Wayne, IL – June 20, 2010 – For the second week in a row Lisa Goldman, of Hawthorn Woods, IL, earned the top prize in the $10,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame (SJHOF) High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic at the Showplace Spring Spectacular Horse Show Series. Showing at the Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, IL, Goldman topped the class for the second week riding Morocco, and also finished in second place riding Centurion B. Goldman then had the opportunity to watch her horse Fontaine jump to victory in the $7,500 Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic with rider Nora Laue. Also included in Sunday’s competition was the $4,000 NAL Children’s Jumper Classic, won by Barbara Ruzizka and Rebound, as well as the $4,000 NAL Adult Jumper Classic, won by Alissa Kinsey and Grisset.
Jumper courses for the Showplace Spring Spectacular II were designed by Ken Krome of Westminster, MD. Krome set a challenging track for the junior/amateur riders this afternoon as they completed their final day of competition. The $10,000 SJHOF High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic was generously sponsored by Taylor-Harris Insurance Services, Ltd.
A total of 30 competitors showed over the first round course in the high division and just seven were able to go clear. Lisa Goldman and Morocco had the first clear of the class and were therefore the first to return for the jump-off. The pair put down a blazing fast time of 32.816 seconds over the shortened course and, try as they might, none of the six competitors that followed were able to top it.
Goldman returned with her second mount, Centurion B, and jumped double clear in 33.251 seconds to also claim the second place prize. Caitie Hope had an impressive round riding Total Touch through the timers in 34.883 seconds, but was not quite fast enough to catch the leader, and earned third place. Jessica Miltz and Sintra jumped clear in 35.434 seconds to receive fourth place honors, and Greer Hindle and Viper P finished in 37.252 seconds for a fifth place award. Catherine Tyree and Triton finished in sixth with the fastest four fault jump-off round in 37.676 seconds.
Class winner Morocco is a seven-year-old gelding by RocUSA. Morocco won the Six-Year-Old Young Jumper championship in Kentucky last year and Goldman has been showing him in the High Amateur-Owner Jumpers and Welcome Stake classes this year.
“The class today was a lot of fun,” Goldman said after her win. “Both of my horses were perfect and I could not be happier with them. I love the prize money that they offer for the junior and amateur divisions at this show and it is always nice to pay back the expenses with a win. I love Pat (Boyle) and everybody here, and I want to say thank you to all of the sponsors.”
Goldman had two very different rides with Morocco and Centurion B in the class and had to adjust her strategy throughout the course accordingly. “Morocco was not quite paying attention at the beginning of the course and for the first four jumps I was like ‘hello?’ Goldman laughed. “He was just playing around and not really looking for the jumps, so it started a little rough, but then he got back into the game and he was perfect. With Centurion B I knew that 11(ab) was going to be a really tight one, so with him I got in real slow and just let him figure it out.”
“In the jump-off with Morocco I had a little rub on the wall, but then we were so fast around the corner. I have never felt him jump a better jump than he did off of the short turn back,” Goldman continued. “Centurion B ended up doing five strides down the first line. His stride is so big and anything I ask him to do he will do, so I landed and tried to move up for the six, but then the five was there.”
Goldman added, “Both of my horses were great today and I am very happy with how the class went. We have had a great time at this show and I am looking forward to competing in the Showplace Challenge Cup with my two boys next week.”
Goldman got an additional bonus today when her horse Fontaine when the $7,500 Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic with rider Nora Laue earlier in the afternoon. The class was generously sponsored by Turtle Rock Farm, and an impressive 52 entries showed over the first round course in pursuit of the excellent prize money and coveted trophy, tricolor ribbon and cooler that were presented to the winner.
Ten entries jumped clear in the first round, and just four were able to jump double clear. Sixteen-year-old Nora Laue had two of those double clear rounds to finish the class in first and fourth place. Laue, of Wilmette, IL, rides with trainer Mary Goldman and earned the biggest win of her junior career today as she raced to the fastest jump-off round aboard Fontaine. The pair was the last to compete over the shortened course, and their time of 32.798 seconds jumped to the top of the class.
Amy Lefferdink was a close second with her time of 33.144 seconds aboard Aristide 7. Hayley Waters and French Kiss were just a second slower in 34.151 seconds to earn third place, and Laue returned riding Colonius through the timers in 36.931 seconds to also receive the fourth place prize. Alexandra Morefield and Sugar Magnolia completed the fastest jump-off round in 31.140 seconds, but had one rail down to end up in fifth place.
“I am riding Fontaine for Lisa Goldman and she is a really cool mare,” Laue said after her win. “When you are at home everything is terrifying to her, but when you get to the show she is just on it all of the time. I have only been riding her for about five months, but it has been great.”
“I thought the course was great today,” Laue continued. “The last classic we had was very technical and I messed up on the last jump. It was just a stupid rider error and I was so upset that I did that, so this time I was just so glad that I went double clean, and winning the class was an added bonus. I have not gone clean in two weeks, and today went really well.”
Laue also competes in the equitation divisions and is hoping to place in the top of the Showplace Leading Rider Series this fall. “I am going for the leading rider award, but not as much as just getting to know my horses and doing well,” she stated. “This is my first year competing at four-foot and my horse Cole is only seven. This is his first year at four-foot too, so I am just trying to get better; I really want to move up soon.”
Laue has been competing at Lamplight since she was eight years old and added, “This is a great venue; it is big and open. I love the grand prix ring and the new footing is fabulous.”
In addition to the junior/amateur classes this afternoon, the Grand Prix Ring also hosted the $4,000 NAL Children’s and Adult Jumper Classics in the morning. The $4,000 NAL Adult Jumper Classic was generously sponsored by The Ross Family and Midwest Neurosurgery and Spine Specialists, who presented Alissa Kinsey and Grisset with the top award. The $4,000 NAL Children’s Jumper Classic saw a winning round from Barbara Ruzizka and Rebound.
Today’s classes concluded the second week of competition for the 2010 Showplace Spring Spectacular Horse Show Series. The Showplace Spring Spectacular III will begin tomorrow with the start of the exciting $100,000 Showplace Challenge Cup competition. The additional third week of competition will feature a unique new world cup format, multi-phase event to be held Monday June 21 through Wednesday, June 23. The complete hunter/jumper schedule will run through June 25. For more information on Showplace Productions and the 2010 Showplace Spring Spectacular Horse Show, please visit www.showplaceproductions.com.
