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Hampton Falls, NH – September 20, 2010 – The Fidelity Investments Jumper Classic presented by Porsche had an extremely successful week of competition at the Silver Oak Equestrian Center. Located in the beautiful seacoast town of Hampton Falls, NH, the Jumper Classic is New England’s premier equestrian event. This elite level competition attracted the country’s top riders, past Olympians and local equestrians who competed for over $200,000 in prize money.

Please visit The Jumper Classic Facebook page to see exclusive video interviews, photos, and more!

$75,000 Fidelity Investments Grand Prix Highlights

The highlight class of the week was the $75,000 Fidelity Investments Grand Prix on Sunday, September 19.  Olympic course designer Linda Allen designed the tracks in the Coldwell Bankers Previews Grand Prix Field.

Marie Hecart, the winner of the $75,000 Fidelity Investments Grand Prix, took home a payday of $22,500 when she topped a field of six in the jump-off with the little chestnut mare Myself de Breve, owned by Top Stallion. Hecart, who is from France, is now based with her own business out of Double H Farm in Ridgefield, CT.

After a strong starting field of 40 entries, six found the way to a clear round to advance to the jump-off. Although Hecart was the first clear round, she had moved up in the order and it reverted to the original order for the jump-off.

Andrew Welles of Wellington, FL, and Boo Van Het Kastanjehof went first in the jump-off and just knocked the blocks off the top of the wall jump for four faults and a time of 44.015 seconds. They would finish in fifth place.

Double Olympic gold medalist McLain Ward of Brewster, NY, would be in next with his first qualified mount, Vocus, owned by Louisburg Farm of Boston, MA. They also had a fault at the wall jump, but with a faster time of 43.262 seconds, they would end up in fourth place.

Olympian Norman Dello Joio, of Wellington, FL, followed Ward into the ring on his mount Notre Star de La Nutria, owned by Juan Huxley. They put in the first clear round of the jump-off and set the time to beat at 44.134 seconds, and they would finish in second place.

Hecart was next with Myself de Breve, who is nicknamed “Mini Me” in the barn. Hecart laughed, “When I say, ‘Myself is good,’ people don’t understand, so now I say Mini Me.” The little 10-year-old Selle Francais mare by Quidam de Revel motored around the course and left room to spare over the jumps. They completed the difficult rollback to the wall jump and continued to the last fence with speed, leaving all the jumps up and crossing the timers in 42.271 seconds to go into the lead.

Ward was in next with his second mount, Oh d’Eole, and while chasing a fast time, they brought down the oxer, the first jump in the double combination. They finished with four faults and a quick time of 42.888 seconds for third place.

The final combination into the ring was Olympian Peter Leone on Select, winners of Friday’s Welcome Stake. They had quick speed in the beginning, but with an unfortunate eight faults in the double combination, Leone pulled up his horse to save him for another day. They placed sixth in the class.

This was a great win for the 29-year-old Hecart, who just started her own business three months ago after working for current Olympic gold medalist Eric Lamaze for four years. Her history with Myself de Breve is a long one, and it may have helped bring her her first grand prix win in the United States.

Hecart’s father Michel, who rode for the French show jumping team for 10 years, has a large breeding and sales business in France, which is where they had Myself de Breve. Hecart explained, “My dad bought her when she was three. I rode her in France when she was four, five, six. Then I went to work in Canada, so my dad started to ride her and started her in the grand prix in France. She came here two months ago. For three weeks showing, it’s been like one down, one time fault. I couldn’t go clear. Finally, we did it!”

Hecart said of her fiery mare, “She has a lot of personality. She really wants to go all the time. On the last jump, I could see her legs in front of me! She has lots of energy and she’s never tired. She loves to go in the walker, in the field, on the treadmill. I did a 1.25m on Wednesday to make her relax with no pressure. I don’t try to run to win classes, I try to pick the right one and this week it was the grand prix. I try to ride with nice pace. I don’t need leg. She’s really powerful and has a lot of scope. I cannot push her. If I do, she goes really fast. I just stay and I wait.”

Wednesday to Sunday Jumper Classic Winners

The opening class of Sunday was the $15,000 Great American Speed Stake, and it was Kyle King of Ocala, FL, who galloped to the win with Sandstone Montecristo, owned by Alison Friedman of San Marcos, CA.

King and Sandstone Montecristo, a 13-year-old Warmblood mare by Conway, were the final entry into the ring in a class of 26 entries. They were chasing a clear round and time of 68.555 seconds set by Chicago’s Kent Farrington and Samar, owned by RCG Farm. The early leader in the class and eventual third place finisher was T Cavalier, ridden and owned by Daniela Cordero of Wellington, FL.

King and Sandstone Montecristo had a fast galloping pace, but it was one inside turn that probably won the class for them. King explained, “I had a really good position, so I got to see everyone. There was one question of inside the water jump to the skinny white vertical. I saw Kent went around, so I thought I could speed it up there. That was my shot to win. Everything else was pretty much the same running time. She’s pretty clever like that, so I slipped right inside. She tried really hard. That’s for sure where I won it.”

Saturday afternoon’s competition in the Coldwell Bankers Previews Grand Prix Field began with the $12,000 Millbrook Ventures Speed Derby, followed by the $1,200 Merial Pro/Am Class. The winner of the $12,000 Millbrook Ventures Speed Derby was Olympic gold medalist Leslie Howard with Jeans Glove Varnel. They were the fastest by far over the course that included natural obstacles such as the ditch oxer, liverpool, grob, open water, and the Brook Ledge derby bank. The class was held in a Faults Converted format. Jeans Glove Varnel put down a blistering time of 96.143 seconds, and four seconds were added for a final time of 100.143 seconds for the win.

Howard’s second horse, Lennox Lewis II, was just behind in second place with a time of 101.377 seconds. Following Howard in third was Kent Farrington on Samar, owned by RCG Farm. They had a clear round in 102.628 seconds.

The $1,200 Merial Pro/Am Relay class was a fun way to end the day, and 13 teams attempted the course, which paired junior/amateur riders, who rode the first half of the course, with a professional rider, who finished the second half of the course. The winning pair was the “Scratch N Sniff” team, composed of professional Darren Graziano of Holmes, NY, and seventeen-year-old Kayleigh Holroyd of Roxbury, CT. They had a combined time of 80.330 seconds for the win, helped along by Graziano’s great gallop to the final fence.

On Saturday morning, the $5,000 High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic had an exciting jump-off of six competitors from an original field of 20 entries. Going third in the jump-off, it was Meagan Nusz of The Woodlands, TX, and her nine-year-old Zangersheide mare Banana d’Ive Z who sped to the win with a clear round and a time of 41.473 seconds. They beat Nicole Bellissimo and Serval, who were clear in 42.022 seconds. Ellie Knight and Rascal were third with a time of 43.499 seconds. For her win today, Nusz received a Devoucoux saddle.

Seventeen-year-old Laura Hinsdale of Charlotte, VT, came home as the winner of the $3,000 Olinyk Show Stables Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic on her horse Woodstock, a seven-year-old gelding. They went first in the jump-off and set the winning pace in 35.475 seconds that could not be beat. Second place went to Rockstar and Tori Corts, who finished the jump-off in 36.333 seconds and no faults. Scaraberas and Alexa Adelson were third with a time of 37.654 seconds.

The $1,500 Taylor Harris Insurance Services Adult Jumper Classic went next and saw the very first entry in the class return for the win after their fast jump-off ride at the end of the class. Laura Worthen of Hollis, NH, and Vera stopped the timers in 49.625 seconds with the only clear jump-off round. Second place went to Killigrew’s Attraction and Tarik Sentissi, who had four faults in 49.173 seconds. Susan Powell and Tinka’s Girl were third with a time of 50.333 seconds with four faults.

Avery Vorwerk and Dulce de Leche were the fastest clear round in a jump-off of four entries to win the $1,500 Woodridge Farm Children’s Jumper Classic. They had a time of 45.892 seconds to beat Nash and Olivia Trueb, who finished in 51.002 seconds. Third place went to Volare’ and Rebecca Lituchy, who crossed the timers in 48.928 seconds with four faults.

It has been a winning week for Darren Graziano’s DG Venture, Inc. In Saturday’s $750 Fox Grove Studio Children’s and Adult Farewell Class in Ring Two, Olivia Shahai rode into the winner’s circle about Romano S owned by Cody Parker.

The $10,000 Welcome Stake was the final class on Friday on the Grand Prix Field and show jumping fans were present to see Olympian Peter Leone and Select take home the blue ribbon. When he returned for the jump-off, Leone was chasing the winning time set by Nicholas Dello Joio of Wellington, FL, on Malcolm, owned by Judy Richter and Ellie Belknap. They set the time to beat at 32.888 seconds when they jumped-off immediately and would finish in second place. Leone and Select beat that in 31.677 seconds. Third place went to Andrew Bourns and his horse Gowran Park, who were very quick and the pacesetter in the class when they stopped the timers in 33.237 seconds. McLain Ward and Oh’ D’Eole were fourth in a time of 33.604 seconds, and Jonathan McCrea rode Candy Tribble’s Victor E to fifth place with a time of 35.109 seconds.

Earlier in the morning, show jumpers had competition in the $2,500 Deeridge Farm 1.30m Jumpers. Candice King of Wellington, FL, sped to the win on Skara Glen’s Basel, owned by Skara Glen Farm. The class was a power and speed format, with riders going for a clear round in the first half of the course and for time over the second half of the course. King was victorious with a clear round and a quick time of 34.277 seconds. Tiffany and Leslie Howard finished second in 35.316 seconds, while Nicholas Dello Joio with Geledimar Z were third in 37.161 seconds.

Other winners in the Coldwell Bankers Previews Grand Prix Field on Friday included:
$1,000 Masters Jumpers and Masters Division Champion – Katharine and Elizabeth Lamotte
$3,000 1.35m Jumpers – Ratatouille and Kent Farrington
$3,500 1.40m Jumpers – Navarre D’olueis and Nicholas Dello Joio
$2,500 High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers – Ontario and Kathleen Mahoney

In Ring Two on Friday, Candice King and Skara Glen Farms of Wellington, FL captured her first win of the day as she piloted Zorro to a win in the $1,000 5 and 6 Year Old Class sponsored by DG Venture, Inc. and Darren Graziano. In the 7 and 8 year old division sponsored by Wolfstone Stables and Sales, Darren Graziano captured the win with his horse Syrah. Wolfstone is a premier training facility owned by Schuyler Riley. Located in both Wellington, FL, and Stockton, NJ, the Wolfstone team concentrates on the mission of producing world class show jumping horses.

The Modified Children’s/Adult 1.10 meter class gave nine riders the opportunity to compete in a transitional level between Children’s/Adult jumpers and the Low Junior/Amateur-Owner division. Susan Powell, an attorney from Stamford, CT, was beaming after her clear round in 64.207 seconds followed by the jump-off completed in 38.286 seconds on Winward’s Tilia, a 10-year-old mare owned by Kim Swenson.

The highlight class on Thursday was the $1,500 1.35m Jumpers, won by Olympian Peter Leone of Greenwich, CT. The class was a warm-up for Saturday’s $12,000 Millbrook Ventures Speed Derby and included practice for natural obstacles such as a ditch oxer, liverpool, open water with a rail, canter through the grob, and the Brook Ledge Derby Bank.

Leone piloted Reflection, owned by Lionshare Farm and Ger Poels Horses. The 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, imported from Holland this year, has been showing in small grand prix classes with Leone, but he had a different plan for the Jumper Classic.

“Knowing what a wonderful field and competition there is here at Fidelity, I wanted to drop him down from the grand prix level and target trying to win the Derby, the Derby prep, and the Speed Stake on Sunday. This is comfortable territory for him, (with) the size of the jumps, the natural obstacles. I can go out there and concentrate on competing rather than surviving,” Leone said with a smile.

Leone picked up the speed win in a time of 75.588 seconds. Second place went to Sandstone Monte Cristo, ridden by Kyle King, in 77.760 seconds. Victor VDL and Jonathan McCrea, who rode for Candy Tribble, were third in 78.061 seconds.

Molly Ashe Cawley and Tosca 290, owned by Olivia Jack, picked up their second win of the week on Thursday in the $2,000 1.40m Jumpers. They were quick once again and double clear in the jump-off in a time of 35.162 seconds. McLain Ward rode Esplanade 7 for Louisburg Farm to second place in 36.036 seconds with no faults. Gowran Park, ridden and owned by Andrew Bourns, finished third with a time of 36.499 seconds and a clear jump-off ride.

In the $500 Arenus Masters 1.05m class on Thursday, Diana Walters rode into the winner’s circle on her steady mount Four on the Floor. Walters hails from Old Salem, NY, where she trains with Jumper Classic course designer, Eric Hasbrouck. She has competed at the show for several years and claims it is one of her absolute favorites.

The Children’s/Adult Jumpers continued their competition on Thursday with a class in the Coldwell Bankers Previews Grand Prix Field. While they showed together, ribbons were presented separately to the Children’s Jumpers and Adult Jumpers. The winner of the Children’s class was Roxanna, ridden by Kaylie Holroyd for Shelly Holroyd. Jeanine Cash rode Tiona, owned by Danielle Stacy, to the win in the Adult Jumpers. The Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers had their first classes as well with Low and High divisions offered. In the Low class, Daniela Cordero rode Undine, owned by Turtle Hall Farm Partners, to victory. Banana D’ive Z and Meagan Nusz took the blue ribbon in the High division.

The first rider into the Shire Equestrian Winner’s Circle on Wednesday was Timothy Hooker of Lake George, NY, and Wellington, FL, on his horse Sovereign Mystery. They topped the 26 horse field in the Der Dau 1.20m Jumpers with double clear rounds and a jump-off time of 33.706 seconds. Second place went to Schuyler Riley on Conquest Z (35.444 seconds), while Caitlin Venezia finished third on Calmiro (35.595 seconds), owned by Olivia Magliochetti.

Hooker and Sovereign Mystery, a seven-year-old gelding by Czar, is out of Mysterious, and is a third-generation horse from Hooker’s breeding program. “I bred his mother and grandmother. We also owned his great-grandmother. His grandfather is my stallion Vicount, who has breeding lines of the great racehorse John Henry,” Hooker explained. “I thought that 1.25m or 1.30m was it (for him), but he’s proved that there may be more. But at seven years old and just a year doing this, he’ll show this week and then we’ll figure out what to do with him next year.”

Molly Ashe Cawley and Tarantel’la won the $1,000 1.30m Jumpers on Wednesday as well. Cawley, who hails from Newton, CT, has been riding Tarantel’la, owned by Emily D’Alessandro, for only a few months since she had her second child Connor six months ago. Cawley said of Tarantel’la, “She’s a great mare; she’s super careful, fast, game, and gutsy. She’s a blast.”

Cawley and Tarantel’la were double clear in 39.013 seconds to take victory over Caitlin Venezia on Sarah Flink’s Aracona Z, who finished in 41.787 seconds, and Timothy Hooker with Apollo.

Other class winners from today included Olympic gold medalist Leslie Howard on Tammy Marek’s Feeling in the 1.25m Jumpers and Cawley, who picked up her second win of the day with Olivia Jack’s Tosca 290 in the $1,000 1.35m Jumper class.

In Wednesday’s 5 and 6 Year Old Young Jumper division in Ring Two, Cody Parker captured the win on Ambitious, owned by Darren Graziano. Graziano owns and operates DG Venture, Inc., a training and sales barn based out of New York and Wellington, FL. DG Venture, Inc. specializes in developing young horses and riders for all levels of the sport and is also the sponsor of the 5 and 6 Year old division.

In the Sidelines 1.10m Modified Children’s/Adult Jumper class, Lauren Horth aboard Clever Z rode into the winner’s circle to kick off this new division at The Jumper Classic. The Modified division was added to the class roster this year in order fulfill the Jumper Classic’s goal of expanding the number of jumper classes open to all levels of riders.

Also awarded were the Grand Circuit Championships for those who had consistent performances at the Fieldstone Summer Showcase and the Fidelity Investments Jumper Classic. The Masters Division champion was Lee Thornton, and the reserve champion was Jeff Papows. Laura Hinsdale and Olivia Magliochete tied for champion, while Alexa Adelson was reserve champion in the Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper division. The High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper division champion was Meagan Nusz, and the reserve championship went to Nicole Bellissimo.

The Fidelity Investments Jumper Classic presented by Porsche has concluded with another fantastic year of competition, and fans of show jumping can look forward to another great edition of the show next year on September 14-18, 2011.



For more information and full results, please visit www.jumperclassic.com.

The Fidelity Investments Jumper Classic presented by Porsche, now in its 21st year, annually attracts some of the nation’s most elite equestrian athletes as well as international competitors.  The show offers five days of competition and culminates in the premier event, the $75,000 Fidelity Investments Grand Prix, held on one of the top grass grand prix fields on the east coast. For more information on the Fidelity Investments Jumper Classic presented by Porsche, please visit www.jumperclassic.com.

Fidelity Investments is one of the world’s largest providers of financial services, with assets under administration of $3.3 trillion, including managed assets of nearly $1.5 trillion, as of July 31, 2010. Founded in 1946, the firm is a leading provider of investment management, retirement planning, portfolio guidance, brokerage, benefits outsourcing and many other financial products and services to more than 20 million individuals and institutions, as well as through 5,000 financial intermediary firms. For more information about Fidelity Investments, visit www.fidelity.com.

MEDIA CONTACT: Kendra Cecieta, Director of Media Relations, media@jumperclassic.com   

EDITORAL CONTACT: Pamela Mansfield, Editor In Chief, pmansfield@jumperclassic.com

PHOTO CREDIT: Photo © Flashpoint Photography.  These photos may only be used in relation to this press release and with full photo credit.

WEBSITE: www.jumperclassic.com, Press Releases and Photos are available for download.