Lucy Deslauries and Hester. PC: The Book LLC
On any given day, a horse and rider with enough scope and enough stride can come in the ring and have their day. For Lucy Deslauriers, having that day against Beezie Madden — on the same turf where just a few years before Lucy and Hester were first dipping their toe in the low juniors — was nothing short of surreal.
Lucy and Hester had a jump-off nearly half a second faster than Beezie and Breitling LS to win the $86,000 American Gold Cup Qualifier Presented by Windsor Stables Friday afternoon, also topping the likes of Adrienne Sternlicht, Charlie Jacobs, and her own dad, Mario Deslauriers in the jump-off.
“It’s incredible – to beat Beezie [Madden] out of the jump-off – I don’t know how to put it into words. She’s someone I’ve watched since I was very little and even watching her in the first round I was in awe. To compete against her in the jump-off and my father and the other young riders, it was extremely competitive and I’m really happy. Sunday is going to be a lot bigger and more careful so it’s going to be a new day. I just have to hope my horse is going well.”
Lucy Deslauriers and Hester Win the $86,000 American Gold Cup…
Watch Lucy Deslauriers and Hester's winning jump-off round in the $86,000 American Gold Cup Qualifier CSI4*-W, presented by Windsor Show Stables! Video by Shownet#americangoldcup #feiworldcup #longinges #ridetoparis #agc #westchester
Doing well Sunday will also put Lucy and the other hopeful top finishers in position to qualify for the FEI World Cup Finals in Paris next spring via the North American eastern sub-league. It’s a competitive zone, and riders will emerge on Sunday who might have been just looking to qualify their horses today.
Such is the case for Breitling LS, who Beezie says has really come into his own this year in finding those precious clear rounds. He’ll get a light hack tomorrow and come in fresh for Sunday.
Beezie Madden and Breitling LS. PC:Phelps Media
He felt super out there today,” said Beezie after their performance. “He went beautifully the first round and then in the jump-off I just tried to gallop and let him jump. We could have been faster to the last if I was really on the attack but I just wanted to keep his shape and let him jump out of the gallop and have a nice time in there in the jump-off. I was really happy with him.”
Adrienne Sternlicht and Toulago. PC: Phelps Media
Adrienne Sternlicht and Toulago weren’t far off from the action, coming in just .2 behind Beezie, and about a second ahead of Lucy’s father, Mario on his young mount Bardolina.
Mario Deslauriers and Bardolina. PC: Phelps Media
“My dad is actually on a younger horse,” explained Lucy diplomatically when about beating her dad in the jump-off. “He’s only 8 years old so I knew he might not have gone as fast as he would have if he was on a more experienced mount, but when he got in there he was decently fast and the horse was jumping really well.”
Ali Wolff and Casall Jump-off. PC: Phelps Media
Ali Wolff and Casall rounded out the top five, securing their spot in Sunday’s final.
The American Gold Cup’s Grand Prix Field picks back up with competition on Saturday, Sept. 16, starting at 8 a.m. and features an array of jumper classics, including the $35,000 Hermès Sellier Classic and the $86,000 Fidelity Investments® Classic CSI4* as well as the Region 1 and 2 ASPCA/NHSAA Maclay Championships. The week culminates with the $216,000 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping New York CSI4*-W.
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Lucy Deslauriers and Hester. PC: Phelps Media