love New York Horse Show.
Hillary Dobbs of Sussex, NJ, took an early lead in the class with the first of five clean rides over the 12-jump, first-round course at the North Elba Showgrounds, which she followed with a clean jump-off ride in 39.055 seconds.
Her lead held until McCrea matched her double-clean rides but with a faster jump-off time of 38.664 seconds. None of the remaining competitors went clean over the nine-jump jump-off course with Andrew Bourns of Wellington, FL, taking third on Gowran Park with a time of 38.182 seconds but with one rail down for four faults.
Other winners on Wednesday included Darragh Kenny on Tango in the 1.35m Janney Montgomery Scott Jumper Class; Lou Jacobs on Kachina in the High Amateur-Owner Jumper Class; Meg O'Mara on Sinatra IV in the High Junior Jumper class; and Darragh Kenny on Vorst in the 1.30m WPTZ News Channel 5 Jumper Class.
The I Love New York Horse Show continues through Sunday and is highlighted by the $75,000 Le Grand Prix Hermès CSI** on Saturday, July 10. Following the Grand Prix, the Richard and Diana Feldman Perpetual Challenge Trophy for Excellence will be awarded to the rider who has won the most combined prize money in Lake Placid's two Grand Prix.
Upcoming highlights of the 33rd Annual I Love New York Horse Show include:
Thursday, July 8 - J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines Open Speed Stake; Intercat, Inc., Open Jumper Classic CSI 2*; 1.30m Lake Placid Lodge Jumper Class;
Friday, July 9 - Chevy Jumper Class; 1.40m ROOST Jumper Class; The Hooker Family Children's Jumper Classes; Bobby & Melissa Murphy Pony Jumper Class; The Ariat National Adult Medal Class; FarmVet Adult Amateur Hunters; The National PHA Equitation Class; Horse Club Junior Day, sponsored by Animal Planet, Crossroads Caterers, Woodlea Farms, Pizza Hut of Saranac Lake, and Marty Bauman of Classic Communications
Saturday, July 10 - $75,000 Le Grand Prix Hermès CSI 2*; Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort High Junior Jumper Classic; Brook Ledge, Inc., High Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic; Y106.3 Low Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic; Woodlea Farms Parade of Champions; Kathy Scholl Equitation Championship; Bobby and Melissa Murphy Pony Jumper Class; Clifton Park Rental Center Pony Hunter Classic; FarmVet Adult Amateur Hunters; 18th Annual Doggie Costume Contest, sponsored by Lonesome Landing Garden Center, the Brown Dog Café and Wine Bar, A Placid Life and Jake Placid Doghouse
Sunday, July 11 - USHJA International Hunter Derby; The Levy Family Low Junior Jumper Classic; EquiFit WIHS Adult Jumper Classics; Paradysz Farm WIHS Children's Jumper Classics; Sand Castle Farm Short Stirrup Classes
The schedule for the 2010 I Love New York Horse Shows is full of exciting equestrian action and great family activities. Horse show action runs from 8:00 a.m. until about 4:00 p.m. each day. Whether you stop by for one day or every day, you won't want to miss the exciting equestrian competition and fun family activities happening at the North Elba Showgrounds on Route 73, right across from the ski jumps.
Guided walking tours of the show grounds are offered for just $1 every weekday morning at 11:30. Some people bring a picnic lunch and some sample the horse show's delicious food as they watch the horses in action.
Everyone can ride the trolley to the horse show free of charge. Admission to the I Love New York Horse Shows is just $2 on weekdays and $5 on weekends. Children under the age of 12 are admitted free and discounts are offered to groups of 20 or more. Tickets are available at the gate. Show your Price Chopper AdvantEdge Card, and your admission fee is 50% off.
The 2010 I Love New York Horse Show sponsors include: A&M Beverages, A Placid Life, Adirondack Life, Adirondack Store, Alessandro Albanese, Animal Planet, Anonymous, Brandy Parfums, Ltd., Brook Ledge, Inc. Horse Transportation, The Brown Dog Café and Wine Bar, Carr-Hughes Productions, Chair 6, Champlain Valley Equipment, Chevy, Jane Forbes Clark, C.M.
Hadfield's Saddlery, Inc., Clifton Park Rental Center, Community Bank, NA, The Cottage Café, Crossroad's Caterers, Crowne Plaza Resort & Golf Club, David R. Fowler Custom Tack Trunks, Deeridge Farms, Der Dau Custom Boots and Shoes, Eastern Hay, EquiFit , FarmVet, Fox Run, Ltd., The Fulchino Family, Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort, Graymont, Grill 211, Mr. James Harpel, Hermès, High Peaks Resort, The Hooker Family, HorseWatch, Intercat, Inc., J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, Jake Placid Doghouse, Janney Montgomery Scott, LLC, Juliam Farm, Lake Placid Lodge, Lake Summit Resort Hotel & Suites, The Levy Family, Dan & Cynthia Lufkin, Meadow Grove Farm, Mirror Lake Inn, Mountain Horse, Bobby & Melissa Murphy, Nicola's On Main, On a Fence Designs & Rentals, ORDA/Whiteface Mountain, Paradysz Farm, The Pepsi Bottling Group, Price Chopper, Purina Mills, Quiet Hill Farm, ROOST - Lake Placid/Essex County Visitors Bureau, Ruthie's Run, Sand Castle Farm, Michael & Lora Schultz, Sidelines, SmartPak, Storm Ridge Capital LLC, Stretton Enterprises, Time Warner Cable, Town of North Elba Park District, Woodlea Farms, WPTZ News Channel 5, and Y106.3 - Mountain Communications LLC.
For more information on the 2010 I Love New York Horse Show, please contact the Lake Placid Horse Show Association at (518) 523-9625 or visit www.lakeplacidhorseshow.com.