The second day of the 2017 Rolex Central Park Horse Show (RCPHS) featured international and national showjumping competition, showcasing top equestrians from around the world on Thursday, September 21, in the heart of New York City's Wollman Rink. 

The evening was presented by CSX, highlighting the $40,000 U.S. Open CSX FEI Speed Class, which saw a win for Hardin Towell (USA) and Lucifer V, as they opened elite showjumping competition for the week. 

Guilherme Jorge (BRA), course designer of the 2016 Rolex Central Park Horse Show and 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, returns to Wollman Rink as the showjumping course designer for this week's national and international competition. The U.S. Open $40,000 CSX FEI Speed Class saw 30 horse and rider combinations take to Wollman Rink for their first night of competition, including some of the world's very best, highlighting rounds by Kent Farrington (USA), and McLain Ward (USA), alongside rising talent Lucy Deslauriers (USA), who finished in a competitive fifth place.

The winner of the U.S. Open $40,000 CSX FEI Speed Class, Hardin Towell (USA), guided Evergate Stables' Lucifer V, a 2006 Westphalian gelding (Lord Pezi x Grandina), improving upon the pair's third place finish last year and crossing through the timers in 53.53 seconds. Towell was the last entry on course and ultimately overtook Daniel Bluman (ISR) aboard Bacara D'Archonfosse, a 2007 Belgian Warmblood mare (Asca Z x Queen D'Archonfosse) owned by Kim Douglas and Alexa Schwitzer, who stopped the clocks in 55.75 seconds. Kristen Vanderveen (USA) and Bull Run's Faustino De Tili, a 2005 Belgian Warmblood stallion (Berlin x Bijous Van De Vijfheide) owned by Bull Run Jumpers Five LLC, rounded out the competition in third place, finishing in 55.98, adding four faults to their converted time.

"I felt the course was nice. It had a twisty turning start, but it wasn't so big and my horse has been jumping big classes all year," he said. "Tonight was a very competitive class, but I had a lot of confidence in my horse, so I took some shots and it was fantastic. I felt he was pretty quick to the second to last jump, and I thought my turns were nice. Last week at Gold Cup I only got third, but I didn't trust my horse or myself through the first line and in the second line I had the third jump down. I would've ended up third even if I'd gone clean, so today I decided to believe in my horse. I felt fast today and I knew it was quite good."

Source: Press release from Central Park Horse Show News // Picture © Sportfot