Press release from Old Salem Farm, edited by World of Showjumping

U.S. Olympic team silver medalist Jessica Springsteen raced to the top of the leaderboard in Saturday’s $32,000 FEI 1.45m Time First Round presented by The Kincade Group/UBS Financial Services, piloting Naomi Van Het Keizershof (Cardento x For Pleasure) to a blistering winning round in 63.32 seconds. 

The Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows, one of the premier stops on the nation’s hunter-jumper horse show circuit, offers a full schedule of USEF and FEI events, May 5-10 and May 12-17. The Spring Horse Shows host competitions for riders of all levels and ages, ranging from young children on ponies to Olympic veterans, such as local hero McLain Ward (USA), Daniel Bluman (ISR), Nayel Nassar (EGY) and Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA), aboard their grand prix mounts. Week 1 (May 5-10) is USEF ‘National-6’ rated for hunters and jumpers and designated FEI CSI3*; Week 2 (May 12-17) is USEF ‘Premier-6’ rated and designated FEI CSI4*. 

Pathfinder Philip McGuane (IRL) was the first of 28 entries representing six countries to tackle Alan Wade’s 16-effort course in the $32,000 FEI 1.45m Time First Round; he and Evergate Stables LLC’s 14-year-old BE/SIES gelding Donvier (Don VHP Z N.O.P. x Andiamo) set the bar high when they stopped the clock in 66.20 seconds. As the class went on, other horse-and-rider combinations proved that the time was catchable, but none of them went without fault until Springsteen and Naomi entered the ring. 

“I think she’s just so naturally fast, especially in the air,” Springsteen said of Stone Hill Farm’s 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare. “She can really cut in on the turns like that. I was able to really stick to my plan to shave off time in those turns, and she just went so naturally quick around the course. She’s great. She’s really competitive, and she’s super fun to ride.

“Tomorrow, I’m doing Cayman De Poteau Z (Cayado x Casall) in the Grand Prix,” she added. “He’s been feeling great, so I’m thrilled about that. Then next week, I’ll come back and do Naomi in these speed classes again, which I’m very excited about. I have a lot of horses here, so it’s been really fun to be back and bring them up again after Florida. They had a nice break leading into this event, and it’s been great to get going again in a ring like this.” 

McGuane and Donvier ultimately dropped to fourth place after both Steven Bluman (ISR) and Brianne Goutal-Marteau (USA) put in speedy, clear rounds. Goutal-Marteau closed the class with a second-place finish in 65.23 seconds aboard S & L Marlon VD Heffinck (Desir du Chateau x Diabeadu van de Heffinck), S & L Farms’ 14-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion. Bluman piloted Blue Star Investments’ 9-year-old Westphalian mare Chice Lotti M (Chacoon Blue x Calido I) into third with a 65.71-second time.