Swiss equestrian Beat Mändli took the $130,000 Empire State Grand Prix Sunday as the Spring Horse Shows at Old Salem Farm in North Salem came to a close.
It had been a challenging two weeks for amateur and professional riders alike in all classes as the rain wreaked havoc with the grass course. Though it looked immaculate, some of the riders were understandably unwilling to risk injury to their steeds and themselves. And so Sunday’s jumper event – in which speed and accuracy were both key — was held in the outdoor dirt ring that is usually reserved for practice.
There Mändli turned in a daring performance aboard Simba, maneurvering the bay gelding over the tricky course as if he were a Ferrari. Mändli had to deliver a bold performance to “beat” the impeccable two-time Olympic gold medalist McLain Ward of Brewster, who finished second in the jump-off aboard his gray mare Clinta, and Brianne Goutal-Marteau, who finished third on her bay mare Viva Colombia.
Goutal-Marteau was the 2013 winner of the American Gold Cup, which returns to Old Salem Farm Sept. 26 through 30.
In the meantime, get ready for the new Old Salem Farm Summer Jumper Classic Aug. 23 through 26.
For more visit oldsalemfarm.net.
