J.J. Torano rides Kerenia over a jump during the 1.45m Jumper Classic at the I Love New York Horse Show in Lake Placid on July 6. (News photo — Parker O’Brien)

LAKE PLACID — Sam Walker won the $25,000 1.45m Jumper Classic on July 6 to close the I Love New York Horse Show and the two weeks of the 2025 Lake Placid Horse Shows.

Walker claimed top honors on Ilan Ferder’s Funny Star Semilly over a 20-horse field at the newly renovated North Elba Showgrounds.

Five entries rode clean over the 16-effort first-round course, and Walker was the only one to go clean again over the eight-jump tiebreaker course. He stopped the clock in 37.486 seconds. Finishing second with the fastest four-fault ride of 36.980 seconds was Matthias Hollberg on Jacqueline Mars’s Hachi. Third went to Christian Coyle on his Ma Pomme De Tamerville with a four-fault ride in 37.745 seconds.

“This is a new partnership for me,” Walker said. “I’m real excited to have spent the last two weeks here in Lake Placid, not only to get to know him but also to win some prize money with him.”

The final day’s action in the Grand Prix Ring also featured three classes that are part of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series. Alexis Mierzwa rode her Glynnwood Mer Calido to victory over a 31-horse field in the $10,000 1.35m Amateur Jumper Classic. Mierzwa was one of six entries to turn in two clean rounds, and she had the fastest jump-off time of 29.293 seconds to claim the win which also earned her the division Reserve Championship. The division Champion was Alexander Alston aboard Undercover.

Laura Chapot rides Ginola over a jump during the 1.45m Jumper Classic at the I Love New York Horse Show in Lake Placid on July 6.(News photo — Parker O’Brien)

Rylie True claimed top honors on Quick Bob in the $10,000 1.35m Junior Jumper Classic. True was one of only two entries to turn in two clean rides, and her jump-off time of 28.314 seconds gave her the win over Jole Kosloske, who finished the jump-off clean in 28.562 seconds on her Crystal Claire. The second-place finish was good enough to clinch the division Championship for Kosloske and Crystal Claire, with the Reserve Championship going to True and Quick Bob.

In the $15,000 1.45m Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic, JJ Torano swept the top three places. He had two clean rounds on each of the three horses, and his jump-off time of 38.385 seconds on Ilan Ferder’s Good Mood Semilly proved the fastest, which gave him the win and the division Championship. He placed second on Vitus K, earning the Reserve Championship, and third on Oopsala.

The day’s highlights also included a win by Shane Radimer on Dominant Z in the $5,000 1.15m Junior Jumper Classic, making it two straight weeks that they won the class.

Joining the jumper riders in the winner’s circle was Mary Roth on Londarco in the NAL Adult Amateur Hunter Classic. Roth also placed third on Evening Stroll, with second going to Kylie Schoelen on Quintus.

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Grand Prix

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Philip McGuane won the $100,000 Richard M. Feldman Memorial Grand Prix, the featured event of the I Love New York Horse Show, Week 2 of the Lake Placid Horse Shows. McGuane claimed the win on Evergate Stables’ 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare Orphea HQ over a 34-horse field at the North Elba Showgrounds.

After 14 entries rode clean over the 16-effort first-round course designed by Alan Wade, the largest jump-off field in the class since 1990, they returned to try the eight-jump tiebreaker course. After the first three faults, 18-year-old Campbell Brown turned in the first clear on the 11-year-old Zangersheide Colina Z, finishing in 41.91 seconds. Four rides later, Katie Dinan took the lead with a clean ride in 39.65 seconds on Out Of The Blue SCF, an 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare.

The next rider was McGuane, and he took the lead with a clean ride in 38.98 seconds, which proved to be good enough for the win. Beat Mandli, who finished clean in 39.41 seconds on the 9-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare Qoachella, placed second, with Dinan finishing third and Brown fourth. Fifth went to 21-year-old Alexander Alston, who finished clean in 43.19 seconds on Spider, a 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare.

“I took a little bit of a risk at the beginning so I could have enough time to jump the last double, which caused some issues for some of the riders,” McGuane said. “My mare is an unbelievable jumper, super fast across the ground, so unless I make a mistake, she doesn’t want to jump down. So I just tried to stay cool, and today it worked out.

“This is my first time in Lake Placid,” he continued. “The two weeks here have been amazing. The warm-up is fantastic, the ring is beautiful, very good footing; I will definitely be back!”

McGuane’s victory, coupled with his sixth-place finish in last week’s $100,000 Grand Prix of Lake Placid, earned him the Richard and Diana Feldman Perpetual Trophy for Excellence and $2,000 as the rider winning the most prize money in Lake Placid’s two Grand Prix events.

On Saturday, July 5, the events started with an impressive win by Rylynn Conway of Fair Haven, New Jersey, in the Kathy Scholl Equitation Classic. Conway rides with Stacia Madden and Beacon Hill. Second place went to Maxine Boeding of Sag Harbor, and third went to Violet Tatum of Los Angeles, who was also honored with the Hollow Brook Wealth Management Junior Sportsmanship Award.

Victoria Birdsall rode her Noa Cerise-Linn to victory over a 33-horse field in the $5,000 1.35m Jumper Stake. She finished with two clean rounds and the fastest jump-off time of 30.988 seconds to claim the win over Michael Desiderio, who finished second on Hermes Manciais, and Devin Ryan, who was third on his Mondorado.

Lisa Bertoline claimed the win over a 31-horse field on Elliot De Talma in the $5,000 1.25m Amateur Jumper Classic. She was one of only four double-clear rounds, and her jump-off time of 27.328 seconds gave her the win. Shane Radimer rode CC Top 4 to top honors in the $5,000 1.25m Junior Jumper Classic. On July 5 there was also the featured The Clothes Horse Parade of Champions.

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Speed Class

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Vanessa Hood won the $32,000 FEI 3 Speed Class, the July 4 featured class. Hood claimed the win over a 19-horse field at the newly renovated North Elba Showgrounds.

Only eight entries were able to ride clean over the 15-effort one-round course. Riding seventh in the order, Philip McGuane took the lead when he rode My Lady Van De Krekel to a clean ride in 68.94 seconds. McGuane’s lead held for 10 rides until Brian Moggre finished clean in 68.76 seconds on Qatar Van D’Oude Pastory. Riding last, Hood blazed over the course on Cascalretto, finishing clean in 68.38 seconds to earn the win.

Moggre finished second and McGuane third, followed by Beat Mandli, who finished clean in 69.64 seconds on Kay Grey.

“I actually got to talk with Philip about his round, and he said he maybe had done one too many strides. This is such a big ring that you can get lost, so I just told myself to be efficient and stick with my plan,” Hood said. “He’s a fast horse, and he just needs me to stay with him and give him what he needs.

“I first came here maybe 25 years ago,” she added. “It’s always been an iconic show, and it’s great to see the new rings. It’s a huge improvement, and I see a bright future for Lake Placid.”

Fine By Me, shown by Caitlin Venezia White, took top honors in the Open Division of the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby. Fine By Me, who showed in the Performance 3’3″ division, had scores of 92.00 in both rounds for a total of 184.00 to take the win. Placing second with a two-round total of 182.00 was Imperial’s High Altitude, shown by Michael Desiderio. Third went to Sakura, shown by Caitlin Boyle. They had a two-round score of 179.00.

The Junior/Amateur Division was won by Lagerfield, shown by Kenzie Smith. They had a two-round score of 173.00. Mirage, also shown by Smith, placed second with a two-round score of 170.00. Third went to Charlotte, shown by Victoria Valiquette. They had a two-round score of 169.00.