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equestrian competitionsLone Star Emerges Champion with Hunt Tosh in Performance Hunters at Kentucky Spring Classic Hunt Tosh navigated Lone Star to his comeback, earning the Performance 3'6" Hunters Championship at the Kentucky Spring Classic. Photo By: Kendall Bierer/PMG Lexington, KY – May 17, 2012 – The day was filled with intense competition as top riders vied for the championship awards in their divisions today at the Kentucky Spring Classic. Louise Serio led the way with Casino, dominating the First Year Greens, while Scott Stewart earned the championships in his respective divisions aboard Beholden and Dedication. Hunt Tosh guided Cold Harbor to the Regular Conformation Hunter Championship and Rosalynn to the High Performance Hunters highest honors. The distinguished Lone Star returned to the ring for the second day of competition, earning a second day of straight 88s with Tosh in the irons, eventually taking the Performance 3’6″ Hunters Championship. Hunt Tosh and Lone Star, owned by Dr. Betsee Parker of Middleburg, VA, were victors at the end of the day in the Performance 3’6″ Hunters, as the veteran pair began their return to the show rung. The duo earned both blue ribbons in yesterday, and picked up the second place ribbon during their first round over fences today and the third place in the under saddle. Hayley Barnhill and Lennon, owned by Reid Patton of Nashville, TN, took the reserve award. Junior and Young Riders Set to Jump in Europe U.S. Young Riders are prepared for the 2012 Show Jumping European Young and Junior Rider Tour (USEF Archive) Lexington, KY – The 2012 Show Jumping European Young and Junior Rider Tour gets underway this week in Belgium. Five up-and-coming Young Riders and one Junior Rider from the U.S. will compete alongside some of the best rising talent in Europe at three prestigious competitions over the next month. The first stop on the 2012 tour is this weekend’s CSIOYJ Bonheiden, which runs May 17-20. To learn more about the 2012 Show Jumping European Young and Junior Rider Tour, and for competition dates, click here. The five U.S. riders contesting the CSIOY this weekend have already made an impact on the American jumping scene and look to add to their resumes in Europe. Annie Cook (Woodside, CA) was the winner of the 2005 Adequan/USEF Pony Jumper Individual Championship and in 2008 she was a member of the Gold medal winning Zone 10 team at the 2008 CN FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships. Cook will ride Signe Ostby’s Banba and Landkorn 5 in Europe. Jennifer Goddard also brings two horses on the 2012 Show Jumping European Young Rider Tour: Stateside Farm’s Unique and Ungaro de la Hot Couture. Goddard (Fort Solanga, NY) enjoyed a successful 2011 season collecting victories at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival and the Lake Placid Horse Show. HITS-on-the-Hudson Announces GRAMMY-Winning Artist Michael McDonald as Championship Weekend HeadlinerSAUGERTIES, NY (May 17, 2012) — HITS and The Bardavon have teamed up again, bringing music legend Michael McDonald to the summer stage at HITS-on-the-Hudson as the conclusion to the richest weekend in show jumping. McDonald, a five time GRAMMY award winner will perform a live concert directly following the Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix on Sunday, September 9, 2012 to conclude HITS Championship Weekend. HITS President and CEO Tom Struzzieri proudly welcomes rock royalty Michael McDonald to center stage with excitement, noting no better way to thank exhibitors for their continued support. “The three classes that will take place on that Sunday have always been about giving back to the customers who support the HITS product throughout the year. Pairing those with a concert of this caliber is another demonstration of our appreciation and a great tool for drawing spectators beyond the equine set to the show grounds for the competitions,” he said. “It adds a great family-friendly flavor to the weekend and helps to put folks in the bleachers, so it’s a true win-win.” Hunt 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. Mystery Whisper Shouts His Dominance at the Jersey Fresh CCI3* Phillip Dutton and Mystery Whisper jump to the win in the Jersey Fresh CCI3*. Leslie Mintz/USEA Photo The singular goal that Phillip Dutton has been working for all season is now officially accomplished; he and Mystery Whisper are now qualified for this summer’s Olympic Games. And as a cherry on top of that accomplishment they also handily won this weekend’s CCI3* at Jersey Fresh in Allentown, New Jersey. “It’s a big relief actually – not just to win but to get the horse qualified,” said Phillip. “I knew that he was more than good enough to win, but although that wasn’t the object it was icing on the cake. Every time we do something a bit more he steps up a little bit better. I guess the biggest thing I learned this weekend is that he can go for ten minutes very easily, and that is a great sign for the future because he will be even that much fitter if he gets to run London. There is not much the horse doesn’t have as far as being a three-day event horse.” The 12-year-old Warmblood Gelding (Richmeed Medallion x Socialite) was purchased from Heath Ryan last year by the Wildasin family for their daughter Arden to ride. However, Arden generously agreed to allow Phillip to have the ride through this summer’s Olympic Games. 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. |
