Bloomberg and Metropolitan Are Tops In The $75,000 Empire State Grand Prix

North Salem, NY – May 23, 2010 – Georgina Bloomberg aboard Gotham Enterprizes’ Metropolitan galloped to victory in the $75,000 Empire State Grand Prix on the final day of competition at the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows.

A starting field of 33 attempted to navigate Michel Vaillancourt’s course of 16 jumping efforts to advance into the jump-off.  Unfortunately, Vaillancourt’s track got the better of most of the competitors.  Only three horse and rider combinations managed to navigate the large and technical course without penalty, and all three came from the top of the order of go.

Up-and-coming Grand Prix rider David Tromp, 23, from North Salem, NY, was the first rider on course and posted a clear round on Casey, a horse from his family’s Beyaert Farm, a sales, boarding and training facility that is a true family farm with sister Emmy and brother Mattias also showing and training.

Kate Levy was fifth in the order with Lirving Di Volsin, owned by Kate Levy LLC and Christian Woschenka, and she also had a fault free performance to advance to the next round.

Two horses later, Georgina Bloomberg cantered into the ring on Metropolitan and 82 seconds later was the last pair that we would see complete the course fault free. 

Patricia Griffith and Travino Take the Hunter Derby By Storm

Patricia Griffith and Travino (James Leslie Parker Photo)

North Salem, NY – May 22, 2010 – Patricia Griffith from nearby Katonah, NY, and Travino, owned by Heritage Farm, kept their winning streak alive at the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows in North Salem, NY, and brought home the big award, a win in the $10,000 Chronicle of the Horse/USHJA International Hunter Derby Presented by The Premier Collection/Land Rover of Mt. Kisco and Land Rover of Larchmont.  

Their first round score of 199 positioned them at the head of the class going into the second “Handy” round of competition.  The pair showed their talents as they mastered the nine fence test with aplomb, and emerged from the ring with a score of 211 to take the top spot with a total of 410 points.

“My horse was great,” said Griffith.  “I loved the course, lots of gallops.  And I thought the Handy was perfect.  It was just challenging enough and it had its options.  It was fun.  My horse was perfect.  There was a lot going on at the other end (of the ring) lots of distractions with the jumpers running by and the crowd, I was really happy he reacted like he did, especially since we are on to Devon next.  This was a great warm-up for that.  This is a real hometown show for us, so it’s nice to come through.  We show here a lot it’s kind of like our own show.

Leslie Howard and Raimond W Put The Pedal To The Metal To Win The $25,000 Grand Prix of North Salem

Leslie Howard and Raimond W (James Leslie Parker Photo)

Leslie Howard, Darien, CT, and her 12 year old black warmblood gelding Raimond W, finally broke out of the bridesmaid spot, winning the $25,000 Grand Prix of North Salem at the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows.  Raimond W has had multiple placings in 2010, but had not managed to win a Grand Prix of more than $25,000 in prize money.  He broke that streak handily today.

The duo entered the ring for the jump-off in true “Leaping Leslie” form.  Raimond W turned so well after the first fence that he left out a stride to fence 2, but had covered enough ground that the distance was perfect.  They continued around the course clearing every fence quickly and efficiently to stop the timers in 34.253 seconds.

Howard had a huge smile on her face as she exited the ring, obviously very pleased with the effort put forth by this horse that she has described as “naturally slow as molasses”.

Its a Wrap For The Amateur Adult Hunters At The Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows

Its A Wrap and Sloan Brown (James Leslie Parker Photo)

North Salem, NY – May 21, 2010 – It only took one take for Its a Wrap and rider/owner Sloan Brown as they clinched the Adult Amateur Hunter 36-45 division Championship and the Grand Adult Amateur Hunter title.

The dark bay gelding covered the ground and met each fence with precision and obedience to win all the jumping classes in the division.  Always hotly contested, It’s a Wrap and Brown triumphed over 16 other entries for the title.