New York City—Sept. 26
Jennifer Alfano brought Miss Lucy to the $50,000 Duchossois Cup at the Rolex Central Park Horse Show because she knew the mare could handle the atmosphere. Once she saw the crowd in the stands and the fences for the class, with the course designed by Bobby Murphy and featuring large brush, graffiti painted fences and other beautiful, unusual jumps, she was doubly glad.
“She thrives in places like this, and she sort of walked in and looked around and went ‘cool, all these people came to see me,’ ” said Alfano. “You can jump her in any ring, any jump, and I knew this wouldn’t bother her. She’s fearless.”
Alfano and Helen Lenahan’s Miss Lucy earned a score of 88 from the judging panel of Jimmy Torano and Ralph Caristo in their first round, so they returned for the second round in first place. Their second trip earned them a 90, placing them first on 178. Scott Stewart David Gochman’s Empire into second (172) and Maggie Jayne was third on All Wrapped Up (169).
“I thought Bobby did a really good job,” said Stewart. “All the horses jumped really well. This morning was a little unnerving because the horses weren’t used to it in there, but by the time they schooled and came back, you had some good rounds.”
The class this year was the brainchild of Becky Gochman, whose family sponsored it this year, and International Equestrian Group CEO Mark Bellissimo. It was the first year for the hunters in the Wollman Rink.
“On Thursday of last year, I was walking around, and I ran into Becky, who I’d known from [the Winter Equestrian Festival in Florida], but I didn’t know her very well,” said Bellissimo. “She stopped me and said, ‘We have to bring hunters to New York City.’ We engaged in this dialogue at WEF and then at her farm, and she showed some great passion. Without her support, it would have been hard for us to do this. This is a great opportunity to elevate equestrian sport.”
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Giavanna Rinaldi rode Kelly Bauernschmidt’s Taken into first in the $2,500 Junior/Amateur-Owner Hunter Classic on a score of 87. Nine pairs contested the class, and Stephanie Danhakl was second on her Enough Said.
“He’s done a lot of derbies over the summer, so he’s used to the big ring and crowd and big, scary jumps,” Rinaldi said. “He handled it well, and he was really good in there.”
Sophie Gochman and Betsee Parker’s Bit Of Love’s score of 83 in the $1,000 small/medium pony hunter freestyle boosted the pair to first. Gochman’s sister, Mimi Gochman, was second on Parker’s Love Me Tender with 82.
“It’s amazing riding here, with the towers around you and such a big crowd, I loved it,” said Sophie.
Riders in this class could choose their own music, and Sophie selected Lorde’s “Royals” as a calming song for her pony. But the announcers mistakenly played a different song.
“I’d never heard that song before, and I was a bit confused going around the ring. But I guess it still worked!” she said.
