Paige Johnson Wins $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic at Kentucky Summer Horse Show

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Paige Johnson and Chiron S won the $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic at the Kentucky Summer Horse Show. Photo By: Kendall Bierer/PMG

Lexington KY – July 26, 2012 – Thunderstorms plagued the Kentucky Horse Park as riders gathered beneath the lights of the Rolex Stadium to compete in the $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic at the Kentucky Summer Horse Show. Paige Johnson proved to be the best of the best, controlling the jump-off with one of only seven double-clear efforts aboard Chiron S to lead the victory gallop. Shane Sweetnam and Danielle Goldstein also tackled the short course, but their times could not catch Johnson’s speed, each placed third and fourth, respectively.

Marin Zevedo designed tonight’s course, using obstacles such as a vertical-oxer-vertical triple combination, bending lines, an oxer-oxer double combination, a triple bar, roll backs and tight turns. The jump-off allowed 47 seconds for horse and rider to break the beam, using a serpentine path to guide them to the finish. Starting over the first oxer and making a right to a vertical, riders then took a standalone red-and-white vertical to the oxer-oxer double combination. Upon landing, they were in full gear, racing against the seconds as they maneuvered over the SSG Digital Riding Gloves vertical and finished over the final oxer.

To say that time was the name of the game tonight would be an understatement. Danielle Goldstein was the first to go clear during the first round, and entered the jump-off with an obvious confidence. She left all rails intact with Waliba VDL, owned by Starwyn Farms of Wellington, FL, and stopped the clock in 30.885 seconds, an astounding pace.

“I saw Danielle go; I went up to watch her; I wanted to learn from her being the first to go,” Johnson explained. From one to two she lost her footing, which is really easy for that to happen, but she still got her quick distance there. I thought to do the same thing, but was really careful on that turn. I made sure to stay balanced and keep tight and neat. He’s a really fast horse, but I needed to make sure I just galloped with him here. Land before you turn is what I remembered to do. It was important to me to make every jump count.”

Paige Johnson was only the second rider to successfully post a clear round during the first course and managed to post the single fastest time of 29.663 seconds during the short track, taking the lead with a differential of 1.22 seconds — a time that proved untouchable. Johnson rode veteran mount Chiron S, owned by Salamander Farm of The Plains, VA, with a firm plan in mind. They jumped easily over each obstacle, and raced across the finish line to go straight to the top of the leader board.

“Basically I wanted to be as smooth as I could and make it worth it,” Johnson described. “I wanted to base everything off a rhyme and a reason. He was really rideable and everything came up really nicely and he was smooth which brought on a win. This was his first time showing in two weeks, and I literally got on him right before the class and rode him in. It’s no wonder he is acting so proud of himself tonight.”

Shane Sweetnam threw caution to the wind as he guided not one, but three mounts over the jump-off track, making remarkable times as he battled against Johnson’s time for the blue. Sweetnam guided Siri, owned by Spy Coast Farm of East Setauket, NY, to a double-clear effort in 31.313 seconds, eventually securing the fifth place position. Aboard Esquina Van Klapscheut, owned by Spy Coast Farm, he was on pace to match and possibly better Johnson’s time, but an unfortunate rail at the standalone vertical cost him, earning him the ninth place position just behind Andres Rodriguez and Caballito, owned by Arao Enterprises of Wellington, FL.

“I saw Paige in the jump-off early on, and she was very fast. We knew we had to be faster than her, and with Siri I went quickly; it still wasn’t good enough,” Sweetnam remarked. “I knew what I had to do, but it wasn’t good enough, as they say ‘No cigar.'”

It was Sweenam’s final effort that had the crowd on edge. He seemingly blasted out of the in gate aboard Diktator Van De Boslandhoeve, owned by Spy Coast Farm, launching over the obstacles with ease. As he landed from the final oxer, there was nothing but silence and then an eruption of applause. He left all rails in their cups, but his speedy time of 30.645 seconds was one second shy of the prize.

“I’ve had Diktator for two years now; he’s still up and coming; he’s been coming along better and better, and the more classes he participates in the better he gets,” Sweetnam continued. “I am very happy with how tonight went; we went out there and did our best, and we have a lot ahead of us.”

Jack H. Towell and Fieona, owned by Kelly Maloney of Rembert, SC, rode to the fourth place honors with a double-clear effort and a final time of 31.199 seconds. Alison Robitaille and Cover Girl 27, owned by M/M Bertram Firestone of Upperville, VA, fell just behind Sweetnam into the sixth place finish. Chelsea Moss and Lorena 90 put down an excellent second-round ride; however, 33.540 seconds earned the duo the seventh place. Towell rounded out the final results in the tenth place position aboard his own Nolde, coming the closest of any of the competitors to best Johnson’s time, but finding fault with an unlucky rail at the final fence.

“I have to make sure everything counts. So I put that pressure on myself. I don’t want to waste jumps; I don’t want to waste rounds. I want to go in to go in and try to win them. Everything needs to count. So it’s nice when it works out,” Johnson stated.

Tonight’s class was the third of seven grand prix events that make up the Hagyard Challenge Series, sponsored by Hagyard Medical Institute and presented by Pfizer Animal Health. Following the final event in the series, a cash prize of $50,000 will be awarded to the rider accumulating the most points throughout the series for the Leading Rider Bonus. A new addition to this year’s Series will also be the $10,000 high point Thoroughbred Award.

“The Series is such a good idea. It’s a good incentive to riders to get that competitive edge. It makes it more of a sport and an exciting challenge; it makes Kentucky even more special,” Johnson concluded. “I love everything about Kentucky, the huge facility, the grounds, the chance to ride in this amazing arena. It’s real horse country. I’ve been coming here since I was fourteen so I honestly love it; I keep coming back.”

In addition to competing for the winning title, riders had the opportunity to win $2,000 in bonus money as a part of the SSG Riding Gloves ‘Go Clean for the Green’ promotion-riders wearing the SSG ‘Digital’ Riding Gloves with the SSG horse head logo clearly visible during all rounds of competition in designated events are eligible for the bonus. Tonight Johnson was wearing a pair of SSG Riding Gloves; however, they were not the ‘Digital’ gloves, and therefore the bonus will continue into the next competition.

The Kentucky Summer Horse Show will continue tomorrow with the start of the Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers, and on Saturday the first week of competition will offer the $40,000 Kentucky Summer Grand Prix on Sunday at 7 pm in the Rolex Stadium. Riders will return to the Kentucky Horse Park next week for the Kentucky Summer Classic, followed by the 2011 USEF Pony Finals, 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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