Category Archives: Competitions

Competitions, Events, Kentucky Horse Shows, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Double H Farm Dominates Jumpers at Kentucky Spring Classic

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Christina Kelly and HH Narcos Du Marais were victorious in the High Junior/ Amateur-Owner Jumpers at the Kentucky Spring Classic. Photo By: Rebecca Walton/PMG.

Lexington, KY – May 20, 2011 – The sun was brightly shining as the exciting jumper action in the Rolex Stadium continued today at the Kentucky Spring Classic, held at the picturesque Kentucky Horse Park. Double H Farm proved to be a dominating force today, taking home two blue ribbons with mounts winning the 1.45m Open Jumper class and the High Junior/Amateur Owner Jumper class. Quentin Judge piloted HH Sandor to victory in the 1.45m Open Jumper class for the second time this week, while junior rider Christina Kelly took home the winning title with HH Narcos Du Marais in the High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers.

For both events, riders showed over a technical course designed by Richard Jeffery of Bournemouth, England. The first round included 14 jumping efforts, which featured an open water option, a liverpool, and two double combinations. For the jump-off, riders showed over a new oxer followed by a tight turn to a single vertical, before galloping over a large oxer to a vertical-oxer double combination. Finally, they turned to a single vertical and galloped home over the final oxer.

The 1.45m Open Jumper class kicked off just before noon, and there were eight riders that managed to successfully complete the first round and advance to the short course. During the jump-off, only three entries left all the rails in place to finish with a perfect effort.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, Kentucky Horse Shows, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Unbelievable Uceko! Kent Farrington Takes $55,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix Win at Kentucky Spring Classic

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Kent Farrington and Uceko won the $55,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix at the Kentucky Spring Classic. Photos By: Rebecca Walton/PMG.

Lexington, KY – May 21, 2011 – As the Kentucky Spring Classic hosted another night of show jumping, the incredible duo of Kent Farrington and Uceko continued their complete domination of the last two weeks by securing the $55,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix victory. Tonight’s event was sponsored by Audi of Lexington and honored Mary Rena Murphy, a horsewoman whose dedication to equestrian sport was unmatched. Once again, speed proved to be the determining factor during the thirteen horse jump-off, and that is something Farrington and Uceko are proving to master. The duo was a full two seconds ahead of second place finishers Ali Wolff and Lanoo, while Christian Heineking and River of Dreams took home third for the second time this week.

Richard Jeffery, of Bournemouth, England, was tonight’s course designer and 32 horse and riders gathered at the Rolex Stadium to take their turn over the first round. There were 16 jumping efforts, which included a triple bar, a wall fence, a liverpool, an open water, an oxer-oxer double combination, and a vertical-oxer-vertical triple combination. Thirteen of the entries managed to clear the course without fault and advance to the jump-off.

“During the first round, there were more clear than I expected,” admitted Farrington. “The outside line started with a wall and then an awkward distance to an oxer-oxer combination, and then a very steady distance to a liverpool. I thought that would catch more horses than it did. I think the footing here is excellent, and these horses have been here for two weeks now, so I think they are really comfortable in the ring. I think that’s why there were more clear rounds than Richard expected. It’s under the lights, so they are a bit impressed, and I think the horses were just really going well on the ground.”

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Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Kentucky Summer Horse Shows Prize List Now Available

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The Kentucky Summer Horse Shows Prize List is now available one. Photo Courtesy of the Client.

Lexington, KY – May 21, 2011 – The Kentucky Summer Horse Shows’ management company, Kentucky Horse Shows LLC, is pleased to announce that the hunter/jumper competition’s prize list is currently available online. The prize list and entry blanks are posted online at www.kentuckyhorseshows.com. Entries for the Kentucky Summer Horse Shows close on Tuesday, June 28, 2011 and Wednesday, July 27, 2011 for the Bluegrass Festival and the KHJA Horse Show.

The top hunter and jumper riders will return to the Kentucky Horse Park for this world-class event. The Kentucky Summer Horse Show will kick off the series and will be held from July 27-31, 2011. This event will run concurrently with the North American Junior and Young Rider Championships. As the competition continues, the Kentucky Summer Classic will get underway on August 3, 2011, and run through August 7, 2011.

The Kentucky Summer Horse Show will feature two exciting highlight events, including the $40,000 Kentucky Summer Grand Prix, sponsored by Audi of Lexington, to be held on Sunday, July 31, 2011. The best jumper riders in the world will gather to compete for the title, and will also have the chance to compete during the $30,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic. This class will be the third event in the Hagyard Challenge Series. The rider who accumulates the most points throughout the seven-class series will be presented with the $45,000 Leading Rider Award.

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Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Jennifer Wood, Show Jumping

Young Rider Rachel Crinklaw Excels at the Fieldstone Spring Festival

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Rachel Crinklaw and Moulin Rouge won the Children’s Hunter Horse Classic at the 2011 Fieldstone Spring Festival. Photo © 2011 Anne Gittins Photography

Halifax, MA – May 20, 2011 –The 2011 Fieldstone Spring Festival featured a full day of hunter, jumper and equitation competition on Friday as the sun came out over the beautiful Fieldstone Equestrian and Show Facility in Halifax, MA. Continuing through Sunday, May 22, the show will host a full schedule of USEF ‘AA’ hunter and 4-star jumper competition. Today was a highlight for 15-year-old Rachel Crinklaw, of Sandown, NH, who guided Moulin Rouge to a win in the $500 NAL/M&S/WIHS Children’s Hunter Horse Classic. The pair also earned championship honors in the Children’s Hunter Horse division over its two days of competition.

The Children’s Hunter Horse division began on Thursday afternoon when Crinklaw and her mount Moulin Rouge, a Selle Francais gelding owned by Erika Fritsch, earned their first of several first place ribbons. The pair followed up Thursday’s blue ribbon win with two more over fences today. They also earned fourth place under saddle to lead the standings.

In addition to those ribbons, Crinklaw and Moulin Rouge earned top scores in both rounds of the $500 NAL/M&S/WIHS Children’s Hunter Horse Classic to earn the first place prize. Round one saw a score of 79, combined with a round two score of 80, to give the pair a total of 159 for the win. Second place was awarded to Jacqueline Snyder and her horse Optimo for their scores of 75 and 74 to total 145. Renowned trainer Karen Healey, of Westlake, CA, was the judge in the main hunter ring today and followed the rounds closely to determine the top finishers.

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Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Kentucky Horse Shows, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Greer Hindle and Freedom Victorious in USEF Hunter Seat Medal at Kentucky Spring Classic

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Greer Hindle and Freedom at the Kentucky Spring Classic. Photo Credit: Holly Whiteman

Lexington KY – May 20, 2011 – Today, the sun was shining for competitors at the Kentucky Spring Classic, held at the beautiful Kentucky Horse Park. In the Stonelea Arena, junior riders competed in the USEF/Pessoa Hunter Seat Medal and the WIHS Hunter Phase. The USEF/Pessoa Hunter Medal title went to Greer Hindle, while the WIHS Hunter Phase was won by Hayley Barnhill.

Twenty-five riders showed over a course consisting of nine jumps. Riders started out down the diagonal away from the gate with a seven stride vertical to an oxer. Then, riders came up the opposite diagonal over the wall and back down the opposite diagonal over a single vertical, and around to the outside two stride vertical to an oxer. From there, they continued down to the single vertical on the diagonal line and up the outside five stride vertical to an oxer.

Four riders were invited back in the ring for the final test. After they lined up, the judges instructed them to canter fences four and seven, counter canter fence eight, hand gallop fence two, halt, and return to the line at a sitting trot.

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Competitions, Events, Show Jumping, USEF

Americans Young Riders and Junior Riders on a Roll at CSIOJY Bonheiden

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Young Riders Ready for Nations Cup

The US Juniors and Young Riders Ready for Action in Belgium. Photo USEF Archives

Lexington, KY – The U.S. show jumping program turns its focus to Belgium this week as the Young Riders and Junior Riders tackle the CSIOJY Bonheiden, with the Young Riders jumping in the first Young Rider Nations Cup of the USEF European Young Rider Tour. The Nations Cup gets underway on Saturday at 5:30 PM CEST, the U.S. Team will jump third.

The U.S. will be represented by the following four riders in the Nations Cup. Katie Prudent is serving as the Chef d’Equipe.

Reed Kessler on Onisha, Richard Neal on Transmission, Catherine Pasmore on My Boy, and Jessica Springsteen on Vornado Van Den Hoendrik.

“We feel like we have a great team,” said Prudent. “Everyone is very excited to be here and we believe we have a good chance to win some Nations Cups.”

There were 75 starters in the Young Rider feature class on Thursday and Kessler stormed to victory on Onisha, just ahead of Pasmore who was second on Van David. Springsteen rounded out the top five on Vornado Van Den Hoendrik.

Junior rider Meg O’Mara won a class on Sinatra IV and Victoria Birdsall was seventh in the CSIJ 1.35m Speed Class.

Friday began with more success, Karen Polle won on With Wings in the Young Rider Table C Class and O’Mara was second in the Junior Speed Class, in the afternoon Polle won again, this time with Whatever and Springsteen was second with Cincinnati La Silla in the Young Rider 1.40m Two-Phase (Power and Speed).

Information is available here: http://www.jumping-bonheiden.be/p1_46-6-csi-2stars.aspx.

Read Catherine Pasmore’s blog here: http://www.catherineusa2011.blogspot.com/.

Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Brunello and Liza Towell Boyd Rise to the Challenge in the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at the Atlanta Spring Challenge Horse Show

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Brunello and Liza Boyd. Pictures by Shawn McMillen

May 21st, 2011 – It was a gorgeous night at the Georgia International Horse Park as the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby took place under the lights in the International Arena with a huge crowd in attendance.  Exhibitors and spectators were treated to a fabulous class featuring 31 of the top horses and riders in the country while enjoying a “Derby Reception” sponsored by Equus Events and the Godard Family.  The course designed by J. P. Godard of Aiken, SC received rave reviews and included inviting natural obstacles such as coups, split rail fencing, gates, wooden logs, and brush boxes.  It is a unique setting for this class being the site of the 1996 show jumping portion of the Olympic Games; it really is quite stunning at night under the lights.

At the end of the night it was no stranger in the winner’s circle as Brunello and Liza Towell Boyd of Camden, South Carolina stepped out to take the blue ribbon.  Boyd’s “Grand Prix” hunter as she has been known to call him jumped brilliantly and earned the highest scores of the night earning a 188 in round 1 and a 189 in the handy round giving them the over winning total of 377.  Brunello, a 13 year old Hanoverian gelding is owned by Boyd along with Mrs. Janet Peterson.  This marks the pair’s 2nd consecutive derby win at the Atlanta Spring Challenge Horse Show.  Boyd was joined by 17 month old daughter Elle, her father Jack Towell, and Mrs. Janet Peterson for the ribbon presentation.  Betsy Minton of Dietrich and Company Equine Insurance was also on hand.  Dietrich and Company is a Major sponsor of the 2010/2011 USHJA International Hunter Derby series as well as the “official” insurance provider for Equus Events, Inc. and the Atlanta Spring Challenge Horse Show.

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Breeds, Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, USEF

Sponsorship Opportunities Available for 2011 USEF Saddle Seat Adult Amateur Medal Final

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2010 USEF Saddle Seat Adult Amateur Medal Final winner Ali Judah. Photo by Howard Schatzberg.

Lexington, KY – Sponsorship opportunities are now available for the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Saddle Seat Adult Amateur Medal Final scheduled for July 15, 2011.

Initially developed to showcase a discipline rich in tradition, the USEF Saddle Seat Adult Amateur Medal Final will once again take place in conjunction with a true regional gem, the Lexington Junior League Charity Horse Show, hosted at the historic Red Mile Racetrack in downtown Lexington, KY. This will be the horse show’s 75th anniversary.

The Lexington Junior League Charity Horse Show represents the world’s largest outdoor American Saddlebred horse show and attracts thousands of spectators each year to shop, participate in social activities and watch exhibitors compete for over $70,000 in prize money.

Your generous sponsorship dollars not only promote your name or business to the many competitors and fans – they also help ensure the continued success of the Final, helping to put Saddle Seat Equitation in the spotlight. To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, visit our brochure at: http://www.usef.org/documents/disciplines/SSE/AASponsorshipBrochure.pdf.

For additional information, please contact Jennifer Mellenkamp at (859) 225-6955 or via e-mail at jmellenkamp@usef.org.

Breeds, Community/Charity, Competitions, Dressage, Events, Fundraisers, Phelps Media Group

Lusitano Festival at Sons of the Wind Farm to Showcase Long Lining

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Sons of the Wind School of Equestrian Arts will be hosting their annual "Pride of Portugal; the Lusitano joins the Ride for Life" Festival on Saturday, June 4, 2011. Photo Courtesy of the Client.

Merrimac, MA – May 19, 2011 – The Sons of the Wind School of Equestrian Arts is currently gearing up for their third annual Lusitano Festival, scheduled for Saturday, June 4, 2011. This year, the Pride of Portugal; The Lusitano, joins the “Ride for Life”. This exciting event showcases the beautiful Lusitano horses and highlights the amazing Portuguese culture, and will now also be helping to try and raise $50,000 for the Johns Hopkins Avon Foundation for Breast Center. Each year during the “Ride for Life,” Sons of the Wind demonstrates the quadrilles and athletic aires above the ground to the thousands in attendance for this worthwhile cause.

One of the highlights at this year’s event will be a long lining demonstration conducted by Sons of the Wind founder, Vitor Silva. Using just a snaffle bit and long lines, Silva and Niquel, a Lusitano Grand Prix mount, will demonstrate numerous dressage movements, including the piaffe, passage, and pirouette.

“It is going to showcase the bond between the trainer and horse,” explained Silva. “Here we have a stallion in front of a crowd with just a snaffle. He will be doing all of the lateral movements, all of the collected movements, receiving just a simple command from the trainer from behind him.”

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Championships, Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Kentucky Horse Shows, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Eastwood and Taylor Ann Adams Earn Championship at Kentucky Spring Horse Show

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Taylor Ann Adams and Eastwood at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show. Photo Credit: Holly Whiteman/PMG

Lexington KY – May 15, 2011 – The first week of the Kentucky Spring Horse Show wrapped up the first week of a two-week long horse show event.  On Wednesday, May 18, the series will pick up again with the Kentucky Spring Classic.  Riders and spectators experienced summer-like weather conditions throughout most of the show with a touch of rain putting only a slight damper on the last two days. The Junior Hunter Divisions concluded with championship honors being awarded in the Stonelea Arena. Despite the rainy forecast, riders turned out to the ring in mint condition, ready to compete.

Taking the show in the Large 16-17 Junior Hunter Division was Taylor Ann Adams and Eastwood. The pair won the championship prize with two blue ribbons.  Shawn Casady and Stars Go Blue earned the reserve championship tricolor.

Adams, who has only competed Eastwood once before, was all smiles after their performance.  The duo fought the cold and rain to come out of the ring victorious, “Eastwood was amazing. I hate competing in the rain and the cold.  I couldn’t really see the jumps so I really just had to trust that he was going to be there and he was.”

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