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Ballard Back on Top in $38,700 FEI 1.45m Jump-off presented by Fidelity Investments at 2024 Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows

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Ballard Back on Top in $38,700 FEI 1.45m Jump-off presented by Fidelity Investments at 2024 Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows

the rider news sunset two horses and a rider

Brody Wins Governor’s Perpetual Hunt Seat Cup presented by Lillie by Flying Changes and Chansonette Farm.



North Salem, NY – May 18, 2024 – Canada’s Erynn Ballard returned to the winner’s circle at the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows on Saturday, finishing in first and second place in the $38,700 FEI 1.45m Jump-off presented by Fidelity Investments. She stopped the clock on the winning time of 35.61 seconds with Ginger Ask and followed closely behind in 36.17 seconds with Coconet.

The Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows are one of the premier stops on the nation’s hunter-jumper horse show circuit, offering a full schedule of world-class competition May 7-12 and May 14-19 that features the nation’s best in equestrian sport. 

Ballard bested a field of 48 horse-and-rider combinations representing seven countries in Saturday’s $38,700 FEI 1.45m Jump-off presented by Fidelity Investments, where course designer Alan Wade set a sweeping 15-effort track for the initial round. Nineteen pairs returned to jump off for top honors, and Ballard’s two mounts –Ilan Ferder’s 10-year-old Holsteiner mare Ginger Ask and Wight Show Stables LLC’s 10-year-old Oldenburg mare Coconet – proved to be the ones to beat.

“When I came out of the ring on Coconet, I said to Ilan that I gave the class away from #1 to #2,” Ballard said. “If you’re counting strides, which we do in the jump-off, I did nine strides there after she jumped #1 a bit high and I just didn’t get my balance in time to turn her away from the gate. After we jumped #2, I went quite fast everywhere else, but then on Ginger, I did that same early turn in seven. I guess that’s the advantage of having two fast horses – you can do better on the second than you did on the first.

Erynn Ballard (CAN) and Ginger Ask won the $38,700 FEI 1.45m Jump-off presented by Fidelity Investments © RandolphPR

“Even though I took the lead on Ginger, I knew I had Conor Swail behind me, and he’s as fast as anyone in the world,” she added. “I wanted to make sure that I had to make him work for it. Today, it worked out in my favor. He had one down, and we ended up first and second.” 

Ballard has been developing her mares for the last year alongside Ferder, and Saturday marked Ginger’s first FEI win. “I know these two girls quite well,” she said. “Ilan’s the one in charge of their training and regular schooling, so I’m usually following his ride. We actually have a gray girl gang at the moment – three or four gray mares, all 10-year-olds, all horses that I get on and ask, ‘How can I be so lucky to ride?’”

Ballard also took second with Coconet © RandolphPR

Rounding out the top five placings were three Americans: Raleigh Hiler in third with Kurt Hiler’s 15-year-old Oldenburg mare Cassina 64 (0/0/36.77), Alex Matz in fourth with 5 Star Partners’ 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion Ikigai (0/0/36.89), and Megan McDermott in fifth with Counter Balance LLC’s 9-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding Paddington Du Royaume (0/0/36.98). 

Raleigh Hiler (USA) and Cassina 64 came third © RandolphPR

Thirty-eight equitation riders then took over the Old Salem Farm International Arena in the evening, vying for top honors in the Governor’s Perpetual Hunt Seat Cup presented by Lillie by Flying Changes and Chansonette Farm. Lillie Keenan (USA) helped Tony Sgarlata to judge the class as each entry contested Wade’s initial 14-effort, 3’6” course; after the top ten riders returned for additional testing, Emma Brody of New York, NY, walked away with the win.

Coached by Eleanor Kunsman, Brody posted the highest first-round score (90 points) aboard her Spaetzuender W, then returned to the ring for an 88-point score in the second round. Her combined score of 178 points kept her well ahead of her fellow competitors, with second-placed rider Vivian Golden earning 170.5 points.

“I’m very excited to have those scores,” Brody said. “I’m lucky to have such a nice horse to do it on, and it was nice to come here just for one day and be able to do this, especially in preparation for Devon next week. I actually rode my jumper in this class; I’ve had him for two years and mostly ridden him in the Medium Junior Jumpers. This was my second show doing him in the equitation, and it was a good experience to make him do a little bit of everything. It’s really impressive for him to keep switching back and forth. He knows exactly what to do for whatever you’re asking him, and he’s always right there with you. He’s an amazing partner.

“I’ve trained with Eleanor Kunsman and her mom, Kathy, since I started riding,” she added. “I was also helped by Brianne Goutal-Marteau, and that was a great experience. Everything was very connected on course today, so everything really had an associated number. The only true single was the first jump, so I tried to keep a very even rhythm. I liked the track; it was good practice for everything we have coming up. It also matched my horse’s big, forward stride pretty well with a lot of big, open bending lines. I was a little nervous coming back for the second round, but Eleanor told me to ride like I wasn’t coming back first, which helped. It was a fun experience.”
As the winner of the Governor’s Perpetual Hunt Seat Cup, Brody also earned a voucher for a custom coat by Lillie by Flying Changes.

Golden, of Wyomissing, PA, rode Henge Hill Investments’ Argyle 64 to a second-place finish on 170.5 points with help from trainer Stacia Madden. Golden’s barnmate Dylan Bazaar (Katonah, NY) came in third on Knight Takes Rook LLC’s Dark Night DC with 169.5 points. 

Emma Brody and Spaetzuender W won the Governor's Perpetual Hunt Seat Cup presented by Lillie by Flying Changes and Chansonette Farm © RandolphPR

The Old Salem Farm International Arena also showcased several junior and amateur jumper champions throughout the day. Among them was Isabella Kahn of Wellington, FL, who claimed top honors in the 1.20/1.25m Junior Jumper Championship riding Christian Coyle’s Locato Van Het Kapelhof. Francesca Bolfo of New York, NY, and her Lasirca Kil brought home the 1.20/1.25m Amateur Jumper Championship.

Competition in the Hedge and June Road hunter rings concluded in the evening with the $25,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, which saw 30 entries present over Paul Jewell and Nancy Wallis’s technical hunt-and-go course with 14 jumping efforts. Walkenbach Equestrian LLC’s Princeton brought home top honors after Paige Walkenbach of Paradise Valley, AZ, piloted him to a combined score of 187 points. Coming in second was Fancy Pants Equestrian LLC’s Cloud 9, ridden by Laura Bowery of Bridgehampton, NY. Third went to Love Dreamer 2, owned and ridden by Julia Slade of Southampton, Bermuda.  

Other hunter highlights included the Amateur-Owner and Pony hunter divisions, with many of the final champions being crowned on Sunday. Taking home one of the weekend’s first tri-color ribbons was Wright Start Outsourcing LLC’s Never Mind, ridden by Ainsley Powers of Rye, NY, to the Children’s Pony Hunter Large and Grand Children’s Pony Hunter championships.

Full show results can be found at HorseShowsOnline.com
The Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows host competitions for riders of all levels and ages, ranging from young children on ponies to Olympic veterans aboard their grand prix mounts. Week 1 (May 7-12) is USEF ‘National-6’ rated for hunters and jumpers and designated FEI CSI3*; Week 2 (May 14-19) is USEF ‘Premier-6’ rated and designated FEI CSI4*.

Week 1 highlights included the Evergate Stables’ $40,000 New York Welcome Stake, $10,000 Old Salem Farm Speed Derby, $38,700 FEI 1.45m Two-Phase, $38,700 FEI 1.45m Jump-off, $25,000 Old Salem Farm Jumper Classic, $15,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Junior/Amateur Jumper 1.40m Classic presented by Eastern Hay and $125,000 Old Salem Farm Grand Prix Presented by The Kincade Group.

Week 2 competition features the $65,000 Welcome Stake of North Salem Presented by The Kincade Group, $38,700 FEI 1.45m Two-Phase, $38,700 FEI 1.45m Jump-off Presented by Fidelity Investments, $25,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, $25,000 Old Salem Farm Jumper Classic, Evergate Stables’ $15,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Junior/Amateur Jumper 1.40m Classic, Governor’s Perpetual Hunt Seat Cup Presented by Lillie by Flying Changes and the $5,000 Old Salem Farm Grooms’ Class Presented by McLain Ward, Inc., before concluding on Sunday, May 19, with the $200,000 Empire State Grand Prix Presented by Old Salem Farm.

Action starts daily at 8:00 a.m. with classes running in three rings simultaneously throughout the day. Click here for the full schedule.

All classes in all rings can be seen live on ClipMyHorse.TV. The livestream from the International Arena each Friday, Saturday and Sunday is presented by Hollow Brook Wealth Management. A proud supporter of the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows, Hollow Brook also sponsors the annual Hollow Brook Junior Sportsmanship Award, which will be announced on Sunday, May 19.

Located just one hour north of New York City, Old Salem Farm has a long history of hosting world-class horse shows. Over the years, Old Salem Farm has hosted United States Olympic Team Selection Trials, FEI World Cup™ qualifiers, FEI North American Youth Championships and ASPCA Maclay Regional Finals.
The ambiance at the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows is unlike any other venue in the country with over-the-top hospitality and unique shopping offered along Old Salem’s popular Boutique Row. Old Salem offers opportunities for a curated group of vendors to set up their boutiques in the revitalized vendor area overlooking the International Arena. Food vendors provide meals to go and delicious snack options.

Family fun activities presented by Halston Media include pony rides (May 12, May 18 and May 19), weekend face painting and an ice cream party each Saturday, hosted by Pegasus Therapeutic Riding on May 11 and the Wolf Conservation Center on May 18. There will also be visits from the SPCA of Westchester (May 11), A New Chance Animal Rescue (May 19) and the Animal Embassy (May 19), along with an ongoing presence from HEART Equine Ambulance and the EQUUS Foundation. Admission is free for everyone!

For more information on Old Salem Farm and the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows, please visit www.OldSalemFarm.net

Source: Classic Communications

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