Samuel Hutton Soars High in the $32,000 Purina Animal Nutrition Speed Challenge CSI 3*

By Jumper News on 2026-07-05

Lake Placid, United States – July 03, 2026 – Samuel Hutton (GBR) rode Etincelle d’Ellipse to victory in the $32,000 Purina Animal Nutrition Speed Challenge CSI 3* on Friday at the I Love New York Horse Show, the second week of the 2026 Lake Placid Horse Shows (LPHS), sponsored by The Bainbridge Companies and presented by Sea Shore Stables. Hutton topped a field of 25 entries at the North Elba Showgrounds.

Eight-time Olympic veteran Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) was the first to try the 15-effort, one-round course designed by Alan Wade (IRL), course designer for the 2028 Olympic Games, and he set a tough mark to beat with a clean ride in 66.94 seconds on Ziggy Stardust. Pessoa’s lead held for half the class until Hutton dropped him to second with a clean ride in 66.70 seconds on his Selle Francais mare. None of the remaining 12 entries could match Hutton’s ride, with the closest being Vasco Flores (PUR), who finished clean in 67.79 seconds on Stena to take third.

“I was getting on my horse when Rodrigo went so I didn’t see his round, but I had someone watching and she told me he was really fast,” Hutton said. “I had a plan when I walked, and I know my horse really well and I knew what she could do. She’s really fast, and I know where I can take risks. I stuck to the plan and I wasn’t chasing anybody. Luckily, we were a split second faster than Rodrigo.”