How do you build an equestrian city just across the harbor from Manhattan?
It was no small task for the Longines Global Champions Tour of New York, which (despite its name) actually was held at New Jersey’s Liberty State Park this weekend, at a site that was chosen for more than the view.
Jessica Springsteen, Don Juan van de Donkhoeve and the Statue of Liberty.
What is known as “the Green Ring,” normally a blank slate of grass, became a real ring. It was transformed into an arena surrounded by grandstands and VIP areas at the front of the house, which was supported by stabling under the trees, a warm-up area and offices.
The sensational backdrop involved skyscrapers and the Statue of Liberty, although that lady missed out on the action because as always, her back was turned to New Jersey
The standing-room-only crowd cheered riders such as Nayel Nassar on Little Magic d’Asschaut competing in the dramatic setting of the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix.
Planning began in November for the show — the fanciest international jumping competition in New Jersey since the National Horse Show was held at the Meadowlands from 1989-1995.
There were 17 or 18 different drafts of the design for the venue. The project was a massive effort under the guidance of GCT’s technical director, Colm McKay. With no water or electrical service, hydrants supplied the former and generators the latter. Having a show at a state facility also meant lots of paperwork and permits.
It took 12 days to create the venue, and Colm’s crew is required to have it taken down in five days.
“Until you do the event one time, you can’t really explain what it’s going to be like,” he said.
Colm McKay, GCT technical director. Note the Statue of Liberty in the background.
“We know there’s room for improvement, but the future looks bright,” noted Colm, who is talking about a long-term commitment to the site.
GCT has shows in many other landmark cities, including Paris (by the Eiffel Tower), London and Prague.
Focusing on New Jersey, Colm already is thinking about improvements for next year, including more seating (everything but standing room was sold out for the grand prix).
Guests in the GC Lounge had a great view of riders jumping a panel showing the George Washington Bridge, as Belgium’s Thibeau Spits did here on Impress-K.
Those connected with the park in Jersey City weren’t familiar with horse sports, so part of Colm’s mission involved telling them what the production involved. Aside from the competition, which also included 2-star classes, there were a number of attractions geared to pleasing the public.
Among them were a variety of other activities and attractions including dog agility, a Harlem gospel choir and classes for kids. (One little pony rider told me she was thrilled to have her photo taken with show jumper Jessica Springsteen, who by the way is a native of New Jersey.)
The competition, which began Thursday, concluded in idyllic weather on the last full day of summer with a 5-star grand prix worth 300,609 Euros ($352,000) that drew riders from Europe, South America and of course, the U.S.
The Belgians had the biggest contingent, with one-quarter of the 40 grand prix starters from the nation that won the European Show Jumping Championships in July.
So it was no surprise that five of the 11 riders who made the jump-off were Belgian, with that nation’s Gilles Thomas winning on Qalista DN in 31.03 seconds. His countryman, Thibeau Philippaerts — whose brothers Olivier and Nicola also were in the class — came in second aboard Pittman V/H Lilleveld in 31.72 seconds. The patriarch of the family is Ludo Philippaerts, a legendary rider in his heyday.
The first round had a tight time allowed of 70 seconds, and designer Bernardo Costa Cabral made that factor count, with five riders having their clean trips over the fences marred by penalties on the clock
Gilles, next-to-last in the tiebreaker, nailed victory with an inspired round in 31.03 seconds aboard a 9-year-old mare, by Emerald van ‘t Ruytershof, that he has had for only a year.
“She does it so easy and is also very quick in the jump-off,” he observed.
I asked Gilles why the Belgian riders are becoming dominant, and he gave me the answer right away.
“I think at the moment we have very good horses in Belgium and now we can keep them a bit longer. Before, we always had to sell them. We have a few very good owners who want to do the sport; also the prize money is getting more and more.”
He noted, “Every good result gives a bit of confidence; if the rider is confident, the horse also gets the confidence.”
It was Gilles’ first trip to New York and, of course, New Jersey (where riders stayed in a Jersey City hotel to be closer to their horses.)
There were fun trips to Manhattan, which impressed Gilles.
“For sure it’s an amazing city. I saw it on television but when you see it in the real, it’s a fantastic city.”
Thibault smiled wearing the second place sash but noted wistfully, “I was very close to a dream. Gilles was there again.”
He was quick to add, “The horse is amazing. I’m so happy for him,” Thibault emphasized about the 10-year-old son of Diamant de Semilly.
Swiss rider Nadja Peter Steiner was overjoyed to be third in 32.69 with Nice van’t Zorgvliet, a 12-year-old Belgian mare by Emerald who wasn’t being used as part of the Belgian tidal wave.
“To come here was an honor,” said the rider, adding, “it’s a real special show with an atmosphere that was amazing. We never see something like this in Europe.”
Nadja gave a big hug to Nice when she finished her round. The mare was ridden by Olympic individual gold medalist Christian Kukuk until the end of June, 2024.
While she noted, “all my horses are really special,” she added, “Nice is such a fighter. She gives all of her heart each time you go in the ring.”
The U.S. contingent was thin on big names, what with the Gold Cup being contested in Michigan and the Longines League of Nations in St. Tropez, France. Natalie Dean was the only American to qualify for the tiebreaker; she finished eighth with 4 faults on Crescendo MB Z.
The Olympic eventer who suffered a traumatic brain injury in a fall on cross-country the month after the 2024 Paris Games has made great progress in her recovery. She’s even riding again. Liz Halliday updated her many fans and supporters on social media Tuesday. Here is what she had to say:
“I’m still grinding every day in my therapy at the Centre for Neuro Skills in Dallas. Thanks to the dedicated therapists here, I have made significant progress, but it is clear that there is still a long way to go on my road to recovery. This is a slow process,” she reported.
“My injury was on the left side of my brain, which means the right side of my body is impacted. My right leg and right arm have very limited function at this stage, especially my arm. Important benchmarks: I can now walk on my own for longer and longer distances with a cane, and my balance is much improved. I am healthy and getting stronger all the time.
“I’ve now learned to write with my left hand, but my speech and writing are connected, and both are still a work in progress and something I struggle with daily. A major bright spot has been getting back in the saddle, which I’ve been able to do at a wonderful local facility. I am able to school walk and trot, and riding every week has definitely lifted my spirits.
Liz Halliday is riding again. (Photo courtesy Liz Halliday)
“I don’t know exactly what the future will look like for me, but I can promise you one thing: I will never stop working my ass off. Every day is a constant effort to walk, talk, read, write, and do all of the things we take for granted every day, but I will never give up.
“Thank you to my mom, Mark, family, and friends for their constant support. Thank you to Boyd Martin for the fantastic job he is doing with my horses. Thank you to Tamy Pollard, who keeps my dogs at her farm nearby and brings them over for regular visits. And thank you all for your continued positive thoughts, prayers, and good vibes. I’m still here, and I’ll never stop fighting. Up, up, up!”
It was a jam-packed weekend for show jumping, with the Longines Global Champions Tour in New Jersey (see our lead story), the American Gold Cup in Michigan and the Longines League of Nations in St. Tropez, France.
Kent Farrington showed once again while he’s ranked as world number one by taking the Gold Cup in Traverse City with Greya, a sensational mare he developed. The victory was Greya’s sixth 5-star triumph within a year.
Kent revealed, “My biggest concern today was going to be measuring the speed it was going to take to win.You don’t want to be chasing what somebody else can do — you have to know what your horse’s best possible round is. I tried to put down a solid effort where they were going to have to do something special to beat me, and luckily, it worked out.”
His fiercest competition came from two Irish riders. Shane Sweetnam, winner of the qualifier, was second with James Kann Cruz, while Daniel Coyle wound up third on Farrel. But attention should also be paid to rising star Stella Wasserman of the U.S., who has begun training with McLain Ward. She was fourth on Precious Dwerse Hagen. (McLain was sixteenth on High Star Hero).
In St. Tropez, the USA’s Karl Cook and Carcole de la Roque scored yet another European win for the season, topping the Longines Grand Prix over Brazil’s Stephan de Freitas Barcha and Dinozo Imperio Egipcio. The USA’s Laura Kraut was third with Biquetta.
Karl often kisses his mare, to show his affection for her.
“Every day I get to ride her is a gift, every day I get to jump her is a gift, and every day I get to show her is just the top gift,” he said.
It should be noted that the course designer was Gregory Bodo, half of the team that laid out the routes for the Paris Olympics. Karl was the only U.S. rider to be fault-free during the team competition in Paris.
Karl’s team wasn’t as lucky in the League of Nations competition, however, finishing sixth of seven countries. However, the team qualified for the finale of the League in Barcelona next month.
Click here for St. Tropez grand prix results Click this link for St. Tropez League of Nations results
Sidelines Magazine and The Chronicle of the Horse have been sold in unrelated transactions, it was announced Wednesday.
Sidelines was acquired by HITS, the company known for its horse shows around the country. Buying the Chronicle from Wellington International was the GRANDPRIX Group, which specializes in media, audio-visual and events.
Characterized by its photo-heavy interviews with top equestrians, Sidelines also features many other types of stories. Editor Jan Westmark Bauer will continue in that post.
Bob Bell, president of the Classic Company which sold the magazine, said, “I have enormous pride in what the team and I have accomplished during my tenure at Sidelines. I look forward to seeing the next phase of the magazine’s growth and wish the team at HITS the same fun and success we have enjoyed for almost a decade.”
HITS board chairman Mortimer Singer said, “The acquisition of Sidelines Magazine represents the next chapter in HITS’s commitment to holding our customers at the center of what we do. HITS being the largest national producer of horse shows makes Sidelines a perfect vehicle to showcase the many exciting equestrian enthusiast stories across the country.”
HITS was founded more than 40 years ago by Tom Struzzieri and purchased in 2022 by Traub Capital Partnres.
GRANDPRIX, a monthly magazine, also puts out news daily on line. Studforlife.com provides in-depth coverage of show jumping and breeding, and Horseman.nl is a leading outlet in Flanders and the Netherlands. The group also publishes the ASEP Stallion Guide, a reference tool for breeders.
By integrating The Chronicle, GRANDPRIX “will bring its editorial and technological expertise to this prestigious title: modernization of formats and platforms, revitalization of subscription and distribution offers, expansion of editorial content, and enhanced international coverage of major equestrian competitions,” according to a statement from the purchaser.
Sean Gagnon, chief financial officer of Wellington Interantional, said, “We are highly confident in the future of The Chronicle of the Horse under the leadership of Vincent Goehrs and the GRANDPRIX team. While the publication was no longer aligned with Wellington International’s strategic priorities, we are certain that GRANDPRIX’s vision and investment will allow The Chronicle of the Horse to continue to grow and thrive as a media of reference.”
Although the favored British lost half their team to falls at the Agria FEI European Eventing Championships on Saturday, they came back strong on Sunday, earning first and third individually, with German star Michael between them in second place.
That was the way they stood before the final show jumping phase, with Laura Collett on London 52 in the lead, Michi close behind and Tom McEwen with JL Dublin third. Laura added 0.4 time penalties to her score, but stayed ahead of Michi and Tom, who both were double clear.
“I can’t tell you how much I’ve wanted this, mainly for the horse,” said Laura, “because every time I made the team, I let him down, so to finally pull it off and give him the championship he deserves – the words aren’t really there. At my first five-star win in Pau in 2020, I said if he never does anything more, he’s done more than I could have ever dreamed of. To think what he’s done in those five years since is more than I could have ever dreamed. I can’t really say it’s a dream come true because I don’t think I could have even dreamed it!
“This [medal] tops everything! I was so close in Paris last year, and to come back and have another head-to-head with Michiis what make this sport so special and these horses so unbelievably special. To keep coming back and producing the results they do, come out and perform time and time again, is unreal.
“It’s so special just to be at a home championship, and it’s quite a local event for me as well. Just that in itself felt special this week, but to be sat on a horse like him and come up with the goods is crazy,” she commented. Laura now has won nine European Championship gold medals over a 20-year period – at Pony, Junior, Young Rider and Senior level – making her part of a very small, select club of athletes.
Tom summed up his feelings this way; “Dubs has gone phenomenally well and I couldn’t be happier with him. We’ve been beaten by possibly two of the greatest horses that have been around in our sport. You do your best, and that’s where we’re at.
“After a week that hasn’t possibly been our own [the British], to come home with two medals is absolutely fantastic. We came as a six and we leave as a six (a team of four and two individuals), and it’s been team spirit throughout. I’m absolutely delighted for Laura and my own performance with Dubs. He’s a pretty chilled character and strangely, he’s never been to Blenheim, so I couldn’t be happier with how he’s come out and performed in every aspect. On the day, he was beaten by two better horses and I’m still very happy with him.”
Click here for individual final results and here for team championship results.
Recapping cross-country, a fall by pathfinder and world champion Yasmin Ingham (Rehy DJ), then a tumble from Halo into the water by Piggy March, means their nation would not come near the podium for team medals on home ground at Blenheim Palace.
Following dressage, the British –who had been favored to take the title — were second as a team to the Germans, whose Michael Jung was leading the individual standings on fischerChipmunk FRH. But after her team was eliminated from contention Saturday, Laura Collett shone a light for Britain individually on cross-country, overtaking Michi to lead the individual standings with London 52 (26.6). She had only 6 time penalties on the Mark Phillips-designed route. No one made the 10:01 optimum time.
Laura Collett and London 52 lead the way at the championships. (FEI Photo by Benjamin Clark)
The score is now 28.3 for Michi, who had 10 time penalties with fischerChipmunk FRH, so he switched places with Laura and stands second. Another British bright light was Tom McEwen, third with JL Dublin on 33 penalties, 6.8 of which involved time penalties.
The course designer observed, “The rounds from Collett, Jung, and McEwen were world-class. The time was always going to be tough because of the water and the terrain. And I added a few extra speed bumps.”
While Mark knew it would have been possible to make the time, he commented, “There weren’t many horses capable of it. What you saw was that the best-trained horses, those three, were simply in another league.”
Tom McEwen agreed, “The time is doable, but you have to be as quick as you are smooth, which is quite a tough combination.”
Laura was full of praise for her horse, saying, “I can’t quite believe it. He just dug so deep. He owes me nothing, but he keeps on giving. The crowd was amazing, and you can see from the dressage he loves all that and it really got us going and kept us going all the way to the end.”
Discussing Sunday’s show jumping finale, Laura thought about what happened when she faced Michi in the 2024 Olympics.
“I let him beat me in Paris last year after a fence down. Let’s hope I don’t do it two years on the trot,” she said.
Michi said of his 17-year-old campaigner’s cross-country performance, ““He galloped really well; fast, strong, and responsive. He gave me a super feeling everywhere. My plan was to go as fast as possible without pushing him too much.”
Meanwhile, Bubby Upton, riding as an individual for Britain, continued her country’s bad luck streak when she was eliminated for a fall from Its Cooley Time. Another British individual rider, Caroline Harris (D.Day), also had a fall.
Germany continues to lead the team standings, as Calvin Bockmann is in fourth place with the fastest time of the day, a mere 5.6 time penalties on Phantom of the Opera (36.5). He is tied with Austria’s Lea Siegl (Van Helsing P), who had 9.6 time penalties added to her total, but was better in dressage.
The Irish team is second with 150.7 penalties, giving Germany a more than comfortable margin of 37 penalties for its 150.7 total. Switzerland is third on 161.3.
Click here for the individual cross-country standings Click this link for team cross-country standings
Storms that caused massive destruction when they swept through Montgomery Township, N.J., last weekend have prompted the cancellation of the Princeton Show Jumping fall series scheduled for September 17–21 and September 24–28.
“After careful evaluation of our options and several municipal inspections, it was apparent our showgrounds sustained significant damage—damage so extensive that it will take weeks of cleanup and rebuilding to restore the property to a safe condition,” a statement from the show advised, following an assessment of the situation in the wake of the Sept. 6 storms.
“After two days of careful evaluation and several municipal inspections, we concluded that we cannot responsibly welcome horses, riders, or spectators back to Hunter Farms North until it is safe to do so,” the statement continued.
“We know how important these shows are for our riders, trainers, owners, and the entire equestrian community. Canceling is the last thing we wanted—but safety must come first. This challenging moment will also become an opportunity: the rebuilding process will allow us to make lasting improvements to the facility and return in 2026 with an even better show experience for everyone.”
Competitors who have already entered should contact princetonshowjumping@gmail.com for processing, or contact Nicole at nicole@princetonshowjumping.com with any questions.
Last year, Princeton also cancelled its final shows of the season, but for a different reason, involving a lack of entries.
At the time, Andrew Philbrick, who runs the Princeton series, contended three international shows in New York and Connecticut that are geographically close to his competitions drew entries that otherwise might have come to his shows.
Mary Alice Malone’s dedication to sport horse breeding and showing was passed down to her daughter, Catherine Malone, who is taking over management of Iron Spring Farm in wake of her mother’s death this summer.
Catherine will remain true to her mother’s vision with the same commitment to excellence, soundness, and temperament that has always defined the program, a statement from the farm said.
Catherine, who grew up on the farm, worked with her mother for several years, bringing in new stallions such as Kaiman, and the highest quality mares, including Noblewood Tarpania,
“Mom and I spent so much time talking about horses and bloodlines and the kind of horses we want to have in the barn,” said Catherine, an FEI rider and successful breeder in her own right.
Catherine Malone and Uno Don Diego. (Terri Miller photo)
“It all starts with falling in love with horses. Their beauty and spirit. That’s why we do this.”
While this is a time of change, it is also a time of renewal, according to information from the farm.
“Catherine is committed to honoring her mother’s legacy while embracing opportunities to evolve and grow. The heart of Iron Spring Farm–a dedication to producing horses that inspire, perform, and connect deeply with their riders–will remain steadfast.
“We are grateful to the breeders, riders, and friends who have been part of our story for nearly 50 years. Your support has made Iron Spring Farm what it is today and we invite you to join us in shaping its future. Follow along with us, through our newsletter, website, and social media, as we share beautiful foals and world-class mares, exciting new stallions and exceptional sales horses, and the continuation of our story.
“Mary Alice believed in building something that would last. Today, with Catherine holding the reins, Iron Spring Farm moves forward–strong, inspired and ready as this next chapter unfolds.”
Britain lost half its team relatively early in the cross-country phase of the Agria FEI European Eventing Championships, as a fall by pathfinder and world champion Yasmin Ingham (Rehy DJ), then a tumble from Halo into the water by Piggy March, means their nation will not come near the podium for team medals on home ground at Blenheim Palace. But individual medals are still well in sight for the Brits.
Following dressage, the British –who had been favored to take the title — were second as a team to the Germans, whose Michael Jung was leading the individual standings on fischerChipmunk FRH. But after her team was eliminated from contention Saturday, Laura Collett shone a light for Britain individually on cross-country, overtaking Michi to lead the individual standings with London 52 (26.6). She had only 6 time penalties on the Mark Phillips-designed route. No one made the 10:01 optimum time.
Laura Collett and London 52 lead the way at the championships. (FEI Photo by Benjamin Clark)
The score is now 28.3 for Michi, who had 10 time penalties with fischerChipmunk FRH, so he switched places with Laura and stands second. Another British bright light was Tom McEwen, third with JL Dublin on 33 penalties, 6.8 of which involved time penalties.
The course designer observed, “The rounds from Collett, Jung, and McEwen were world-class. The time was always going to be tough because of the water and the terrain. And I added a few extra speed bumps.”
While Mark knew it would have been possible to make the time, he commented, “There weren’t many horses capable of it. What you saw was that the best-trained horses, those three, were simply in another league.”
Tom McEwen agreed, “The time is doable, but you have to be as quick as you are smooth, which is quite a tough combination.”
Laura was full of praise for her horse, saying, “I can’t quite believe it. He just dug so deep. He owes me nothing, but he keeps on giving. The crowd was amazing, and you can see from the dressage he loves all that and it really got us going and kept us going all the way to the end.”
Discussing Sunday’s show jumping finale, Laura thought about what happened when she faced Michi in the 2024 Olympics.
“I let him beat me in Paris last year after a fence down. Let’s hope I don’t do it two years on the trot,” she said.
Michi said of his 17-year-old campaigner’s cross-country performance, ““He galloped really well; fast, strong, and responsive. He gave me a super feeling everywhere. My plan was to go as fast as possible without pushing him too much.”
Meanwhile, Bubby Upton, riding as an individual for Britain, continued her country’s bad luck streak when she was eliminated for a fall from Its Cooley Time. Another British individual rider, Caroline Harris (D.Day), also had a fall.
Germany continues to lead the team standings, as Calvin Bockmann is in fourth place with the fastest time of the day, a mere 5.6 time penalties on Phantom of the Opera (36.5). He is tied with Austria’s Lea Siegl (Van Helsing P), who had 9.6 time penalties added to her total, but was better in dressage.
The Irish team is second with 150.7 penalties, giving Germany a more than comfortable margin of 37 penalties for its 150.7 total. Switzerland is third on 161.3.
Click here for the individual standings Click this link for team standings
The world’s number eight-ranked show jumper, Steve Guerdat, has undergone another back surgery for a recurring problem with a herniated disc, less than two weeks after finishing third in the world’s richest (and most demanding) grand prix at the Spruce Meadows Masters.
In February, the Swiss rider was operated on for a herniated disc and was able to compete in May at the European Championships, where he finished twelfth individually and was part of his country’s fifth-placed team. His problem recurred, but he was able to persevere and compete at Spruce Meadows in the Sept. 7 $5 million (Canadian) grand prix, part of the Rolex Grand Slam. However, on Sept. 11, an operation was required.
“I consulted many specialists worldwide, and they all came to the same conclusion: there were no alternatives to surgery.
“I asked my entire team, both at the stables and those who take care of my health, to do everything possible so that I could participate in the Spruce Meadows Rolex Grand Slam, which I didn’t want to miss for anything,” Steve said.
“Thanks to them and my fantastic horses, we succeeded. It was amazing.”
Facing a long recovery that was passing slowly, he said, “I am eager to start my rehabilitation and look forward to riding my horses again and seeing all of you at competitions. In the meantime, a big thank you to everyone. It is a privilege to count on such a team, such horses, and your unconditional support.”
The affection is well-deserved He got a grateful kiss from her after a fault-free first round in the $200,000 Blue Diamond Cup Grand Prix. Then there was another heartfelt smooch after his victorious trip in the jump-off Saturday at Old Salem Farm.
“He’s a horse I really believed in from the second I sat on him as an eight-year-old,” she said of Origa V/H Zuid-Pajottenland. (Whatever happened to names like Big Ben and Gem Twist?)
The 11-year-old Belgian warmblood gelding was out for a year after fracturing a hip in a freak accident when he slipped at home, so Adrienne had a bit of a hiatus in her big time competition results until he won a 5-star a month ago in Ottawa.
“I’m so emotionally proud of him, how he’s come back. I’ve always said it was one of the best feelings I’ve ever had on a horse and to see him really get his time in the spotlight means a lot to me,” said Adrienne, a member of the U.S. gold medal team at the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games.
“Whenever you go through those ups and downs with a horse, it’s always an emotional journey and it’s so rewarding to be on the other side of it.”
The winner is by Thunder VD Zuuthoeve, who was the sire of McLain Ward’s FEI World Cup Finals-winning horse, HH Azur. Interestingly, also on Saturday, but in Traverse City, Mich., Karl Cook topped a Winning Round class with Kalinka van’t Zorgvliet, who claims the same sire. And she was doing only her second grand prix in 18 months because she fractured her hip in the spring of 2024. Talk about an odd coincidence!
Origa was previously ridden by Jonna Ekberg of Sweden, but came to Adrienne through her good friend Irish show jumper Bertram Allen.
“I was gnawing at him to let me come try him,” she recounted.
With the horse’s heritage, not surprisingly he has real character and ability, as exhibited in a five-horse jump-off after a field of 32 competitors from 14 countries was narrowed by the well-produced Blue Diamond Cup course from designers Alan Wade and Paul Jewell.
Adrienne’s major competition came from Marilyn Little on the fleet Mecklenberg mare, La Contessa, and Molly Ashe Cawley on Quimi del Maset, a Spanish gelding. But Adrienne enjoyed a benefit by going last, and she took advantage of it.
Molly set the pace in 40.50 seconds and then Marilyn, winner of Thursday’s Welcome Stake, quickly bettered the time to beat in 39.85 seconds.
Adrienne was faster between the first two fences than Marilyn, and made a great turn that brought her home in 39.11 seconds to take the 4-star crown. She attributed the win to her horse’s “stride and his bravery.”
She noted, “I really trusted my horse because he’s so game and has so much scope. I knew that if I did it right and gave him a good chance, he would fight for me.”
During her showing lull between August 2024 and January of this year, Adrienne focused on learning and benefited from polishing her skills with experts. Click on the video link to have her tell you who she worked with and what she did.
The weather in Westchester County, N.Y., was picture-perfect for the class; the rain didn’t start falling until the last notes of the Star-Spangled Banner following the presentation. Old Salem is a lovely setting for a show, and that is especially so in September. It feels special to be there with view of the the stable overlooking the ring and people watching from the grass hillside. The show is a must stop for Adrienne.
“It’s close to home for me. It was able to work well with my schedule. i can still pay attention to my horses at home and ride at home in the morning and sleep in my own bed in New York City. “That makes Old Salem a special place for me,” noted Adrienne, who has a farm in Greenwich, Conn., near Old Salem.
She fits in riding with a busy schedule that include a new blog, Show and Tell, which she started with her friends, Lucy Deslauriers and Alessandra Volpi, who also travel the show circuit and need to find places that will feed, exercise and soothe them.
“I almost annoyingly look for good coffee. I look for good restaurants, workout places, yoga is a big part of my not just fitness routine, but mental health. I find it really difficult when you’re in these random cities knowing where to go,” said Adrienne.
So the riders made it a project.
“We said,`Why not do it together? We have a lot of big ideas for our little blog and we’re very excited to see what we can do with it. We want to share all the great places we get to go and learn along the way. And it’s so fun to do it with friends.”
