Evan Coluccio Pilots Batman to the Win in Medium Performance Hunters at Kentucky Summer Classic

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Evan Coluccio and Batman at the Kentucky Summer Classic. Photo By: Kendall Bierer/PMG.

Lexington, KY – August 4, 2011 – The skies stayed blue with sunshine shining down on the Kentucky Horse Park for the second day of the Kentucky Summer Classic. The best horse and rider combinations competed for top honors during their respective divisions in the Stonelea Ring for the First Year Green Working Hunters, Second Year Green Working Hunters, High Performance Hunters and Medium Performance Hunters.

Today in the First Year Green Working Hunters division, Havens Schatt, did not disappoint aboard Macallan, owned by Tracy Scheriff-Muser of Wellington, FL, as they claimed the championship prize. The duo earned a first place ribbon and a third place ribbon during yesterday’s classes as well as a second place ribbon and a fourth place ribbon today. “Macallan was really good today, I was a little nervous when I was schooling him because he felt lazy,” explained Schatt. “He has such a great time doing the handy, he came through today for me, especially since he is so scopey and easy to get to the jumps.”

Bel Canto, piloted by Sarah Young and owned by Sarah Rubenstein of St. Louis, MO, took home the reserve championship award during the First Year Green Working Hunter. Yesterday the pair earned a second place ribbon and a fourth place ribbon. Today they followed with a strong conclusion earning them a first place ribbon and a fourth place ribbon, garnering the reserve champion tricolor.

Holly Orlando and Sailor’s Valentine, owned by Westerly Farm of Unionville, PA, won the Second Year Green Working Hunters championship award. The consistent duo took home the blue ribbon prize in all four of the classes, as well as the under saddle. “Normally the handy is one of our better rounds because he definitely is a handy horse with how easily he will turn inside and slice jumps,” described Orlando. “My plan for the handy ended up giving me a little bit more horse than I needed, but he pulled through, and we are taking everything as a learning experience.”

Kelci Crenshaw and Lead Story, owned by Fit to Print Farm of Woodstock, GA, claimed the reserve championship prize behind Orlando. The horse and rider combination earned two second place ribbons during yesterday’s division, and a second place ribbon and a third place ribbon today.

Next to show in the Stonelea Ring was the High Performance Hunter division. Schatt continued her winning streak aboard Valencia, owned by CH Farm, LLC of Delano, MN. “Valencia was much better in these classes versus this morning,” said Schatt referring to the First Year Green Working Hunter classes Valencia jumped earlier in the morning. “She’s so new at this and we’re still trying to figure out what worries her and what doesn’t. I found she’s easier for me to ride at the bigger jumps because it gives her something to look at and allows her to show off her talent. She was super today in these working classes, so it was a lot of fun!”

Schatt looks forward to Valencia’s future, planning for her to do the Derby classes. Since Valencia began showing in early June, this is only her fourth time showing in the hunters. Schatt is trying to prepare and organize her for future classes. “It’s fun to have a horse that can do the four feet classes again,” exclaimed Schatt. “It has been a little while since I had one that can do it nicely; she’s kind of a horse for me, which I haven’t had in a long time; it’s perfect.”

Valencia secured the championship award with a first place ribbon and a second place ribbon in yesterday’s divisions, followed by a strong finish including a first place ribbon and a second place ribbon over fences today with a first place ribbon in the under saddle class. Yes Indeed ridden by Sarah Mechlin and owned by Olivia Weaver of Cincinnati, OH, took home the reserve championship prize following behind Valencia. The duo claimed a second place ribbon and a third place ribbon yesterday, and finished strong with two second place ribbons and a first place ribbon today.

“Yesterday he was a little bit fresh and I had a little bit of rust on my stirrups,” Young admitted. “Yes Indeed or Rusty as we fondly call him, was fantastic, he really gave me 110% out there.”

Young has been riding Yes Indeed since 2008, beginning their horse-rider relationship in the Rre-Green Hunter classes. “He is so fun and so easy,” said Young. “He likes for you to sit around him and give a lot of leg and get him right up to the base of the oxers, that’s where he really shines.”

Evan Coluccio aboard Batman stole the show in the Medium Performance Hunters sweeping over the course effortlessly. The talented duo made their appearance known when they earned two first place ribbons yesterday and stayed consistent today finishing with two more blue ribbons and eventually earning the championship tricolor. “We were having such a good time out there,” described Coluccio. “I think Allen Rheinheimer did a really great job designing the course by making it original, sometimes the handy classes are too generic, but this one allowed for me to do a lot of turns that nobody else did. I think that is what gave me that little bit extra to win.”

Coluccio and Batman have created a bond throughout the years they have known one another. The talented rider originally showed Batman in 2006 as his Junior Jumper, and in doing so Batman built a very extensive record in the ring. “It’s a funny story because I have had him off and on for a very long time. He was sold, but he came back to us full circle,” explained Coluccio. “I have had him off and on for eight years and we have won so much together, we know one another so well.”

It comes as no surprise that Batman and Coluccio understand each other so thoroughly. “He’s very straightforward, a little lazy actually, but if you give him some leg he’ll open up,” stated Coluccio. “He has the best personality and is such a love.”

Coluccio concluded. “Kentucky is such a wonderful place; it is so horse friendly and such a wonderful way to spend your summer. I’m just thrilled to have such a long bond with him, be able to show at the Kentucky Horse Park, and still dominate.”

Jordan Siegel followed behind Batman with Jet Set, owned by Castle Point Farm, LLC of Collierville, TN, garnering the reserve championship award finishing with a second and fourth place ribbon in yesterday’s classes and three second place ribbons today.

Tomorrow, the Amateur-Owner Hunters and Pony Hunters will get underway followed by the Junior Hunter divisions this weekend. The Kentucky Summer Classic will come to a close on Sunday, with the USEF Pony Finals beginning shortly after followed by the Bluegrass Festival Classic and the KHJA Horse Show.

For more information about the Kentucky Summer Horse Shows please visit www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.

Media Contact: Mason Phelps
Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
phone 561.753.3389  fax 561.753.3386
pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com

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