Lake Placid, NY—The Lake Placid and I Love New York Horse Shows return to the beautiful Adirondack Mountains, June 27 – July 9. There is good reason that so many people continue to return to Lake Placid year after year and the horse show competition is only part of it.
As one of the world’s premier resort destinations, Lake Placid offers an ideal setting for family vacations. “Lake Placid has something for everyone,” said Lake Placid Horse Show Association Chairman Richard M. Feldman. “Whether you like outdoor activities like hiking, swimming, or boating, whether you prefer shopping or visiting the Olympic attractions, or whether you simply like eating in great restaurants, Lake Placid has it all.
“At our horse shows, we have a big party and we call it ‘Everyday’ because everyday there’s something special going on. We make an effort to limit the number of horses so we can send everyone home ‘early’ and ‘happy.’ Last year’s number of entries was just right and that number will continue this year and in the future. It is very important to us that we make the experience of the Lake Placid horse shows something special for everyone who comes.”
One of the reasons that the Lake Placid Horse Shows are so popular with exhibitors is that in addition to the first-class horse show facility, management and prize money, there are just so many fun things to do in Lake Placid.
The natural wonders of the Adirondacks offer great hiking, swimming and boating, and the charming resort town has unrivaled hotels and restaurants. But the horse shows also offer many other fun things to do, most of which have become traditions in their own right.
The Lake Placid Horse Shows’ annual Animal Planet Kids’ Day returns again this year combining kids, horses, and tons of fun! Animal Planet Kids’ Day is held on Friday, June 30 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and includes activities such as a stable tour, jumper course walk, farrier visit, and question-and-answer seminar on safety in and out of the ring. There is also a raffle, giveaways, and an autograph session with a top Grand Prix rider. The day continues the Lake Placid Horse Shows’ long history of giving back to the local community.
“Since its inception, Kids’ Day has become one of Lake Placid’s most beloved traditions,” said Lori Martin, Lake Placid Horse Show Association Executive Director. “It brings local families together through their participation in the many activities at the horse show and provides opportunities for children to meet and learn from some of the world’s best equestrians.”
Event supporters include Janet & Wayne Rasmussen of The Country Saddler, Marty Bauman of Classic Communications, Pizza Hut, Woodlea Farms and Crossroads Caterers.
This year, for the 18th year, Mark Walter and Beval Saddlery are sponsoring a golf tournament for horse show exhibitors. The golf tournament takes place on the Monday between the two horse shows. Also, Lake Placid’s famous Fourth of July festivities – including spectacular fireworks and the traditional parade down Main Street – are always a highlight.
No trip to Lake Placid would be complete without putting on ice skates and stepping on to the ice in the world-famous Olympic arena. Some horse show exhibitors do this in the annual hockey game between the horse show and local Lake Placid residents, sponsored last year by the Lake Placid Horse Show Association and the Jacobs and Richter families. For those who don’t play hockey, there is free open ice skating sponsored by John Madden.
Another beloved tradition at the Lake Placid Horse Shows is the annual Doggie Costume Contest, where canines take center stage. For the 14th year at the I Love New York Horse Show, contestants will strut their stuff in a special ring set up near the Richard M. Feldman Grand Prix Field at the North Elba Showgrounds.
The contest is the brainchild of horse show Board member Diana Feldman, wife of Horse Show Chairman Richard Feldman. “Dick and I both believe that the horse shows should be fun,” Diana said. “We believe in involving the community and in making the horse shows something everyone enjoys. The doggie costume contest has worked out better than I ever expected. We really do get a lot of local Lake Placid people who dress up their dogs and come to the horse show. A lot of exhibitors tell me it’s their most fun day of the year!”
The Lake Placid and I Love New York Horse Shows are hosting their 19th annual Equestrian Window Decorating Contest. The contest combines the charm of the Lake Placid village with equestrian-inspired ingenuity at which shoppers and strollers marvel.
Each summer, Lake Placid village merchants show off their “horse sense,” creating storefront window displays that exhibit artistic and creative talent for the contest occurring concurrently with the horse shows. The equestrian theme window displays are immensely popular with horse show participants, spectators, and shoppers as local businesses welcome members of the horse show community to town.
Continuing its most important tradition, the 2006 Lake Placid Horse Shows will once again host world-class equestrian action, including two American Grandprix Association (AGA) Series events — the $60,000 Budweiser Grandprix of Lake Placid CSI 3* Presented by RV Sales of Broward on Sunday, July 2 and the $60,000 Hermès Grandprix CSI 3* presented by the Heidegger Family on Saturday, July 8. In addition, the 2006 Lake Placid and I Love New York Horse Shows also offer North American League, Washington International Horse Show, World Champion Hunter Rider, and Show Jumping Hall of Fame classes.
The 2006 Lake Placid Horse Show and I Love New York Horse Show sponsors include A&M Beverages, Adirondack Daily Enterprise, Adirondack Life, Adirondack Store, American Grandprix Association, Animal Planet, Anonymous, Bainbridge Farms LLC, Barbara & Michael Bitterman, Brandy Parfums, Ltd., The Brown Dog Café and Wine Bar, Budweiser, Carr-Hughes Productions, The Charlotte Bobcats, Chronicle of the Horse, Jane Forbes Clark, C.M. Hadfield’s Saddlery, Inc., Clothes Line Laundry, The Cottage Café, The Country Saddler, Ltd., Crowne Plaza Resort & Golf Club, David R. Fowler Custom Tack Trunks, Deeridge Farms, Der Dau Custom Boots and Shoes, Ecogold, Equifit, Farm and Ranch Magazine, Fox Run, Ltd., Golden Arrow Hotel, Grill 211, Mr. James Harpel, The Heidegger Family, Hermès, Hilton Lake Placid Resort, The Hooker Family, Horse Watch, James Leslie Parker Photography, Juliam Farm, The Kessler Family, Lake Placid/Essex County Visitors Bureau, Lake Placid News, The Leone Family, The Levy Family, Lonesome Landing Garden Center, The Marantz Family, McDonald’s, Mirror Lake Inn, Moss Communications, Mountain Horse, Mr. Mike’s Pizza & Pasta, Muirfield Insurance, Nicola’s On Main, North Elba Park District, On a Fence Designs & Rentals, ORDA/Whiteface Mountain, The Pepsi Bottling Group, The Phillips Family, Price Chopper, Mr. Jeffrey Prosser, Red-Kap Sales, Royal Reflections, Ruthie’s Run, RV Sales of Broward, Sand Castle Farm, Michael & Lora Schultz, Sidelines, SLVR by Aerogear, Stretton Enterprises, Turtle Lane Farm, The Weeks Family, The Whiteface Lodge, Wild Horse Wines, Woodlea Farms, WPTZ News Channel 5, and Y106.3 – Mountain Communications LLC.
For more information on the 2006 Lake Placid and I Love New York Horse Shows, please call the Lake Placid Horse Show Association at (518) 523-9625 or visit www.lakeplacidhorseshow.com.
You must be logged in to post a comment.