New Champions Crowned at Saratoga Summer Horse Show – A Season To Remember!

The Saratoga Summer Horse Show, held at White Hollow Farm, closed out five days of competition on Sunday, August 18, 2024, with multiple champions named across the hunter and jumper divisions. The week featured a $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, a $10,000 All-In-One Jumper Classic, and divisions from short stirrup to juniors and amateurs. While an exciting and successful rated horse show season has ended, White Hollow Farm will also host three schooling shows in September 2024.

One-Two Finish

Amateur rider Tori Corts earned a one-two finish in the $10,000 All-In-One Jumper Classic on her own Bon Jovi and Semi Automatic.

“The course rode really nice,” said Corts, whose family owns Falkirk Farm in Wellington, FL, and Central Valley, NY. “I chose to do the adds in the first round to keep my horses pulled together. In the jump-off I ended up doing the leave-outs, which was great to practice.”

Corts has owned Bon Jovi, an 18-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Verdi, for six years.

“It’s always special to win a class with him,” she said. “I keep him for the special and fun and important classes. ‘Auto’ is a homebred. I just started jumping him in some of the bigger stuff, so it’s fun that he gets to step into his brother’s footsteps.”

Semi Automatic is an 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion by Amaretto d’Arco and out of Corts’ former junior mount Rockstar.

Corts, 32, has enjoyed showing at Saratoga this summer. “I love the town. My mom and I like to come and make a little trip out of it. The footing’s great, and everyone is super nice. The courses are always built well too,” she said.
 

Comeback Queen

Sarah York returned to riding just over two years ago after she took a break to go to college and establish a career in the biotech industry. When she was ready to come back, she bought Call Me, a now-seven-year-old Estonian Warmblood gelding by Call Me Black.

In her second trip to Saratoga, she rode Call Me to the Grand Adult Hunter Championship and the Adult Amateur Hunter 18-35 championship.

“It’s been an interesting ride! This weekend was really rewarding for me to have him do so well,” said the Bridgewater, MA, resident.

“I’d really been missing horses for a long time,” she explained. “I had started taking lessons again in 2019, then with COVID I stopped for another two years. It was something that was such a big part of my life when I was younger. It’s hard trying to actually get back into taking lessons, so I decided to buy a horse and get back into it.”

She described Call Me as a “little quirky” and noted, “He can sometimes be a little bit peeky, but this weekend he was on top of his game. He’s so much fun to ride. The distances just kind of present themselves, making my job pretty easy.”

While a broken wrist incurred during a fall in 2023 derailed York’s plans a bit when she had to have surgery, she said she feels like she’s come back stronger. She started riding with trainer Jessie Fortier and Suffolk Run in June 2024, and this was her third show with them. Fortier also showed Call Me this weekend in the green hunters and low hunters.

“Especially after this weekend, I really felt like I did when I was a junior—finding all my spots and being really level-headed about it. This was only my second time at Saratoga, and I feel like it’s one of the nicer venues. The property is spread out well so you don’t feel like you’re on top of people. The warm-up ring has plenty of room.”

York, 33, balances riding and showing with a fully remote job, so she’s able to head to Florida in the winters with Call Me.

Fast Friends

Shachine Belle piloted Adele Einhorn’s Copper Canyon to the win in the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby on Friday, August 16, after first riding the seven-year-old Zangersheide gelding by Irish Wiskey Z on Thursday. Known as “Bailey” in the barn, Copper Canyon has also earned top ribbons in the derbies at Saratoga earlier this summer with professionals Holly Orlando and Keirstin Scott.

While Belle is known as a skilled catch rider, she had taken a break recently due to illness. The win on Friday “means everything,” she said. “Being on top and staying there was awesome. The courses were a lot of fun because you used the whole ring, and the jumps are beautiful.”

“Everyone told me that Bailey is a winner, and it was an excellent experience,” said Belle, who traveled to Saratoga just to ride in the hunter derby. “He is like riding an overgrown pony that jumps very high. I never have to worry about him touching a rail. You just have to keep going and hang on!

“I love Saratoga,” added Belle. “I texted all my clients and said, ‘We’re coming here next year!’”

Looking for horse show photos? Visit official photographer Eye Was Here Photography at www.eyewashere.net to view all of your show proofs!

For more information on the Saratoga Horse Shows, visit www.saratogahorseshows.com.
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About Saratoga Horse Shows
Now in its 26th year, Saratoga Horse Shows will offer nine USEF-rated competitions on the 2024 show calendar, along with an additional seven schooling show dates. Managed by Southbound Saratoga Management Group and held at White Hollow Farm in Stillwater, New York, Saratoga Horse Shows is situated on more than 100 acres and located eight miles from downtown Saratoga Springs. With eight large arenas featuring state-of-the-art drainage and all-weather performance footing, permanent and tented stabling, and turnout paddocks, it is the ideal place to show during the spring and summer months. Visit www.saratogahorseshows.com to learn more.