Week 1 Champions Crowned at 2024 Old Salem Farm September Horse Shows
Edited Press Release
North Salem, NY – September 15, 2024 – Eight-time Olympian Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) is no stranger to the winner’s circle in the Old Salem Farm International Arena, especially with his recent victory in August’s new $65,000 Old Salem Farm 2* Grand Prix. On Sunday, he returned to take the crown in the inaugural $200,000 Blue Diamond Cup presented by Old Salem Farm, riding Starman to a blistering, faultless time of 34.03 seconds.
The Old Salem Farm September Horse Shows host competitions for riders of all levels and ages, ranging from young children on ponies to top Grand Prix stars aboard their elite mounts. Week 1 (September 10-15) was designated CSI4*/2* while Week 2 (September 17-22) is designated CSI3*. Old Salem’s September schedule also includes a National/Level 2 event (September 25-27).
Course designer Ken Krome challenged 27 entries representing seven countries with a 16-effort, 1.50m course in Sunday’s $200,000 Blue Diamond Cup, where only four advanced to the jump-off. Pathfinder Brian Moggre (USA) posted an immediate double-clear round, setting the time to beat at 37.07 seconds aboard MTM Vivre Le Reve. His lead did not last long as Pessoa entered the ring with Artemis Equestrian Farm LLC’s 9-year-old Selle Français gelding and sliced his way around the tiebreaker course for a 34.03-second score.
“The first round was pretty technical,” Pessoa said. “Some of the lines and turns came up quick, and the time was a bit short, so you had to maneuver your way around without losing too much time. Starman jumped really well, and I was very pleased with him before we returned for the jump-off. He has a lot of scope, so in the two rollbacks there (Fence #3 to #4, then to a double combination), we were able to make it tighter while staying really powerful. The second-to-last jump also ended up being quite tight because there wasn’t much else we could do; there was nowhere I could use his bigger stride to leave a stride out.
“Overall, I’m really happy with him,” he added. “We started in the spring with this horse, and he’s moving up very quickly. I’m very pleased. It’s also fantastic to show here at home. I live right up the road from Old Salem, and the shows are always great. The facilities are fantastic, and I’d like to thank all the sponsors for making these shows possible. I’m really happy with the outcome of the week.”
Ireland’s Stephen Moore tripped the timers in 36.09 seconds aboard Colibelle Hero Z, Vlock Show Stables LLC’s 9-year-old Zangersheide mare, for second place. Moggre ultimately landed in third for his 37.07-second time aboard the 15-year-old Westphalian gelding owned by Major Wager LLC, while Darragh Kenny (IRL) took fourth for his eight-fault jump-off score riding Heathman Farm LLC’s 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion Rockstar.
Nicky Galligan (IRL) rounded out the top five with VDL Nikita Van De Leeuwerk, an 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare owned by the Santa Rosa Group, on a single first-round time fault.
Earlier in the day, the Old Salem Farm International Arena hosted many junior and amateur jumpers for the 1.35m and 1.45m jumper classics. Mimi Gochman of West Palm Beach, FL, claimed top honors against a field of 15 entries in the $7,500 1.45m Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic, stopping the clock in a double-clear time of 35.816 seconds aboard Gochman Sport Horse LLC’s Gigi’s Girl BH.
“I’ve had my horse for a very long time, so I know her very well now,” Gochman said. “She’s really amazing. She’s got a huge stride and is very scopey, so I was lucky enough to leave one (stride) out in the first line, which definitely helped our time. She’s also very good through the turns, which is very helpful in a course like this where there were a lot of rollbacks.
“I got a really good turn out of Fences #1 and #2,” she continued. “Things got a little sketchy at #3, but she saved me and made it work, then we recovered coming into the next jump and were able to leave out a stride through the following combination. It was definitely a funny angle, so I wanted to be a bit careful there. The final two jumps were off some tight rollbacks, and those worked out well for us. Overall, she was really good, and I’m very, very proud of her. She’s my steady Eddie, and it’s always fun to compete with her.”
Second-place finisher David Oberkircher of Collegeville, PA, piloted Southfields Farm LLC’s Upper to a faultless score in 36.116 seconds, while Clementine Goutal of New York, NY, took third for her 39.109-second time aboard her S&L Quaker Hill.
The fastest of 19 horse-and-rider combinations in the $5,000 1.35m Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic, Taylor Cawley of Wellington, FL, and HS Sportpferde’s Quiz brought home the win with their double-clear score of 35.879 seconds.
“When I walked the course, I knew it was going to be a good round for me and my horse,” Cawley said. “I knew there would be a lot of turns in the jump-off, and she’s very good about those, so I knew that was where I could make up some time over everyone else. There were 11 horses in the jump-off, and I went late, which let me watch a few others go to see how the lines rode. I really used that to my advantage, too.”
Cristian Hacker of Wellington, FL, earned second riding CSH Equine LLC’s Caramix (0/0/36.017). Finishing third was Aidan Kennedy of Walpole, MA, and his Highlight Van Molga (0/0/36.682).
The week’s final hunter champions were crowned in the Hedge and June Road rings, including Sprucedale Inc.’s So Dashing, ridden by Emi Richard of Middlefield, CT, to the Large Pony Hunter and Grand Pony Hunter championships. Bringing home the tri-color in the Small Pony Hunter division was McLain Ward’s Celebration, ridden by Lilly Ward of Brewster, NY. In the Medium Pony Hunter, GC Ponies LLC’s By4Now won the championship with Finley Baras of Bedford Corners, CT, in the irons.
Wolfstone Stables & Sales Inc.’s Valiente, ridden by Baylee Rowan of Little Compton, RI, earned the Combined Junior Hunter 3’6” and Grand Junior Hunter championships. Baras also rode Catharine Cox’s Final Cut to the Junior Hunter 3’3” 15 & Under Championship.
Competition will resume for the second week of the Old Salem Farm September Horse Shows on Wednesday, September 18. For live show results, visit HorseShowsOnline.com.
