Second 2012 US Show Jumping Team Observation Event Features 15 of America’s Best Jumpers

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Reed Kessler and Cylana (Sportfot)

Lexington, KY – The second of four 2012 US Show Jumping Team Observation Events takes place this weekend at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show held at the Kentucky Horse Park. Fifteen members of the USEF Long List for the U.S. Show Jumping Team for the 2012 Olympic Games are set to contest two Observation Event classes. On Friday, these combinations will jump alongside other entries in the $50,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic and will return to the Rolex Stadium Sunday afternoon to try and top an open field in the $75,000 Commonwealth Grand Prix.

The top three combinations from the USEF Long List for the U.S. Show Jumping Team for the 2012 Olympic Games have all made the trip to Lexington to compete in this Observation Event. Seventeen-year-old Reed Kessler brings her own top-ranked Cylana, the horse she rode to the 2012 USEF National Show Jumping Co-Champion title in March. Kessler will also serve as owner and rider of fifth-ranked Mika this weekend.

Margie Engle and Garber, Griese, Hidden Creek and Gladewinds’ Indigo arrive in Kentucky looking to showcase the form that propelled them to joint National Champion honors earlier this year. While third-ranked Laura Kraut brings her Team Gold medal-winning partner from the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong, Cherry Knoll Farm’s Cedric.

The U.S. Gold medal-winning team from the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico will have strong representation in the Observation Event classes. Christine McCrea rides her double gold medalist from Mexico, Windsor Show Stables’ Romantovich Take One, at the Kentucky Horse Park. While Individual Silver medalist Beezie Madden will compete Abigail Wexner’s two exciting geldings, Cortes ‘C’ and Simon in Lexington.

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Kent Farrington and Uceko (Shannon Brinkman)

Kent Farrington is always a threat in Kentucky.  He rides RCG Farm’s Uceko, the horse he rode in the Team Gold medal effort at the 2011 Pan American Games. Traveling Reserve from those Games, Mario Deslauriers and Jane Clark’s Urico return to the venue where they jumped for the U.S. at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Deslauriers will also ride Clark’s Cella, with whom he recently won the 2012 $200,000 Gene Mische Invitational presented by G&C Farm, in the two Observation Event classes.

A strong contingent of rising talent in the U.S. has also travelled to Kentucky to prove their mettle. Both Brianne Goutal and Jessica Springsteen are previous winners of the USEF/Pessoa Hunter Seat Medal Finals, Goutal in 2005 and Springsteen in 2009. They will ride Remarkable Farms’ Nice De Prissey and Stone Hill Farm’s Vornado Van De Hoendrik respectively this weekend.

Finally, 25-year-old Quentin Judge will ride HH Carotino for Double H Farm in the weekend’s two classes. While 26-year-old Charlie Jayne and 27-year-old Ashlee Bond bring one horse each to the Observation Event. Jayne will ride Pony Lane Farm’s Chill R Z and Bond brings Little Valley Farm’s Cadett 7.

The $50,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic will take place Friday May 11th at 6pm ET and the $75,000 Commonwealth Grand Prix will begin Sunday May 13th at 4:00pm ET. Both events will be live streamed on the USEFNetwork.com presented by SmartPak.

Observation Event excitement is now focused firmly on Lexington after the first in series was held over the past weekend, May 1-6, at the Del Mar National Horse Show.

Learn more about the two classes at the Del Mar Observation Event here:
http://www.usefnetwork.com/news/8600/2012/5/4/fellers_and_flexible_do_it_again_f.aspx
http://www.usefnetwork.com/news/8601/2012/5/6/twofortwo_fellers_and_flexible_w.aspx

For live streaming, news, photos and to follow the 2012 U.S. Show Jumping Team visit: http://www.usefnetwork.com/featured/2012Jumping/.

Per the USEF Selection Procedures, in order to remain in consideration for the U.S. Olympic Show Jumping Team, these athlete/horse combinations are required to compete at two of the following Observation Events listed below:

The Del Mar National Horse Show
Del Mar, California May 1-6, 2012
www.delmarnational.com

Kentucky Spring Horse Show
Lexington, Kentucky May 8-13, 2012
www.kentuckyhorseshows.com

The Devon Horse Show
Devon, Pennsylvania May 29 – June 2, 2012
www.devonhorseshow.com

Spruce Meadows
Calgary, Alberta Canada June 13-17, 2012
www.sprucemeadows.com

Following the completion of these observation events, FEI Nominated Entries will be submitted to the FEI on June 17. Twelve athlete/horse combinations can be named to the FEI Nominated Entries. The USOC Final Entries will be submitted no later than July 6, 2012.

The 2012 Olympic Games will take place July 27 – August 12.

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