![Georgina Bloomberg Wins Inaugural $210,000 Central Park Grand Prix CSI 3*](https://www.equisport.pt/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/BloombergG_CPCH55.jpg)
Georgina Bloomberg Wins Inaugural $210,000 Central Park Grand Prix CSI 3*
The first annual Central Park Horse Show (CPHS), presented by Rolex and produced by The Chronicle of the Horse, hosted its opening night in New York City's Trump Rink on Thursday with show jumping wins for hometown riders Georgina Bloomberg and Lucy Deslauriers.
Twenty-three of the world's best horses and riders jumped in the inaugural $210,000 Central Park Grand Prix CSI 3*, presented by Rolex, with an exciting victory for New York's own Georgina Bloomberg riding Juvina. The Central Park Grand Prix, presented by Rolex was televised live on NBC Sports Network as the first live primetime broadcast of equestrian sport on a major sports network. Later in the evening, New York native Lucy Deslauriers rode her horse Hester to victory in the $20,000 Under 25 Grand Prix, presented by PwC. The Central Park Horse Show, presented by Rolex continues through Sunday, September 21.
Trump Rink in Central Park played host to Thursday night's first ever $210,000 Central Park Grand Prix CSI 3*, presented by Rolex, featuring a course set by renowned international course designer Steve Stephens of Palmetto, FL. With twenty-three entries, the evening's grand prix was held in a format where the top six entries returned for a jump-off. The winner was then determined by combined faults from both rounds with ties broken by the second round time.
Charlie Jayne, of Elgin, IL, was the only rider to clear the first round course without fault aboard Pony Lane Farm's Valeska while Bloomberg and Gotham Enterprizes' Juvina returned for round two carrying four faults. When Bloomberg jumped the second round course clear in 38.28 seconds, the pressure was on Jayne to stay on zero as the last entry to go, but an unlucky rail at the final fence tied up the faults. Jayne's time of 38.81 seconds left him in second place as the victory, along with the winner's share of prize money and a beautiful new Rolex watch, landed in the hands of Georgina Bloomberg.
The daughter of former Mayor Michael Bloomberg jumped Juvina to a momentous victory in front of a sold-out hometown crowd.
Also completing two great rounds over the course of the evening were Paige Johnson of The Plains, VA, and Salamander Farm's Dakota. The pair had one rail and a time fault in round one, but returned to jump clear in round two and finished third overall on a five-fault total.
Winning this unprecedented event on home turf was a dream come true for Bloomberg, riding a very special horse in Juvina. She bought the 13-year-old Austrian Warmblood mare (Cassini I x Grannus) a couple months before she stopped riding for back surgery and her pregnancy and never skipped a beat as she quickly returned to the show ring.
“I have had a long road back,” Bloomberg noted. “For the last three years I haven't really been competing at the top level, so for me this is my first win back. It is proof that I have really worked hard and accomplished a lot to be able to get back to the top level. I got her at a time when I knew I was going to be taking a little time off and the timing wasn't ideal, but I knew she was a horse that I could come back very quickly on.”
“She is absolutely the most talented horse I have ever sat on,” the rider declared. “She is a dream come true, and I was so lucky to find her. She sort of makes it easy; you really just point to the jumps. She throws her head a lot, but I have always gotten along with horses that have a little bit of a quirk. I like her style. I like a horse with a little bit of a fight, and I like that she knows she is good and makes you work for it.”
After a disappointing finish in a grand prix a few weeks ago, Bloomberg was determined to make her round in Central Park count.
Results
1 139 Juvina Georgina Bloomberg USA 4 0=4 38.28
2 153 Valeska Charlie Jayne USA 0 4=4 38.81
3 173 Dakota Paige Johnson USA 5 0=5 41.75
4 154 Quality Girl Todd Minikus USA 4 4=8 38.52
5 103 Pjotter Van De Zonnehoeve Molly Ashe-Cawley USA 5 4=9 39.50
6 162 Baronez Kirsten Coe USA 5 5=10 42.27
7 138 D'Elia Van Het Molenhof Darragh Kerins IRL 5 72.23
8 157 Bonanza Van Paemel Catherine Pasmore USA 6 73.26
9 117 Andretti S Laura Kraut USA 8 67.84
10 130 Prof De La Roque Darragh Kenny IRL 9 69.42
11 147 Kismet 50 Candice King USA 9 69.55
12 156 Onira Brianne Goutal USA 9 71.56