Ian Silitch and Rivano won the $10,000 Five Seasons/Lilly Pulitzer Open Welcome Stake, presented by Manchester Designer Outlets, on Friday, August 6, at the Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT. Photo by David Mullinix Photography

August 6, 2010 – East Dorset, Vermont – Ian Silitch was one of several new arrivals for the fifth week of competition at the Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT.

Silitch of Ocala, FL, was glad he made the trip to Vermont as he walked away with the top prize in the $10,000 Five Seasons/Lilly Pulitzer Open Welcome Stake, presented by Manchester Designer Outlets.

Riding the Spencer Ranch entry of Rivano, Silitch was one of only seven horse and rider combinations from the original starting field of 24 that managed to navigate the first round track set by course designer Eric Hasbrouck without penalty. He was then one of only three who managed the feat a second time over the shortened jump-off course, and he did it in the fastest time, stopping the clock in 33.253 seconds

“I have ridden Rivano off and on for a few years,” said Silitch. “He disappears all winter and he comes back and we rebuild, and now he is back. He has done just about everything, hunters and jumpers.”

Speaking of the competition, Silitch said, “The course was one where you could land and flow, allow the horse to canter, and Rivano likes that ride. I have a lot of fun riding him. He had his earplug get stuck on the way to the third fence and he was shaking his head. And I don’t know what I did, everybody was doing five and I think I did six to the triple combination, and he was shaking his head jumping ‘a,’ but he knew what was right because he did it perfectly. He was great in the jump-off in the rollback turn. I looked at the timers and then thought ‘what are you doing looking at that, no one is clear, just go clear.’ But Rivano was really, really good. So, hopefully, Sunday is just as good.”

Callan Solem of Chester Springs, PA, and the elegant grey, Magic Cruise, owned by Horseshoe Trail Farm LLC, cruised through both rounds and crossed the timers in 36.030 seconds to claim second place.

Callie Schott of Versailles, KY, and Coral Reef Ambassador, owned by Coral Reef Ranch, were the third pair to complete both rounds fault-free. Their time of 37.399 seconds placed them in third. Schott is no stranger to the winner’s circle, having had much success as a junior rider, winning the NAL Children’s Hunter Finals in Harrisburg, PA, and riding for the UK Intercollegiate Team. She was also the 2007 National Reserve Champion in the IHSA prestigious Cacchione Cup. Schott made her professional debut in August 2008 and is currently based in Florida with John Madden Sales.

The fifth of six weeks of competition comprising the Vermont Summer Festival features the $30,000 Manchester and the Mountains Grand Prix, beginning at 1 p.m. on Sunday, August 8. Located at Harold Beebe Farm in East Dorset, admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children Wednesday through Saturday. On Grand Prix Sunday, admission is $7 for adults and $5 for children. All gate proceeds benefit Manchester Elementary-Middle School (MEMS).

Running July 7 through August 15, 2010, the Vermont Summer Festival offers more than $750,000 in prize money, making it the richest sporting event based on purse in the state. The six-week Vermont Summer Festival culminates with the $50,000 Vermont Summer Celebration Grand Prix on Sunday, August 15. The Vermont Summer Festival is a proud member event of the Show Jumping Hall Of Fame, the Marshall & Sterling League, and the North American League (NAL). For more information about the Vermont Summer Festival, please e-mail: info@vt-summerfestival.com or visit www.vt-summerfestival.com.

$10,000 Five Seasons/Lilly Pulitzer Open Welcome Stake, Presented by Manchester Designer Outlets

	Rider	Horse	Faults	Time
1	Ian Silitch	Rivano	0:0	33.253
2	Callan Solem	Magic Cruise	0:0	36.030
3	Callie Schott	Coral Reef Ambassador	0:0	37.399
4	Tracy Magness	Tarco Van Ter Moude	0:4	34.261
5	Agatha D’Ambra	Airbus	0:4	40.600
6	Hillary Dobbs	Udento VDL	0:6	48.496
7	Marshall Field VI	Calypso VB	0:8	36.909
8	Tracy Magness	Eurohorse Carrera	4	75.191

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