Stephanie Riggio, New York, NY, rode her Compliment to victory in the Amateur Adult Hunters 18-35 division. Winning the under saddle class as well as two of the jumping classes, she dominated the competition with the 13-year-old Oldenburg gelding.
Fresh off their Championship win, Riggio and Compliment entered the ring for the $500 Marshall & Sterling/North American League/Washington International Horse Show Adult Amateur Classic, a qualifying competition for the Finals this fall. Their two-round score of 172 points clinched the win and gave them yet another prize to take home.
Their stellar performances gave them the edge in the race for Grand Adult Amateur Hunter Champion, placing Compliment in the same illustrious company as that of Riggio’s other horse, Moshi, who was named Grand Hunter Champion yesterday at the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows.
Local resident Visse Wedell emerged victorious in the Amateur Adult 36-45 Division aboard Gray Fadden’s Revelation. Wedell, recently paired with the 12-year-old roan gelding, jumped in show stopping style to claim the Championship title. Winning two classes and placing second in two.
Smart Assets was just that for owner and rider Sandra Epstein of Pawling, NY, as they were named Amateur Adult Hunter 46 and Over Champion. Epstein and her mount have had great success in this division and today was no exception as they marched around the beautiful course with panache.
Well known as one of the most beautiful facilities to host horse shows, the Old Salem Farm Horse Shows was voted as one of the Top 25 Horse Shows in America for 2010 by the North American Riders Group (NARG) and world class riders such as Georgina Bloomberg, Mario Deslauriers, Norman Dello Joio, Beezie Madden, Chris Kappler, Anne Kursinski and McLain Ward lined up to enter the jumper ring with their equine counterparts. Old Salem Farm boasts one of the few remaining natural outdoor courses in the United States. The unmatched beauty and interesting terrain make this course one of the most exciting to compete over.
Olympic veteran and hometown hero McLain Ward piloted Vedette V’T Blek for Grant Road Partners LLC, to victory in the 1.30 Meter Jumper class on Wednesday. This was one of five mounts that Ward rode in the class, giving each a chance to see the expansive course for the first time. The 9-year-old bay mare is no stranger to the show ring, having won many awards in the Junior Jumper division with Katie Dinan.
Ward followed that win yet another win on Thursday, this time aboard his Cloud in the 1.40 Meter Jumper class. Ward guided the 8-year-old bay Selle Francais gelding around the first round fault free and returned for the jump-off to again leave all the obstacles in place in a blazing time of 32.742 seconds, a full four seconds faster than their nearest challenger.
The Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows benefit the Old Salem Farm Foundation. The goal of the Old Salem Farm Foundation is to use the Spring Horse Shows as a vehicle to help support charitable organizations and create an opportunity for Corporate Sponsors and Equestrian Athletes to benefit the community during the annual sporting event. The Old Salem Farm Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation.
This year, the Old Salem Farm Foundation is providing support to several charities including Voss Foundation, Pegasus Therapeutic Riding, ASPCA and Just World International.
Voss Foundation is dedicated to providing access to pure, clean water to rural communities in Sub-Saharan Africa. At the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows, Voss Foundation will present a gallery exhibit of limited edition photographs taken by world-renown photographer Stuart Franklin which will be on display in the Main Bar throughout the duration of the horse shows. The photographs will be available for purchase through a silent auction, and all proceeds will help support Voss Foundation's 2011 initiatives.
In addition, the Old Salem Farm Foundation will be supporting Pegasus Therapeutic Riding, whose mission is to provide the therapeutic benefits of horseback riding and other equine-assisted activities to physically, emotionally, and developmentally challenged individuals at facilities and stables in Connecticut and New York.
Also receiving support from the Old Salem Farm Foundation is JustWorld International, a charitable organization dedicated to providing basic education, nutrition, health and hygiene programs, and vocational training for children in impoverished communities in Honduras, Cambodia, Guatemala, Brazil, and Senegal. JustWorld International will conduct a horseless horse show in the Grand Prix Field following competition on Saturday, May 14. Jessica Newman, the founder of JustWorld, will be on the grounds to oversee the event where kids of various ages race and jump for awards over a course of miniature fences which simulate the courses jumped by their heroes, while helping less fortunate children around the world.
The Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows are partnering with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) to hold a special Animal Adoption Day on Saturday, May 14. The ASPCA's Mobile Adoption Van, full of loving dogs and cats available for adoption, will be on-site at the horse show on this day. If you have been thinking about adding a dog or cat to your family, then this is the perfect opportunity to meet with ASPCA experts and find the pet that is right for you!
Present at the ASPCA Mobile Adoption Van will be Joe Pentangelo, Assistant Director of ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement and one of the stars of the hit TV show ANIMAL PRECINCT on the Animal Planet Network. Joe is on the front lines of fighting animal cruelty every day at the ASPCA, and invites visitors to talk with him to find out how they can help make the world a better place for animals. Also on site will be DaVinci, the ASPCA's Canine Anti-Cruelty Ambassador. DaVinci was a victim of terrible animal cruelty in 2006 and is now fully recovered and a living example of how all creatures deserve kindness, compassion and second chances. DaVinci would like to remind everyone to consider opening their home and their heart to an animal in need, whether it is a dog, cat or horse!
The Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows offer more than $220,000 in prize money and is highlighted by the $25,000 Welcome Stake on May 13, $40,000 Old Salem Farm Grand Prix on May 15, $25,000 North Salem Grand Prix on May 20, and the $75,000 Empire State Grand Prix, presented by Land Rover, Mt. Kisco and Larchmont, on May 22. The shows also feature a $20,000 Speed Derby of North Salem on May 21, $15,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic, a member event of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame on May 22, $10,000 United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) International Hunter Derby on May 21 and $10,000 Leading Hunter Rider Award, which will be announced on May 22.
Over the years, Old Salem Farm has played host to major competitions including Selection Trials for U.S. teams for World Championships and Olympic Games. Old Salem Farm boasts a state-of-the-art stabling facility, its historic pristine grass Grand Prix field as well as outstanding show and schooling rings, all surrounded by one of the nation’s most quaint and picturesque settings.
Old Salem Farm is located one hour north of New York City. In addition to hosting more than 20 horse shows besides its flagship spring horse shows, it maintains state-of-the-art stabling facilities for year-round boarding. Old Salem Farm’s training staff offers training for every level of riding from Short Stirrup to Grand Prix! Exceptional horses are also available for sale or lease.
Admission to the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows is $20.00 per carload on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Seating in the Patron Tent, which overlooks the Grand Prix field, is available Wednesday – Sunday, with a catered luncheon on Saturday and Grand Prix Sunday. For reservation information, please visit www.oldsalemfarm.net.
For more information on Old Salem Farm, including its year-long horse show schedule, clinics, boarding, lessons and training, as well as the Spring Horse Show Prize List, please visit www.oldsalemfarm.net or call 914-669-5610.
For more information on Voss Foundation, please visit www.thevossfoundation.org.
For more information Pegasus Therapeutic Riding, please visit www.pegasustr.org.
For more information on JustWorld International, please visit www.justworldinternational.org.