July 28, 2010 — A record-tying win by Margie Engle of Wellington, Fla., in the $75,000 Le Grand Prix Herm?s CSI 2* highlighted the show jumping action at the 33rd Annual I Love New York Horse Show. Engle’s win was her seventh Grand Prix win in Lake Placid, tying the record held by Leslie Burr Howard.
After four of 23 horses qualified for a tiebreaking jump-off by riding without penalty over the 17-jump, first-round course at the North Elba Showgrounds, the first three accrued faults over the eight-jump, tiebreaker course. Engle then made the choice to try for the clear round that would give her the win, going more slowly and carefully. She succeeded in riding Indigo to a clean ride in 45.29 seconds to claim the win. Placing second with four jump-off faults and the fastest four-fault time of 41.20 seconds on Lirving De Volsin was Kate Levy.
“It’s always a gamble when you choose to go slow and careful,” said Engle, a 2000 Sydney Olympic veteran. “If for any reason you have a rail, then you’ve given up any chance for the win. I was lucky to go last and this time it worked out nicely.”
Following the Grand Prix, the Richard and Diana Feldman Perpetual Challenge Trophy for Excellence was awarded to Engle who won the most combined prize money in Lake Placid’s two Grand Prix events. Engle had finished sixth in the first week’s $75,000 Hermes Grand Prix.
Other feature class winners during the I Love New York Horse Show included Meg O’Mara on Sinatra IV in the Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort High Junior Jumper Classic; Lou Jacobs on Kachina in the Brook Ledge, Inc. High Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic; and Madeline Cox on Kix in the Y106.3 Low Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic.
Also, the hunters moved into the Richard M. Feldman Grand Prix field for the USHJA International Hunter Derby Presented by Eastern Hay and Purina Mills. Scott Stewart rode in winning fashion, taking the top places on Fashion Farm’s Declaration and Summer Place. Stewart’s ride on Declaration blew away the judges who were so impressed that they gave it a score of 208 points to clinch the win with a two-round total of 389. Stewart’s second round ride on Summer Place, who had been the first-round leader with a score of 188, was second best at 189, good for a two-round total of 377.
Other winners throughout the week included Christine McCrea on Sweetheart in the Champlain Valley Equipment 1.45m Jump-off; Darragh Kenny on Tango in the 1.35m Janney Montgomery Scott Jumper Class; Darragh Kenny on Vorst in the 1.30m WPTZ News Channel 5 Jumper Class; Darragh Kenny on Gael Force in the $30,000 Intercat, Inc. Open Jumper Classic CSI 2*; Laura Chapot on Bradberry in the 1.40m J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines Open Speed Stake; Laura Chapot on Face Value in the 1.30m Lake Placid Lodge Jumper Class; Darragh Kenny on Merlin in the Chevy 1.45m Power and Speed Stake; Jonathon Corrigan on G.M. Seattle in the Roost 1.40m Speed Stake; Michael Hughes on Red Hot in the Levy Family Low Junior Jumper Classic; Joan Jacobs on Boyke 2 and Mason Maney on Calando Z in the EquiFit WIHS Adult Jumper Classics; and Jessica Donatelli on Darnit and Erica Polle on Uno in the Paradysz Farm WIHS Children’s Jumper Classics.
