Sam Walker completed an incredible weekend, winning two major classes on the final day of the Lake Placid Horse Show after winning the $7,500 Chevrolet Low Junior Jumper Classic one day earlier. Walker, the 2018 ASPCA Maclay National Champion, won the Kathy Scholl Equitation Classic presented by Kate Levy & Family for the second consecutive year.
Walker topped a field of 17 finalists who qualified to compete in the Classic with top performances in equitation over the two weeks of the Lake Placid Horse Shows. The Classic is open to first and second place ribbon winners of the Dover USEF Hunter Seat Medal, ASPCA/NHSAA Maclay, Platinum Performance USEF Show Jumping Talent Search, National PHA and WIHS Equitation Classes. Placing second to Walker was James Faloni with third going to Ava Stearns.
Walker then topped a field of 34 horses with two fault-free rides and the fastest jump-off time of 34.663 seconds on Gidora S in the $10,000 Crowne Plaza Resort & Golf Club Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic, a member event of the Hollow Brook Wealth Management Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series. Placing second was Yasmin Rizvi who had a clean jump-off ride in 35.268 seconds on Dasino with third going to Samantha Kasowitz who was clean in 35.295 seconds on Charlie.
“This mare is owned by Danielle Torano and she is amazing,” said Walker. “This was my first time ever riding her. In the jump-off, I rode her really fast to the two oxers, the one in the middle and the one on the outside, and I think that’s where I saved the time that gave us the win.
“In the Kathy Scholl, I just tried to turn in as smooth a ride as I could in the first round and then hold it together in the second round and hope the judges liked it.”
The final day’s action also saw a win by Brianne Link in the $7,500 Taylor Rental & New Holland Low Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic. Link topped a field of 35 horses by riding Wednesday Mornin to two clean rides and a jump-off time of 23.860 seconds. Flora Manship placed second on Endgame with a jump-off time of 25.082 seconds. Kendra Gierkink placed third and fourth on Crack Uno and Zemilion with Link adding a fifth-place finish on Cortina 186.
Set against the backdrop of the stunning Adirondack Mountains, the 2019 Lake Placid Horse Shows, held at the North Elba Showgrounds, celebrated 50 years of show jumping in Lake Placid. They are considered by many as, “The Best Two Weeks of a Horseman’s Summer.” The US Equestrian Federation (USEF) has designated the Lake Placid Horse Shows as a “USEF Heritage Competition,” an honor reserved for an elite group of exceptional shows. Offering $560,000 prize money, the two Lake Placid Horse Shows are USEF Premier rated for hunters and 6* rated for Jumpers.
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