Lexington, KY – August 20, 2010 – Another incredible crowd turned out at the new Indoor Ring tonight, this time to watch riders compete for the top prize during the $50,000 CSI-W Hagyard Lexington Classic at the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show. It proved to be an interesting night when the first four riders all completed clear rounds to start, but as the class progressed no other combinations were able to duplicate the effort and join the jump-off. Lauren Crooks and Cincinnati La Silla led the victory gallop after they laid down the fastest clear effort over the short course, continuing their winning streak after taking the top prize in the $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic during the Kentucky Summer Classic.
Tonight’s long and winding course was designed by Richard Jeffery. The first round course featured 16 jumping efforts and included a vertical-oxer-vertical triple combination, an oxer-vertical double combination, and a number of tall, single verticals. At first it looked as though the course was too simple when the first four riders to take to the track all posted clear efforts, but as the evening continued, the rails began to come down and no one else was able to advance to the short course.
The jump-off round began over a single oxer followed by a bending line to a single vertical. Riders then made a left turn to another wide oxer before jumping through the oxer-vertical double combination. Finally, the competitors made an inside turn and galloped to a tall vertical just before the finish line.