North Salem, N.Y. – Sept. 16, 2017 – Saturday at the 47th American Gold Cup hosted the Region 1 and 2 ASPCA/NHSAA Maclay Championships, allowing top riders to qualify for the renowned ASPCA Maclay Championships at the National Horse Show in November. Cooper Dean and Madison Goetzmann guaranteed their places in the finals, decorated with gold medals, to lead Region 1 and 2 respectively.
The morning began with Region 1, consisting of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont, and followed into the afternoon with Region 2, made up of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Riders have the option to compete in either their home region based upon the point requirements of their own official USEF state of residence, or any other region based upon the highest point requirements of any state within that chosen region, whichever is greater.
Twelve obstacles separately tested each region, set up in slightly differing patterns between the two regions in the indoor arena at Old Salem Farm. The jumping phase was followed by four groups on the flat for Region 1 and three groups on the flat for Region 2 with no additional testing for either.
Cooper Dean and Kori D’oro
Dean, of Region 1, bested the larger class of 57 starters aboard Heritage Farm’s 8-year-old gelding, Kori D’oro. Although he calls Alabama home, Dean lives and trains at Heritage Farm in New York as a working student under Andre Dignelli. In his final junior year at 18 years old, Dean decided to direct all of his focus towards the indoor equitation season, even leaving his working student position with Aaron Vale after his years in the pony jumpers. However Dean still credits much of his success to Vale who gave him the polish while “Andre’s done a lot of buffing.”
Madison Goetzmann and San Remo VDL
Fourth in the ring for Region 2, Goetzmann rode Elizabeth Benson’s San Remo VDL to a beautiful round over fences to outride her other thirty-five competitors and maintained her lead through the flat phase in the final group. The seasoned veteran San Remo is an equitation expert at 17 years of age, winning multiple finals, such as Washington International and Capital Challenge with past riders. Goetzmann just recently teamed up with the Warmblood gelding at the Hampton Classic after spending her summer showing the jumpers in Europe with John and Beezie Madden, but was able to qualify during WEF for the Maclay. She plans to continue her winning streak with San Remo by retaining their partnership through this year’s equitation finals.
There will be 25 riders initially accepted from Region 1 and 16 initially accepted from Region 2. Once the total number of riders from all Regional competitions is finalized, additional riders may be accepted in order of placings. The other ten regions will hold their qualifying championships throughout the month of September to garner the starting list for the CP National Horse Show, which will take place at the Kentucky Horse Park Oct. 31 – Nov. 5. The final round of the ASPCA Maclay Championship is presented by Chansonette Farm and will occur on the the final day, Nov. 5.
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