Haas Holds the Lead to Win $5,000 FEI 1.45m Two-Phase presented by The Will Stuart Team at 2025 Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows
Hesslink and Sandori Win Grand Hunter Championship
Only the second rider to challenge Alan Wade’s 15-effort course in Thursday’s $5,000 FEI 1.45m Two-Phase presented by The Will Stuart Team at the 2025 Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows, American Elena Haas set an early time to beat that proved uncatchable as the class went on. She and Ogue BT Special stopped the clock in 26.24 seconds to bring home the win.
One of the premier stops on the American hunter-jumper horse show circuit, the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows host competitions for riders of all levels and ages, ranging from young children on ponies to Olympic veterans aboard their grand prix mounts. Week 1 (May 6-11) is USEF ‘National-6’ rated for hunters and jumpers and designated FEI CSI3*; Week 2 (May 13-18) is USEF ‘Premier-6’ rated and designated FEI CSI4*.
Although they were second of the 50 entries representing 10 countries to go in the $5,000 FEI 1.45m Two-Phase, Haas and her 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding were the pathfinders around the entire track, as fellow American Adrienne Sternlicht retired her first horse after riding clear in the initial phase. Haas laid down a double-clear 26.24-second time that stayed well ahead of the other competitors, with second-placed Daniel Bluman (ISR) finishing nearly a second behind at 27.12 seconds.
“Special’s a really cool horse,” Haas said. “I’ve had him for a few years now, and he’s really been unbelievable. I got him thinking he’d maybe jump the High Amateurs, and he has just continued to step up and find a new level of scope, which has been really exciting. He’s kind of my most reliable guy. I have a lot of fun out there with him. He was amazing today, and I’m super happy.
“He definitely loves a nice, big gallop,” she continued. “He sort of backs himself off the jump a bit, so he likes it when I let him go and just give him a bit of support off the ground. He has a really big stride and enjoys a lot of power from that. I wasn’t quite sure if our time was going to hold up, but I guess that’s the advantage of going early. I just had to stick to my plan and trust that it was going to be enough. I had a plan that I was confident in and tried to execute it as best I could, and it worked out today.”
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Old Salem Farm – Horse Shows | North Salem, New York
