Home   Share this page on Facebook

Charlie Jacobs of Weston, MA rode Secret Love to victory in the $75,000 Hermes Grandprix CSI 2* to culminate the 32nd Annual I Love New York Horse Show.

Delayed one day because of Saturday's rains, the featured event of show jumping's two-week stay in Lake Placid saw 29 horse-and-rider combinations from six countries try to master 16-jump first-round course at the North Elba Showgrounds designed by Show Jumping Hall of Famer Conrad Homfeld. None succeeded in completing the course without penalty until Jacobs, the penultimate entry, took the course on his 14-year-old Belgian Warmblood. Jacobs, President of the National Hockey League's Boston Bruins, then claimed the win with the day's only penalty-free ride.

"I feel very lucky to have won this class," said Jacobs, 37, a part-time, amateur rider. "I came here this morning just hoping to have a good day and have some fun. To beat this field with so many top riders is really more than I hoped for.

"I just got Secret Love about three months ago and I only rode him in one amateur class before coming here to Lake Placid. It went well so I thought I'd give it a try in the open division when we got here. I really couldn't be happier with how it worked out."

Jacobs's brother, Lou, placed second as the fastest of the nine entries who finished with four faults. Also riding late in the class (25th), Lou Jacobs, 45, of East Aurora, NY, appeared on target for the day's first clear round on Kachina, but his 11-year-old Selle Francais lowered the front end of an oxer (spread fence) at the final jump on course for four faults.

The second-place finish by the older Jacobs earned him the Richard and Diana Feldman Perpetual Challenge Trophy for Excellence given to the rider with the best overall finish in Lake Placid's two Grandprix events. Prior to his second-place finish in the Hermes Grandprix, Lou was third in the first week's $75,000 RV Sales of Broward Grandprix of Lake Placid CSI 2*.

The win by Charlie Jacobs marked the first time that the I Love New York Horse Show's Grandprix was won without a tiebreaking jump-off since three-time Olympic medalist Joe Fargis of Southampton, NY turned the trick on Cor d'Alme Z in 1993. It also marked a sweep of Lake Placid's two Grandprix this year for trainer Max Amaya who earned victory when Brianne Goutal of New York, NY rode Ralvesther to the win in the first week's $75,000 RV Sales of Broward Grandprix of Lake Placid

Also on the concluding day of the I Love New York Horse Show, Spencer Smith rode Markies to the win in the Paradysz Farm WIHS Children's Jumper Classic (for riders 14 & under) and Natalie Crane rode Matilde Line to the win in the Paradysz Farm WIHS Children's Jumper Classic (for riders 15-17); Grace Rogers and Denmark won The Levy Family Low Junior Jumper Classic; and Francesca Bolfo and Venus TR won the Y106.3 Low Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic; Alexandra Arute won the Kathy Scholl Equitation Championship; Jaime Auletto and Candido Z won the EquiFit WIHS Adult Jumper Classic (riders 18-40); and Patricia Hennessy and Little Tom won the EquiFit WIHS Adult Jumper Classic (riders over 40); Katherine Strauss rode Sassafras Creek to the win in the Clifton Park Rental Center Pony Hunter Classic. The closing day of the horse show also featured a full line-up of Sand Castle Farm Short Stirrup Classes.