Richie Moloney and Alsvid Sail to Victory in $35,000 Accumulator Costume Class at CP National Horse Show

Lexington, KY – October 30, 2015 – There was a fun-filled atmosphere at the CP National Horse Show on Friday night as athletes and residents alike got in the Halloween spirit. Local groups were invited out for “Barn Night” to watch the $35,000 Accumulator Costume Class, sponsored by Salamander Hotels and Resorts. Eight riders had a perfect score over the track and jumped the high point “joker” fence without error, but it was Ireland’s Richie Moloney dressed as Popeye on Alsvid that was two seconds faster to win the top prize.

“It’s great, and it’s a very good atmosphere here,” smiled Moloney after his victory. “It’s a fun class, and there’s good money too!”

Twenty-two horse and rider combinations tackled the Guilherme Jorge track with numbered fences 1-9. If they jumped an obstacle without error they would add that obstacle’s number to their point total, but if they lowered it, that number would be subtracted. At the end of the course, riders had the opportunity to jump a final fence worth 10 points, or the higher “joker” fence, which would add 20 points if jumped correctly, or subtract 20 points if knocked down.

Eight entries managed to clear all the fences on course and the joker fence for a total of 65 points, and they were separated by their time over the track. Belgium’s Nicola Philippaerts, dressed as a doctor, was the first to break the 50-second mark aboard H&M Harley Van De Bisschop, owned by Ludo Philippaerts and Ben Beevers. The pair completed the track and cleared the joker fence in 49.98 seconds.

Ireland’s Conor Swail as a green orc tried to catch Nicola’s time with Susan and Ariel Grange’s Martha Louise, but he was just a touch too slow, breaking the beam at 50.75 seconds, for the eventual fourth place award. Another Philippaerts brother would slip ahead of him. Olivier Philippaerts dressed as the Easter bunny on Ludo Philippaerts and Gerald Nothdurft’s H&M Legends of Love stopped the clock at 50.47 seconds to take over the third place position.

None of the riders could touch the time laid down by Moloney though. He and Alsvid, owned by Equinimity LLC, made an especially tight rollback to the eighth fence and managed to take the lead from Nicola with a time of 47.71 seconds, scoring the blue ribbon.

“I didn’t get a chance to see anybody,” admitted Moloney. “I just know my horse. I heard the numbers that everybody did, and everything came up perfectly. I think I left out strides around the turns. It was a little bit risky [to 8] if it didn’t come up, but it came up very nicely. This horse has been so consistent this summer. He’s been great. He’s gotten one or two results at every show he’s gone to all summer.”

Madison Goetzmann Scores Second Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Victory

Despite it being her first time competing in the Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper division at the CP National Horse Show, Madison Goetzmann came into the year-end horse show with the confidence, and that confidence is paying off ten-fold. On Friday night, Goetzmann claimed her second consecutive win of the week, securing the victory in the $5,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers, presented by the Nusz family.

“My horse, right when she walks in the ring, she’s committed to getting the job done,” Goetzmann said of her mare, Wrigley. “That just gives me all the confidence in the world to go in there and ride a smooth and efficient round. I definitely have all the confidence on this horse to go in and win now.”

The importance of that confidence is something consistently instilled in her by her trainers, Stacia Madden in the equitation and John and Beezie Madden in the jumpers.

“They tell me basically, you can get the job done if you believe in yourself and have confidence,” Goetzmann said. “All three of them are amazing trainers, and they see eye to eye on things. I feel like I have the best trainers in both divisions. It’s definitely very helpful, and I’m grateful for the opportunity.”

From the field of 34 starters, Goetzmann and Wrigley were one of 13 combinations to advance to the jump-off round without fault, and they would pave the way to the lead from beginning to end. The duo returned first for the jump-off, finishing quick and clear in a time of 31.676. Two trips later, Hayley Waters and No Doubt, gave Goetzmann a run for her money, producing a double clear effort in 32.848 seconds – a time that would end up being good enough for fourth place.

Just two trips later Kelli Cruciotti and Zidante bested Waters and No Doubt’s time, tripping the timers in 32.533 seconds and taking the eventual third place spot, while the very next duo in the ring, Adrienne Sternlicht and Quidam MB, would slide into second with a time of 31.778 seconds.

Jumper competition will continue on Saturday with the $15,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Championship and the $30,000 Under 25 Championship Final. Leading the way heading into the Under 25 Championship Final after two rounds is Lucy Deslauriers, carrying zero faults. Current rider penalties of the front-running group are as follows:

0 Lucy Deslauriers and Hester
1 Catherine Tyree and Enjoy Louis
2 Katherine Strauss and All In
2 Sima Morgello and Orientales
3 Ali Tritschler and Fantasy
4 Eugenio Garza and Bariano
5 Hunter Holloway and VDL Bravo S
7 Nicole Bellissimo and Harley David
8 Hayley Waters and Qurint
8 Jennifer Gates and Cadence
8 Kelli Cruciotti and Chamonix H

The main highlight of the week will be Sunday afternoon, when the best athletes in the world will compete in the $250,000 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Lexington, presented by CP.

RESULTS: $35,000 Accumulator Costume Class
1    481    ALSVID     RICHIE MOLONEY     65.700
2    578    H&M HARLEY VAN DE BISSCHOP     NICOLA PHILIPPAERTS     65.600
3    576    H&M LEGEND OF LOVE     OLIVIER PHILIPPAERTS     65.500
4    474    MARTHA LOUISE     CONOR SWAIL     65.400
5    484    HICKSTEAD’S AXEL     SHARN WORDLEY     65.300
6    258    CONSTABLE     LAURA KRAUT     65.200
7    295    CALL ME HANNES     DAVID BEISEL     65.100
8    271    CHECKPOINT U     KATHERINE DINAN     65.000
9    273    NAVALO DE POHETON     SCHUYLER RILEY     56.000
10    266    INDIGO     MARGIE ENGLE     55.100
11    257    FLAMING STAR     CHARLIE JACOBS     55.000
12    284    HH CARLOS Z     MCLAIN WARD     25.600

$5,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers
1    964    WRIGLEY     MADISON GOETZMANN     0    0    0    70.070    0    0    0    31.676
2    683    QUIDAM MB     ADRIENNE STERNLICHT     0    0    0    75.554    0    0    0    31.778
3    623    ZIDANTE     KELLI CRUCIOTTI     0    0    0    71.237    0    0    0    32.533
4    631    NO DOUBT     HAYLEY WATERS     0    0    0    71.589    0    0    0    32.848
5    625    BETTY BOOP III     AILISH CUNNIFFE     0    0    0    71.810    0    0    0    33.261
6    610    WILD CARD     KATIE TYLER     0    0    0    75.280    0    0    0    35.289
7    834    SANDOR DE LA POMME     EVE JOBS     0    0    0    73.310    4    0    4    31.087
8    990    BIGSHOT     CALLIE SMITH     0    0    0    75.035    4    0    4    34.232
9    817    DON’T GO     CATHERINE TYREE     0    0    0    72.896    4    3    7    45.262
10    647    VORNADO VAN DEN HOENDRIK     VIVIAN YOWAN     0    0    0    72.177    8    0    8    33.291
11    624    WALLENBERG     KELLI CRUCIOTTI     0    0    0    73.309    8    0    8    34.404
12    682    PROVIDENCE     ADRIENNE STERNLICHT     0    0    0    72.030    8    0    8    37.532