North Salem, NY – May 10, 2013 – The $25,000 New York Welcome Stake, presented by The Hakim Family, was the highlight event today at the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Show. Held on the stunning grass Grand Prix Field, the class featured top show jumping talent. Pan American Games double gold medalists Christine McCrea and Romantovich Take One, owned by Candy Tribble and Windsor Show Stables, sped to the win in the class. The first week of the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows continues through Sunday, May 12, and the second week runs May 14-19.
Today’s class had 59 entries compete over a course set by Guilherme Jorge of Brazil. Eight were clear in the first round to advance to the shortened course in the jump-off. Of those eight, there were two riders who qualified two mounts. One of those was Olympic gold medalist Rodrigo Pessoa of Brazil, who rode HH Let’s Fly, owned by Double H Farm, as the pathfinder in the jump-off. Pessoa and Let’s Fly finished with four faults in 42.95 for sixth place. Devin Ryan (USA) and Eagle Valley Partners LLC’s Zosja were next in, and they accumulated eight faults in 39.32 seconds for eighth place.
Watch an interview with Christine McCrea!
Lauren Tisbo (USA) and Tequestrian Farms LLC’s Roundthorn Madious were the first to set a winning pace with a clear round in 38.80 seconds. Their time would hold up for third place. Lowering the leading time was the next horse in, E-Muze Yek, ridden by Darragh Kerins (IRL) and owned by Darragh Kerins and Maarten Huygens. They were clear in 38.490 seconds for second place.
McCrea, of East Windsor, CT, and Romantovich Take One, a 13-year-old KWPN gelding by Numero Uno x Karandasj, were next in and couldn’t be beat. They took advantage with a quick rollback turn, a fast pace, and a chance at the final Purina oxer to stop the timers in 37.130 seconds with no faults for the win.
Christine McCrea and Romantovich Take One
Following them, there were no other clear rounds. Pessoa and G&C LaGran, owned by Gustavo Mirabal, had four faults in 40.010 seconds for fifth place. Beezie Madden (USA) and Amadora, owned by Abigail Wexner, faulted at one fence as well, but their time of 37.61 was speedy enough for fourth place. Kerins and his second mount, Clear Fox As Well, were also four-faulters in 45.13 seconds for seventh place.
For McCrea, returning to Old Salem Farm after time away from the facility and after this year’s Rolex FEI World Cup Finals was extremely positive. Not only was she thrilled with the improved grounds and footing, but she was happy that she could give “Dutchie” a strong, confident ride after a disappointing World Cup Finals.
Second place finishers Darragh Kerins and E Muze Yek
“We didn’t have the best time there, and I thought it would be nice for him to come here, chill out, jump some nice tracks, and get a little bit of confidence back,” McCrea acknowledged. “He felt perfect, and the field was perfect. I’m shocked; there was so much rain yesterday and I thought it was going to be wet, but it was bone-dry, firm, and beautiful.”
“This place is beautiful. I grew up riding here as a junior. Then I started going to Kentucky. We came back for the American Gold Cup (last year) and I couldn’t believe it was the same place,” she recalled. “The barn is beautiful, but whatever they have done for the footing in the field is perfection. I have to give them a lot of credit for the footing in the sand ring too. Even in the pouring rain yesterday, it was fine. They feel great jumping on it.”
Out of the 59 entries in the class, Romantovich Take One was one of the more experienced horses, and McCrea felt that helped since it was their first time out on the grass field and there were challenging parts of the course. She explained, “He has a lot of experience, so for him I knew it was okay. This week we didn’t get to jump in the field, so coming out and jumping this bigger course in the field was a lot. I think for a lot of horses, it caught up with them. I took my young horse and he was very spooky and very eyeballs open! You needed one with a bit of experience, I think, to do well right off the bat. I was lucky to have him.”
In the jump-off, McCrea followed Kerins, but didn’t get to see all of his jump-off ride. She felt she was quick in the rollback to fence three, but she added a stride to the double combination. “I thought it was better for my horse, even though I think it was slower,” she said of the decision to add a stride. “That horse is very fast anyways. He’s faster than most naturally. When you push him a little bit, you’re definitely right in there with the fastest ones. Definitely to the last jump, I caught a really forward distance.”
Third place finishers Lauren Tisbo and Roundthorn Madios
Of her victory today, McCrea said with a smile, “It feels great! I love winning. I was just really happy. It was a nice class and I felt good about it. I didn’t feel so great after World Cup personally. I didn’t ride the best and he didn’t jump the best. It was not good enough. So it felt nice to go in and put in a solid round. Everybody’s happier now.”
For her victory today, McCrea was also awarded with a $500 gift certificate from Der Dau.
The show continues tomorrow with championships for four Amateur-Owner Hunter divisions and the Grand Amateur-Owner Hunter Champion will be honored. In the Annex Ring, there will be the $2,500 Marshall & Sterling Classics for Children’s and Adult Amateur Jumpers. The Low Junior and Low Amateur-Owner Jumpers will also have their $5,000 Classics before the highlight class of the day, the $5,000 Equitation Classic presented by presented by AIG/Kaplow Insurance Agency and Heritage Farm.
For more information please visit www.oldsalemfarm.net/mayhome and for full results, please visit www.horseshowsonline.com.
Canine Puissance co-sponsored by Hound Spa
The winner of the $500 Small Dog Puissance was Bean, owned by Elizabeth Maloney
Hannah O’Brien and her second dog, Boomer, won the $500 Large Dog Puissance along with the “Nino” Perpetual Trophy
Koda and Hannah O’Brien were the $500 Medium Dog Puissance winners
Live Webcast and Fun Events Information
The $50,000 Old Salem Farm Grand Prix, presented by Suncast, on May 12 (starting now at 3 pm), the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, presented by Houlihan Lawrence Real Estate, on May 18, and the $100,000 Empire State Grand Prix, presented by The Kincade Group, on May 19 will all be broadcast on the USEF Network.com presented by Smartpak. Watch live streaming of every round in the ring during both weeks on www.shownet.biz and tune into USEF Network to watch these three highlight events!
On Sunday, May 12, prior to the start of the $50,000 Old Salem Farm Grand Prix presented by Suncast, join us for the “Rolex FEI World Cup Champion Congratulatory Ceremony for Beezie Madden, and Our American Representatives.”
The Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows, rated the #11 show in North America by the North American Riders Group, has a full schedule of fun events for exhibitors and spectators. General admission, set at $20.00 per car on Friday-Sunday, generates proceeds to support the Old Salem Farm Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit organization.
Join us tomorrow for the $5,000 Equitation Challenge Reception, presented by AIG/Kaplow Insurance Agency and Heritage Farm, from 1-3 pm at the Special Events Tent. There will also be an Ice Cream Social sponsored by The Gochman Family from 3-4 pm!
Final Results: $25,000 New York Welcome Stake presented by The Hakim Family
Horse, Rider, Owner, R1 Faults/R2 Faults/Time
1. ROMANTOVICH TAKE ONE: 2000 KWPN gelding by Numero Uno x Karandasj
CHRISTINE MCCREA (USA), Candy Tribble & Windsor Show Stables: 0/0/37.13
2. E MUZE YEK: 2004 Belgian Warmblood gelding by For Pleasure x Carthago
DARRAGH KERINS (IRL), Darragh Kerins & Maarten Huygens: 0/0/38.49
3. ROUNDTHORN MADIOS: 2002 Irish Sport Horse gelding by Condios x Clover Hill
LAUREN TISBO (USA), Tequestrian Farms, LLC: 0/0/38.80
4. AMADORA: 2003 KWPN mare by Chin Chin x Indoctro
BEEZIE MADDEN (USA), Abigail Wexner: 0/4/37.61
5. G&C LAGRAN: 1999 Oldenburg gelding by Lancer II x Grannus
RODRIGO PESSOA (BRA), Gustavo Mirabal: 0/4/40.01
6. HH LET’S FLY: 1999 Hanoverian gelding by Lordanos x Forrest
RODRIGO PESSOA (BRA), Double H Farm: 0/4/42.95
7. CLOSE FOX AS WELL: N/A
DARRAGH KERINS (IRL), Darragh Kerins: 0/4/45.13
8. ZOSJA: 2004 KWPN mare by Solitair
DEVIN RYAN (USA), Eagle Valley Partners LLC: 0/8/39.32
9. SANDOR DE LA POMME: 2002 SBS gelding by Vigo D’arsouilles x Darco
MCLAIN WARD (USA), The Wannahave Group: 4/77.39
10. ZANDER: 2004 KWPN gelding Cantos x Saygon
MCLAIN WARD (USA), McLain Ward & Grant Road Partners LLC: 4/78.92
11. PUMPED UP KICKS: 2003 Brandenburg gelding by Levisto x San Juan
LILLIE KEENAN (USA), Chansonette Farm LLC: 4/79.08
12. UTAH: 2001 KWPN gelding by Andiamo x Jus De Pomme
LESLIE HOWARD (USA), The Utah Group: 4/79.28
The Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows celebrate its 31st year in 2013 and offer two weeks of exceptional equestrian sport on May 7-12 and May 14-19 at one of the nation’s premier and newly renovated equestrian facilities, Old Salem Farm, in North Salem, New York. Old Salem’s beautifully manicured grounds, list of elite horses and riders, and fantastic social gatherings draw spectators from Westchester County and beyond to watch horses and ponies of every size compete for almost $500,000 in prize money. The Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows feature over 130 hunter and jumper classes each week, bringing together top competitors, including Olympic show jumpers, from across the country. For more information, please visit www.oldsalemfarm.net/mayhome.
Photo Credit: Photos – © The Book LLC . These photos may be used only in relation to this press release and with proper credit.