Final Champions Crowned to Conclude 2025 Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows
Edited Press Release
North Salem, NY – May 18, 2025 – Defending champion McLain Ward (USA) raced into the winner’s circle yet again for the $225,000 Empire State Grand Prix Presented by Old Salem Farm at the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows, this time sharing the victory gallop with his longtime partner Callas. Ward and Beechwood Stables LLC’s 17-year-old Holsteiner mare stopped the clock on a blistering double-clear score of 32.57 seconds.
One of the premier stops on the American hunter-jumper horse show circuit, 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 6-11) was USEF ‘National-6’ rated for hunters and jumpers and designated FEI CSI3*; Week 2 (May 13-18) was USEF ‘Premier-6’ rated and designated FEI CSI4*.
Twenty-eight entries representing eight countries presented over Alan Wade’s 17-effort, 1.55m course for Sunday’s $225,000 Empire State Grand Prix, where each of the nine riders who returned for the jump-off seemed to get faster than the ones before. Ward and Callas returned toward the middle of the order, slicing and dicing their way to a 32.57-second time for the win.
“Callas is a longtime partner of mine; she’s a veteran and an overall fantastic mare,” Ward said. “The jump-off set up well for us. There were two sharp left turns that were good for her. She tends to drift a little in that direction, and today, she performed beautifully. I think coming behind Jordan Coyle had me a little worried. I mean, he’s a go-for-broke rider, and when he jumps a double-clear, it’s usually quite the challenge to catch. But I really just stuck to my plan. The mare felt great, and everything showed up well for us.”
Ward has won numerous grand prix classes at Old Salem Farm and had the home crowd cheering as soon as he crossed the timers. “This is home for us,” he said. “We started about 35 years ago here; I remember I was second back in 1990. It’s been a long journey, and it’s amazing to see this event as prestigious as ever.”
Of the seven riders who posted double-clear scores, two Irishmen rounded out the podium alongside Ward. Philip McGuane galloped into second place with his 32.95-second time aboard Orphea HQ, Evergate Stables LLC’s 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare. Jordan Coyle secured third in 33.18 seconds aboard Jorisca, Falkirk Farm LLC’s 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare.
Before the Empire State Grand Prix, 25 horse-and-rider combinations tackled Wade’s 15-effort course for the $15,000 SJHOF 1.40m Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic Presented by Evergate Stables, with 14 advancing to the jump-off. Mimi Gochman of West Palm Beach, FL, and Lumiere BH were the last pair to enter the ring and laid down a steady, efficient track to clinch the win in 34.914 seconds.
“[Livia Martin] was a barnmate of ours, and I watched her go,” Gochman said. “She actually did one less stride in the last line than I originally planned, so that definitely helped me out as I was able to change my track. Definitely in these types of classes where everyone is getting faster, it’s a total advantage to go toward the end. I was lucky enough to have a late draw today and have all the cards on my side, and it worked out.
“Lumiere is a newer mount for me,” she added of Mimi Snow Sport Horse LLC’s 9-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding. “I think he has so much potential to jump really big jumps. He’s absolutely incredible, and he has so many great qualities. I’m just getting to know him, so today was a huge step in the right direction for both of us. He’s a bigger guy, so we’re still trying to figure out how to get him to clear the jumps and jump as well as he can while also going a bit quicker. That doesn’t always come hand-in-hand with him, but he’s picked it up so quickly and he’s really easy to work with. It’s been great, and it’s something we’ll keep working on.”
Coming in second place was Tori Corts of Wellington, FL, riding her 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding Semi Automatic (0/0/35.000). Third went to Livia Martin of Ottawa, Ontario, riding Oakland Training & Sales LLC’s 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding Pick Wick Van De Kruishoeve (0/0/35.427). Gochman and Corts also won the 1.40m Junior/Amateur Jumper Champion and Reserve Champion titles, respectively.
Other jumper highlights included the morning’s $5,000 NAL 1.25m Junior Jumper Classic, won by Cristian Hacker of Wellington, FL, aboard Paul Mendoza’s Noble Tropicana (0/0/28.357), and the $5,000 NAL 1.25m Amateur Jumper Classic, won by Cathy Cohen of Ossining, NY, aboard Dolomite Partners LLC’s Pancrati Dwerse Hagen (0/0/27.171). Cohen and Pancrati Dwerse Hagen also earned the 1.25m Junior/Amateur Jumper Championship, with Hacker and Noble Tropicana taking the Reserve Championship.
Final champions were also crowned in the Hedge and June Road hunter rings, including Grand Pony Hunter Champion On Tour, owned by Charlotte Kelly and ridden by Kenzie Smith of Shoreham, NY, in the Large Pony Hunter division. Walkenbach Equestrian LLC’s Azlan, ridden by Lanie Walkenbach of Paradise Valley, AZ, brought home the Grand Amateur-Owner Hunter Championship for successfully performing in the Amateur-Owner 3’3” 18-35.
Maddock Horses LLC’s Ocean Road earned the Grand Junior Hunter Championship with Mimi Maddock of New York, NY, in the irons, posting several top placings in the Small Junior Hunter 3’6” division. Courtney Powell-Massey’s Inked Up, ridden by Ella Dalby of Larchmont, NY, in the Children’s Hunter 14 & Under, won the Grand Children’s Hunter Horse Championship.
Full show results can be found on HorseShowsOnline.com: Week 1 and Week 2. Photos from the event are available via Dropbox.
