North Salem, United States – September 18, 2026 – Ken Krome (USA) and his team designed a winding 16-effort, 1.45m course for Friday’s $32,000 Old Salem Farm Welcome Stake CSI 2* at the 2026 Old Salem Farm September Horse Shows, which saw a field of 47 entries representing nine nations. After 13 rode clear to advance to the jump-off, Irish Olympic veteran Darragh Kenny (IRL) and his new partner Pearl Gem VDM sliced their way around the shortened track to post the winning time of 31.99 seconds.
Kenny was one of nine riders to cross the timers with a faultless score in the $32,000 Welcome Stake, doing so in 31.99 seconds with Oakland Training & Sales’ 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding. Though this was Kenny’s first week showing Pearl Gem VDM, the speedy pair finished with more than a second between them and their fellow competitors.
“Stephen Moore produced this horse all summer for me,” Kenny said. “He did an excellent job. He did a few 3* grands prix on him and placed in a few 2* grand prix. The horse has been going great all summer, so I decided to bring him here to start. He did the 1.40m yesterday and this class today, and he jumped super. He’s an incredibly competitive horse and very naturally fast, and it’s nice to have something that can go that quick.
“I didn’t really know how he was going to react in the jump-off,” he continued. “He felt really, really good in the first round. (Fences #1 to #2) he was very good; #2 to #3 I didn’t ride great, but he covered it up pretty well for me. The rest of the course felt really smooth and, of course, very fast. I’m quite happy with him.”
Megan McDermott (USA) claimed second aboard Counter Balance’s 9-year-old Zangersheide gelding Da Vinci DV Z with a score of 32.56 seconds.
Fellow American Hallie Grimes (USA) stopped the clock in 33.48 seconds for third aboard Margriet de Mariposa, Can We Keep It?’s 14-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare.
With the beautiful backdrop of Westchester County’s surrounding horse country, the Old Salem Farm September Horse Shows feature world-class competition on par with what everyone has come to expect from Old Salem Farm. The 2026 Shows host a CSI4*/2*, September 8-13, and a CSI2*, September 15-20, with both weeks rated USEF ‘National’ for hunters. Additionally, Old Salem’s September schedule will include a USEF National/Level 2 event, September 24-27, featuring the $10,000 Old Salem Farm Jumper Classic.
Final Results – $32,000 Old Salem Farm Welcome Stake CSI 2*
1) Darragh Kenny (IRL) & Pearl Gem VDM – 0 / 0 – 31.99
2) Megan McDermott (USA) & Da Vinci DV Z – 0 / 0 – 32.56
3) Hallie Grimes (USA) & Margriet de Mariposa – 0 / 0 – 33.48
Source: Press Release by Old Salem Farm Horse Shows
Photos: © OSF / SEL Photography
Related
Discover more from JUMPER NEWS
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
