Lake Placid Horse Show: Jeff Welles Wins $75,000 Devoucoux Grand Prix

Source: News Release/Classic Communications

Jeff Welles Wins $75,000 Devoucoux Grand Prix at Lake Placid Horse Show

Lake Placid, New York - Jeff Welles of Newtown, CT, won the $75,000 Devoucoux Grand Prix of Lake Placid Sunday at the 45th annual Lake Placid Horse Show, Presented by Sea Shore Stables.

Riding Prem Dollar Boy, an 11-year-old French-bred gelding owned by Mary-Kate Olsen, Welles was one of 5 entries from the starting field of 27 to qualify for the jump-off by completing the 15-jump, first-round course designed by Olaf Petersen, Jr. fault-free. He was the first to return to try the 8-jump tiebreaker at the North Elba Show Grounds and he set the mark to beat with a clean ride in 40.600 seconds.

None of the remaining entries could catch Welles, giving him his third win in the class following wins in 2000 on S&L Riviera and 2006 on Armani. The closest was Laura Chapot of Neshanic Station, NJ who finished the jump-off clean in 42.775 seconds on Quointreau Un Prince to take second place.

"I really didn't think my time would hold up," said Welles who in 2006 became just the fourth rider to sweep Lake Placid's two Grand Prix events in one year. "I thought that both Laura and Tori (Colvin) would be faster. Fortunately, this time they weren't."

Third place went to Todd Minikus of Loxahatchee, FL, on Macoemba while Colvin placed fourth on Chanel B2. Rounding out the top five was Margie Engle and Royce.

Prior to the Grand Prix, Victoria Colvin and Don Juan won the $10,000 Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort Junior Jumper Classic. Michael Hughes placed second and third on Luxina and Cool Z respectively. The win earned Colvin and Don Juan the horse show's High Junior Jumper Championship. Also, Catherine Tyree and Don't Go won the $10,000 Mirror Lake Inn Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic. Charlie Jacobs placed second on Cassinja S to earn the High Amateur-Owner Championship. Both Classics are member events of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series.

With the conclusion of the 45th annual Lake Placid Horse Show, the 37^th Annual I Love New York Horse Show follows at the North Elba Show Grounds, July 1-6, followed by the inaugural Adirondack Horse Show July 9-13. The Lake Placid Horse Shows feature many of the nation's best riders, including Olympic veterans and international show jumping stars. The three-week horse show series hosts all levels of competition, from those just beginning their riding careers on ponies all the way up to grand prix competitors, vying for over $750,000 in prizes. The horse show begins at 8:00 AM daily with classes running all day in four rings.

A generous thank you to this year's sponsors including: 17 Hands Gallery; Adirondack Flying Service; Adirondack Life; Adirondacks 4-Season Guide; Animal Planet; Anonymous; Kevin Babington; Bainbridge Farms, LLC; Beacon Hill Horse Transportation, Inc.; Beval Saddlery, Ltd.; Bridleplates; Brook Ledge, Inc.; Debbie & Jim Burrows; C.M. Hadfield's Saddlery, Inc.; Carr-Hughes Productions; Casella Waste Management; Jane Forbes Clark; CMJ Sporthorse; Community Bank, NA; Crowne Plaza Resort & Golf Club, Lake Placid; Dartbrook Rustic Goods; David R. Fowler Custom Tack Trunks; Deeridge Farms; Der-Dau Custom Made Boots; Devoucoux, Inc.; Eastern Hay & Grain; Equifit, Inc.; Equestrian Services International, LLC (ESI); FarmVet Inc.; Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort; Hampton Inn; Hannaford Supermarkets; Hendricks Gin; James Harpel; High Peaks Cyclery; High Peaks Resort; Hollow Brook Wealth Management, LLC; The Hooker Family; Horse Watch; Horseshoe Trail Farm, LLC; Hunt LTD; J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines; Jamaica Tent Company; Juliam Farm; Lake Placid CVB; Lake Placid Lodge; Lake Placid Summit Resort Hotel & Suites; Kate Levy & Family; Dan Lufkin; Michael Morrissey Enterprises, LLC; Mirror Lake Inn/The Cottage Café; Mountain Horse; North Star; Northwoods Inn; On A Fence Designs; ORDA - Whiteface Mountain; Pepsi Beverages Company; Price Chopper; Purina Animal Nutrition; Quiet Hill Farm; KJ Robinson; Ruthie's Run; Sage Hill Farm; Sand Castle Farm; Santa's Workshop; Michael Schultz; Sea Shore Stables, LLC; Sidelines; Dennis Sisco & Alexine Lesko; Storm Ridge Capital; Stretton Enterprises, Inc.; The Brown Dog Deli & Wine Bar; The Clothes Horse; The Tack Shelter; The Whiteface Lodge; The Wild Center; Town of North Elba Park District; Village of Lake Placid; Woodlea Farms; WPTZ News Channel 5; WNBZ Home of the Morning News & Rock 105. Special event sponsors include: Hannaford Supermarkets (Horse Club Junior Day & Walking Tours); Beval Saddlery, LTD (Golf Tournament); Animal Planet and The Brown Dog Deli & Wine Bar (Doggie Costume Contest); Horse Watch (Short Stirrup Clinics); Juliam Farm (Leadline Class); Santa's Workshop (Leadline Class); C.M. Hadfield's Saddlery (Parade of Champions); Beval Saddlery, LTD (Parade of Champions); The Clothes Horse (Parade of Champions).

Show jumping fans unable to make it to the Lake Placid Horse Shows are still able to watch the competition. HRTV, The Network for Horse Sports, is offering free live webcasts of all classes in the horse show's Richard M. Feldman Grand Prix Field. The live webcasts, produced by ShowNet, are available free of charge at www.hrtv.com.

Video clips of competition in all rings, as well as schedules and live scoring, are available at www.ShowNet.biz.

Further information on the Lake Placid Horse Shows presented by Sea Shore Stables, LLC is available by calling the Lake Placid Horse Show Association at 518-523-9625 or online at www.lakeplacidhorseshow.com.