Above photo: Katie Tyler and Shet Du Thot negotiate the World Equestrian Center Oxer
PRESS RELEASE
DARIEN, CONNECTICUT – June 21, 2017 – More than 500 horses and ponies were on hand to compete at the iconic Ox Ridge Hunt Club Charity Horse Show which culminated Saturday with the $25,000 Ox Ridge Hunt Club Grand Prix presented by World Equestrian Center. Hundreds of spectators gathered under the tent for a VIP luncheon as forty-one riders contested the challenging track, by course designer and Greenwich, Connecticut native Nick Granat. An international field of top riders took on the test, but ultimately it was Katie Tyler of Old Lyme, Connecticut and her 12-year-old gelding Shet Du Thot (Quick Star x Ironie Du Thot) who prevailed to take the top honors. Ms.Tyler and Shet Du Thot also handily won the $5,000 ‘Welcome Stake’ qualifying class earlier in the week with a lightning fast round.
Anticipation built during the afternoon as horse and rider combinations negotiated the demanding course and inclement weather, with eleven of the combinations achieving clear rounds to return for the jump off. In addition to prize money, Ms. Tyler was also awarded the Michael S. Griffin Memorial Trophy and a summer lease on a 2017 MINI Countryman, donated by Callari Auto Group.
Grand Prix Results (Entry, Rider, Owner)1. Shet Du Thot – Katie Tyler, Old Lyme, CT – rider/owner2. Quidam 13 – Sydney Shulman, Greenwich, CT – Jill Shulman, Greenwich, CT3. Ardente Printaniere – Kevin Mealiff, Flemington, NJ – McLain Ward, Brewster NY4.
1. Shet Du Thot – Katie Tyler, Old Lyme, CT – rider/owner2. Quidam 13 – Sydney Shulman, Greenwich, CT – Jill Shulman, Greenwich, CT3. Ardente Printaniere – Kevin Mealiff, Flemington, NJ – McLain Ward, Brewster NY4.
2. Quidam 13 – Sydney Shulman, Greenwich, CT – Jill Shulman, Greenwich, CT3. Ardente Printaniere – Kevin Mealiff, Flemington, NJ – McLain Ward, Brewster NY4.
3. Ardente Printaniere – Kevin Mealiff, Flemington, NJ – McLain Ward, Brewster NY4.
4. Beaujoais Du Ruet – Jordan Cole, North Salem, NY – Paulo Santana, Filho, Wellington, FL5.
5. Zerly – Laura Bowery, Bridgehampton, NY – Hope Smith, Locust Valley, NY
6. Primo Troy – Paul O’Shea, Wellington, FL – Michael Hayden/Paul O’Shea, Wellington, FL
7. All Star De L’Aube, Taegan Long, Medford NJ – rider/owner
8. Action Painting – Sara McCloskey, Pound Ridge, NY – rider/owner
9. Balou 660 – Georgina Bloomberg, New York, NY – Gotham Enterprizes, LLC, New York, NY
10. River Roc – Jamie Walker, Riverside, CT – Sharon Schmidt, Wellington, FL
11. Imerald Van’t Voorhof – Paul O’Shea, Wellington, FL – Tequestrian Farms, LLC, Wellington FL
12. Luken Du Rouet – Manuel Lecuona, Wellington, FL – rider/owner
One of the oldest horse show in America, the Ox Ridge Hunt Club Charity Horse Show features several perpetual trophies, which are awarded throughout the week. Notable among them is the Charlie Weaver Memorial Trophy, donated by his friends and awarded to the Top Hunter Rider. Adrienne Iverson and McLovin earned the trophy this year.
Additional perpetual trophy winners included:• Ellie Ferrigno was awarded The Lydia F. Theurkauf Memorial Trophy Best Child Rider on a Horse for her performance with Capitalized;
• The Callari Auto Group Trophy was awarded to Children’s Hunter Classic winners Ellie McIntyre riding Luxe
• For the second consecutive year the Angel’s Flight Berkley Faul Matthews Memorial Trophy for Small Jr. Hunter Champion went to Eliza Bienstock on Playlist
• The Mrs. R. Memorial Trophy for Best Child Rider on a Pony went to Emilia Richard riding Fairytales
• and the Christiana Ley Parker Memorial Trophy for Children’s/Adult Jumpers went to Gigi Moynihan on Golden Dream.
The beneficiary of the annual Ox Ridge Hunt Club Charity Horse Show is the Pegasus Therapeutic Riding program, an equine-assisted activities and therapies program for children and adults with physical, cognitive and emotional disabilities hosted year-round at the Ox Ridge Hunt Club facility.
About Ox Ridge Hunt ClubFor more than 100 years Ox Ridge Hunt Club has been considered one of the finest equestrian properties in Fairfield County. Originally operated as a dairy farm, the club’s name represents the use of oxen on the working farm as well as the ridge that crowns the pristine 22-acre field, the crown jewel of the property. Today the club encompasses extensive outdoor and indoor equestrian facilities, offering lessons for riders of all levels as well as competition training for top-level horses and riders.
In March 2017, the Town of Darien purchased a 16.25-acre parcel of land from the Ox Ridge Hunt Club that is slated for passive recreational activities. For more information visit http://www.oxridge.com and join Ox Ridge Hunt Club on social media: on Facebook: @OxRidgeHuntClubHorseRiding and Instagram: oxridgehunt.
About World Equestrian CenterDedicated to redefining the horse show experience, World Equestrian Center is designed and managed with the horse and rider in mind. Located in Southwest Ohio’s, the facility offers more than 35 weeks of AA horse shows. And coming in 2018 – a state of the art World Equestrian Center – now under development in Ocala. For more information please visit: http://www.WEC.net.
About Pegasus Therapeutic Riding– Pegasus Therapeutic Riding’s mission is to enhance the lives of individuals with disabilities and challenges through equine-assisted activities and therapies. Pegasus provides equine-assisted activities and therapies to more than 225 children and adults with physical, cognitive and emotional disabilities. For more information please visit http://www.pegasustr.org.
