It was a strong start for Cynthia Williams on the opening day of the Garden State Horse Show, held May 4-8 at the Sussex County Fairgrounds in Augusta, NJ.

Williams and a seven-year-old gelding named Quality Time topped the first three Green Conformation classes. Owned by White Hill Farm of New York, NY, the 16.2-hand hunter will make a play for the Green Conformation championship on Thursday when the final classes are held in the main hunter ring.

In the Pre-Green hunters, Sandra Lobel of Morristown, NJ, dominated the division riding Liam. The pair collected two firsts and a second out of a field of 17 entries. Liam is a six-year-old, black gelding who is owned by Penelope Ayers of Far Hills, NJ. Lobel and Liam will compete in the division’s final classes on Thursday morning.

This year’s entries at Garden State are on par with last year’s record-setting numbers. The first day’s tally registered over 1,100 horses. With four days of competition left, entries are expected to increase to record levels.

Hunter and jumper action will continue throughout the week with notable classes including Friday’s $1,500 Garden State Pony Hunter Classic and $500 Marshall & Sterling Adult Hunter Class. On Friday, the main ring will feature the qualifier for the $2,500 John H. Fritz Challenge class. The top thirty horses will go on to compete in the Jack Fritz Challenge on Saturday afternoon.

Following the Jack Fritz class, the $50,000 Dimensional Healthcare Grand Prix, a USGPL event, will showcase some of the nation’s best jumper riding. Some of those riders who will be competing in the Dimensional Healthcare Grand Prix include a number of past winners such as: the 2001 winner Nona Garson of Lebanon, NJ; 1997 winner Mark Leone of Franklin Lakes, NJ; and four-time winner and defending champion, Chris Kappler of Pittstown, NJ. Kappler, who won Team and Individual Silver medals at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, captured the title in 1993 on Ike, in 1998 riding Solo and in 2003 and 2004 aboard Profox. The grand prix is scheduled for Saturday, May 7, at 4:00 p.m.

Admission is free every day except for Grand Prix Saturday. Tickets on Saturday are $10 per carload and benefit the Sussex County 4-H. For more information on the Garden State Horse Show, visit www.gardenstatehorseshow.org or call the show grounds at (973) 948-5022.~~~