North Salem, N.Y. – Sept. 16, 2017 – Saturday hosted the $86,000 Fidelity Investments® Classic CSI4* at the American Gold Cup, where Irish athletes and Sweet Oak Farm barnmates Shane Sweetnam and Lorcan Gallagher finished one-two in the day’s highlight event. Sweetnam scored a narrow victory over Gallagher aboard Indra Van De Oude Heihoef, owned by The Blue Buckle Group, crossing the finish line just two-tenths of a second faster.
Out of 57 initial international challengers, four were invited to return to the Grand Prix Field at Old Salem Farm, after jumping faultlessly in the first round, to vie for the top prize in an eight-fence jump-off designed by Alan Wade and Nigel Jess.
Andrew Ramsay (USA) and The Doodle Group’s Cocq A Doodle, Thursday’s winners in the $35,000 Don Little Memorial Welcome Stake CSI4* at the American Gold Cup, kicked off the tiebreaker, finishing on 4 faults in 37.42 seconds.
New York native Georgina Bloomberg (USA) and Gotham Enterprizes, LLC’s Manodie II H took their turn on the grass field next and posted the first clear effort in 40.47 seconds. Their lead wouldn’t hold for long as Sweetnam and Ivy, barn name of the 9-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare, blazed around the short course, leaving all of the jumps intact and stopping the timers in 39.97 seconds.
Gallagher and the Dacantos Group’s Hunters Conlypso II were the final challengers of the jump-off and looked to overtake their teammates’ lead, following an almost identical track, but were just off the winning pace in 39.99 seconds. Bloomberg rounded out the top three, while Ramsay claimed fourth place.
The 2017 American Gold Cup culminates with the coveted $216,000 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping New York CSI4*-W on Sunday, Sept. 17, at 2 p.m., where the top 40 athletes from Friday’s qualifier will go head-to-head for the highly sought-after American Gold Cup.
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Shane Sweetnam – $86,000 Fidelity Investments® Classic CSI4* winner
On competing against fellow Sweet Oak Farm rider Lorcan Gallagher:
“It was great to have Lorcan second. I didn’t mind who won to be honest. It was important we both did well. I think if he did one less to the last he would’ve had me. Ivy jumped great and Lorcan rode great so I was very happy for him.”
On Indra Van De Oude Heihoef:
“I’ve had her for a little while, but I’ve been taking my time. I got her in January and fiddled around with her and got to know her. She’s very sensitive but she’s an exceptional mare. I jumped her around the last 5* in Florida and she was good. She had one down and then she was part of my team in Europe all year so she’s learned a lot. She was unlucky not to be clear in the grand prix at the Hamptons. I love her, but I’m giving her the time she needs. She’ll do the [Rolex Central Park Horse Show] next week. I’m very excited about her. Today was a good, hard class but tomorrow will be tougher. I’ll ride Main Road in tomorrow’s grand prix.”
Lorcan Gallagher – $86,000 Fidelity Investments® Classic CSI4* second place
On Hunters Conlypso II:
“It feels like every show we’ve gone to he’s progressively gotten better and better. The horse has a lot of ability so it’s just about taking our time. It’s great to get a result like this especially at a show like the American Gold Cup.”
On being part of the Sweet Oak Farm team:
“We’re all very close in the barn from the top to the bottom – it’s great. Not often do I get within two-tenths of a second of Shane. I’m a little bit annoyed at myself that I didn’t win it but if I was going to be second to anyone, it’s always best coming second to another Sweet Oak Farm teammate.”
RESULTS
$86,000 Fidelity Investments® Classic CSI4*:
Place / Horse / Rider / Country / Owner / R1 Faults / Time / R2 Faults / Time
1. Indra Van De Oude Heihoef / Shane Sweetnam / IRL / The Blue Buckle Group / 0 / 73.12 / 0 / 39.97
2. Hunters Conlypso II / Lorcan Gallagher / IRL / Dacantos Group / 0 / 75.00 / 0 / 39.99
3. Manodie II H / Georgina Bloomberg / USA / Gotham Enterprizes, LLC / 0 / 73.42 / 0 / 40.47
4. Cocq A Doodle / Andrew Ramsay / USA / The Doodle Group / 0 / 69.80 / 4 / 37.42
5. Gentille Van Spieveld / Leslie Burr-Howard / USA / GJ Stable and Peter Howard / 1 / 76.36
6. Cooper / Devin Ryan / USA / Devin Ryan / 4 / 70.24
7. Freestyle De Muze / Richie Moloney / IRL / Equinimity LLC / 4 / 71.41
8. Austria / Amber Harte / USA / Take The High Road, LLC / 4 / 71.77
9. Bull Run’s Testify / Kristen Vanderveen / USA / Bull Run Jumpers, Inc. / 4 / 72.49
10. Donna Speciale / Leslie Burr-Howard / USA / Laure Sudreau-Rippe and Peter Howard / 4 / 72.61
11. Bull Run’s Almighty / Kristen Vanderveen / USA / Bull Run Jumpers Six LLC / 4 / 73.25
12. Avon / Mattias Tromp / USA / PVRT Equestrian AB / 4 / 73.35
Sydney Shulman Collects Third American Gold Cup Win in $35,000 Hermès Sellier Classic
Just prior to the $86,000 Fidelity Investments® Classic CSI4* was the $35,000 Hermès Sellier Classic. Twenty-two-year-old Sydney Shulman has consistently placed at the top of the leaderboard all week with her string of horses including claiming Wednesday’s $8,000 Danbury Porsche Audi 1.40m Jumper and Thursday’s $2,500 Beval Saddlery Ltd. 1.35m Jumper.
The young professional athlete took home her third win of the week on Saturday in the $35,000 Hermès Sellier Classic, besting 65 horse-and-rider combinations aboard Jill Shulman’s Villamoura.
Only three produced clear performances over Alan Wade and Nigel Jess’ first round track, which consisted of Shulman, Peter Lutz and Georgina Bloomberg.
Bloomberg, who won the same class in 2016 with Manodie II H, set the standard to beat with a 4-fault score in 35.843 seconds with Calista, owned by Gotham Enterprizes, LLC, which would garner them third place in the final standings.
Shulman followed and piloted the 8-year-old Selle-Français mare to the first clear effort of the jump-off in 34.536 seconds. Lutz and QBS Equestrian LLC’s Cheri De Papignies opted for a more conservative round, jumping clear in 38.080 seconds for second place honors.
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Sydney Shulman – $35,000 Hermès Sellier Classic winner
On Villamoura:
“[Villamoura] felt great in the schooling ring and was really on it since the minute I got on her this morning. She was ready. She’s a really smart horse. You only have to teach her something once. She’s really come along nicely. This was the biggest class she’s jumped in her career. I was ready to win. This was kind of our goal – she really proved herself today.”
On her plan in the jump-off:
“I didn’t end up sticking to the plan I originally had. She’s a very small horse and quite hot so her stride isn’t massive. She naturally has to be quick across the ground. Coming back on 5B, she slipped pretty badly so it didn’t set us up well to do seven to the double so I did eight. In my mind I knew I had to do six with Peter and his huge-strided horse behind me to the last jump, which I originally planned to do seven. I think doing the eight and then the six in the last line was what sealed the deal.”
On the American Gold Cup:
“It’s a home show. To win a class at the American Gold Cup is really cool. You have some of the best riders in the world here so to go out there and win a class like this is really awesome.”
RESULTS
$35,000 Hermès Sellier Classic:
Place / Horse / Rider / Owner / R1 Faults / Time / R2 Faults / Time
1. Villamoura / Sydney Shulman / Jill Shulman / 0 / 67.925 / 0 / 34.536
2. Cheri De Papignies / Peter Lutz / QBS Equestrian LLC / 0 / 72.379 / 0 / 38.080
3. Calista / Georgina Bloomberg / Gotham Enterprizes, LLC / 0 / 71.338 / 4 / 35.843
4. MTM Como No / Tracy Fenney / MTM Farm / 2 / 74.635
5. Everest / Fabio Leivas Da Costa / Everest Group / 3 / 75.071
6. Sans Soucis Z / Jimmy Torano / Caroline Lloyd / 4 / 68.447
7. Bellefleur PS Z / McLain Ward / McLain Ward, Lilly Ward and Susie Heller / 4 / 69.082
8. Kahlua / Andrew Kocher / Hailey Rogge / 4 / 69.176
9. Cartouche / McLain Ward / Jorge Andres Barrera and McLain Ward / 4 / 69.216
10. Jiva / Beezie Madden / Abigail Wexner / 4 / 69.373
11. D Carolus / Jonathan McCrea / Candy Tribble / 4 / 70.126
12. Tosca De L’Esques / Fabio Leivas Da Costa / Bonne Chance Farm / 4 / 70.679
Jumper Champions Crowned on Saturday at American Gold Cup
RESULTS
$10,000 Mitchell-Innes & Nash Fine Art Adult Amateur Classic:
Place / Horse / Rider / Owner / R1 Faults / R2 Faults / Time
1. Herault / Elizabeth Rae / Elizabeth Rae / 0 / 0 / 34.393
2. Chivu / Deborah Perkins / Deborah Perkins / 0 / 0 / 34.571
3. Calino-GZ / Anna Whitman Santos / Mindy Whitman / 0 / 0 / 39.057
4. Hector Van Terwest / Joseph Comunale / Joseph Comunale / 0 / 0 / 39.347
5. Triomphe / Ellie Knight / Ellie Knight / 0 / 0 / 44.445
6. Balans RV / Summer Paulos / R.C.G. Farm LLC / 0 / 4 / 37.238
7. Bombadella / Kay Lawson / Kay Lawson / 0 / 4 / 40.865
8. HHS Cheiro / Laura Anderson / Laura Anderson / 0 / 4 / 41.250
9. Casanova / Erin Schiller / Erin Schiller / 0 / 4 / 46.448
10. Dynamic / Ashley Friedland / Ashley Friedland / 0 / 8 / 35.498
Champion: Lindsey Tomeu and Gold Lux
Reserve champion: Elizabeth Rae and Herault
$10,000 Low Amateur-Owner Classic:
Place / Horse / Rider / Owner / R1 Faults / R2 Faults / Time
1. Bull Run’s Viola Lee Blue / Joshua Vanderveen / Bull Run Jumpers, Inc. / 0 / 0 / 30.371
2. Pippi / Kaely Tomeu / Siboney Ranch / 0 / 0 / 30.467
3. Euphoria / Ariel Bluman / R.J. Equestrian Group / 0 / 0 / 30.630
4. Jackpot / Andrea Vogel / Andrea Vogal / 0 / 0 / 31.632
5. Corprizia / Samantha Kasowitz / Fair Play Farm / 0 / 0 / 31.778
6. Fifty Fifty 111 / Maria Costa / Ravello Farms, LLC / 0 / 0 / 33.544
7. Upper / David Oberkircher / Southfields Farm LLC / 0 / 0 / 33.603
8. RF Koko Chanel / Katherine Madruga / Katherine Madruga / 0 / 0 / 35.318
9. Wednesday Mornin / Brianne Link / Brianne Link / 0 / 0 / 35.411
10. JK Horsetrucks Chantilly / Dolores Funes / Dolores Funes / 0 / 0 / 35.771
Champion: Joshua Vanderveen and Bull Run’s Viola Lee Blue
Reserve champion: Alexandra Crown and Quentucky Jolly
$10,000 NAL Low Junior Jumper Classic:
Place / Horse / Rider / Owner / R1 Faults / R2 Faults / Time
1. Chloe / Anna Beth Athey / Anna Beth Athey / 0 / 0 / 33.76
2. Optimal Hästak / Sedona Chamblee / Sedona Chamblee / 0 / 0 / 34.29
3. Carola BH / Sophie Gochman / Gochman Sport Horse LLC / 0 / 0 / 34.96
4. Bluf BH / Sophie Gochman / Gochman Sport Horse LLC / 0 / 0 / 35.52
5. Kiara M / Charlise Casas / Maarten Huygens / 0 / 0 / 36.71
6. Zarco / Isabella Russekoff / Lexy Reed / 0 / 0 / 37.03
7. Fantasy / Yasmin Rizvi / Gabrielle Bausano / 0 / 0 / 37.90
8. Whistler / McKayla Langmeier / Jane Clark / 0 / 4 / 32.04
9. Triviant / Daisy Farish / Daisy Farish / 0 / 4 / 32.36
10. MTM Icarly / Brian Moggre / MTM Farm / 0 / 4 / 32.57
Champion: Brian Moggre and MTM Icarly
Reserve champion: Anna Beth Athey and Chloe
$5,000 The Gochman Family NAL/WIHS Children’s Classic:
Place / Horse / Rider / Owner / R1 Faults / R2 Faults / Time
1. Lilly / Sydney Berube / Shalanno Farms LLC / 0 / 0 / 33.69
2. Don’t Worry / Tessa P. Brown / Dalman Show Jumping / 0 / 0 / 37.18
3. Coignard Katalei / Alexa Schwitzer / Over The Top Stables LLC / 0 / 0 / 38.13
4. Monte Carlo / Elle Haymond / Elle Haymond / 0 / 0 / 38.17
5. Equifit Zaretta / Elle Haymond / Elle Haymond / 0 / 0 / 39.83
6. Carlisco / Stella Stinnett / Wolfstone Stables and Sales Inc. / 0 / 0 / 40.88
7. Uhlane Sainte Odile / Sydney Berube / Sydney Berube / 0 / 4 / 39.12
8. Ludwig’s Luna / Ericka Koscinski / J T Farm / 0 / 4 / 39.23
9. Kina Van De Kornelishoeve / Charlotte Meyers / Blue River Sporthorses LLC / 0 / 4 / 39.45
10. Harakiri Z / Abigail Poss / Jordan Coyle / 0 / 4 / 39.86
Champion: Sydney Berube and Lilly
Reserve champion: Tessa P. Brown and Athletic Lady