May 19, 2018 – North Salem, NY – Reigning FEI World Cup™ Champion Beezie Madden (USA) topped the $35,000 Old Salem Farm Jumper Classic, CSI3* presented by Douglas Elliman Real Estate, riding Jiva on Saturday, May 19, at the 2018 Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows, running through May 20 at Old Salem Farm. Also highlighting Saturday’s action, Katherine Strauss (USA) won the $15,000 Under 25 Grand Prix, presented by Miller Motorcars, riding All In, and Keirstin Johnsen of North Salem, NY, and Aster de la Cense were victorious in the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, presented by The Gochman Family.
Beezie Madden and Jiva won the $35,000 Old Salem Farm Jumper Classic, presented by Douglas Elliman Real Estate, on Saturday, May 19, during the 2018 Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows at Old Salem Farm in North Salem, NY. Photo by The Book
Madden utilized the speed of Jiva, a nine-year-old BWP mare to score the win in a 12-horse jump-off over courses designed by Ireland’s Alan Wade. She crossed the timers double clear in 32.90 seconds for owner Abigail Wexner, while fellow U.S. rider Amber Harte settled for second-place honors in 33.10 seconds riding Austria 2, owned by Take The High Road, LLC.
Ireland’s Cormac Hanley rode to third with a double-clear performance in 33.11 seconds aboard Alma Z, owned by Heathman Farm, LLC. North Salem, NY, native Mattias Tromp (USA) was fourth in 33.47 seconds riding Crack Elle Chavannaise, owned by Beyaert Farm, and Megan McDermott (USA) rounded out the top five with her own Tisimin LS in 34.02 seconds.
Madden got the ride on Jiva at the start of 2017, saying, “She was a pretty green eight-year-old at the time and I didn’t get her in time to show in Florida last year, but she started to catch up to the nine-year-olds. She is super careful, so we have to take a little time with her because we don’t want to get her in trouble anywhere.”
Saturday’s win was Jiva’s best FEI ranking class finish to date and Madden has high hopes for the mare.
Beezie Madden and Jiva are presented as winners of the $35,000 Old Salem Farm Jumper Classic, presented by Douglas Elliman Real Estate, by Michael Fitzgibbon, Executive Manager of Sales at Douglas Elliman, on Saturday, May 19, during the 2018 Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows at Old Salem Farm in North Salem, NY. Photo by The Book
“She has some all-around foot speed between the fences,” said Madden. “Today, from one to two she was really quick and I did six down to the last [jump], which not everybody did.
“We love showing on the grass here but when it does rain, luckily we have a good place to show in the sand,” continued Madden of competing at Old Salem Farm. “It’s nice to be able to rely on being able to show when it does rain.”
Madden will compete in the $131,000 Empire State Grand Prix CSI3*, presented by The Kincade Group, on Sunday with her other top mount Darry Lou.
Katherine Strauss and All In Return to the Show Ring with Under 25 Grand Prix Victory
Katherine Strauss, 19, of New York, NY, claimed a win in the $5,000 Under 25 Grand Prix, presented by Miller Motorcars, in a three-horse jump-off riding her own All In. Strauss piloted two horses over the short course with the only challenger being Brianne Link of East Islip, NY, in her Under 25 division debut.
Katherine Strauss won the $15,000 Under 25 Grand Prix, presented by Miller Motorcars, riding All In on Saturday, May 19, during the 2018 Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows at Old Salem Farm in North Salem, NY. Photo by The Book
Strauss crossed the timers clear in a blazing 29.991 seconds for the win aboard All In, while Link, 19, finished second riding her own Dobalia in 32.093 seconds. Strauss rounded out the top three aboard her own Capacity with a time of 33.320 seconds.
“I really like the Under 25 division because it is a great stepping stone between the high amateurs and high juniors to the FEI classes,” said Strauss, who has had success in the division under the direction of her trainers John Madden and four-time U.S. Olympic medalist Beezie Madden.
All In, a 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Aachen x Indoctro), has not competed since late July 2017 and made a return to the show ring at the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows.
Katherine Strauss (pictured on Capacity) is presented as winner of the $15,000 Under 25 Grand Prix, presented by Miller Motorcars, by Dan King of Miller Motorcars on Saturday, May 19, at the 2018 Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows at Old Salem Farm in North Salem, NY. Photo by The Book
“I just finished my first year at Vanderbilt and we thought that would be a good chance to give All In some time off,” said Strauss of the mount she’s had for four years. “I’m so happy we did. It seems to be paying off and he’s done so much for me, so I want to do everything I can to help him. In these first few weeks before stepping up to the FEI division, the Under 25 gave us a chance to seriously get going without risking anything with his fitness and confidence.”
All In was turned out at the home base of John Madden Sales in Cazenovia, NY, along with other accomplished equine athletes, including San Remo, the 2017 ASPCA Maclay Final winner, owned by Strauss’s barn mate Madison Goetzmann.
“The cold weather is so good for their legs, health, and happiness,” continued Strauss. “I am lucky to have a team at John Madden Sales that is excellent at developing horses and helping rehab horses. As soon as I got done with my finals, I went to Cazenovia and he was ready to start jumping again.”
Victoria Birdsall, 24, of Frenchtown, NJ, finished fourth riding her own Doman with the fastest four-fault ride from the first round in 69.150 seconds. Lucy Deslauriers, 18, of New York, NY, rounded out the top five riding Kaspara for owner Luja, LLC, with a rail and a time fault in the first round.
First Hunter Derby, First Win for Keirstin Johnsen
Keirstin Johnsen of North Salem, NY, captured victory in her first-ever USHJA International Hunter Derby on Saturday during week two of the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Show. The class offered $15,000 in prize money and was sponsored by The Gochman Family. Johnsen and Aster de la Cense, owned by Kimberly Witherspoon, were crowned the winners.
Keirstin Johnsen, owner Summer Witherspoon, and Aster de la Cense are presented as winners of the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, presented by The Gochman Family, on Saturday, May 19, at the 2018 Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows at Old Salem Farm in North Salem, NY. Photo by The Book
In the first round, Johnsen and Aster de la Cense scored 164 and added a score of 189 in the handy for a total of 353 for the win. Second place went to Early Winter, ridden and owned by Aubrienne Krysiewicz-Bell, who had a total score of 344.5. With a final score of 344, Amber Harte and Style, owned by Take the High Road LLC, placed third.
Johnsen, who rides for Brooke Baldwin-deGrazia’s Riverside Farm just around the corner from Old Salem Farm, started riding Aster de la Cense just last month.
“He’s super fabulous,” she said of the eight-year-old Selle Français gelding by Mylord Carthago. “I couldn’t say enough things about him; we joke that he is the total unicorn. He’s kind of like an old soul, and he hasn’t done that much.”
The decision to compete in the derby was last-minute, and Johnsen also decided to forgo the high options to “play it safe.”
“I thought the ring footing held up nicely,” she said. “He actually went better in the rain; he had a little more life and extra pizazz.”
The pair won the handy round, which Johnsen said was a nice change of pace for the gelding.
“He almost rises to the occasion when he doesn’t know what’s coming, I’m learning,” said Johnsen. “He gets a little bored when it’s simple and he knows the drill. As he’s getting a surprise, he seems to rise up and be a little extra special. I could not have asked him to be better. There is nothing I would have changed about my handy.
“It feels great!” continued Johnsen of her first derby victory. “It’s really nice. [His owners] were very excited to watch him. They said they wanted to see him do [a derby], but that opportunity just never worked out before. They were super excited, and it was nice they let me do it and we had a nice result.”
Also highlighting hunter competition on Saturday, Grey Street, ridden by Dana Schwartz and owned by Vlock Show Stables, LLC, was named Grand Amateur-Owner Hunter Champion.
Grey Street, ridden by Dana Schwartz and owned by Vlock Show Stables, LLC, was named Grand Amateur-Owner Hunter Champion on Saturday, May 19, at the 2018 Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows. Photo by The Book
International jumper competition comes to a peak on Sunday with the $131,000 Empire State Grand Prix CSI3*, presented by The Kincade Group. In the hunter ranks, the Grand Pony, Children’s and Junior Hunter Champions will be crowned.
Spectators are welcome at the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows. On March 20, admission is $15 for adults and $10 for seniors and children under 12.
Final Results: $35,000 Old Salem Farm Jumper Classic CSI3*, presented by Douglas Elliman Real Estate
1 JIVA: 2009 BWP mare by Concorde (84.4140) x Nonstop
BEEZIE MADDEN (USA), Abigail Wexner: 0/0/32.90
2 AUSTRIA 2: 2008 Holsteiner mare by Casall x Corrado I
AMBER HARTE (USA), Take The High Road, LLC: 0/0/33.10
3 ALMA Z: 2007 Oldenburg mare by Chacco-Blue x Pablo
CORMAC HANLEY (IRL), Heathman Farm, LLC: 0/0/33.11
4 CRACK ELLE CHAVANNAISE: 2008 SBS mare by Carving
MATTIAS TROMP (USA), Beyaert Farm: 0/0/33.47
5 TIZIMIN LS: 2006 gelding by Dollar de la Pierre x Polydor
MEGAN MCDERMOTT (USA), Megan McDermott: 0/0/34.02
6 ZERLY: 2004 KWPN mare by Querlybet Hero x Carthago
LAURA BOWERY (USA), Laura Bowery: 0/0/34.75
7 HH GIGI’S GIRL: 2008 KWPN mare by Vingino x Celano
MCLAIN WARD (USA), Double H Farm: 0/4/31.30
8 ARDENTE PRINTANIERE: 2006 SBS mare by Joyeux Ardent x Ramiro
SYDNEY SHULMAN (USA), Jill Shulman: 0/4/33.87
9 SYDNEY UNE PRINCE: 2006 Selle Français mare by Baloubet du Rouet x Alfa d’Elle
KATHERINE DINAN (USA), Grant Road Partners, LLC: 0/4/33.95
10 LA PETITE FLEUR 6: 2007 Oldenburg mare by Lexicon x Romino
DEBORAH DOLAN-SWEENEY (USA), Sagamore Farms: 0/4/34.82
11 PAOLA 233: 2007 Westphalian mare by Pontifex x Up To Date
GEORGINA BLOOMBERG (USA), Gotham Enterprizes LLC: 0/8/32.96
12 MANODIE II H: 2005 Oldenburg mare by Carthago x Zeus
GEORGINA BLOOMBERG (USA), Gotham Enterprizes LLC: 0/WD
Final Results: $15,000 Under 25 Grand Prix, presented by Miller Motorcars
1 ALL IN: 2005 KWPN gelding by Aachen x Indoctro
KATHERINE STRAUSS (USA), Katherine Strauss LLC: 0/0/29.991
2 DOBALIA: 2008 KWPN mare by Solitair x Jacorde
BRIANNA LINK (USA), Brianne Link: 0/0/32.093
3 CAPACITY: 2003 Holsteiner gelding by Cassini I x Corrado II
KATHERINE STRAUSS (USA), Katherine Strauss LLC: 0/0/33.320
4 DOMAN: 2008 Dutch Warmblood gelding by Cardento x Indoctro
VICTORIA BIRDSALL (USA), Liberty Farm LLC: 4/69.150
5 KASPARA: 2009 Swedish Warmblood mare by Hip Hop x Cardento
MCKAYLA LANGMEIER (USA), Luja LLC: 5/71.840
6 FLINSTONE VAN’T EIGENLO: 2005 BWP gelding by For Pleasure x Kashmir van Schuttershof
MEGAN MCDERMOTT (USA), Megan McDermott: 6/72.112
7 AVON: 2004 Swedish Warmblood stallion by Quidam de Revel x Cortez 679
MATTIAS TROMP (USA), Beyaert Farm, Inc.: 8/70.210
8 BOLEYBAWN PERFECTION: 2005 Irish Sport Horse gelding by Ard VDL Douglas x Nearly a Nose
CAITLYN CONNORS (USA), Caitlyn Connors LLC: 12/69.910
9 BALOUCENTO 2: 2005 Oldenburg gelding by Baloubet du Rouet x Cento
AILISH CUNNIFFE (USA), Whipstick Farm Ltd: 12/70.240
10 DUROSA W: 2008 KWPN mare by B Zirocco Blue VDL x Manhattan
MCKAYLA LANGMEIER (USA), Linda Langmeier: 13/71.890
11 LANEY: 2009 Warmblood mare by Languster Pryde x Concorde
MCKAYLA LANGMEIER (USA), Linda Langmeier: 16/70.998
12 HILGARIE: 2007 Belgian Warmblood mare by Calvaro x Kashmir van Schuttershof
SYDNEY SHULMAN (USA), Jill Shulman: 23/85.060