Source:  News Release/Classic Communications

Todd Minikus Wins $30,000 CMJ Sporthorse Jumper Classic at
I Love New York Horse Show

   Lake Placid, New York-Todd Minikus of Wellington, FL, rode Quality Girl to victory in the $30,000 CMJ Sporthorse Jumper Classic at the 2014 I Love New York Horse Show, Presented by Sea Shore Stables.

            Minikus was one of 12 from the starting field of 43 to reach the jump-off by riding without penalty over the first-round course designed by Show Jumping Hall of Famer Steve Stephens. He was then third to try the tiebreaker course and he set a tough mark to beat with another clean round in 31.951 seconds.

            None of the remaining entries could catch Minikus's time with the closest being Adam Prudent of Middleburg, VA who placed second with a clean jump-off ride in 33.830 seconds on Vasco. Third place went to Laura Chapot of Neshanic Station, NJ on Quointreau Un Prince with a clean ride in 34.831 seconds.

            "This mare is really fast and I have kind of a timer in my head so I thought our time could be good enough," said Minikus. "Fortunately, that did turn out to be the case."

            Prior to the Classic, Laura Chapot continued her domination of the horse show's speed classes with another win on Umberto in the Adirondack Life 1.35meter Power & Speed Stake.

            The I Love New York Horse Show, the second of three consecutive horse shows at the North Elba Show Grounds, continues through Sunday and is then followed by the inaugural Adirondack Horse Show, July 9-13.

            The Lake Placid Horse Shows draw a wide range of 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 prize money. The horse show kicks off each morning at 8:00 AM with classes running all day in all four rings.

            Highlighting this weekend are the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, Presented by Eastern Hay & Purina Animal Nutrition, on Saturday and the $75,000 I Love New York Grand Prix Presented by Sea Shore Stables, on Sunday. Also on Sunday, the horse show hosts its 22^nd Annual Doggie Costume Contest. All people with leashed dogs in costume are admitted to the horse show free of charge. Everyone is invited to participate, whether they are part of the horse show or not. The whole town is welcome!

            Contestants will take center stage at 12:00 noon in a special ring set up near the horse show's Richard M. Feldman Grand Prix Field. The contest's co-sponsors, Animal Planet and The Brown Dog Café & Wine Bar, will present awards including the Lulu Perpetual Trophy for the funniest costume. Categories include Best in Show 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place with two Honorable Mentions. There is no entry fee, and all contestants receive a special bag of doggie treats!

            Weekend highlights of the I Love New York Horse Show include:

Saturday, July 5 - $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby Presented by Eastern Hay & Purina Animal Nutrition; $7,500 Crowne Plaza Low Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic; Various Hunter & Jumper Classes

Sunday, July 6 - $10,000 Pepsi Beverages Company Junior Jumper Classic; $10,000 The Whiteface Lodge Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic; Doggie Costume Contest presented by Animal Planet & The Brown Dog Deli & Wine Bar (12PM); Beval Saddlery, Ltd. Parade of Champions (1:30PM); $75,000 I Love New York Grand Prix Presented by Sea Shore Stables, LLC; Children's Jumper Classic; $5,000 Mirror Lake Inn Adult Jumper Classics; THIS National Children's Medal; $2,500 Pony Hunter Classic; Various Hunter & Jumper Classes

            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.

            Admission to the Lake Placid Horse Shows is just $2.00 on weekdays and $5.00 on weekends. Children under the age of 12 are admitted free. Discounts are available for groups of 20 or more and admission is half price with a Price Chopper Advantage Card. Tickets are available at the gate. The horse shows are located at the North Elba Show Grounds, 5514 Cascade Road (Route 73) in Lake Placid, directly across from the ski jumps.

            For a special, behind-the-scenes look at the horse shows, guided walking tours are offered Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 11:30 AM. The tour costs just $1.00 and starts at the Lake Placid Horse Show's Retail Booth.

            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.

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