Press release from Old Salem Farm

After representing Brazil at his eighth Olympic Games in Paris this summer, Rodrigo Pessoa claimed several podium finishes at the 2024 Old Salem Farm Summer Jumper Classic, including Saturday’s featured event, the $65,000 Old Salem Farm CSI2* Grand Prix. He and Corrie 9 (Comme Il Faut x Arpeggio) blazed to victory with a double-clear score of 35.88 seconds. 

One of the premier stops on the American hunter-jumper horse show circuit, Old Salem Farm debuted its new Summer Jumper Classic CSI2* at its beautiful North Salem facility August 21-24. Old Salem will also add to its world-class schedule with a new CSI4*/2* and CSI3* during its September Horse Shows. 

Forty-six entries representing 13 countries vied for top honors over Oscar Soberon’s 16-effort, 1.45m course in Saturday’s $65,000 Old Salem Farm CSI2* Grand Prix, with 17 advancing to the jump-off. Pessoa and Artemis Equestrian Farm LLC’s 9-year-old Westphalian mare laid down a quick, efficient track in both rounds, ultimately securing the win with their jump-off time of 35.88 seconds. 

“It was wonderful to compete today,” Pessoa said. “This mare is very talented. She was third last week in a grand prix in Canada, and just the other day she was third here. She was due for a good win, and it was the right moment for her. She’s an incredible jumper. I took a few chances in the jump-off, and it paid off."

“I think it’s great to have an FEI 2* here,” Pessoa said. “I really appreciate Old Salem Farm for putting up shows like this because we also need smaller FEI shows to develop our younger horses. This show is very valuable, and we were all happy to compete in these conditions. The weather and the footing were great, and Old Salem is really good at hosting these kinds of shows. We’ll have a week off now before heading to Calgary for the (Spruce Meadows) Masters, and then we’ll be back here for the Old Salem Farm 4* and 3*. We hope to see everybody here for the fall tour.” 

Two Americans rounded out the podium with Alexandra Worthington and Adrienne Sternlicht finishing in second and third place, respectively. Worthington piloted De L’oiseliere (Kapitol d'Argonne x Oberon du Moulin), an 11-year-old Selle Français gelding owned by Turn A Blind Eye LLC, through the timers in 36.23 seconds. Sternlicht and Starlight Farms 1 LLC’s 9-year-old Oldenburg mare Cayetana (Casallco x Cornet Obolensky) stopped the clock in 36.63 seconds.