Saugerties, N.Y. – June 5, 2017 – After an excellent first week of competition at HITS Saugerties, the Wyndmont team and Shawn Casady again earned top honors as new and veteran horses took to the ring during the second week. The high caliber of Wyndmont’s sales horses combined with the skilled guidance of young professional Casady has proved to be a dynamite combination. Casady attributes the ease of becoming familiar with his new horses to Ronnie Beard and Michael Dorman’s combined expertise.
In the $50,000 Horseware Ireland Grand Prix, the highlight event for jumpers to finish the week, Shawn Casady expertly rode Valinski S to a first place finish with three seconds to spare. The winning combination also placed third in last week’s $25,000 Smart Pak Grand Prix. Casady also his took his second mount for Wyndmont, Zephyr, to a fifth place finish in the class.
“Valinski tries his best until the very end. He’s careful, quick, and always looking for the fences. In the jump-off the serpentine pattern and the roll back had to be really tight, but he’s really quick on the landings and good at both turning and jumping,” Casady commented.
Although Casady only took over the reins for Valinski S two weeks ago, the veteran mount continues to be consistent, having previously earned top grand prix wins with Todd Minikus and Matt Williams in the irons.
In the hunter ring, coming off a reserve championship from the previous week, Casady and Game Changed claimed the championship in the Performance Hunter 3’6 division. On Wednesday the pair started off their lead strong, placing first in both the over fences classes. On Thursday they came back to place second in the over fences, third in the handy, and first in the under saddle class, winning the division championship.
Cecotto de la Ogi, a new mount showing for the first time, captured first place in the 1.20m Young Jumper Championship 6 & 7-year-olds class. Casady believes Wyndmont’s new young horses have tremendous talent and was very happy with Cecotto’s performance this week. “Cecotto de la Ogi is 6-years-old, but he has the brain of an 8-year-old. He doesn’t blink an eye at the fences and he has what I think to be endless scope. He’s nice, careful, a good character, and of nice blood.”
Amai du Bourgeonet jumped his way to second place in the 6 & 7-year-old Young Jumper classes. Favoriet U, one of two new Warmblood geldings for Wyndmont, also performed well in this first week showing with Casady in the irons.
Wyndmont clients Mike Connors and Roberto Gomez also earned top ribbons in their classes to close out the week in New York. Casady and Dorman will stay in Saugerties for one more week while Beard judges at the Upperville Colt and Horse Show before they travel to the prestigious Lake Placid Horse Shows.
Wyndmont Inc. consistently produces top quality jumper and hunter horses and training for professional and amateur athletes. Throughout the year, Beard and Dorman frequently travel with their talented string of horses and clients to compete at many of the nation’s most prestigious horse shows. The pair is passionate about helping their students and horses succeed at the top level of competition and are always open to helping riders find the horse which is best suited to help them meet their unique goals.
To learn more about Wyndmont Inc., their top show horses offered for sale and students, please visit their website www.wyndmont.com.
