For Immediate Release
Contact: Marty Bauman, Marty@classic-communications.com
Lake Placid, NY – April 22, 2025 – World-renowned course designers Michel Vaillancourt of Canada and Alan Wade of Ireland headline an impressive list of officials set for this year’s Lake Placid Horse Shows (LPHS), Sponsored by Bainbridge Farms, LLC, and Presented by Sea Shore Stables, LLC. The horse shows return for two weeks of world-class FEI CSI 3* competition at the newly renovated North Elba Showgrounds, June 24-July 6.
During the Lake Placid Horse Show (June 24-29), Canada’s Michel Vaillancourt will serve as course designer for the Grand Prix Ring. Originally from Quebec, Canada, and now based in Aiken, SC, Vaillancourt was the Course Designer at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto where his courses received rave reviews from the competitors. Vaillancourt made history when, at just 22 years of age, he became the youngest rider, and first Canadian, to win an individual Olympic medal in show
jumping when he won the individual Silver at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. Vaillancourt was also part of the Canadian Show Jumping Team at the 1975 and 1979 Pan American Games, bringing home team Bronze and Silver medals, respectively. He also helped Canada win team Gold at the 1980 Alternate Olympics in Rotterdam. In 2009, Vaillancourt was inducted into the Jump Canada Hall of Fame, and he was honored as the 2016 Jump Canada Official of the Year.
Ireland’s Alan Wade will serve as course designe in the Grand Prix Ring during the I Love New York Horse Show (July 1-6). Highly respected by the world’s top riders, Wade has been designing courses since he was young. He started learning course design at age 12 by helping designers at local shows, including his father Tommy Wade, a famed show jumping competitor, course designer, and show jumping Chef d’Equipe for Ireland. Wade’s courses have been seen at some of show jumping’s most prominent events, including the Dublin Horse Show, Rolex Top Ten
Final, Rotterdam, Major League Show Jumping Finale, 2017 LonginesFEI World Cup Final and 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games. He has also been course designer at major annual U.S. events such as the Hampton Classic, Winter Equestrian Festival, Desert Circuit, Washington International Horse Show, American Gold Cup, Palm Beach Masters and Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows.
Joining Wade and Vaillancourt are fellow course designers Paul Jewell, who will oversee courses in Jumper Ring 2 during both weeks, and Nancy Wallis, who will serve as the shows’ hunter course designer.
Jumper judges for both weeks include Kelley Douglas (USA), who serves as President of the Ground Jury, alongside ground jury members Hendrick Nijenhuis (NED), Peter Doubleday (USA) and Robert McCune (USA), with Kate Horgan (IRL) and Elena Couttenye (VEN) joining for weeks 1 and 2, respectively. Joining them during both weeks are fellow jumper judges Micki Kozich and Todd Rebhan.
Overseeing the hunter and equitation rings are judges Tucker Ericson, Scott Fitton, Mary Lisa Leffler and Tony Sgarlata during week 1, along with Thomas Brennan, Shane George, Walter Tim Kees and Chris Wynne during week 2.
A full list of officials is available here.
Located in the historic Olympic town of Lake Placid, NY, the shows are held in a setting no other horse show can match with breathtaking views of the Adirondack Mountains and the chance to enjoy countless activities that help make the Lake Placid Horse Shows, “The Best Two Weeks of a Horseman’s Summer!”
FEI highlights during the Lake Placid Horse Show (June 24-29) include Thursday’s $5,000 3* Two-Phase, Friday’s $45,000 3* Jumpoff, Saturday’s $32,000 3* Speed Class, and Sunday’s $100,000
Grand Prix of Lake Placid. Other Week 1 highlights include Friday’s $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby presented by Horseflight, Saturday’s $25,000 Adirondack 1.45m Jumper Classic, and Sunday’s Juliam Farm Lead Line and Saratoga Horseworks Parade of Champions. FEI highlights for the I Love New York Horse Show (July 1-6) include Wednesday’s $5,000 3* Two-phase, Thursday’s $45,000 3* Jumpoff, Friday’s $32,000 Speed Class, and Saturday’s $100,000 Richard M. Feldman Grand Prix. Other highlights include Friday’s $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, Saturday’s Kathy Scholl Equitation Classic and The Clothes Horse Parade of Champions, and Sunday’s $25,000 Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism 1.45m Jumper Classic.
Exhibitors in every division will be competing on newly renovated showgrounds, which include reconstructed show rings with state-ofthe-art all-weather footing installed by Travis Gould and his JTWG, Inc. team, who are working closely with horse show manager Allen Rheinheimer. Improvements are also being made to the stabling and schooling areas. Highlights include a resurfaced all-weather grand prix ring, an expanded jumper ring, two new hunter rings and a dedicated FEI exercise ring.
Fun Activities in Lake Placid
Located in the historic Olympic town of Lake Placid, NY, the shows are held in a setting no other horse show can match with breathtaking views of the Adirondack Mountains and the chance to enjoy countless activities that help make the Lake Placid Horse Shows, “The Best Two Weeks of a Horseman’s Summer!” There are endless activities to do away from the horse show while in the Lake Placid region, making it the ideal vacation spot for families coming to the horse shows. Outdoor activities include kayaking, tubing, hiking, fishing, boating, cycling, paddling, rock climbing, swimming, golf and so much more. The quaint town of Lake Placid also has a wide variety of shops and a plethora of restaurants, many of whom participate in the Equestrian Window Decorating Contest to get in the horse show spirit! The Fourth of July celebrations are famous in Lake Placid with a parade down Main Street followed by electrifying fireworks over Mirror Lake. Lake Placid is a horse show that the whole family can enjoy!
Many sponsors and supporters have joined with LPHS to undertake this significant effort to upgrade the showgrounds and invest in the future of the LPHS. This joint effort of dedicated equestrians, the Town of North Elba, and local Lake Placid supporters will continue to foster equestrian excellence, family fun and community bonds in the heart of the picturesque Adirondacks. LPHS would like to thank our partners who have joined us in this effort, including The Bainbridge Companies LLC, Sea Shore Stables LLC, Charles Ancona, Classic Communications, Clip My Horse, Community Bank NA, Crowne Plaza Lake Placid, Eastern Hay, Empire Merchants North/1800 Tequila, FarmVet, Inc., Hampton Inn, Horseflight, Lukens Horse Transportation, Inc., JTWG, Inc., Kind Media, Lake Placid Flower & Gift Co., Mirror Lake Inn/The Cottage Café, Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST), Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital Saratoga, Saratoga Horseworks, Show Jumps LLC, The Clothes Horse, The Hooker Family.
LPHSA, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization that runs the Lake Placid Horse Show, a hallmark of the summer equestrian season which presents two weeks of world-class competition at the historic North Elba Showgrounds in Lake Placid, New York. Attracting top riders and horses from across the globe, the shows feature prestigious hunter, jumper, and equitation classes, including FEI-rated events. Steeped in tradition and set against the stunning backdrop of the Adirondack Mountains, the Lake Placid Horse Show, a USEF Heritage competition, offers a unique blend of high-level equestrian sport and family-friendly entertainment, contributing significantly to the region’s economy and community spirit. All donations are tax-deductible (TIN: 82-5074078). Further information for exhibitors, spectators, sponsors, and donors is available at www.lakeplacidhorseshows.org or by calling 518-523-9625.
