North Salem, New York, USA – May 12, 2022 – With a star-studded field of competitors in the $37,000 Two-Phase Challenge CSI 3* at the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows on Thursday, the last thing anyone expected was to have the fastest riders tie for top honors. Going early in the class, five-time Olympian McLain Ward (USA) set a tough time to beat at 24.180 seconds, one that only Grace Debney (GBR) was able to match.
Sixty-five horse-and-rider combinations representing ten countries tackled the 15-effort, 1.45m course designed by Ireland’s Alan Wade (IRL), with 20 putting in double-clear rounds in the new Old Salem Farm International Arena. Ward (USA) was fifth in the order with Marilla Van Beuren’s 13-year-old Westphalian gelding Catoki, blazing to what seemed to be an unbeatable time of 24.180 seconds as the class went on.
“Catoki went great,” Ward (USA) said. “He’s kind of a speed specialist, but unfortunately, so is Grace’s mare. I thought we had a great round. Catoki did everything that I planned, so I was really thrilled with him and thought our time had a good chance to hold up. But when you go that early and there are 60 riders behind you, it becomes a very competitive division.”
Final Results – $37,000 Two-Phase Challenge CSI 3*
1) McLain Ward (USA) & Catoki – 24.180
1) Grace Debney (GBR) & Bahome de La Roque – 24.180
3) Mark Bluman (COL) & Noortje VD Windheuvel – 0 / 0 – 24.670
Source: Press Release by Marty Bauman for Old Salem Farm
Photos: © Randolph PR
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