Hampton Falls, NH – August 8, 2012 – The Jumper Classic®, presented by Fidelity Investments® and Audi of America, started today at the Silver Oak Equestrian Center. Located in the beautiful town of Hampton Falls, NH, The Jumper Classic is New England’s premier equestrian event. This elite level competition attracts the country’s top riders, past Olympians and local equestrians who compete for almost $200,000 in prize money. The Jumper Classic runs through Sunday, September 18, with the highlight class, the $75,000 Fidelity Investments Grand Prix, on Sunday.
Course designer Olaf Petersen, Jr. of Munich, Germany, is designing the tracks in the Coldwell Bankers Previews Grand Prix Field this week. Pan American team and individual gold medalist Christine McCrea was a winner in the grand prix field today, and she commented about Petersen’s work, “I really respect Olaf. I think he’s a great course designer, and I’m really happy that he’s here.”
The opening class of the day was the Der Dau 1.20m Jumpers. There were 49 entries in the class, where riders with a first round clear advanced to the jump-off. It was Jeffery Welles of Brewster, NY, who took first and second place in the class. Riding Amanda Gunthal’s Laracon, he came home clear in 34.502 seconds for victory. Welles and Waterloo, owned by Kenzie Snyder, were second in 35.235 seconds. Third place went to Paul Halpern on Hermine 44, owned by Kamine & Fisher Families LLC, who finished in 36.587 seconds.
Welles and Laracon competed in the Seven Year Old Young Jumpers last year and won the Final at the Hampton Classic Horse Show. He was purchased to be an amateur jumper for owner Gunthal. Waterloo, a nine-year-old Dutch warmblood mare, has been in Welles’ barn since she was six and also competes in the amateur jumpers with Snyder. “Both horses, I’m just getting them in the ring for their riders that are coming later in the week,” Welles said. “Amanda may not make it this week, so I may get to show him all week, which would be nice! He’s been great for Amanda. He’s turned out to be a really competitive, nice animal.”
Welles returned to the Shires Equestrian Winner’s Circle in the $3,500 1.30m Jumpers on KM Whatever RV, a nine-year-old KWPN gelding by Murano x Kaberlina and owned by Dana Scott. Welles said, “He’s a really good, careful, fast horse. He’s a really fun horse.” Tilghman, ridden by Sarah Segal forHoratio Street Ventures, was second. In third place was Devin Ryan on Boucanier, owned by Eadle Valley Partners.
Jeffrey Welles and KM Whatever RV
Scott purchased him last fall and has had success in the junior jumpers, most notably finishing ninth individually in the junior show jumping section at the Adequan/FEI North American Junior Young Rider Championships. Scott will be at The Jumper Classic to compete tomorrow.
Welles was a winner last year at The Jumper Classic as well, and said that he wanted to support the show for their work in producing an exhibitor-friendly show. “Everybody makes such a big effort here for the exhibitors, to make it nice for us,” he confirmed. “We recognize that and try to support the show. It’s at a different time this year, which actually works out better for me. It’s a nice prep for Southampton, to get out on the grass and canter around.”
Jeffrey Welles and Laracon in their awards presentation
The winner of the $5,000 1.40m Jumpers was Christine McCrea of East Windsor, CT, on Avenir, a 12-year-old Belgian warmblood gelding by Phin Phin x Jezabel owned by Candy Tribble and Windsor Show Stables. Seventh Fee, ridden and owned by Michael Dorman, was second in the class, while third place went to Palmyra Partners’ Arkansas, ridden by Hillary Simpson.
McCrea has had Avenir for a year and a half, and last year they placed fourth in the Fidelity Investments Grand Prix. McCrea was excited to return to The Jumper Classic in 2012. “I brought him last year and he was excellent. He jumped really well, so I thought I would bring him back and hopefully better my finish,” she said. “He has a lot of experience on grass and generally he’s really good on it.”
Christine McCrea and Avenir
McCrea said of the grand prix field, “The footing is really nice. It’s nice to show on grass. I’m thrilled they moved the show up to this time of year because I brought all of the young horses to school for the Hampton Classic. Between the older horses doing well on the grass and the younger horses learning on the grass, it’s a nice combination and a nice place to come.”
McCrea plans to show Avenir in Sunday’s grand prix, along with her other mount Wannick.
The GGT Footing Ring Two hosted competition as well, and the following horses and riders were the winners:
1.10m Jumpers – Super G, Paul Halpern, Kathleen Kamine
1.15m Jumpers – Quelanotte Rouge, Jeffery Welles, Kenzie Snyder
$500 Watershed Low Children’s/Adult Jumpers – Will of Iron, Michelle Kamine, Kathleen Kamine
$750 Horse Watch High Children’s/Adult Jumpers – My Lovely Louise, Michelle Blunda, Michelle Blunda
Holistic Animal Healing Clinic Masters Jumpers – Justice, Nina Simons, Nina Simons
The Jumper Classic presented by Fidelity Investments and Audi continues tomorrow with the highlight class, the $12,000 Welcome Stake. Other classes include 1.30m and 1.40m Jumpers as well as Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers.
For more information, please visit The Jumper Classic website at www.jumperclassic.com.
Final Results: Der Dau 1.20m Jumpers
1 Laracon, Jeffery Welles, Amanda L. Gunthel
2 Waterloo, Jeffery Welles, Kenzie Snyder
3 Hermine 44, Paul Halpern, Kamine & Fisher Families LLC
4 Ballerina, Jeffery Welles, Amanda L. Gunthel
5 No Worries, Devin Ryan, Barbara Rowland
6 Huapango, Eugenio Garza, El Milagro
Final Results: $1,500 1.30 Jumpers
1 KM Whatever RV Dana Scott Nod Hill Farm
2 Tilghman Sarah Segal Horatio Street Ventures
3 Boucanier Devin Ryan Eadle Valley Partners
4 Via Vento Paul Halpern Dammerman & Kamine LLC
5 Highlander Candice King Joan Kalman
6 Vive La Vie Zachary Libes Blue Spruce Farm LLC
7 C’est Ci Bon 4 Lauren Crooks Crooks Show Jumping/Glen Youell
8 Esplanade 7 Candice King Louisburg Farm
Final Results: $5,000 1.40m Jumpers
1 Avenir Christine McCrea Candy Tribble
2 Seventh Fee Michael Dorman Michael Dorman
3 Arkansas Hillary S. Simpson Palmyra Partners
4 Wannick WH Christine McCrea Candy Tribble
5 Boccaccio Michael Dorman Michael Dorman
6 Viper P Greer Hindle Greer Hindle
7 Baronez Kirsten Coe Ilan Ferder
8 Campbell VDL Candice King Stateside Farm
The Jumper Classic® presented by Fidelity Investments® and Audi of America, now in its 23rd 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 Jumper Classic, please visit www.jumperclassic.com.
PHOTO CREDIT: Photos © Tammy Hardy 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.