Category Archives: Show Jumping

Louise Serio Captures $10,000 Hallway Feeds Professional Leading Rider Bonus during Final 2012 Hallway Feeds National Hunter Derby

Louise Serio was awarded the $10,000 Professional Leading Rider Bonus for her efforts in the 2012 Hallway Feeds National Hunter Derby Series. Photo By: Shawn McMillen Photography

Lexington KY – August 28, 2012 – Lexington KY – August 28, 2012 – The Alltech Arena was filled with top competitors as the final $5,000 Hallway Feeds National Hunter Derby got underway during the KHJA Horse Show. Junior rider Kelli Cruciotti overtook fellow contenders with Promo, moving into the third place overall in the rankings, but falling shy of the Junior Leading Rider Bonus behind Shawn Casady, who took the $2,500 bonus after leading the Junior Ranks for all six derby events, while Sarah Sturges collected the Amateur Leading Rider bonus. Louise Serio was awarded the $10,000 Professional Leading Rider bonus, completing the $45,000 Hallway Feeds National Hunter Derby series with an astounding 1,075 points.

The Hallway Feeds Series consisted of six national hunter derby events that were held during the 2012 show series at the Kentucky Horse Park. Following the final event, cash prizes totaling $15,000 were awarded to the series’ leading riders. The Kentucky Summer Series was held July 24 – Aug. 26, 2012, and featured four of the $5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derbies.

Continue reading Louise Serio Captures $10,000 Hallway Feeds Professional Leading Rider Bonus during Final 2012 Hallway Feeds National Hunter Derby

Shane Sweetnam Takes the Lead in the 2012 Hagyard Challenge Series

Shane Sweetnam took the lead in the 2012 Hagyard Challenge Series during the $10,000 Hagyard Welcome Stake at the KHJA Horse Show. Photo By: Shawn McMillen Photography

Lexington KY – August 28, 2012 – It was a thrilling Welcome Stake for the final week of the Kentucky Summer Series, during the KHJA Horse Show. It was Shane Sweetnam who rode to the top of the standings for the 2012 Hagyard Challenge Series. Sweetnam’s first place finish knocked Kaitlin Campbell into the second place position, with Reed Kessler holding strong in the third place position.

Consisting of seven grand prix classes to be held during the 2012 show series at the Kentucky Horse Park, the Hagyard Challenge Series, sponsored by the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, offers a $50,000 Leading Rider Award. The rider accumulating the most points throughout the series will be presented with the bonus during the $50,000 World Cup Qualifier at the Kentucky National Horse Show in September 2012.

On Friday, August 24, 2012, Sweetnam piloted Solerina to the first place finish in the $10,000 Hagyard Welcome Stake, and also picked up the first place award with his other mount Amaretto D’Arco during the $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic at the Bluegrass Festival. After Friday night’s win, Sweetnam now holds the lead with 830 points.

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Tracy Fenney Makes a Clean Sweep at HITS Culpeper

©ESI Photography. Tracy Fenney and MTM Timon in the zone as they find their way to victory in Sunday's $40,000 HITS Grand Prix.

CULPEPER, VA (August 27, 2012) – It all came down to speed in Sunday’s $40,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, as Tracy Fenney of Flower Mound, Texas and MTM Farm’s MTM Timon rode to their second victory during the Constitution Classic. Five of the seven pairs who advanced to the second round went double clear and looked to the clock to reveal the final results.

Douglas Russell of Ocala, Florida set the track with 15 jumping efforts and saw the majority of faults at the double combination at fence five, and the triple combination at the end of the course at fence 11.

“I never think a course looks easy when I walk it,” said Fenney. “But this course turned out to be really nice.”

Coming off a successful week at HITS Culpeper, Tracy Magness of Hughsville, Maryland was first to ride and posted the first clear round aboard Mr. & Mrs. John Bartko’s Tarco Van Ter Moude. She and Tarco Van Ter Moude also rode to the blue in Thursday’s Level 7 Jumper class. Ragan Roberts of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania guaranteed a jump-off with a clear round seven trips later on Quipit Group’s Quipit L.F. They were eventually joined by five more horses, two of which had Fenney in saddle.

Continue reading Tracy Fenney Makes a Clean Sweep at HITS Culpeper

Ketchum & Vodka Bay Take $10,000 Chattahoochee Jumper Classic at Atlanta Summerfest Finale

Sara Ketchum and Vodka Bay (Holley Ridge Photography)

August, 27th 2012 – The second annual Atlanta Summerfest II came to a close yesterday.  The event was part of a two week show sold out show series managed by J. P. Godard and his Equus Events team taking place at Chattahoochee Hills Equestrian Center in Fairburn, GA.

The week was filled with beautiful weather and lots of exciting hunter and jumper action culminating with the $10,000 Chattahoochee Hills Jumper Classic Saturday evening.  17 entries competed over the course designed by J. P. Godard which looked straight forward, but ended up being tricky with only two horse rider combinations making it to the jump off.   The night belonged to Columbus, NC native Sara Ketchum and Still Creek Farm’s Vodka Bay as they put in two flawless rounds jumping clear in the jump off with a time of 39.513 to edge out Ace of Spades and owner rider Phyllis Tuggle.  Sara took home the blue ribbon as well as a Centaur Turbo Dry Dress sheet, custom Frederique Poulain platter, and a gift from Free Rein designs.  Riders and spectators were treated to an exhibitor’s party during the Jumper Classic sponsored by the 2012 Atlanta Summerfest Hospitality Sponsors: Brad Spragg and The Atlanta Hunt Club, Christina Jason and Cn’C Stables, Elizabeth Warmington and Brooksgate Stable, Inc., The Friedman Family, J. F. Gagne and Carsten Peters/Gagne International, Julie Curtain and New Vintage Farm, Lauren Marcinkoski and Swamp Fox Farm, Matt Martin and Raffi Kechejian/Windy Oaks Farm, Sunny Stevens and Stevehaven Stables, and the Tack Room of Camden, SC.

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Star Studded Line-up for 2012 American Gold Cup at Old Salem Farm

Beezie Madden and Coral Reef Via Volo win 2010 American Gold Cup. Photo By: Kenneth Kraus/PhelpsSports.com

North Salem, NY – August 27, 2012 – When the American Gold Cup makes it much anticipated return this year at Old Salem Farm in North Salem NY, it will be a star-studded lineup of world-class show jumpers that will compete for the 2012 title. The show, now just a couple of weeks away, is scheduled for September 12th through the 16th, 2012, with the famed $200,000 American Gold Cup as the highlight event on the final Sunday.

This year’s event has been designated an FEI CSI 4*-W, with Sunday American Gold being an East Coast League World Cup qualifying event for the 2012/2013 show jumping season.

With over $30 million dollars in improvements, Old Salem Farm, in New York’s Westchester County, is a premier equestrian venue, offering state-of-the-art facilities, surrounded by 120 gorgeous acres.

Highlighting the roster of riders scheduled to compete are four of the five members of the 2012 London Olympic team, including starters Beezie Madden, Reed Kessler and McLain Ward and first alternate, Charlie Jayne.

Continue reading Star Studded Line-up for 2012 American Gold Cup at Old Salem Farm

Second Leg of $200,000 THIS Triple Crown Challenge Spotlighted at Hampton Classic Horse Show

McLain Ward and Antares F winning the $100,000 Wells Fargo Grand Prix of Devon, the first leg of the THIS Triple Crown - photo by Parker Russell/The Book LLC

Middleburg, VA – August 24, 2012 – Olympic gold Medalist McLain Ward and his London partner Antares F will be in the spotlight as the second leg of the all-new Taylor Harris Insurance Services (THIS) Triple Crown Challenge takes place at the famed Hampton Classic Horse Show in Bridgehampton, NY on Sunday, September 2nd during the $250,000 FTI Grand Prix & FEI World Cup Qualifier.

Ward and Antares F captured the first leg of the Triple Crown Challenge when they scored the victory in the $100,000 Wells Fargo Grand Prix of Devon at the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair in May. They are the defending champions in the Grand Prix at the Hampton Classic where Ward has won the featured Grand Prix six times, twice as many times as any other rider.

“The Triple Crown Challenge adds an exciting element to great events such as Devon, the Hampton Classic and the Alltech National Horse Show,” said Ward. “As I mentioned after Devon, it’s a great bonus for the riders, a difficult one, but one with a great reward if you can get it done. Antares has jumped well in the past at Bridgehampton, so we will try our best to win that second leg at the Hampton Classic.”

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Third Time Lucky for Laura-Jane Tidball in Thunderbird’s SSG Promotion

Laura-Jane Tidball picked up her third $500 bonus in a row from SSG Riding Gloves after winning the $15,000 USHJA Chronicle of the Horse International Hunter Derby. Totem Photographics

Fort Langley, British Columbia – Laura-Jane Tidball of Fort Langley, BC, made it three in a row when she took home yet another cash bonus as part of the SSG Riding Gloves ‘Go Clean for the Green’ promotion during the Summer Fort Classic at Thunderbird Show Park in Langley, BC.

Tidball was wearing her SSG ‘Digital’ Riding Gloves when she topped a starting field of 35 entries to win the $15,000 USHJA Chronicle of the Horse International Hunter Derby on Saturday, August 18.  She had previously earned the SSG bonus after winning the $5,000 Cobblestone Derby on Saturday, June 30, and the $1,500 Canadian Hunter Derby on July 7.  Tidball picked up a $500 bonus from SSG Riding Gloves on all three occasions.

“I ride all of my horses in my SSG ‘Digitals’ now,” said Tidball, whose grandparents, Jump Canada Hall of Fame inductees George and Dianne Tidball, founded Thunderbird Show Park.  “I love how well they perform in all types of conditions, and the fact that they are washable is fantastic!”

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Historic ASPCA Maclay National Championship Returns to Alltech National Horse Show

Sarah Milliren, the 2011 ASPCA Maclay National Champion - photo by Shawn McMillen

Lexington, Ky. – August 25, 2012 – The second edition of the Alltech National Horse Show in Lexington, KY, is set for October 30 through November 4, 2012. The show will once again be held at the Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park.

In addition to world-class show jumping and the country’s best and most competitive hunter divisions, the show will also feature one of the nation’s longest running and most coveted national championships, the ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) Maclay National Championship.

Over the years the ASPCA Maclay Finals have been termed the “proving ground of champions” and the ultimate test for America’s young riders. And in the case of this classic test of horsemanship skills, that’s certainly more fact than hype.

During last year’s ASPCA Maclay Finals, it was 17-year-old Sarah Milliren of Sapulpa, Okla., who took top honors. “It’s so exciting; I’m so happy,” beamed Milliren after leading the victory gallop. “For the second round I had moved down, so I knew I had to give it my all. I feel so honored to win this prestigious national championship.”

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Watch RFD-TV Tonight to See Show Jumping Coverage from the 2012 Winter Equestrian Festival!

Olympic gold medalists Nick Skelton and Big Star will be in action tonight on RFD-TV! Photo credit: Sportfot

Wellington, FL – August 23, 2012 – Over 250,000 spectators attended the exciting 2012 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida. The FTI WEF has partnered with RFD-TV to offer an even larger audience the opportunity to see outstanding broadcasts of Grand Prix show jumping. Tune in to see world-class show jumping with competitors representing 33 countries.

Watch RFD-TV on Thursday, August 23, at 10:00 PM (EDT), to see the $80,000 Adequan Grand Prix, CSI 2*. Many of the same equestrians and horses that just competed in the 2012 London Olympic Games will compete. See Nick Skelton, Beezie Madden, Reed Kessler, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, Charlie Jayne, Rodrigo Pessoa, Ben Maher, Scott Brash and many more and their athletic horses!

On Monday, August 27, at 8:00 PM (EDT), the $500,000 FTI Consulting Finale Grand Prix, CSI 5* will be aired on RFD-TV. See Ian Millar, Eric Lamaze, Laura Kraut, Lauren Hough, Daniel Bluman and Cian O’Connor, as well as other international riders and horses perform their best for the signature event in Wellington.

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North Florida Labor Day

We are 1 week away from the North Florida Labor Day Show and today is the closing date for entries.  Entries are accepted after the closing date, but we do ask that you get in your stall count and entries in as soon as possible.

Those of you in Florida know that we have been experiencing record amounts of rain and we have had some concerns in regards to the footing.  Please do not be worried, as proper precautions have been made and the footing will be prepared accordingly, so please expect it to be in tip top shape.  The weather forecast this weekend is surprisingly dry and the sun is actually shining right now!

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