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Mavis Spencer Claims Win in 1.40m Open Jumpers at Kentucky Summer Classic

Mavis Spencer and Cornetiero.

Tim Goguen and Ransom Claim Grand Hunter Championship on Day Two

Lexington, KY – Aug. 3, 2016 – After winning the 1.40m Open Jumpers during the Kentucky Summer Horse Show with Disco Lady, Mavis Spencer returned on Wednesday with her own Cornetiero to best a field of 27, again winning the 1.40m Open Jumpers during the Kentucky Summer Classic.

After Sharn Wordley and Caiman De Sequoias, who he owns with the Sky Group, set the time to beat at 35.558 seconds in the jump-off, it seemed their lead would not be overtaken, until Spencer entered the ring with Cornetiero.

Spencer put in a clear first round and advanced to the jump-off, where she opened her horse’s stride and stopped the clock in 33.801 seconds – two seconds faster than Wordley – to take over the top spot.

“Today Cornetiero was super,” Spencer said. “I didn’t get to see anyone go because we were busy changing bits. I know Sharn is a very fast rider, so my plan was to play to my horse’s strengths. We don’t turn very well, but he’s so quick across the ground, so I used that make up time.”

After Spencer got the ride on Cornetiero during the 2014-2015 Winter Equestrian Festival, the duo went on to jump clear rounds at top European venues during the following summer. After Cornetiero spent the past year in England, the owners recently gave him to Spencer.

“I just got him back two weeks ago,” Spencer explained. “He kind of likes to do things his own way, so we were still kind of getting back into the feel of things last week. Today I was really happy with him. He’s got a world of experience, and he’s very scopey, so I’m very glad to have him back.”

One final challenger, Pablo Barrios, entered the ring with his own Stackfleth. The duo also won a 1.40m Open Jumper Class during the Kentucky Summer Horse Show, but today Barrios would settle for second after narrowly missing Spencer’s leading time by one-tenth of a second. Wordley and Caiman De Sequoias finished in third.

Following next, the 1.35m Open Jumpers took the stage in the Rolex Arena. The speed class saw 23 starters, and each round became progressively quicker until Rebecca Conway and Ark Partners LLC’s Farina stole the lead and held it. Keely McIntosh, who set the early pace to beat aboard Jenny Booth’s So Live Helau, finished in second.

“Farina is a really special horse; I really love her,” Conway said. “She’s very sensitive and careful, and she really anticipates where you’re going. She lands and she’s already turning, so you have to almost think about going straight, because otherwise she turns so quickly. When the jumps come up smoothly, she’s just such a fast horse, and it worked out for us today.”

Conway said she has the ride on the mare for the summer while her owners are in Europe, and this show marks the last week the two will spend together.

“It’s going to be sad not having her around the barn,” Conway expressed. “She’s really an awesome horse. She’s a hard worker and always tries in the ring. You can always depend on her for a good result.”

Conway, who spends the summer in Lexington, concluded by praising the Kentucky Horse Park and surrounding areas.

“It’s great for the horses to be able to jump on nice footing in big rings. It’s also nice for them to be able to go out on the cross country fields on their days off. Everyone here is also very helpful; I love the ladies in the show office. It’s just a nice atmosphere, and for me it’s like a second home.”

The Kentucky Summer Classic will continue on Thursday with the highlight $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic. Other feature events include the $50,000 Kentucky Summer Grand Prix presented by GGT Footing and the $5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby.

Tim Goguen and Ransom Claim Grand Hunter Championship on Day Two of Kentucky Summer Classic

Tim Goguen dominated the professional hunter ring at the Kentucky Summer Classic Horse Show by winning four division championships in the Stonelea Ring. Goguen and Belhaven Stables LLC’s Ransom impressed the judges on Wednesday and claimed the Grand Hunter Championship, sponsored by Visse Wedell.

Tim Goguen and Ransom
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Tim Goguen and Ransom

Goguen won three over fences classes and the under saddle class in the Regular Conformation Hunter division with the 8-year-old gelding Ransom. Molly Sewell and Jamie Stryker’s Upcountry Charmer earned the reserve champion ribbon, while Goguen and Ransom captured the division rosette.  Goguen and his wife Kelly were thrilled with the gelding’s performance.

“Ransom has a beautiful way of going, he is very athletic and scopey, and he always tries to jump in beautiful style,” explained Kelly Goguen. “He has been super this week after having a few weeks off.  He picked off where we left off, which is nice.”

Goguen and Ransom have had a successful career with many wins as a First Year, Second Year and Junior hunter horse. Their most recent accomplishment was winning the Regular Conformation division in Traverse City at the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival earlier in the summer. Tim and Kelly Goguen operate a training business two miles from the Kentucky Horse Park during the summer, and they reside in Wellington, Florida in the winter.

“He puts in a lot of effort to be a tight ball at the top of the jump,” Kelly Goguen continued. “He is always trying to do it right; either a horse has that, or they don’t. Ransom is very sweet and laid back around the barn, and he is fun to be around.”

Goguen also earned a tricolor in the First Year Green Hunter division on Garland Alban’s 6-year-old gelding Category. Their division highlights were winning two over fences classes, placing second in the under saddle, and finishing third in the handy round.

“Category has gone really well this week,” Goguen said. “He’s a good jumper and very balanced. He’s still a bit green in his mouth, so the turns in the handy can be more difficult for him, but it went well. Everything came up nicely for us in our rounds yesterday. He was good!”

Jane Gaston rode her KWPN gelding Because to the First Year Green Hunter Reserve Championship.

Goguen’s domination continued in the professional hunter ring by winning the Green Conformation Hunter division with Belhaven Stables LLC’s Splendid. The pair also won last week’s Conformation Hunter division championship at the Kentucky Summer Horse Show. They won two blue ribbons in an over fences and handy class, as well as the second place in two over fences classes. Jeff Gogul and the 6-year-old Westphalian gelding Cortes were the reserve champions of the Green Conformation Hunter division.

Goguen and Capella continued yesterday’s lead in the Second Year Green Hunter division to clinch the division championship on Wednesday.

The day wrapped up Sydney Shulman winning the High Performance Working Hunter Championship with DK-USA Sporthorse’s Cosmeo for the second week in a row. Shulman and the 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion won blue ribbons in three over fences, and red ribbons in the under saddle and handy.

“I am extremely happy and satisfied!” Shulman said. “When you work so hard when you are home, it’s so nice to come to a show where the horse goes in and does everything you practiced at home and your work transfer to the ring. It feels like you did the right work!

“I always knew Cosmeo had the jump and the brain, and it has just been a matter of putting it all together,” she continued. “He is very smart! If I teach him something once he will do it perfectly the next 50 times. I am very lucky!”

The Kentucky Summer Classic will continue on Thursday with the highlight $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic. Other feature events include the $50,000 Kentucky Summer Grand Prix presented by GGT Footing and the $5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby.

To learn more about the Kentucky Summer Horse Show, please visit www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.

Media Contact: Rebecca Walton
Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
phone 561.753.3389 fax 561.753.3386
PhelpsMediaGroup.com

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