Andres Rodriguez (VEN), who was tragically killed in a car crash on 4 January 2016. (FEI/Cealy Tetley)
Lausanne (SUI), 5 January 2016 – Venezuelan Jumping athlete Andres Rodriguez, individual silver medallist at the 2015 Pan-American Games, has died in hospital of injuries sustained in a car crash in Wellington, Florida (USA) on 4 January. He was 31.
A passenger in the car, Sophie Walker (30), died at the scene of the crash. Ms Walker was a talented amateur rider on the US national circuit.
Andres Rodriguez’s career highlight came at the 2015 Pan-American Games in Toronto (CAN) when he rode Darlon Van Groenhove to individual silver. He twice represented Venezuela at world championship level, at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2010 in Lexington, Kentucky (USA) and the 2014 Games in Normandy (FRA).
His first major success came in 1996 when he won the FEI Children’s Jumping Final. He went on to claim team gold and individual silver at the 2013 Bolivarian Games in Lima (PER), team gold at the 2010 Central American & Caribbean Games in Mayaguez (PUR), and individual gold at the South American Games in Medellin (COL) the same year.
The talented Jumping athlete was bidding to make his Olympic debut at Rio 2016, and was also hoping to make his first appearance at the CHIO in Aachen (GER) this year. He had already realised his goal of a place in the world top 50, and was in 41st on the Longines Rankings.
Born in Venezuela, he moved to Europe after graduating from high school to train with Nelson and Rodrigo Pessoa. More recently, he was based in Paris (FRA) for the summer season and in Florida (USA) for the winter, where he was trained by Irish Jumping legend Eddie Macken. He married his long-term partner Clementine Goutal last month.
“To lose two young athletes in this dreadful way is a terrible shock and our hearts go out to their families and friends,” FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez said. “Andres Rodriguez was a world-class athlete and clearly a super star in the making. For his life to be cut short in this way is absolutely heart-breaking.”
“The sport has tragically lost one of its greatest ambassadors with the passing of Andres Rodriguez, and I have lost a dear friend, as indeed have many others,” FEI Jumping Director John Roche said. “Andres was a wonderful horseman and an amazing person with a very positive approach to life. He had a heart as big as Mount Everest. He will be greatly missed by us all.”
The FEI extends its sincere condolences to the family and many friends of Andres Rodriguez, to the Venezuelan Equestrian Federation and the global Jumping community.
Mill Spring, NC – October 24, 2015 – Andres Rodriguez (VEN) and the talented grey mare S.F. Ariantha proved too quick to beat in the $127,000 Tryon Estates Grand Prix CSI 3*, the final Grand Prix of the 2015 season at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC). Rodriguez and S.F. Ariantha flew through the timers, securing the fastest double clear effort of the night, finishing with a time of 43.26 seconds. Andrew Kocher (USA), winner of the $34,000 Suncast® FEI 1.50m Welcome Stake this week, narrowly missed the mark set by Rodriguez, finishing only a tenth of a second off the pace with a time of 43.36 seconds. Christine McCrea (USA) and Wannick WH rounded out the top three with a time of 44.50 seconds while Denise Wilson (USA) and Galous recorded the fourth double clear effort of the night. After six consecutive weeks of elite hunter and jumper competition, the Tryon Fall Series will conclude tomorrow, Sunday, October 25.
The competitive class of 34 entries tested a difficult and expansive track designed by Oscar Soberon of Mexico, with only six entries advancing to the jump-off round. Rodriguez has been a figure of consistency throughout the past two weeks of FEI competition hosted at TIEC, earning multiple wins aboard his two top mounts Caballito and S.F. Ariantha.
“I brought my best horses here because I knew that the competition was going to be tough. I am just very happy with how this class went and I was very glad to find someone as challenging as Andy Kocher to ride against for the past two weeks. I had never met him before coming here and he really gave it a go in every single class. I was waiting for him to go tonight in the Grand Prix and put him in a place where he had to work really hard to get the win. That is what makes it so fun,” said Rodriguez. “This was my first time at Tryon and everybody said great things about this place but as I’ve said before, I was even surprised because it is really a magnificent place. I think that this will become the heart of show jumping in the United States over the next few years.”
Rodriguez and Kocher finished an incredible week of competition at TIEC, as both riders battled for supremacy in each of the major FEI classes hosted throughout the competition week at Tryon Fall 6. Rodriguez and S.F. Ariantha finished second behind Kocher in this week’s $34,000 Suncast® FEI 1.50m Welcome Stake, while Kocher and Uppie de Lis have continued to add top finishes to their flourishing partnership. Abigail McArdle (USA) and Cade were the first combination on course in the jump-off, finishing a fast round but a single rail dropped in the double combination would ultimately keep them out of the top three spots. Lauren Tisbo (USA) and Rosiere Vesquerie attempted to catch Rodriguez in the jump-off, but rails dropped at the large Animo oxer would prevent the duo from securing a double clear effort for the night.
Andrew Kocher and Uppie de Lis
S.F. Ariantha is truly captivating to watch in the ring as the scopey 2005 Dutch Warmblood mare (Corland x Uriantha) tackles the largest Grand Prix courses with incredible ease while Rodriguez expertly guides from the irons. The gifted mare will serve as Rodriguez’s Olympic hopeful mount as the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil rapidly approach.
“She’s only ten years old and she doesn’t have all of the experience yet. Quality wise I think she is hard to match with any other horse in the world. She just needs more experience to get to the next level and that is what we’re hoping to get before the Olympics next year,” commented Rodriguez.
Soberon was praised by riders for his course design in the FEI classes throughout the week, as tracks continually challenged riders with technical questions while maximizing the majority of the space in the George Morris Arena. Rodriguez, who finished well in each of the three FEI classes offered this past week, commented on the night’s course, saying, “I think the course was set just right tonight. The crowd enjoyed the six rider combinations in the jump-off and I think that Oscar [Soberon] did a great job. There were some very tricky parts that were very challenging,” he noted. “Coming into the combination was difficult and there were a lot of people whose dreams ended there. I really think he did a great job.”
With international rider presence at a record high for the venue over the past two FEI weeks, Rodriguez believes those numbers will only continue to increase over time. Nine nationalities were represented in the $127,000 Tryon Estates Grand Prix CSI 3* including entries from Ireland, Russia, Canada, Colombia, Venezuela, New Zealand, France, Puerto Rico, as well as the United States.
“The sport is growing so fast and there are circuits popping up all over the world,” remarked Rodriguez. “It’s really an incredible thing and I think people will start to discover that this facility is here and there are not many other facilities like it in the world. This is a place that was built thinking about the horses, the riders, the grooms, staff, and spectators. When people start coming here more and more it is going to be very big for the sport.”
Danielle Burns, Rodriguez’s groom, was honored with the Groom’s Initiative Award, which is presented to the groom of the winning horse and rider combination for each Grand Prix class hosted at TIEC. Burns, who has worked with Rodriguez for a number of years, rejoined the team before the 2015 Pan American Games hosted in Toronto, Canada, where Rodriguez and Darlon van Groenhove earned an individual silver medal.
“I have a lot of great people working for me and right before the Pan Am Games we knew that we needed to find a special person for that job because it was going to be hard, especially at the top levels. I reached out to Danielle to see if she would be interested in coming back and we managed to make everything work. We’ve had a great go. You need someone like Danielle behind your horses because I’m on the horse for an hour a day and she’s with them for the other 23 hours, so at the end of the day, she spends the most time with them and that is why she is so important on our team.”
The Tryon International Equestrian Center is destined to become one of the premier centers in the equestrian world. This new facility opened in June 2014 with sanctioned horse shows and initial supporting amenities including 10 riding arenas, 850 permanent stalls, a covered riding facility and fitness center. Future expansion includes a sports complex, two hotels, sporting clay course, and an 18-hole golf course plus a full calendar of equestrian competitions and activities. It is a spring, summer and fall haven for eastern and northeastern American equestrian competitors and enthusiasts. For more information, call 828-863-1000 or visit www.tryon.com.
Mill Spring, NC – October 18, 2015 – Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) hosted the first of two back-to-back weeks of internationally recognized FEI CSI 3* competition this past week, spanning four days in the George Morris Arena, and marking the eighth FEI competition hosted at the facility during the 2015 season. The finale of the six-week Tryon Fall Series will begin on Wednesday, October 20, and conclude on Sunday, October 24, with another strong week of CSI 3* competition ahead.
Recording the highest number of FEI horses presented at an international competition hosted at TIEC this year, Tryon Fall 5 saw 78 horses jog before the FEI ground jury. An impressive 62 entries tested the $34,000 FEI 1.50m Suncast® Welcome designed by Anthony D’Ambrosio (USA). Andres Rodriguez (VEN) piloted longtime mount Caballito (Contendro x Arabesque) owned by ARAO Enterprises LLC and stopped the jump-off timers in 37.07 seconds for the win. Andrew Kocher (USA) and Uppie De Lis (Andiamo x Lorraine) owned by BTS Entertainment & Sales followed in second with a double clear effort and a time of 37.95 seconds. Rodriguez also finished in third place aboard S.F. Ariantha (Corland x Uriantha) owned by Robert and Sofia Castro with a time of 39.63 seconds.
“Riding two horses in this class is definitely a luxury and either one of them has the chance to win any class in the world. They’ve both been at the CSI 5* level before and really can compete at any level. It’s just a big luxury and I’m very happy to be here,” said Rodriguez.
“This is my second day here in Tryon and I’ve heard great things. I was very impressed with the facility and this place has a great future for the sport of show jumping. Everything here, the lifestyle around the grand prix arena, people staying in cabins, five or six different options for restaurants and everything – I just think the future for Tryon is great and I’m looking forward to coming more often,” he commented.
Besting a class of talented entries, Rodriguez, who has had a phenomenal 2015 season thus far, remains fully aware of the importance of winning and how it impacts an individual’s confidence heading into the bigger ranking classes.
“When you win a class it’s supposed to be what we do. I don’t think people ride for second place and everyone wants to win, which makes for great rides. There were a lot of top riders in the class and there was a horse that I love, one of Ronan McGuigan’s, and he was in the jump-off with us and that always makes it very exciting,” he continued. “When you have a horse that you like so much and it’s in the jump-off with you it makes it pretty fun and good competition.”
Caballito is Rodriguez’s longtime partner who has been a mainstay in his top string for a number of years. Detailing their partnership, Rodriguez explained the importance of Caballito in his barn. “He is my old time partner. I won my first ever FEI ranking class on him five years ago and he’s been winning ever since. He won a great class this year in Barcelona and it was such a fast class. He’s a really awesome horse and he’s very consistent.”
While continuing to amass wins throughout year, Rodriguez has earned several top place finishes at some of the biggest competitions and venues around the globe including Spruce Meadows and the Furusiyya Nations Cup™ in Barcelona, Spain, this past September.
“We’ve been having a great year and I’ve been showing almost every week. I’m looking forward to a little bit of a rest in December, but still I have this coming week here in Tryon and then I go to HITS Thermal and Vegas. After that the year is over for us,” explained Rodriguez. “Next year is huge because of the Olympics and I think they’re going to come up so fast after Wellington in April and we’ll only have three more months until they start and the horses will need to be rested. I also need to be in a good mindset to be able to perform too.”
With the 2016 Olympic Games to be hosted next July in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Rodriguez already has an idea of which lucky mount will be aimed towards the historic event next summer. S.F. Ariantha has steadily improved throughout the season and has a talent that is unmatched according to Rodriguez. The duo also placed in finished fifth in the $127,000 Suncast® Grand Prix FEI CSI 3* hosted on Saturday, October 17, during Tryon Fall 5.
“I’ve never had a horse with that type of quality. She’s truly special. Everything she does is unique and she jumps her heart out. She was born to jump and she does it in such a way that we’re definitely preparing her for the Olympics next year and she’s going to try her first main CSI 5* class in a few weeks. Next year we’ll do a few of the big grand prix classes in Wellington and maybe Hamburg and Aachen, some of the big shows in Europe,” stated Rodriguez as he continued to praise the talented mare. “The Olympics are a dream for everyone and that’s a horse to dream with. She’s the first horse who has made me feel that I can actually dream like that.”
With another week of international competition ahead, Rodriguez will look to continue riding with the same winning prowess and determination he possessed throughout Tryon Fall 5, while simultaneously preparing for the conclusion of the 2015 season. Commenting on the hopes of returning to TIEC in the near future, Rodriguez elaborated, “I think the more and more Tryon has good riders and good levels I only see it improving. I think a lot of riders are going to come here and like it and I think the location of this place is in the middle of where we do most of our jumping which is in Florida and New York. I’m very happy that I made the choice to come here,” he noted.
Heather Caristo-Williams (USA) and Wistful, owned by Ralph Caristo, captured a major win in the first FEI class of the week during Tryon Fall 5, hosted on Wednesday, October 14, in the $34,000 Horseware Ireland FEI 1.45m Speed Stake. The duo stopped the timers in 63.86 seconds after finishing a quick and efficient round, which would be unmatched by any other combination in the class boasting 42 entries. Andres Rodriguez (VEN) and Caballito, owned by ARAO Enterprises LLC finished just behind Caristo-Williams in second place with a time of 65.15 seconds. Fellow Venezuelan rider Emanuel Andrade rounded out the top three aboard his own Bon Jovi, crossing through the finish in 65.29 seconds.
Heather Caristo-Williams and Wistful
“I was really happy with my round today. She did absolutely everything I asked and I really don’t think I could have asked for any more from her. She was just so fast and careful. I had seen a couple of people go before me and they went quite fast and I wasn’t sure where I would be able to make up the time,” said Caristo-Williams. “When I walked the course before the class I thought it looked great. There were a lot of tight turn backs and I was pleased because my mare just handled them beautifully. It was a fantastic track. When we got to the last jump I was just holding my breath and you always want to go clear but the last jump was tricky and you weren’t done until you were all the way through the timers.”
Caristo-Williams took the ride on Wistful at the beginning of the winter circuit in 2015 and took an ample amount of time to get to know the 2003 Dutch Warmblood mare (Be A Grand Star x Power Lady) before testing her on the international stage.
“This is one of the biggest tracks that we’ve done together and I just feel very privileged to work with a mare as talented as she is. We’re going to head to Florida a little bit early this year and do some nice trail riding and give her some downtime before the start of next season,” explained Caristo-Williams. “I’d love to have her as my speed horse. She seems to love to go fast and she’s so careful. I also just love to go fast on her too. I’m very happy to just keep competing her in speed classes and you know if we get to go bigger then we do but if we’re very happy and competitive right here than I’m really happy here too.”
Caristo-Williams represented the United States in equestrian competition during the Furusiyya FEI Nation’s Cup series throughout the summer in Europe, including an appearance for Team USA at the CSIO 3* in Lisbon, Portugal. Continuing to work towards her goal of competing for the United States in major international competition, Caristo-Williams described her surreal summer and the impact it has had on her goals moving forward in the sport.
“My summer has been unbelievable. I keep thinking if I’m dreaming please don’t wake me up because all of my horses have really stepped up and the highlight has been being able to compete for the U.S. on Nations Cup teams in Europe this summer. That was really amazing for me and honestly just a dream come true.”
Caristo-Williams added comments about her team’s experience at TIEC in their first visit to the venue this year. “The show grounds are beautiful and with the barns, where the stalls are, everything is just so well thought out. The complex is incredible and I really think it is just amazing. We’re so happy to be here and I’m only sad that it took us this long to get here this year. We’re very excited to come back in the future.”
Hunter Competitors Continue to Shine at TIEC
Hunter competition continued throughout the week at TIEC, offering a variety of classes and divisions for riders of all ages and experience levels. Liza Boyd, a name well-known on the AA-circuit and based in nearby Camden, SC, took home top honors in the $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby aboard 2004 Oldenburg mare Fieona owned by Kelly Maloney and Jack Towell. The duo also picked up a blue ribbon in the Performance Hunter 3’3″/3’6″ presented by Bruno Delgrange before their impressive performance in the only hunter derby of the week.
The duo earned a score of 87 in the first round of competition and returned to receive a 91 in the second round to finish the class with a total score of 178. Amy Nunnally of Charlottesville, VA and Cailler, owned by Carilynn Peyton, finished in second place after earning an 84 and 88 respectively for a final score of 172 while Amanda Forte of Glenmoore, PA piloted Look Again, owned by Rebecca Baker, to a total score of 167, which earned them a third place finish.
Amy Nolan of Wilmington, NC and Extra Credit, a 2006 Warmblood gelding owned by Missy Luczak-Smith, earned the tricolor in the Adult Amateur Hunter 3’6″ & Over division after collecting two first and two second place finishes in the over fences portion of the division. The duo also won the $500 NAL/WIHS Adult Hunter Classic 3′ with a two-round total score of 161.
For more information and to see a full list of results from Tryon Fall 5, please visit www.tryon.com.
The Tryon International Equestrian Center is destined to become one of the premier centers in the equestrian world. This new facility opened in June 2014 with sanctioned horse shows and initial supporting amenities including 10 riding arenas, 850 permanent stalls, a covered riding facility and fitness center. Future expansion includes a sports complex, two hotels, sporting clay course, and an 18-hole golf course plus a full calendar of equestrian competitions and activities. It is a spring, summer and fall haven for eastern and northeastern American equestrian competitors and enthusiasts. For more information, call 828-863-1000 or visit www.tryon.com.
Lexington, KY – July 28, 2015 – This spring, Andres Rodriguez took over the lead in the 2015 Hagyard Challenge Series with combined second and fourth place finishes in May, but three riders sit tied for second and are hot on his heels in a close second. In the Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby Series, junior rider Kelli Cruciotti continues to top of the standings after earning two second place ribbons during the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows.
In the Hagyard Challenge Series, Bedoya picked up the most recent victory during the Kentucky Summer Horse Show on Quattro, and is tied for second with the winners from the Kentucky Spring Series, Emanuel Andrade of Venezuela and Argentina’s Ramiro Quintana. Rodriguez is in the lead by just 20 points. The Hagyard Challenge Series consists of seven grand prix classes to be held during the 2015 show series at the Kentucky Horse Park. Following the final event, a cash prize of $50,000 will be awarded to the rider accumulating the most points throughout the series, as well as a $10,000 prize for the reserve champion.
The Series concludes with the $65,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic during the Kentucky National Horse Show. Following that exciting competition, the winner of the $50,000 Leading Rider will be announced and presented with the prize by the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute. New this year, Brook Ledge Horse Transport will be awarding a $1,000 shipping voucher to the Leading Rider and a $500 shipping voucher to the Reserve Champion Leading Rider.
Hagyard Equine Medical Institute is one of the oldest and largest equine veterinary practices in the world. Founded in 1876, the institute offers a staff with qualifications unparalleled by any single non-university veterinary group in the equine industry, and Hagyard veterinarians have dedicated themselves to the health and wellbeing of the horse.
The facility at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute offers 13 Digital Radiology systems, 1.5 Tesla Siemens MRI, Nuclear Scintigraphy, an on-site laboratory, an on-site pharmacy, full surgical services, 24-hour emergency services and Hyperbaric Medicine. The institute has practiced veterinary medicine since 1876 and is currently composed of over 50 experienced veterinarians, with 13 board certifications in specialty areas of Medicine, Surgery, Critical Care, and Theriogenology. For more information about the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, please visit hagyard.com.
Kelli Cruciotti and Totem Pole
Several generous sponsors have helped make this exciting series event happen. These gracious supporters include: title sponsor MWI Veterinary Supply, and presenting sponsor Zoetis, as well as Audi of Lexington, Dean Dorton Allen Ford, Hagyard Pharmacy, Brook Ledge Horse Transportation, Hallway Feeds, Pike and Preston, and Stoll Keenon Ogden.
The Kentucky Summer Horse Show also hosted the second event in the Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby Series. After earning second place during both of the spring horse shows with Totem Pole, Kelli Cruicotti holds the lead. There are four junior riders at the top of the standings, with Lily French ranked second over Helen Voss in third and Emma Kurtz in fourth. Professional riders Molly Sewell, David Beisel, Steve Heinecke and Sarah Sturges are tied with Amateur-Owner rider Missy Luczak-Smith for fifth place.
The five-part series will feature a $5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby throughout the spring and summer, and at the conclusion of the series the Leading Rider Awards for the Series will be presented. The $15,000 Hallway Feeds Leading Rider Awards will present a $10,000 cash prize to the professional rider accumulating the most points in the five classes that make up the Series. The amateur rider and junior rider accumulating the most points will each receive a $2,500 cash prize. Riders will receive points only on their highest placed horse in each of the classes. The awards will be presented at the conclusion of the Hallway Feeds class at the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show on August 16, 2015. Returning for the second year, the winning professional rider will win a free flight for a horse in the continental U.S., thanks to Tex Sutton.
Hallway Feeds’ close proximity to the Kentucky Horse Park provides the opportunity to utilize the freshest feed, manufactured with time-honored commitments to high standards of quality and the latest scientific advances. Combining a premium nutrition package with a professional level of dedication in horsemen and women provides equine athletes with the Formula for Success.
The Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby Series would not be possible without many generous sponsors including Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Alfagreen Supreme, Sweet PDZ Horse Stall Refresher, Caddel Equine Therapy Center, Trouw Nutrition, EquiVision, Fenwick Equestrian Products , Tack Shop of Lexington, Tex Sutton, Turf Town Properties and PNC Bank.
Kentucky Horse Shows 2015 Horse Show Series Fast Facts
Events:
Kentucky Summer Horse Shows, USEF National Pony Finals, Bluegrass Festival Horse Show and KHJA Horse Show, and the 2015 USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals and the Pre Green Incentive Championship.
What:
The Kentucky Horse Show LLC’s 2015 series includes five weeks of top competition throughout the summer. These premier hunter/jumper competitions host the Hagyard Challenge Series with seven grand prix competitions that culminate with a Leading Rider Award, as well as the Hallway Feeds National Derby Series.
Where:
Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, KY, site of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™, home to the United States Equestrian Federation.
When:
NORTH AMERICAN JUNIOR & YOUNG RIDER CHAMPIONSHIPS – July 14-19, 2015
KENTUCKY SUMMER HORSE SHOW – July 22-26, 2015
$25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic
$25,000 Under 25 Grand Prix
$50,000 Rood & Riddle Kentucky Grand Prix
$5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby
KENTUCKY SUMMER CLASSIC – July 28 – August 2, 2015
$25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic
$50,000 Kentucky Summer Grand Prix sponsored by GGT Footings
$5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby
2015 USEF PONY FINALS – August 4-9, 2015
BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL HORSE SHOW – August 11-16, 2015
USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship
USHJA Pre-Green Incentive Championship
$25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic
$40,000 Bluegrass Festival Grand Prix sponsored by Audi of Lexington
$5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby
WCHR Member Event
KHJA HORSE SHOW – August 19-23, 2015
$10,000 Hagyard Welcome Stake
$30,000 KHJA Grand Prix
$5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby
Sponsors:
A special thanks to the generous sponsors of the Kentucky Summer Series: Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Hallway Feeds, Hollow Creek Farm, GGT Footing, Rood and Riddle, Audi of Lexington, Sleepy P Ranch, CWD, Farm Vet, Dietrich Insurance, Take2 Thoroughbred Program, and the Official Hotel The Clarion
Hours:
8am – 5pm daily
Parking:
Horse Show Exhibitors may purchase a weekly parking pass at the main Horse Park entrance for $15.00. Dogs are permitted at the Kentucky Horse Park on a leash.
Directions:
The Kentucky Horse Park is located 8 miles northeast of Lexington, Kentucky at Exit 120 on Interstate 75.
Information:
Before Show – (859) 233-0492, Email: hakshows@earthlink.net
During Show – Telephone: (859) 281-7979, Fax: (859) 231-6097
Stabling – Pat Duncan (503) 510-8797
Stable office – Before Show: (503) 510-8797, During Show: (859) 255-0605
Prize List Advertising – Email Cindy Bozan at cindy@kentuckyhorseshows.com or call (859) 608-3709
Vendors – Email Cindy Bozan at cindy@kentuckyhorseshows.com or call (859) 608-3709
Shownet – www.shownet.biz
Shopping:
Vendors offering equestrian equipment, apparel, jewelry, and home furnishings are located adjacent to the Stonelea Ring.
Hotels:
CLARION HOTEL (http://www.clarionhotellex.com) (Formerly Holiday Inn North) – 859-233-0512 – Approximately 4 miles (OFFICIAL HOTEL)
Discover the place where elegant comfort in an ideal location meets excellent service and affordability. At the Clarion Hotel Lexington, you’ll find well-appointed accommodations with options of double/doubles, double queens, king rooms or suites, exceptional amenities such as our free hot breakfast buffet, and Southern hospitality at its finest. The best hotel for Keeneland – Located in the heart of Kentucky’s Bluegrass Region – home of the Kentucky Horse Park, the Lexington Convention Center, University of Kentucky, and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail – our Lexington hotel is on Newtown Pike at Exit 115 on I-75, close to all the big attractions, and is the perfect place to stay whether you’re here to get down to business or have some fun. Best of all, bring your furry friends for any trip because the Clarion Hotel in Lexington is also pet-friendly.
CAMPGROUND RESERVATIONS:
Reservations may not be made through the Horse Show office. To reserve a campsite at the Kentucky Horse Park for any of the horse shows, please call the Campground store at (800) 370-6416 or 859-259-4157 or email Ryan McGaughey at Ryan.mcgaughey@ky.gov. Be specific as to the show name and the dates you wish to stay. Check-in time is 2:00 p.m. and checkout is 12:00 noon. You must make arrangements with the Campground store if you plan to arrive earlier than 2:00 p.m. or stay later than 12:00 noon. Vehicles that are not removed from a campsite by check-out time will be towed.
Calgary, AB, Canada – July 11, 2015 – Venezuela’s Andres Rodriguez is finishing the 2015 Spruce Meadows Summer Series just the way he started. The rider won two days in a row to begin the ‘National’ Tournament in June with Fifty Fifty 111 and Darlon van de Groenhove, respectively. He won again with Fifty Fifty 111 the first day of the ‘North American’ Tournament last week, and Saturday of the ‘Pan American’ Tournament, he dominated the competition with two wins in one day aboard two different horses.
The ‘Pan American’ Tournament, presented by Rolex, hosted two competitions in the Meadows on the Green Saturday. Rodriguez began the day with a win in the $34,000 Friends of the Meadows Cup 1.45m aboard SF Ariantha, and continued to victory in the highlight $34,000 McDaniel & Associates Cup 1.50m riding Verdi. The ‘Pan American’ Tournament concludes on Sunday, July 12, featuring the $400,000 Pan American Cup, presented by Rolex.
Course designer Guilherme Jorge (BRA) saw 32 entries in the $34,000 McDaniel & Associates Cup, but a tight time allowed caused problems for many of the riders and only two were able to complete the course without fault. Seventh in the order, Rodriguez and Verdi were the first pair to jump clear. It looked like they could win as the competition neared its end with no other clear rounds, but last to go Emanuel Andrade (VEN) and Bon Jovi made it a jump-off.
“For a while I thought I was going to win with the only clear round. All the horses kept coming and having rails, and there was the last to go and still no clears,” Rodriguez detailed. “I had my helmet on, but I was already thinking that I may have won and then Emanuel went clear. I ran and got the horse ready and warmed up. Our plan for the jump-off was to go fast. Not crazy fast, but fast, and let Emanuel finish the competition. If he was able to catch that time and be clear, then he would have won, but we put everything on him and luck turned out on our side.”
Rodriguez and the 13-year-old Warmblood gelding (Andiamo x Libero H) cleared the short course in 33.82 seconds and set the challenge. Andrade and Bon Jovi were fast, but a rail came down and the rider chose to retire on course.
Commenting on his win, Rodriguez smiled, “It is amazing. The way this horse jumped today was really great. A big field like this one is perfect for him. He has an amazing, huge step. His step is so enormous that sometimes it gets me in trouble because it is so big that you don’t know if you are on the earlier stride or the one you want to be. He is hard to maneuver in a smaller ring, but this grass field with big, wide fences suits him perfectly.”
“I am excited about this horse,” Rodriguez continued. “We have him going in a really good way, so I hope we can plan some big things for him. We did him in the Global Champions Tour in Miami and had a fence down in the grand prix, but he was really good. We are hoping to bring him back to that level and compete him in more 5* grand prix.”
Earlier in the day, Rodriguez and SF Ariantha won the $34,000 Friends of the Meadows 1.45m competition in a seven-horse jump-off out of 44 starters. Brianne Goutal (USA) and Remarkable Farm’s Ballade van het Indihof began the jump-off with a fast clear round in 29.63 seconds. Last to go, Rodriguez and SF Ariantha were just faster in 29.41 seconds for the win. François Mathy (BEL) and Elvis van de Vrunte placed third in 29.75 seconds.
Andres Rodriguez of VEN riding SF Ariantha
Rodriguez started riding SF Ariantha, a ten-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare (Corland x Emillion), just two months ago. At the time, Jennifer and Mike Crooks owned her, and just last week Robert and Sofi Castro bought the mare for Rodriguez to continue riding.
“I have to say thank you to Jennifer and Mike, who first trusted me with the ride on the mare. Since the first day I rode her, I was really excited. Every single jump she tries her best; even little fences, she always tried so hard,” Rodriguez stated. “Then Robert and Sofi purchased the mare last week. This was their first week owning the mare and she was clear in every competition she did, so they are pretty happy too.”
“We have worked hard for owners, and now for them to be giving us back the chance to have horses of this caliber is really amazing,” Rodriguez noted. “I think this mare is the best horse I have had. I have been close to winning a competition with her a few times and it has not happened, so for her to win on her last day here is really amazing.”
Rodriguez was close to winning Friday’s 1.45m competition as well, but had some bad luck in the jump-off. Even in Saturday’s jump-off, he needed a little luck when SF Ariantha almost fell on course.
“This is a funny sport,” Rodriguez remarked. “Yesterday, I had the time on two horses in the jump-off and I had the last fence down, and today I thought I rode the last fence worse than I did yesterday and it stayed up. That is just the luck factor in our sport and that is the way it is. I don’t think I had the perfect stride to the last fence today; I was a bit close, but you need a little bit of luck to win.”
Commenting on Ariantha’s slip in the jump-off, Rodriguez detailed, “I didn’t know what happened. She was very fast the first three fences and then she landed from that vertical. It wasn’t a slip to one side; she was pretty much on her belly on the ground with four legs open. I was trying to pick up the canter again and at that point, I really have such high hopes for this mare that I wasn’t sure if I should pull up or keep going. As soon as she picked up the canter again, she was three strides in front of the double. It was amazing for her to pick up like that and jump the double the way she did. That was unbelievable.”
Rodriguez has high hopes for SF Ariantha and plans to compete in Vancouver in August before making a plan for the rest of her year. “I really want to take my time with her; I think she is a big time horse,” he concluded.
With five wins on four different horses in the summer’s international competition, Rodriguez has his sights set on Sunday’s $400,000 Pan American Cup, presented by Rolex, to conclude the 2015 Spruce Meadows Summer Series. He will jump another horse, Caballito. Then he is off to represent Venezuela at the Pan American Games in Toronto.
For a complete tournament schedule and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.
Samuel Parot Victorious in $34,000 ATCO Energy Solutions Cup; Andres Rodriguez Wins $34,000 PwC Cup
Calgary, AB, Canada – July 1, 2015 – The 2015 ‘North American’ Tournament CSI 5* at Spruce Meadows featured an impressive line-up of show jumping on Wednesday. USA’s Quentin Judge and HH Whisky Royale began the day with a win in the $50,000 Aon Cup 1.55m, Chile’s Samuel Parot and Couscous van Orti jumped to victory in the $34,000 ATCO Energy Solutions Cup 1.50m, and Venezuela’s Andres Rodriguez and Fifty Fifty 111 were victorious in the $34,000 PwC Cup 1.50m.
Continuing through Sunday, July 5, the ‘North American’ Tournament boasts $1.3 million in prize money across 14 FEI events throughout the week. Highlights include the $400,000 ATCO Power Queen Elizabeth II Cup on Saturday and the $210,000 Cenovus Energy Classic Derby on Sunday.
Spain’s Santiago Varela is the course designer in the International Ring for ‘North American’ competition. Varela began Wednesday morning with 55 entries in the $50,000 Aon Cup 1.55m and a win for Quentin Judge aboard Double H Farm’s HH Whisky Royale, a ten-year-old Zangersheide gelding (Wonderful van’t Beugelhof x Kannan). The pair topped a ten-horse jump-off with the fastest of four double clear rounds.
Reed Kessler (USA) was the first rider to clear the short course, finishing in a time of 42.36 seconds riding Kessler Show Stables’ Cylana to eventually place third. Meagan Nusz (USA) jumped the fourth place round with Amalaya Investments’ SRI Aladdin in 42.85 seconds. Judge then jumped into the lead aboard HH Whisky Royale in 41.41 seconds. Last to go, Hardin Towell (USA) took the second place prize with his time of 41.69 seconds riding Jennifer Gates’ Emilie de Diamant AS.
Wednesday’s win marks the second time that Judge has won the first competition in a CSI 5* tournament this summer. He also topped the first 1.55m competition of June’s ‘National’ Tournament aboard HH Copin van de Broy.
“I have been really lucky to win the first classes at these two tournaments,” Judge noted. “My horses really like this ring, so I just try to make a good plan for each week and put the right horses in the right competitions.”
Wednesday’s win also marks a significant moment in Judge’s partnership with HH Whisky Royale, who he has been riding for several years.
“This is definitely his biggest win,” Judge remarked. “This is only his third 1.55m. He was really good the first week here, finishing clear and with four faults in two 1.55m competitions. Now after two weeks off, he came right in and jumped this. It is really special for us because this is a horse that we have had a long time. He is a horse that maybe some people did not believe in when he was young because he was so big and so gawky, but he has really come a long way.”
Speaking of Whisky Royale’s powerful jumping style, Judge noted, “He is a huge horse and he has such a big stride. He kicks really hard over the jumps and it definitely took me a while to get used to that, but he gives you a very good feeling as a rider because you know you will pretty much never have a back rail down.”
HH Whisky Royale will jump again in Thursday’s $85,000 Progress Energy Cup 1.55m as Judge looks to continue his success throughout the ‘North American’ Tournament.
Parot Earns First Win at Spruce Meadows
Continuing Wednesday’s competition at Spruce Meadows, the $34,000 ATCO Energy Solutions Cup saw 38 entries compete over a 1.50m speed track set by course designer Santiago Varela. In his first trip ever to Spruce Meadows, Chile’s Samuel Parot jumped to victory aboard his own Couscous van Orti, a 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding (Nabab de Reve x Cash).
Samuel Parot and Couscous van Orti
The course saw twelve clear rounds in total, and the times got faster and faster. Shane Sweetnam (IRL) jumped an early clear round in 66.10 seconds with Sweet Oak Farm’s Easy Contact Humlan to eventually place third. Several rounds later, Conor Swail (IRL) upped the pace in 65.62 seconds with Ilan Ferder’s Viva Colombia to ultimately finish second. Richard Spooner (USA) was fast and clear with Show Jumping Syndication Intl’s Cristallo in 66.39 seconds to jump into fourth. Quentin Judge and Double H Farm’s HH Quator had a great round in 68.51 seconds to take fifth place. Parot immediately followed, speeding through the timers in 63.92 seconds for the win aboard Couscous van Orti.
“This is the first time I have come to Spruce Meadows and my first victory here,” Parot smiled after his win. “The first week (of the Summer Series) I had third place, fourth place, fifth place, and then I broke my clavicle on the last day of the first week. The second week I tried to jump, but it was not possible, the pain was too much. I waited two weeks and began again last week. It still hurt a little bit last week, but this week it was better.”
“It is super to win here. This is an unbelievable place – the people, the organization. I think Spruce Meadows and Aachen are the most important shows in the world and a win here is important,” Parot continued. “Here, you have the top riders in the world. A win is a win, but here it is very important.”
Parot is based in Wellington, FL for six months of the year and normally spends the rest of the year competing in Europe, but with the Pan American Games coming up in Toronto in July, he chose to make his first trip to Calgary. Parot has been named to the team that will compete for Chile in the Games, and Couscous is a horse that he bought as a possible mount just one month ago. Belgium’s Pieter Devos previously rode the gelding to great success and Parot looks forward to getting to know his new mount further in the coming weeks.
Rodriguez Races to Win PwC Cup
The final competition on Wednesday was the $34,000 PwC Cup 1.50m with a speedy win for Andres Rodriguez (VAN) and Arao Enterprises LLC’s Fifty Fifty 111. Juan Pablo Gaspar Albanez (MEX) and Felipe Gaspar’s Puertas So What were first to go and laid down a blazing fast time of 66.215 seconds that held on through 33 competitors for second place. Halfway through the order, Rodriguez and Fifty Fifty 111 stole the show with their winning time of 66.096 seconds.
Andres Rodriguez and Fifty Fifty 111
Rodriguez and the ten-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare (Action Breaker x Major de la Cour) also won on opening day of week one’s ‘National’ Tournament and the rider was thrilled with his horse’s consistency.
“It is amazing (to win again),” Rodriguez smiled. “This is the first day of one of the biggest competitions of the summer and it is amazing to win the same competition that I won four weeks ago. This is the third time the mare has been out this summer, and she has won two competitions and she also got a good ribbon in the derby, so it feels great.”
“She is getting a bit more accurate,” Rodriguez said of Fifty’s development this summer. “To have a horse that can come in the ring and win two out of three times, it is a great horse.”
“There were a lot of great horses in that competition today,” Rodriguez continued. “We had HH Carlos Z, we had Rosana du Park, some amazing horses and riders. When Juan Pablo Gaspar went in the beginning, I thought that he had won the class. We needed to take some risks to try to get his time. Then after I saw McLain (Ward) and Eric (Lamaze) going after Juan Pablo, and not being able to catch him, I knew we had to go all in. I missed one distance to the coin jump. I was thinking of doing eight strides, but I landed on the outside, so I did nine strides. Then I was trying towards the end to get the time back. I got a little bit of a flying distance to the one oxer at the end. That was a big risk, but I think that is where I got the time.”
“I knew coming in that if someone beat Juan Pablo, it was not going to be by much,” Rodriguez said of his narrow margin of victory. “He did not leave much in the ring. He did all of the distances the right way and he was in the right rhythm. It is very impressive for a kid to come here and just lay something down like that. For him to go first, not really knowing how the class was going to turn up, and put in a round like that was really good.”
Santiago Varela set some excellent tracks on Wednesday that were not only great for the horses and riders, but also great for the crowds that turned up to watch the competition while celebrating Canada Day.
“The courses today were really good,” Rodriguez acknowledged. “I thought the 1.55m was an amazing course. There were some big jumps, but everything rode very smooth, and I think both 1.50m courses were very good. I think the crowd liked it. The rounds were fast, and people were really trying. That is what a course designer is always trying to get: they want to entertain the crowd and get a good competition, and I think he achieved that today.”
The ‘North American’ Tournament continues on Thursday featuring the $85,000 Progress Energy Cup 1.55m, $34,000 Sun Life Financial ‘Reach for the Sun’ 1.50m, and the $34,000 Suncast Cup 1.50m.
For a complete tournament schedule and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.
McLain Ward and Nick Dello Joio Also Victorious on Day Two
Calgary, AB, Canada – June 4, 2015 – Spruce Meadows ‘National’ Tournament CSI 5*, presented by Rolex, continued with its second day of competition on Thursday featuring world-class show jumping in Calgary, AB, Canada. The day’s big win went to Venezuela’s Andres Rodriguez and Darlon van Groenhove in the $85,000 ATB Financial Cup 1.55m. McLain Ward (USA) and HH Carlos Z were victorious in the $34,000 ATCO Pipelines Cup 1.50m, and Nick Dello Joio (USA) and Contiki triumphed in the $34,000 Westmoreland Coal Cup 1.50m.
The ‘National’ Tournament is the first in five weeks of competition during this year’s Summer Series at Spruce Meadows. Riders will vie for nearly $1.2 million in prize money throughout the week, with competition concluding on Sunday, June 7. The highlight event will be the $400,000 RBC Grand Prix, presented by Rolex, on Saturday, June 6. Other features include the $60,000 TransCanada Parcours de Chasse on Saturday and the $210,000 CNOOC Nexen Cup 1.50m Derby on Sunday.
Course designer Uliano Vezzani (ITA) set the track for Thursday’s $85,000 ATB Financial Cup, which saw 76 starters and 21 clear rounds. Out of 20 that continued on to the evening’s jump-off, ten were able to clear the short course without fault.
For the second night in a row, Andres Rodriguez was the winner, this time aboard his Pan American Games prospect Darlon van Groenhove. The rider and Arao Enterprises LLC’s 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding (Clinton x Heartbreaker) flew through the finish line in 43.01 seconds. Also riding for Venezuela, Pablo Barrios guided his mount Antares to a second place finish in 45.35 seconds. USA’s Quentin Judge earned the third place prize aboard Double H Farm’s HH Whisky Royale in 45.70 seconds.
Winning two nights in a row to kick off an important summer of competition was like a dream come true for Rodriguez, who appreciates everything it takes to make it to this level of the sport.
“It is an amazing feeling,” the rider acknowledged. “When I look back to the very first year I came to Spruce Meadows, I was very far from sitting in this chair (at the press conference), and now that I am able to come to a show like this and be competitive every day with a good string of horses it is just very gratifying.”
“I was certain I was going to win another class throughout the summer because my horses have been going great, but I did not expect it to happen the next day,” Rodriguez admitted. “But here we are, so it is amazing.”
‘Darlon’ has jumped clear in his last six competitions with good placings and two wins prior to Thursday night, but Rodriguez counts this win at a different level.
“The competitions he has won before have been good competitions, but this is a great competition,” he declared. “Twenty riders in the jump-off, very fast riders, and a big tough course. It is special, so if he keeps it up our hopes are high for the Pan American Games.”
With a tough roster of competitors, Rodriguez knew he had to take some risk in the jump-off, and he took a big chance leaving out a stride at the final fence.
“I may have taken a little bit too much risk to the last fence, but it paid off,” he smiled. “I think the horse grew wings. I do not know how he got out of there, but he did.”
Darlon was purchased through Steve Guerdat to eventually be sold, but continued to prove himself and turned into more than Rodriguez expected.
“We put him in a few competitions and I knew he was going to be super nice,” the rider detailed. “The horse kept going and he just kept getting better and better. Surprisingly, he is the best horse we have in the string now. His style is very classic. He goes in a very nice way and he has a huge stride. For a jump-off like today where you have big gallops, you can use that big canter that he has. He is very flexible and he is a dream to ride. He is just nice in every way.”
Ward Wins on Day Two
Earlier in the day, McLain Ward jumped to victory in the $34,000 ATCO Pipelines Cup 1.50m aboard Double H Farm’s HH Carlos Z. The competition saw 29 entries with five advancing to the jump-off.
Conor Swail (IRL) was first to jump the short course with Susan Grange’s Simba de la Roque, setting the pace with a clear round in 39.89 seconds to eventually accept the second place prize. Ward and HH Carlos Z soon beat their time by a margin in 39.54 seconds to take the win. Meagan Nusz (USA) and Amalaya Investments’ Leoville 2 had one rail down in 43.84 seconds to place third.
McLain Ward and HH Carlos Z
“Carlos is an unbelievably competitive horse. All he does is win, win, win,” Ward said of his mount. “Conor had a great round, but I felt Carlos was jumping well and it was worth taking a shot. We won by a sliver; it wasn’t very much.”
“I got to see Conor go, which was nice, and then I jumped one jump and went in,” Ward continued. “I knew Conor actually lost his footing a little bit turning to number three in the jump-off, and I thought that if I could catch that jump a little bit better it would be the difference, and it was.”
Ward and the 13-year-old Zangersheide gelding (Chellano Z x Voltaire) have had incredible success since Hunter Harrison of Double H Farm brought the partnership together. Most recently, the duo won back-to-back grand prix at the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows in New York. Those competitions, held on another large grass field, set Carlos up perfectly for immediate command of Spruce Meadows’ International Ring.
“We are lucky we have a great show at Old Salem Farm that is on grass, and myself and Beezie (Madden) and a lot of us use that as a great prep for Spruce Meadows,” Ward noted. “It is a national show, so it is maybe a little softer level, but high quality. That is a nice lead up to this.”
Carlos also placed third in Wednesday’s $34,000 Back on Track 1.50m and Ward now has plans to jump him in Saturday’s grand prix.
“That is the amazing thing about him. He can go in the 1.45m class on Wednesday full speed, then come back and jump the grand prix on Sunday afternoon and have a good chance,” Ward remarked. “He does some things that you would not think he should be able to do, but he is a real trier and a fighter. Like I always say to Mr. Harrison, he is a horse that on any day, he is worth getting dressed for.”
Dello Joio Earns Career First
Also competing on Thursday, USA’s Nick Dello Joio captured his first ever win in Spruce Meadows’ International Ring. The 26-year-old rider jumped Coker Farm’s Contiki to victory in the $34,000 Westmoreland Coal Cup 1.50m. Out of 27 starters, nine advanced to the jump-off, where the pair completed the fastest of six double clear rounds.
Jaime Azcarraga (MEX) guided Matador to second place honors in 39.57 seconds. Eric Lamaze (CAN) stopped the clock in 39.92 seconds to earn the third place prize with Artisan Farms and Torrey Pines Stable’s Rosana du Park, and Conor Swail finished fourth in 39.97 seconds on Susan and Ariel Grange’s Grafton.
“I am thrilled,” Dello Joio smiled following his win. “My horse was great and I could not be happier with him. He was great yesterday. He was a little bit fresh, but still managed a good clear round and was tenth. Today, I had a hard rub at the in of the combination, but luck was on my side.”
“The jump-off really suited him,” Dello Joio continued. “It was not a lot of tight turns. It was a lot more of an open gallop, and he covers the grounds so quickly and he is such a fast horse that it was great.”
Contiki, a nine-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding (Contendro x Calido I), has had other top finishes in Toronto and Wellington with Dello Joio and also showed in Old Salem in preparation for this summer’s competition.
Commenting on where the win ranks in his career, the rider stated, “It’s up there. Spruce Meadows is my favorite venue in the world. It is by far the best venue in the world and to be able to win in the main ring is great. I have knocked on the door a few times, but never pulled it off, so it was great to do it in such a fast jump-off with so many good riders right behind me. Second, third and fourth place were three of the best in the world, so it felt good. It is also nice to get a win early. It puts you at ease a little bit and now we can kind of relax and carry on with the rest of our summer series here.”
Thursday’s competition also featured FEI competition in the All Canada Ring in the morning with a course set by Anthony D’Ambrosio (USA). Eduardo Menezes (BRA) was the winner of the $8,000 Omega Alpha Cup 1.45m aboard his own Catalina. The pair topped a two-horse jump-off over Mario Deslauriers (USA) with Lisa Deslauriers’ Scout de la Cense. Reed Kessler (USA) finished third on one time fault aboard Kessler Show Stables’ KS Stakki.
The Spruce Meadows ‘National’ Tournament, presented by Rolex, continues on Friday with two features in the International Ring. Competition will begin in the afternoon with the $35,000 Encana Cup 1.45m followed by the $35,000 RBC Capital Markets Cup 1.50m.
For a complete tournament schedule and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.
Based in Calgary, Canada, Spruce Meadows is the creation of the Southern family who built a Show Jumping complex at the foothills of the Alberta Rocky Mountains. It was in 1976 that the first Spruce Tournaments were held, with annual spectator attendances reaching over 50,000 by the end of the decade. Today, Spruce Meadows boasts one of the greatest outdoor equestrian venues in the world and offers an incredible experience for riders and fans alike. Spruce Meadows focuses on the organization and hosting of show jumping tournaments of unmatched quality for junior, amateur and professional athletes in a manner that reflects basic family values in a clean, green and welcoming environment that celebrates the horse and encourages the breeding and training of quality sport horses and the teaching and development of athletes. For more information on Spruce Meadows, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.
Calgary, AB, Canada – June 3, 2015 – Spruce Meadows kicked off its ‘National’ Tournament CSI 5*, presented by Rolex, on Wednesday with a full day of show jumping at the world-renowned venue in Calgary. The first day of competition saw wins for Quentin Judge (USA) and HH Copin van de Broy in the $34,000 Roadtrek Motorhomes Cup 1.55m, Eric Lamaze (CAN) and Rosana du Park in the $34,000 Back On Track 1.50m, and Andres Rodriguez (VEN) with Fifty Fifty 111 in the $34,000 Bantrel Cup 1.50m.
The ‘National’ Tournament is the first in five weeks of competition during this year’s Summer Series at Spruce Meadows. Riders will vie for nearly $1.2 million in prize money throughout the week, with competition concluding on Sunday, June 7. The highlight event will be the $400,000 RBC Grand Prix, presented by Rolex, on Saturday, June 6. Other features include the $85,000 ATB Financial Cup on Thursday, the $60,000 TransCanada Parcours de Chasse on Saturday, and the $210,000 CNOOC Nexen Cup 1.50m Derby on Sunday.
The course designer in the International Ring for the ‘National’ Tournament is Uliano Vezzani of Italy. Vezanni began Wednesday’s competition with the $34,000 Roadtrek Motorhomes Cup 1.55m and a win for Quentin Judge aboard Double H Farm’s HH Copin van de Broy. Judge and the 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion (Darco x Brownboy) topped a 15-horse jump-off out of 65 original starters. They completed the fastest of eight double clear efforts in 37.77 seconds.
Eric Lamaze and Artisan Farms LLC’s Powerplay set the pace to beat in 38.59 seconds, eventually ending second. Rich Fellers (USA) and Harry and Molly Chapman’s Flexible landed in third place with their time of 39.24 seconds.
“I was surprised we won to be honest because I saw Eric go and I thought he was pretty fast,” Judge remarked. “My original plan was not to try to win. I wanted to be in the top four or five to get qualified for Saturday’s grand prix, but McLain Ward who trains me said, ‘Go,’ so I did. My horse felt really good and really schooled all the way around.”
Egypt’s Sameh el Dahan completed the fastest jump-off round in 37.71 seconds just before Judge entered the ring, but a rail at the last fence put the rider in ninth place overall. Judge was able to watch his round, however, and knew what he had to do.
“I saw Sameh go and I saw that he was really fast to the last line, but I am a little superstitious, so I did not watch him do the last jump,” Judge admitted. “I knew Eric did eight strides from jump one to two. I saw everyone else do nine and I knew that my horse has a similar stride as Powerplay and could also do eight. From there I just tried to be quick to the Roadtrek oxer and back to the coins oxer and the last line. Then I just let him gallop to the last jump. I knew if I was neat enough I could really trust him to the last jump and it worked out.”
Judge started riding HH Copin van de Broy, just before Spruce Meadows last summer and felt good heading into this first competition knowing they already had experience in the International Ring together.
“I feel like our partnership has come a long way,” he acknowledged. “We got along pretty well from the beginning, but Spruce Meadows last year was really my first big international show with him, so I know him the best at this venue. The horse obviously likes it here, so I know that day one I can ask him to go and do his job.”
With a win under his belt, Judge has his sights set on Saturday’s grand prix and also looks forward to defending his title in the $210,000 CNOOC Nexen Cup Derby, which he won last year aboard HH Dark de la Hart.
“This win gives me a big confidence boost,” Judge noted. “We all come here to Spruce Meadows trying to be guns loaded and ready to be competitive going into the first week. It gives me confidence that the plan I made coming up to this was right and my horses are ready to go. Having one win earlier in the week takes a little of the weight off my shoulders to be able to concentrate on the weekend.”
Lamaze Starts Out Strong
The next competition of the day was the $34,000 Back On Track 1.50m, which was held in a one round speed format. Thirteen out of 31 entries cleared the course, and Eric Lamaze completed the fastest clear round in 61.06 seconds for the win aboard Artisan Farms LLC and Torrey Pines Stable’s Rosana du Park.
Just fractions of a second separated the top three, with Conor Swail (IRL) and Ariel and Susan Grange’s Grafton stopping the clock in 61.13 seconds to finish in reserve, and McLain Ward (USA) with Double H Farm’s HH Carlos Z finishing third in 61.60 seconds.
Eric Lamaze and Rosana du Park
Following his win, along with a second place finish in the first competition of the day, Lamaze commented on the great afternoon that kicked off the ‘National’ Tournament.
“The first day is always an important day,” he stated. “I love doing well here. It is fun. It doesn’t matter if the stands are full or empty; it is still a five-star. You get ranking points and you get good prize money, so I love competing.”
Lamaze and Rosana du Park had a fantastic winter jumping at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL, with multiple wins. The ten-year-old Selle Francais mare (by Kannan) then placed on the Longines Global Champions Tour in Miami and continued on to good results competing in Antwerp and Rome.
“She is super. She is going to be a great horse,” Lamaze noted. “She can do a grand prix and she can do a speed competition. I love those horses. She can do both.”
Although the mare has been jumping very well, Lamaze was careful to put her in the right level to get things started on the grass field this week.
“She is usually very timid here on the grass, so that is why I chose that competition today,” Lamaze explained. “Last year it was too much for her almost; even the 1.45m and 1.50m felt too much. Carly Anthony rode her for me last year and then I took her over a little bit toward the end, but she felt very timid. She was still a fairly green horse that was very careful then. She was really holding herself up, but this year she feels really different. She really handled it beautifully. It is just a year later, more mileage, more everything, so I am very happy.”
Rodriguez Earns First International Ring Victory
International competition concluded on Wednesday with the $34,000 Bantrel Cup, held over a 1.50m speed track, with 46 starters and eight clear rounds. Tenth in the order, Venezuela’s Andres Rodriguez and Arao Enterprises LLC’s Fifty Fifty 111 sped to the lead in 63.92 seconds and held on to the end for their first win in Spruce Meadow’s International Ring.
Conor Swail was the runner up in 64.31 seconds with Susan Grange’s Simba de la Roque. Brazil’s Rodrigo Lambre was first to go and placed third overall with his time of 66.25 seconds riding Mario Onate’s Charielle.
Andres Rodriguez and Fifty Fifty 111
Rodriguez has owned Fifty Fifty 111, a ten-year-old Belgian Warmblood (Action Breaker x Major de la Cour), since the mare was five years old. He purchased the horse from Eric Lamaze and brought her up through the levels. ‘Fifty’ has continued to develop and Rodriguez started the season with the goal of competing her in the derbies at Spruce Meadows this summer. With a win on the field to start the Series, he looks forward to Sunday’s first derby competition.
“I really wanted to win a competition in the big ring this year. We brought ten horses and I brought a few good horses that I thought could do it. To win on the first day is an amazing feeling,” the rider said of his victory. “We have been training for the derby. It is actually going to be my first derby in my career, but we have practiced everything and the way she jumped today, if she keeps jumping like that Sunday might be a great day.”
“She just keeps developing and she keeps surprising me, so why not?” Rodriguez continued. “From that generation of horses born in 2005, I had six horses, and when they were seven we cut down to four. She was not the most talented of all of them, but the one thing she had was that she always wanted to do everything right. There were more talented horses in the pack, but she was always trying to produce clear rounds and she ended up being the best by far.”
Fifty Fifty 111 will now rest up for the derby on Sunday while Rodriguez competes his other top mounts. For the summer overall, his main goal is preparation for the Pan American Games that will qualify teams for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
“You can feel the Pan American ambience in Spruce Meadows right now. Everybody is trying to put their teams together here,” Rodriguez noted. “I think for the first time really the Venezuelan team is working together. We are all on the same page and we are all really trying. We agreed that the best plan was for all of us to go to Spruce Meadows together as a team to try to get our horses comfortable. We knew we were going to have good footing and good courses. It is the best training we can get before we go there. It is very important for us because Venezuela has never jumped as a team in an Olympic Games. For any athlete, the Olympics are as high as you can get, so we are really trying to make that happen.”
Also showing on Wednesday, Leslie Howard (USA) earned the first international win of the week in the All Canada Ring this morning. Howard guided her own and Peter Howard’s Lennox Lewis 2 to victory in the $8,000 Thompson Family Cup 1.45m, a one round speed course set by USA’s Anthony D’Ambrosio. Mexico’s Antonio Maurer finished second aboard Everado Coronado’s Portena. Brazil’s Rodrigo Lambre and Mario Onate’s Melbourne placed third.
The Spruce Meadows ‘National’ Tournament, presented by Rolex, continues on Thursday featuring the $34,000 ATCO Pipelines Cup 1.50m, the $34,000 Westmoreland Coal Cup 1.50m, and the $85,000 ATB Financial Cup 1.55m.
For a complete tournament schedule and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.
Based in Calgary, Canada, Spruce Meadows is the creation of the Southern family who built a Show Jumping complex at the foothills of the Alberta Rocky Mountains. It was in 1976 that the first Spruce Tournaments were held, with annual spectator attendances reaching over 50,000 by the end of the decade. Today, Spruce Meadows boasts one of the greatest outdoor equestrian venues in the world and offers an incredible experience for riders and fans alike. Spruce Meadows focuses on the organization and hosting of show jumping tournaments of unmatched quality for junior, amateur and professional athletes in a manner that reflects basic family values in a clean, green and welcoming environment that celebrates the horse and encourages the breeding and training of quality sport horses and the teaching and development of athletes. For more information on Spruce Meadows, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.
Lexington, KY – May 19, 2015 – Andres Rodriquez has taken over the lead in the 2015 Hagyard Challenge Series by placing fourth during Thursday’s $34,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic CSI3*, which is combined with a second place finish during the first event. In the Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby Series, junior rider Kelli Cruciotti has jumped to the top of the standings after earning two second place ribbons during the Kentucky Spring two-week series.
In the Hagyard Challenge Series, Thursday’s winner Emanuel Andrade of Venezuela is tied for second place with Argentina’s Ramiro Quintana, who claimed the first victory in the Series. The Hagyard Challenge Series consists of seven grand prix classes to be held during the 2015 show series at the Kentucky Horse Park. Following the final event, a cash prize of $50,000 will be awarded to the rider accumulating the most points throughout the series, as well as a $10,000 prize for the reserve champion.
The Series concludes with the $65,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic during the Kentucky National Horse Show. Following that exciting competition, the winner of the $50,000 Leading Rider will be announced and presented with the prize by the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute. New this year, Brook Ledge Horse Transport will be awarding a $1,000 shipping voucher to the Leading Rider and a $500 shipping voucher to the Reserve Champion Leading Rider.
Hagyard Equine Medical Institute is one of the oldest and largest equine veterinary practices in the world. Founded in 1876, the institute offers a staff with qualifications unparalleled by any single non-university veterinary group in the equine industry, and Hagyard veterinarians have dedicated themselves to the health and wellbeing of the horse.
The facility at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute offers 13 Digital Radiology systems, 1.5 Tesla Siemens MRI, Nuclear Scintigraphy, an on-site laboratory, an on-site pharmacy, full surgical services, 24-hour emergency services and Hyperbaric Medicine. The institute has practiced veterinary medicine since 1876 and is currently composed of over 50 experienced veterinarians, with 13 board certifications in specialty areas of Medicine, Surgery, Critical Care, and Theriogenology. For more information about the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, please visit http://hagyard.com.
Several generous sponsors have helped make this exciting series event happen. These gracious supporters include: title sponsor MWI Veterinary Supply, and presenting sponsor Zoetis, as well as Audi of Lexington, Dean Dorton Allen Ford, Hagyard Pharmacy, Brook Ledge Horse Transportation, Hallway Feeds, Pike and Preston, and Stoll Keenon Ogden.
Kelli Cruciotti and Totem Pole
The Kentucky Spring Classic also hosted the second event in the Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby Series. After earning second place in both events with Totem Pole, Kelli Cruciotti holds the lead. There are three junior riders at the top of the standings, with Helen Voss ranked second over Emma Kurtz in third. Professional riders David Beisel and Sarah Sturges, who each claimed a blue ribbon, are tied with Amateur-Owner rider Missy Luczak-Smith for fourth place.
The five-part series will feature a $5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby throughout the spring and summer, and at the conclusion of the series the Leading Rider Awards for the Series will be presented. The $15,000 Hallway Feeds Leading Rider Awards will present a $10,000 cash prize to the professional rider accumulating the most points in the five classes that make up the Series. The amateur rider and junior rider accumulating the most points will each receive a $2,500 cash prize. Riders will receive points only on their highest placed horse in each of the classes. The awards will be presented at the conclusion of the Hallway Feeds class at the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show on August 16, 2015. Returning for the second year, the winning professional rider will win a free flight for a horse in the continental U.S., thanks to Tex Sutton.
Hallway Feeds’ close proximity to the Kentucky Horse Park provides the opportunity to utilize the freshest feed, manufactured with time-honored commitments to high standards of quality and the latest scientific advances. Combining a premium nutrition package with a professional level of dedication in horsemen and women provides equine athletes with the Formula for Success.
The Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby Series would not be possible without many generous sponsors including Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Alfagreen Supreme, Sweet PDZ Horse Stall Refresher, Caddel Equine Therapy Center, Trouw Nutrition, EquiVision, Fenwick Equestrian Products , Tack Shop of Lexington, Tex Sutton, Turf Town Properties and PNC Bank.
Kentucky Horse Shows 2015 Horse Show Series Fast Facts
Events: 2015 Kentucky Spring Horse Shows
What:
The Kentucky Horse Shows 2014 series includes two weeks of top hunter/jumper competitions during the month of May. The Kentucky Horse Show Series is the host of the Hagyard Challenge Series and Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby Series.
Where:
Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, KY, site of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™, home to the United States Equestrian Federation.
When:
KENTUCKY SPRING HORSE SHOW – May 6-10, 2015
$34,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic CSI2*
$85,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix CSI2*
$25,000 Bluegrass Classic
$25,000 U25 Classic
$15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby
$5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby
WCHR Recognized Hunter Competition
KENTUCKY SPRING CLASSIC – May 13-17, 2015
$34,000 Welcome Speed CSI3*
$34,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic CSI3*
$127,000 Hollow Creek Farm Grand Prix CSI3*
$50,000 Commonwealth Grand Prix
$20,000 Bluegrass Classic
$5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby
Sponsors:
A special thanks to the generous sponsors of the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows: Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Hallway Feeds, Hollow Creek Farm, Audi of Lexington, Sleepy P Ranch, CWD, Farm Vet, Dietrich Insurance, Take2 Thoroughbred Program and the Official Hotel The Clarion.
Hours:
8am – 5pm daily
Parking:
Horse Show Exhibitors may purchase a weekly parking pass at the main Horse Park entrance for $15.00. Dogs are permitted at the Kentucky Horse Park on a leash.
Directions:
The Kentucky Horse Park is located 8 miles northeast of Lexington, Kentucky at Exit 120 on Interstate 75.
Information:
Before Show – (859) 233-0492, Email: hakshows@earthlink.net
During Show – Telephone: (859) 254-3343, Fax: (859) 231-6097
Stabling – Email Tom Blankenship at tomblank@bellsouth.net
Stable office – Before Show: (843) 269-4737, During Show: (859) 255-0605
Prize List Advertising – Email Cindy Bozan at cindy@kentuckyhorseshows.com or call (859) 608-3709
Vendors – Email Cindy Bozan at cindy@kentuckyhorseshows.com or call (859) 608-3709
Shownet – www.shownet.biz
Shopping:
Vendors offering equestrian equipment, apparel, jewelry and home furnishings are located adjacent to the Stonelea Ring.
Hotels:
CLARION HOTEL (Formerly Holiday Inn North) – 859-233-0512 – Approximately 4 miles (OFFICIAL HOTEL)
Discover the place where elegant comfort in an ideal location meets excellent service and affordability. At the Clarion Hotel Lexington, you’ll find well-appointed accommodations with options of double/doubles, double queens, king rooms or suites, exceptional amenities such as our free hot breakfast buffet, and Southern hospitality at its finest. The best hotel for Keeneland – located in the heart of Kentucky’s Bluegrass Region – home of the Kentucky Horse Park, the Lexington Convention Center, University of Kentucky, and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail – our Lexington hotel is on Newtown Pike at Exit 115 on I-75, close to all the big attractions, and is the perfect place to stay whether you’re here to get down to business or have some fun. Best of all, bring your furry friends for any trip because the Clarion Hotel in Lexington is also pet-friendly.
CAMPGROUND RESERVATIONS:
Reservations may not be made through the Horse Show office. To reserve a campsite at the Kentucky Horse Park for any of the horse shows, please call the Campground store at (800) 370-6416 or 859-259-4157 or email Sherry Logan at sherryd.logan@ky.gov. Be specific as to the show name and the dates you wish to stay. Check-in time is 2:00 p.m. and check-out is 12:00 noon. You must make arrangements with the Campground store if you plan to arrive earlier than 2:00 p.m. or stay later than 12:00 noon. Vehicles that are not removed from a campsite by check-out time will be towed.
Lexington, KY – May 17, 2015 – Andres Rodriguez left no door open during the Sunday finale of the Kentucky Spring Classic, riding his own Darlon Van Groenhove to the $50,000 Commonwealth Grand Prix winged victory in an untouchable 43.193 seconds. Ireland’s Kevin Babington captured the second place just behind Rodriguez with Mark Q, while Todd Minikus (USA) closed out the competition in the third place.
The rider from Venezuela has been knocking on the door throughout the Kentucky Spring Series, riding to the second place during the $34,000 Hagyard Challenge Series at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show, and consistently putting in clear rounds during the second week of competition. Today, as the third in the order of 14 to return for the jump-off, he knew he would have to put on the pressure to keep competitors on their toes in an attempt to catch his trailblazing pace.
“I had 11 riders behind me, so I knew I had to take a big risk,” Rodriguez said. “That risk was my decision to do eight strides to the last jump. It was nine strides going forward, so I needed to angle it to try to get the eight. I am really happy with this win, Darlon jumped amazing.”
The win marks a milestone in the progress Darlon Van Groenhove has made recovering from a slight injury incurred during the 2014 Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Finals in Barcelona, when he did not pass the jog.
“Darlon was my best horse result-wise last year,” Rodriguez elaborated. “He is coming back from a six-month rest. This is his first show back, and he is in good shape. I have high hopes for him in Calgary, and he is probably the horse I would consider for the Pan American Games. I couldn’t have expected more from him out there. It was a wonderful victory because this is his biggest win since we started competing with him again, and when you bring a horse back after so long and that you have missed for so long, it really is something special.”
The eight strides to the final oxer was not the only move that Rodriguez made to secure the win. He also left out a stride down the first line, clearing the second obstacle in only six strides, setting a pace that second place rider, Kevin Babington (IRL), admitted that he knew he could not catch.
Four riders attempted to leave out the stride down the opening line, but only Rodriguez succeeded with the leave-out, seeing either the first or second obstacle fall in a shot to catch his pace. The pressure to catch Rodriguez during the first half of the course caught Shane Sweetnam, Richie Moloney and Roberto Teran.
Pablo Barrios and Zara Leandra attempted to angle the penultimate obstacle in the same fashion as Rodriguez, but the Audi-vertical fell in their haste.
Minikus was able to lay down a clean and quick jump-off round in 45.171 seconds with Con Capilot, but the time was not enough today to catch the Venezuelan, falling short with a 1.97 second differential.
“When I heard that Andres had made his move down the first and last line, and how fast his ride was, I knew I was riding for second,” Babington laughed.
Kevin Babington and Mark Q
He continued, “Mark Q is 13 years old now, and I have Shorapur who has stepped up to the plate as my number one horse. It takes the pressure off of Mark Q to use him for classes like today instead of in the 1.60m or the grand prix all the time. He jumped great in the first round, and I was delighted with our results from the jump-off.”
Babington and Mark Q tripped the timers in a clear 44.835 seconds to take the second place.
Although today’s event was only nationally ranked, the Kentucky Spring Horse Show Series featured a CSI2* week and a CSI3* week, which brought many riders back to the Kentucky Horse Park. “It has been quite a few years since I have been here for the Spring and Summer shows, and honestly, it is the FEI classes that brought me back,” Babington said. “In order to be on the world stage, you have to keep your eye on your ranking points. I thought that this was a nice build up before going to Europe and I am really glad I came. I was chatting with some of the other riders and it is just incredible the level of riding; it has changed, and it is incredible. There is such a great camaraderie at these shows, and we are all trying to learn from each other and help one another. The sport is really turning a corner for very positive reasons, I think.”
Rodriguez echoed Babington thoughts, saying, “I am really happy that I made the decision to come here. Everything was top-notch. The course was really good for a CSI3*; Bernardo Costa Cabral has done an amazing job; he builds according to the horses and the riders. He makes us have to go all in. I really want to congratulate the show organizers for making this an FEI competition. I would not have thought of coming if it was not for the FEI classes; there are many venues we love, but it is our job to compete for world ranking points, so when you have the availability to get the world ranking points in a facility like this, where you can also bring other horses along, it is perfect.”
Only three other riders would ride to double-clear results.
Emanuel Andrade and Bon Jovi went clean in 45.171 seconds, a conservative pace for the otherwise speedy rider. Colin Syquia and Adventure E grabbed the fifth place in 47.427 seconds, while Hayley Barnhill and Zephire finished just under the time allowed in 51.736 seconds to round out the top six.
Today marked the conclusion of the Kentucky Spring Classic, but in July competition will continue at the Kentucky Horse Park during the Kentucky Summer Series. Throughout July and August, riders will have the opportunity to compete in top-notch hunter/jumper events, and also try to earn valuable points toward the $50,000 Hagyard Challenge Series’ Leading Rider Bonus, and the $15,000 Leading Rider Bonuses available during the Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby Series.
Kentucky Horse Shows 2015 Horse Show Series Fast Facts
Events: 2015 Kentucky Spring Horse Shows
What:
The Kentucky Horse Shows 2014 series includes two weeks of top hunter/jumper competitions during the month of May. The Kentucky Horse Show Series is the host of the Hagyard Challenge Series and Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby Series.
Where:
Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, KY, site of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™, home to the United States Equestrian Federation.
When:
KENTUCKY SPRING HORSE SHOW – May 6-10, 2015
$34,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic CSI2*
$85,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix CSI2*
$25,000 Bluegrass Classic
$25,000 U25 Classic
$15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby
$5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby
WCHR Recognized Hunter Competition
KENTUCKY SPRING CLASSIC – May 13-17, 2015
$34,000 Welcome Speed CSI3*
$34,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic CSI3*
$127,000 Hollow Creek Farm Grand Prix CSI3*
$50,000 Commonwealth Grand Prix
$20,000 Bluegrass Classic
$5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby
Sponsors:
A special thanks to the generous sponsors of the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows: Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Hallway Feeds, Hollow Creek Farm, Audi of Lexington, Sleepy P Ranch, CWD, Farm Vet, Dietrich Insurance, Take2 Thoroughbred Program and the Official Hotel The Clarion.
Hours:
8am – 5pm daily
Parking:
Horse Show Exhibitors may purchase a weekly parking pass at the main Horse Park entrance for $15.00. Dogs are permitted at the Kentucky Horse Park on a leash.
Directions:
The Kentucky Horse Park is located 8 miles northeast of Lexington, Kentucky at Exit 120 on Interstate 75.
Information:
Before Show – (859) 233-0492, Email: hakshows@earthlink.net
During Show – Telephone: (859) 254-3343, Fax: (859) 231-6097
Stabling – Email Tom Blankenship at tomblank@bellsouth.net
Stable office – Before Show: (843) 269-4737, During Show: (859) 255-0605
Prize List Advertising – Email Cindy Bozan at cindy@kentuckyhorseshows.com or call (859) 608-3709
Vendors – Email Cindy Bozan at cindy@kentuckyhorseshows.com or call (859) 608-3709
Shownet – www.shownet.biz
Shopping:
Vendors offering equestrian equipment, apparel, jewelry and home furnishings are located adjacent to the Stonelea Ring.
Hotels:
CLARION HOTEL (Formerly Holiday Inn North) – 859-233-0512 – Approximately 4 miles (OFFICIAL HOTEL)
Discover the place where elegant comfort in an ideal location meets excellent service and affordability. At the Clarion Hotel Lexington, you’ll find well-appointed accommodations with options of double/doubles, double queens, king rooms or suites, exceptional amenities such as our free hot breakfast buffet, and Southern hospitality at its finest. The best hotel for Keeneland – located in the heart of Kentucky’s Bluegrass Region – home of the Kentucky Horse Park, the Lexington Convention Center, University of Kentucky, and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail – our Lexington hotel is on Newtown Pike at Exit 115 on I-75, close to all the big attractions, and is the perfect place to stay whether you’re here to get down to business or have some fun. Best of all, bring your furry friends for any trip because the Clarion Hotel in Lexington is also pet-friendly.
CAMPGROUND RESERVATIONS:
Reservations may not be made through the Horse Show office. To reserve a campsite at the Kentucky Horse Park for any of the horse shows, please call the Campground store at (800) 370-6416 or 859-259-4157 or email Sherry Logan at sherryd.logan@ky.gov. Be specific as to the show name and the dates you wish to stay. Check-in time is 2:00 p.m. and check-out is 12:00 noon. You must make arrangements with the Campground store if you plan to arrive earlier than 2:00 p.m. or stay later than 12:00 noon. Vehicles that are not removed from a campsite by check-out time will be towed.
