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One
of the windows at Lord & Taylor.
8:15 PM. Photo: JH.
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Once
upon a time in America, in the
early days of the automobile, about a century ago, one out of every
two new car
buyers bought Henry Ford’s Model T. In its earliest incarnation,
the car (or “machine” as it was called) was started
by cranking up the engine. On a bad day, that cranking could go
on and on until your arm was ready to fall off. Skeptics of the
horseless carriage riding by in their buggies would shout: “get
a horse!” Horses were cheaper, fuel-efficient and a hell
of a lot more dependable than Henry Ford’s new “machines”.
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Lake
Placid Jump in the Richard M. Feldman Grand Prix
Ring
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A hundred years later in the automotive civilization, horses may
still be dependable, although hardly fuel efficient and rarely
cheaper, but instead, one of the most fashionable obsessions of
the very rich (and often their very young).
The Horse Show today is the mecca of the affluent (and
their children), an aesthetic tribute to sportsmanship, expertise,
and that now
very rare characteristic, good clean fun. Most of us who never
get any closer to a horse than seeing it on the movie or TV screen,
or in a painting or a magazine, are unaware of what a huge business
it is among the wealthy and their antecedents. Think Jackie
Onassis, or CZ Guest. They began their
equestrian pursuits as young girls at the horse shows.
However, the Horse Shows across America draw thousands upon thousands
of participants (and even more spectators), affluent and not-so,
who are romanced by the art of the equestrian. For the average
New Yorker, the best known is the highly successful Hamptons Horse
Show every August out in Bridgehampton. But for the equestrian
crowd, the best kept well-known secret is the Lake Placid Horse
Show which this year celebrated its 35th anniversary in that beautiful
piece of verdant paradise in the Adirondacks. |
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Richard
Feldman with Jessica Springsteen
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Todd
Minikus (rider) with Alan Keeley, Richard
Feldman, Bill Whitehead of Hermes, Courtney Caversazi
of Hermes, Diana Feldman, and Lori Martin. Todd Minikus
was the winner of the $50,000 Hermes Grandprix of Lake
Placid.
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L.
to r.: Ira Gumberg; Lou Dobbs; Mayor Michael Bloomberg;
Lori Martin, Alfre Woodard, and Barbra Hare.
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Richard
Feldman with Paula Zahn and her daughter Haley
Cohen
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Last
year, the Lake Placid (and the I Love New York) Horse Shows,
which takes place every year over the Fourth of July, were the
most successful
in its history with record turnout, record sponsorship and non-stop
fun, bringing together families from all over America including
some with celebrated names and their kids such as Glenn
Close, Alfre Woodard, Bruce Springsteen and Patti Sciafa,
New York City’s Mayor Michael Bloomberg (whose
daughter Georgina is an avid equestrienne) Paula
Zahn and Lou Dobbs. The Show’s
objective is equestrian-oriented and family-spirited.
“Our
goal in Lake Placid is to put on the best horse shows anywhere
and to make sure that everyone has fun,” says Richard
Feldman, chairman, organizer and toastmaster of the Lake
Placid Horse Show. Mr. Feldman, who is a friend of mine, is an
equestrian enthusiast par excellence (he’s also a stockbroker
enthusiast par excellence by day at Lehman Brothers; and he rides
every morning of his life, rain or shine, year-round, at dawn in
Central Park). “We have a family party at Lake Placid, and
we call it ‘Everyday’ because everyday is a family
party at the Lake Placid Horse Shows."
By fun, besides the self-evident, are such things during competition breaks such
as the Doggie Costume Contest, where dogs of all breeds show off as many outlandish
and innovative costume designs as their master’s can muster. Last year’s
winner was Heather and Charlie Hooker’s dog dressed as “Over
the Rainbow” and the Jacobs’ family canine dressed
as the rock star Pink. Lake Placid village merchants got into
the spirit of the horse shows too, demonstrating their “horse sense” and
artistic flair in the 17th Annual Equestrian Window Decorating Contest. |
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