Alex Matz became just the sixth rider to sweep both Lake Placid Grand Prix events in the same year when he rode Davidson to victory in the $100,000 Great American Insurance Group Grand Prix presented by Alliant Private Client at the I Love New York Horse Show, the second of two weeks of the 2021 Lake Placid Horse Shows, Sponsored by Bainbridge Farms, LLC and Presented by Sea Shore Stables, LLC.
One of the premier stops on the nation’s hunter-jumper horse show circuit, the 2021 Lake Placid Horse Shows, June 29-July 11, feature more than 100 classes of competition each week awarding more than $600,000 in prize money.
Six of 30 entries reached the jump-off by riding clean over the 16-jump, first-round course designed by Ken Krome. Carly Anthony was first to return for the eight-jump tiebreaker course and she set the mark to beat with another clean ride and a time of 42.269 seconds on Jet Blue, owned by Portfolio Horses LLC. Each of the next four entries had faults leaving it up to Matz, the last to go.
Matz, 24, who won his first career Grand Prix last Sunday on Cashew CR, blazed over the course fault-free on Davidson, owned by 5 Star Partners, and finished in the jump-off’s fastest time of 38.320 seconds to join Leslie Burr Howard, Debbie Dolan-Sweeney, Margie Engle, Jeffery Welles and Darragh Kenny as the only riders to sweep Lake Placid’s two Grand Prix events in the same year.
“My horse was at his best today, he was just phenomenal,” said Matz, son of Show Jumping Hall of Famer Michael Matz and D.D. Matz, winner of multiple championships at Lake Placid. “He did everything I asked of him, especially when I called on him and needed him so it’s a real tribute to him. It was a great two weeks here and I really look forward to coming back.”
Matz also finished fourth with a four-fault ride in 40.750 seconds on Flash with third going to McLain Ward, competing in his final event before going to Tokyo for his fifth consecutive Olympic Games. Ward finished the jump-off with four faults and a time of 38.602 seconds on Blossom Z.
Following the Grand Prix, Matz was presented the Richard & Diana Feldman Perpetual Trophy for Excellence for the best combined finishes in Lake Placid’s two Grand Prix events.
Earlier on Saturday, Laura Chapot rode Calafornia to the win in the $20,000 Deeridge Farms 1.40m Jumper Stake while also placing third on Gideon. Christian Coyle took second on Locato Van Het Kapelhof.
Zayna Rizvi rode to victory in the $10,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic for the second straight week. Rizvi won the class on Quivive SZ and also placed third on Chaplin W with second place going to Eva Fisherman on Contara 15. Rizvi finished as champion of the division on Quivive SZ and as Reserve on Chaplin W. She was among the horse show champions honored before the Grand Prix in The Clothes Horse Parade of Champions.
Show jumping’s two-week stay in the Adirondacks concludes Sunday with the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby presented by Eastern Hay & Purina Animal Nutrition, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines Adult Jumper Classic, The Wild Center Low Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic, MMG Modified Children’s Adult Hunter Classic and other Hunter & Jumper Classes.
Further information on the Lake Placid Horse Shows is available at www.lakeplacidhorseshows.com.
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