NORTH SALEM, NY. .--U.S. Olympic team silver medalist Jessica Springsteen on Naomi Van Het Keizershof won the $32,000 FEI 1.45m Time First Round speed class  on Saturday, May 9 at the first of two Old Salem Spring Horse Shows.

Jessie Springsteen on Naomi van het Keizershof(Photo by SEL Photography)Springsteen finished in 63.32 seconds, two seconds faster than second placed Brianne Goutal-Marteau on S&L Marlon VD Heffinck, who finished in 65.23,

Philip McGuane of Ireland on Donvier was the first of 28 entries to compete over the course set by Alan Wade.

McGuane was clean and set the time to beat of 66.20 seconds, a clean time that was wasn't beaten until Springsteen went.

Eleven of the 28 competitors went clean, with only eight seconds separating those 11 clean rounds.

“I think she’s just so naturally fast, especially in the air,” Springsteen. “She can really cut in on the turns like that. I was able to really stick to my plan to shave off time in those turns, and she just went so naturally quick around the course. She’s great. She’s really competitive, and she’s super fun to ride."

 

“SUNDAY, I’m doing Cayman in the Grand Prix,” she said. “He’s been feeling great, so I’m thrilled about that. Then next week, I’ll come back and do Naomi in these speed classes again, which I’m very excited about. I have a lot of horses here, so it’s been really fun to be back and bring them up again after Florida. They had a nice break leading into this event, and it’s been great to get going again in a ring like this.”

McGuane ultimately finished fourth place after both Steven Bluman of Israel and Brianne Goutal-Marteau (had fast, clean rounds.

Goutal-Marteau finished second in 65.23 seconds, and Bluman on Chice Lotti M placed third in 65.71 seconds.

Pieter de Brabandere of Belgium on Dothraki Warlord was fifth, cleanin 66.63, and Alessandra Volpi on Madjick was sixth, clean in 67.03.