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*Featured & SpotlightsHunt Tosh and Lone Star Make a Sweeping Comeback at Kentucky Spring Classic Hunt Tosh and Lone Star swept the Performance 3'6" Hunters on the first day of the Kentucky Spring Classic. Photo By: Kendall Bierer/PMG’ Lexington, KY – May 16, 2012 – Today marked the first day of the Kentucky Spring Classic as horse and rider combinations gathered at the Stonelea Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park. The professional divisions started out the morning, seeing some of the nation’s most talented riders vie for the top honors in their respective divisions. Riders who rode to the blue today included Victoria Colvin, Scott Stewart, Havens Schatt and Hunt Tosh. The competition was fierce, but it was Tosh who came out on top in three of his divisions, including with the infamous Lone Star, who made a clean sweep during his comeback in the Performance 3’6″ Hunter division. Although it was the Performance 3’6″ Hunters who rounded out the day, the hunter excitement was nowhere near at an end. Tosh navigated Lone Star, owned by Dr. Betsee Parker of Middleburg, VA, to a clean sweep of the division. It has been well over a year since Lone Star last showed; however, it appeared as though the horse did not miss a beat as he posted the division’s top scores of 88 in both rounds over fences. Havens Schatt guided Just Fred, owned by R. Bruce Duchossois of Aiken, SC, to scores of 87 and 85, taking the second place honors. Reed Kessler and Ligist Earn 1.45m Open Jumper Blue at Kentucky Spring Classic Reed Kessler and Ligist won the 1.45m Open Jumper class at the Kentucky Spring Classic. Photo By: Rebecca Walton/PMG Lexington, KY – May 16, 2012 – Sunny skies greeted the exhibitors as they kicked off the Kentucky Spring Classic in the Rolex Stadium of the Kentucky Horse Park. Once again it was Reed Kessler at the top of the leader board as she piloted Ligist to the only double clear effort in today’s 1.45m Open Jumper class to earn the blue ribbon prize. Earlier in the day, Andre Rodriguez and Remonta Eden sped to victory in the 1.40m Open Jumpers, just topping Kessler and Onisha, who placed second during the speed class. Germany’s Olaf Petersen Jr. built a technical track for the 1.45m Open Jumper class that snaked through the Rolex Stadium and included a triple bar, two double combinations, and an open water option. Only two horse and rider combinations were able to master the first round and advance to the jump-off, which featured three new fences and a double combination. Reed Kessler, of Lexington, KY, and Ligist were third on the posted order, and made the first round look easy as they made their way over each obstacle. Advancing to the short course, Kessler picked up a quick gallop, and despite a hard rub at the first part of the double combination, they left each rail intact and dashed across the finish line in 32.588 seconds. Louise Serio Leads Hallway Feeds National Hunter Derby Series Louise Serio and Corvine win the lead off $5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby on Saturday, May 12, 2012, at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show. Photo By: Kendall Bierer/PMG Lexington, KY – May 16, 2012 – The Kentucky Spring Horse Shows began on Wednesday, May 9, 2012, and one of the highlight events was the kick-off of the 2012 $45,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby Series, sponsored by Hallway Feeds. The Hallway Feeds Series consists of six national hunter derby events to be held during the 2012 show series at the Kentucky Horse Park. Following the final event, cash prizes totaling $15,000 will be awarded to the series’ leading riders. The Kentucky Spring Horse Show, held May 9-13, 2012, featured the lead-off event on Saturday evening with the $5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby. The top riders from across the nation gathered to compete over a challenging course and vie for the winning title and valuable points towards the $15,000 Leading Rider Awards. At the end of the night it was Louise Serio and Corvine who took led the victory gallop, giving Serio the lead in the standings. The Kentucky Spring Classic, May 16-20, 2012, will host the second of the six derby events in the series, the $5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby, on Saturday, May 19, in the Stonelea Arena. Rebecca Cohen Continues Winning Streak at Jacksonville Dressage Show Rebecca Cohen and Downtown continue their winning streak as they count down to the USEF National Championships at Gladstone. (JRPR photo) Wellington, FL (May 15, 2012) – Dressage rider Rebecca Cohen may be a 16-year-old teen, but she can still find time to enjoy a mother-daughter bonding experience while executing a winning round in the dressage ring. Cohen, who lives in Wellington, recently competed at the Jacksonville Dressage on the First Coast, riding away with the win in the Young Riders Team test on her horse Downtown. “I am so proud of Rebecca and we had a great time at the show. Rebecca was really poised and in control. We went to the show without a trainer and without a groom and Rebecca took care of everything herself,” said Carol Cohen, Rebecca’s mother. “It was a great mother-daughter bonding experience. We had a ball.” Cohen is coming off a winning winter show circuit and has her sights set on competing at the NAJYRC in Kentucky this summer. In 2010, Cohen was on the Region 3 Junior Team and helped her team bring home a bronze medal. She won the FEI Junior and Third Level division at Regionals and also earned a spot at the Festival of Champions. Horseware Ireland Joins Combined Driver Chester Weber’s Team of Sponsors Chester Weber is pleased to welcome Horseware Ireland, the equestrian market’s leader in horse clothing, to his team of sponsors. (Photo courtesy of My Elisabeth Weber) Ocala, FL (May 15, 2012) – Chester Weber, the nine-time USEF National Four-In-Hand Champion, is pleased to welcome Horseware Ireland, the equestrian market’s leader in horse clothing, to his team of sponsors. “My team cannot compromise on the care of our horses, so we use Horseware blankets, turnouts, coolers and fly sheets from the Rambo, Rhino and Amigo lines to keep them warm, comfortable and dry,” Weber said. Horseware will also outfit Weber and his managers and grooms with stylish casual jackets, vests and polo shirts for their upcoming competition tour in Europe this summer. Weber said his human team is happy about being outfitted in Horseware’s casual clothing. “It will really add to our team spirit to have attractive and well-fitted casual wear,” Weber said. Since its founding in 1985, Horseware has prided itself on outfitting horses and their people with high-quality, thoughtful clothing and accessories for any season, riding discipline or lifestyle. Horseware is headquartered in Ireland, with a U.S. outpost in North Carolina. CEO of the Humane Society Responds to Wall Street Journal Article on Horse Slaughter Photo: Steve Hebert for The Wall Street Journal Gentlemen, There were some actual errors, including the mention that the Congress took the action of specifically “authorizing funding for inspections” at horse slaughter plants. The Congress did no such thing. It simply chose not to include language that specifically barred funding for inspections. In fact, every time the full Senate or House has voted on the issue, the outcome has been lopsided in opposition to horse slaughter. In this case, a couple of conferees to the Agriculture spending bill dropped the House-approved language barring funding. You’ll find no language in the appropriations bill that mentions that horses should be slaughter, and there’s definitely no authorizing language to that effect. Cassidy Zimmerman Wins NAL/WIHS Children’s Hunter Classic at Kentucky Spring Horse Show Cassidy Zimmerman and Portafina take the NAL/WIHS Children's Hunter Classic Championship. Photo By: Kendall Bierer/PMG Lexington, KY – May 13, 2012 – The NAL/WIHS Children’s Classic welcomed the final day of the Kentucky Spring Horse show today. Although the riders were greeted with sheets of rain throughout the duration of the morning and afternoon, this did not lessen the competition as horse and rider combinations vied for the top honors in their respective divisions. It was Cassidy Zimmerman who not only picked up the reserve championship honors in the Children’s 15-17 Hunters, but also triumphed in the NAL/WIHS Children’s Classic with Portafina, riding to the overall total of 159 points. The early afternoon promised talent for the last class of the day, the NAL/WIHS Children’s Classic, with several high scores and promising hunter rounds. The champion of the Children’s 14 and Under Hunter division, Avery Hinson of Plain City, OH, and Galiano, posted the high score of the division with their second round score of an 81 to carry over into the Classic as their first round total. The duo picked up the first and third place ribbons over fences today, and combined with their honors from yesterday, they picked up the division’s championship honors. Jane Brooks of Cincinnati, OH, and Lifeline, rode to the reserve championship title with their consistent second place ribbons throughout the over fences and under saddle. Deslauriers and Urico Win in the Rain, Claim Top Honors in the $75,000 Commonwealth Grand Prix Mario Deslauriers and Urico (Shawn McMillen Photography) Lexington, KY – The second of four 2012 US Show Jumping Team Observation Events came to a close Sunday afternoon at the Kentucky Horse Park. With 16 entries contesting the $75,000 Commonwealth Grand Prix, which served as the second class of the Observation Event held in conjunction with the Kentucky Spring Horse Show. Grey skies and rain could not deter the 14 members of the USEF Long List for the U.S. Show Jumping Team for the 2012 Olympic Games from showcasing their talents over Richard Jeffrey’s 14 obstacle course. In the first round of competition four combinations, all from the long list, were able to produce faultless efforts and qualify for the jump-off. In the jump-off, Mario Deslauriers and Urico were untouchable as they cruised to a fault free effort in a time of 35.15 seconds and claimed top honors in the $75,000 Commonwealth Grand Prix. Mario Deslauriers & Urico Win $75,000 Commonwealth Grand Prix at Kentucky Spring Horse Show Mario Deslauriers and Urico won the $75,000 Commonwealth Grand Prix at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show. Photo By: Rebecca Walton/PMG Lexington, KY – May 13, 2012 – Rain plagued the Kentucky Horse Park throughout the day at the Kentucky Spring Classic, but it did not stop the country’s top competitors as they entered the Rolex Stadium for the $75,000 Commonwealth Grand Prix. As the second U.S. Show Jumping Team Observation Event during the show, today’s grand prix event featured a challenging scope test, which only three Olympic hopefuls were able to master. Mario Deslauriers piloted Urico to the fastest clear jump-off to claim the victory, while 17-year-old Reed Kessler placed second aboard Mika with the other fault free round. Beezie Madden also advanced to the short course with both Simon and Cortes ‘C’, but placed third and fourth, respectively, after earning four faults with each. The first round of Richard Jeffery’s demanding track included to wide oxers in the first line, followed by an even larger triple bar. There was also an open water to an airy vertical-vertical double combination. Riders then headed away from home through an oxer-oxer-vertical triple combination and finished over a long line with two liverpools. Eight of today’s 16 entries managed to complete the course with just four faults to their name, attesting to the level of the competitors in the ring. Four horses left every rail in the cups and advanced to the short course. USHJA International Hunter Derby Victory Awarded to Victoria Colvin at Kentucky Spring Horse Show Victoria Colvin and Inclusive won the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show. Photo By: Kendall Bierer/PMG Lexington, KY – May 12, 2012 – The night was filled with anticipation and excitement as the nation’s top hunter riders gathered beneath the lights of the Rolex Stadium tonight at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show. The evening began with the $5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby where renowned hunter rider Louise Serio took the championship prize aboard Corvine. The $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby turned into a nail-biter as 14-year-old Victoria Colvin went neck and neck against Jennifer Alfano, with the junior rider eventually emerging victorious. Riders were tested over a classic hunter course designed by Bobby Murphy, and the top 12 scoring combinations advanced into the handy hunter round. The course was beautifully set, and was reminiscent of a hunt field. The two-round course included stonewalls, oxers, standalone verticals, gates, brushes and an in-and-out. Four high options were offered to the riders as a way of earning additional points on their base scores. The decision to take the higher option came down to whether or not the horse would still be able to demonstrate their style and grace with effectiveness. Additional points were also awarded to riders who demonstrated “handiness” and an elevated amount of difficulty. |
