How a Chance Facebook Photo Led to the Incredible Central Park Horse Show Course Design

Like many artists, Bobby Murphy never quite knows where the inspiration for the next project will come from until it smacks him in the face. The USHJA course designer has earned a reputation for breathing art and innovation into his jump design/builds, as evidenced by the giant sand sculptures he commissioned for the USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship in August, and the graffiti inspired motif at last year’s Rolex Central Park Horse Show.

The problem with creating such original and inspired work is the expectation of having to continuously outdo yourself. Murphy knew when he returned to Central Park for this year’s show he’d need to have a concept equally as spectacular and buzzworthy in tow.

Though his finished products take on a life of their own, Murphy’s ultimate goal with his designs remains steadfast: think beyond standard rails, gates and shrubbery while honoring the unique culture and imagery of the show’s location. Fortunately, New York City has no shortage of either.

Murphy had already settled on a concept for this year’s Central Park show when fate intervened from a rather unlikely source: a facebook friend and fellow equine industry professional whom he’d never actually met.

“I can’t take credit for the initial concept of the designs,” Murphy explained from his Kentucky Horse Park workshop. “That has to go to a lady named L.A. Pomeroy. She’d come up with this idea about the five boroughs and pop art. And at first I wasn’t going to jump on it because I had already started the designs for a totally different set of jumps. Then, we both got the same Christmas present. I saw she posted a picture on facebook and it was a 100th Anniversary Kentucky Derby bourbon bottle. What a coincidence that two people like that get the same exact old, vintage Christmas present, and I saw that as a sign to listen to her.”

Merry Christmas. Photo: Bobby Murphy

So Murphy scrapped his initial plan and immediately began plotting out Pomeroy’s vision. The result is yet another perfectly executed homage to the Big Apple’s past and present in show hunter fence form. Murphy and his team took iconic elements from each borough (The Bronx, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island) and worked them into the MoMA-inspired “pop art” theme, every painstaking detail hand-carved and painted.

The concept is not limited to the arena. Murphy has also created elements that will be featured in the park throughout the week.

“Bronx Bombers” Photo: Bobby Murphy

Photo: Bobby Murphy

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Wall Street. Photo: Bobby Murphy

“What you’re going to see is not going to look like a course. It’s going to look like you’re walking into an art gallery or museum,” he said. “Something like Central Park, the canvas that you have there, why not take it to the next level? Why not showcase equestrian sport in the best way you possibly can?”