Pieter Clemens Scores Stylish Win in Sam Edelman 1.50m
Pieter Clemens put his best foot forward to win Saturday evening’s Masters One Sam Edelman 1.50m. The list of riders who moved forward to the 10-horse jump-off read like a who’s who of international show jumping but the 25-year-old Belgian was undeterred, taking a daring inside turn to solidify his position among the best of the best.
Pieter Clemens and Caldero. Photo by Sportfot for EEM
First to go in the jump-off, Great Britain’s Amanda Derbyshire immediately went to the top of the leaderboard and stayed there with a time of 35.05 seconds riding Luibanta BH. Rider after rider attempted to better her time to no avail until the final competitor entered the ring. Clemens was all business aboard Caldero, and his daring turn had the crowd gasping before he thundered through the timers in 34.82 seconds to take the win.
Demonstrating the camaraderie within the international show jumping community, the inside turn that would prove to be the key to his victory was suggested by John Madden, husband of two-time U.S. Olympic team gold medalist Beezie Madden.
“I didn’t plan to do it but John Madden came to me just before I was about to go in and told me to take a look, he thought it was possible to go inside there,” explained Clemens, who has worked for 2006 World Champion Jos Lansink for the past four years. “So, I went to take a look and it worked!”
Clemens will certainly have fond memories of his first trip to America!
Italian Horse Power Prevails in Lamborghini Masters Power Six Bar
Italian Olympian Emanuele Gaudiano showed the crowd what it takes to clear a height of 2.01 meters and win the Lamborghini Masters Power Six Bar competition on Saturday afternoon. As the fences rose with each round so did the excitement level in the NYCB LIVE coliseum. As riders attempted to jump ever increasing fence heights, one by one they fell by the wayside until there was only one man left standing.
“This horse has a lot of scope so he was a good choice for this class,” said Gaudiano of Chalou, a 10-year-old Oldenburg stallion owned by Equita Kft that will also be his mount for Sunday’s grand finale, the Longines Masters of New York Grand Prix. “He was very powerful because I gave him a nice long break before the show. He has had one month of relaxing and doing flat work.
Emanuele Guadiano and Chalou. Photo by Sportfot for EEM
“It’s a very nice class for the crowd, they really enjoy it,” continued Gaudiano, 32, who earned a €10,000 bonus for successfully jumping higher than two meters. “I had a lot of fun because my horse jumped great!”
Kristen Vanderveen (USA) and Bull’s Run Almighty had left all the rails in place but elected to withdraw from the fifth and final round, automatically putting them into second place. American Jennifer Gates riding Pumped Up Kicks and Swiss ace Pius Schwizer aboard Ulane Belmaniere both faulted in the fourth round to tie for third place.
Young Talent Showcased in Masters Two Lami-Cell U25 1.45m
Riders looking to make the leap into the grand prix ranks found the perfect stepping stone at the Longines Masters of New York. The Masters Two Lami-Cell U25, open to competitors aged 25 and under, showcased the talent of tomorrow.
California’s Natalie Dean prevailed in a five-horse jump-off by posting the only clear round to take the win aboard Don’s Diamant, an 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion. Coco Fath (USA), 18, riding Exotik Sitte and Canada’s Dannie Murphy,19, riding Isabeau de Laubry both incurred four faults in the jump-off with Fath’s time of 34.30 seconds giving her the edge over Murphy, whose time was 34.79 seconds.
Natalie Dean and Don’s Diamant. Photo by Sportfot for EEM
“I think it’s really nice for us to have the U25 division where we are not always competing against the pros that have had longer experience,” said Dean, 20, of Palo Alto, California. “I think it helps us to have something to aim for during the week, and it’s a really special class.”
Dean is making her Longines Masters debut and noted, “It’s amazing to win here! It’s such a special show. I think the horses really like this facility and they all seem to be really relaxed. The organizers make all of the presentations really special, right from the 1.15m division to the five-star events. It’s definitely one of my favorite shows!”
Lady Like Moment in Stud For Life 1.40m
Cara Raether Carey (USA) raced to the win with Lady Like 46 in the Masters Two Stud For Life 1.40m to kick off international show jumping competition on Saturday, April 27, at the Longines Masters of New York taking place at NYCB Live. Based in nearby Bedford, NY, Raether Carey had the support of the home crowd as she galloped home in a time of 23.15 seconds with her 10-year-old Westphalian mare.
Winner Cara Raether Carey, second-place rider Katie Dinan, and third-place finisher Christian Coyle are joined by Fernanda Ameeuw of EEM on the podium. Photo by Sportfot for EEM
“It was a fast class!” said Raether Carey, 39, who noted her appreciation for having a top-caliber international show jumping competition so close to home. “I think I got good turns, especially to the last jump. There weren’t a lot of places to make up time, but she’s got a big stride and that helped me to cover the ground easily. I saw Katie coming up and thought, ‘Oh no, she’s going to beat me!’”
It was an anxious moment for Raether Carey as Katie Dinan of the USA looked on the pace to overtake the lead. In the end, Dinan came close but not close enough, stopping the clock in 23.26 seconds to finish runner-up with Ulpi N de Brekka. Ireland’s Christian Coyle finished less than half a second off the winning time, guiding Dolman home in 23.59 seconds to take third place.
Crystal Clear Victory for Sima Morgello in Baccarat 1.15m
New York’s own Sima Morgello made her second trip to the winner’s circle at the 2019 Longines Masters of New York. Having opened the show on Thursday with a win in the Masters Two EEM.TV 1.15m, Morgello and her partner of eight years, Zopala, reigned victorious in Saturday’s Masters Two Baccarat 1.15m.
Sima Morgello. Photo by Sportfot for EEM
A total of 13 horse and rider combinations jumped clear over the opening track set by German course designer Frank Rothenberger to advance to the jump-off. Nine again posted clear rounds making time the deciding factor. Morgello was the fastest of the fast, stopping the clock in 29.07 to claim victory over Sandra Zimmerli (USA) whose time of 29.23 left her in second place riding Chardonay Haras des Barrages. Ariana Tucker (USA) riding Scarlet stopped the jump-off clock in 29.64 seconds to take third.
“I was a little nervous to come to this show because it’s so prestigious and I think that builds an element of pressure on a rider to want to do well,” said Morgello, 23. “It’s truly fantastic that my horse has given me these great rounds. I couldn’t be more pleased and happier to be here and have it gone this way.”
Madison Goetzmann Makes Her Move to Win Equo App Grand Prix
Madison Goetzmann of Skaneateles, NY, kept cool and calm under pressure to win the Masters Two Equo App Grand Prix 1.45m on Sunday at the Longines Masters of New York. From the original 26-horse starting field, exactly half managed to jump clear over the track set by course designer Frank Rothenberger and advance to the jump-off. Despite being 18 years of age, Goetzmann showed composure beyond her years to deliver the winning round in a time of 32.82 seconds riding Prestigious, her 12-year-old Westphalian gelding.
Madison Goetzmann and Prestigious. Photo by Sportfot for EEM
“He was incredible!” said Goetzmann of her partner of two years. “He has really been on top form. He hasn’t touched one rail all week. I think that’s one of the faster jump-offs I’ve done on him; he was so game for every inside turn and all the leave-outs and I really couldn’t be happier with him.”
Ireland’s Jonathan Corrigan came the closest to catching her time but was still more than two full seconds off the winning pace, clocking in at 34.94 to finish runner-up riding Loughnavatta Indigo. Lindsay Douglass of Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, and Butterfly Tibri Z rounded out the top three with a time of 37.16 seconds.
Joanna Wolffer Tops Masters Two Top Jock Grand Prix
With 19 horses qualified for the jump-off, victory in Sunday’s Top Jock 1.25m was especially sweet for Joanne Wolffer of nearby Sag Harbor, NY, at the Longines Masters of New York. There was no doubt as to Wolffer’s supremacy; she held off the 18 other jump-off contenders by posting a winning time of 26.13 seconds to edge out New York’s Sima Morgello, who stopped the timers in 26.68 seconds to finish runner-up with Azur van Overis Z. Riding for Israel, Ariel Bluman took third place with a clear jump-off performance in 26.69 seconds aboard Euphoria.
Joanna Wolffer and Antonov. Photo by Sportfot for EEM
“I’ve had my horse since he was six and we’ve grown together,” said Wolffer of Antonov, her 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding. “We just connect, and I know that he loves me as much as I love him. When you have that type of partnership it can be incredible. He gives me the confidence to do it.”
It was Wolffer’s first time competing at the Longines Masters and to say she was impressed would be an understatement.
“This show makes you feel so special when you win; they make you feel so good with a victory gallop and a podium presentation,” said Wolffer, 37, whose Wolffer Estate wines were featured as part of the Longines Masters of New York hospitality. “As amateurs, we never get that and it’s really fun for us. It doesn’t feel like it’s just another show. It feels so special!”