Garson Ramps Up For Garden State Grand Prix

AUGUSTA, NJ—May 1, 2003— From hunters to jumpers Nona Garson of Lebanon, New Jersey, collected ribbons throughout the day during the second day of the Garden State Horse Show, proving to be a solid contender for the $50,000 Garden State Grand Prix to take place on Saturday, May 3. The Garden State Horse Show is held at the Sussex County Fairgrounds in Augusta, NJ and will continue through Sunday, May 4.

Garson began her winning streak by collecting the green/regular conformation hunter championship aboard Superman. The ten-year-old Holstein stallion is owned by Garson and the Kamine family.

The Kamines also own Garson’s well-known grand prix mount, Rythmical. The 18-year-old veteran of the grand prix ring warmed up with speed and power in the modified jumper class to collect a blue ribbon Thursday afternoon.

“He would have gone three seconds faster if I had let him,” said Garson. She and the fiery chestnut gelding have a long and successful history together. The pair represented the United States in the 2000 Olympics and also won the Garden State Grand Prix in 2001.

“He doesn’t owe me anything,” said Garson who picks and chooses where Rhythmical shows. Garson is planning to compete in the Garden State Grand Prixaboard Rhythmical as well as on New Flame, an eleven-year-old Dutch gelding owned by Danielle Goldstein.

Prior to her win in the modified class Garson piloted Candino to the blue ribbon in the high preliminary jumper class. The pair was one of four to go clean out of the field of 17. Candino cleared the seven-fence jumpoff without fault and stopped the clock in 34.517 seconds. The seven-year-old Holstein gelding was imported from Germany and has been teamed up with Garson for a year. She has been showing the dapple grey gelding in the young jumpers and is pleased with his progress.

She said, “He’ll be a grand prix horse sooner than later. Hopefully by the end of the summer he’ll go in his first grand prix. He’s just a nice, nice, horse.”

The Garden State Horse Show, presented by Junior Essex Troop, has long been a part of every horseman’s calendar. This year is the show’s 52nd year and with over 1000 horses registered it is a banner year. This weekend’s events include the $50,000 Garden State Grand Prix, a member event of the King Shavings/US Grand Prix League, to be held on Saturday at 1:30pm in the main ring. Saturday will also feature the $2500 Garden State John H. Fritz Challenge class to be held at approximately 5pm.

Admission is free every day except for Grand Prix Saturday. Tickets on Saturday are $10 a carload. All gate proceeds will benefit the Sussex County 4-H. For more information on the Garden State Horse Show call the show grounds at 973-948-5022.

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