Tag Archives: Kathryn Haefner

Kathryn Haefner and Columbus Sail to A-O 3’3″ Hunter Grand Championship at NHS

Kathryn Haefner and Columbus.

Lexington, KY – October 30, 2014 – It took a rocket scientist to win the Amateur-Owner 3’3″ Hunter Grand Championship at the National Horse Show – literally.

Kathryn Haefner is a graduate student at Stanford University, where she is completing a degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics. Thursday at the Kentucky Horse Park, she and her mount Columbus rocketed to the top of the leader board to clinch the Amateur-Owner 3’3″ 18-35 Hunter Championship, sponsored by Fashion Farm and Woodland Way. The pair’s performance also ultimately earned them the Amateur-Owner 3’3″ Hunter Grand Championship.

“He was champion last year at Capital Challenge, but this was actually the first time that he’s shown here,” Haefner said of Columbus. “I wasn’t sure what to expect. I just came from school so we were both a little bit rusty. I was basically here to have fun and just to say that I got to go to the National Horse Show.”

Haefner continued, “He’s been super this whole year. He’s really grown up a lot. He came in here, wasn’t spooky or anything. There was a lot of stuff to look at in there, and he was totally fine with it.”

Haefner purchased the 8-year-old Westphalian gelding four years ago, and he is presently one of 17 horses in her string.

“We have 17 horses that are going to Florida with us,” Haefner said. “Our barn is just me, and most of them are sale horses. I have a couple like this one that were sale horses and then I decided that they weren’t for sale anymore. We have a bunch of new Pre-Green horses, so I’m going to move my amateurs up, and we’ll see. Maybe I’ll do some of the young ones in the adults, and see how it goes.”

Haefner2Balancing her horses with a challenging course of study is not easy, but both are things that Haefner is passionate about.

“It’s my dad’s fault [that I chose to study aerospace],” Haefner said. “He’s an electrical engineer, but the company that he works for produces sensors specifically for space applications, so I’ve been exposed to a lot of science and math from a young age. I got to watch rocket launches, and I thought it was the coolest thing. I wanted to be an astronaut, but I get motion sickness, so that’s probably not going to happen. This is the next best thing.”

Haefner has another year and a half before graduation, but in the meantime, she is just enjoying the opportunity to compete at top competitions like the National Horse Show.

Finishing with the reserve championship in the Amateur-Owner 3’3″ 18-35 Hunters were Darby Toben and Peron.

In the Amateur-Owner 3’3″ 35 and Older Hunters, the championship, sponsored by Meralex Farm & Hunt, went to Kelley Corrigan and Game Day. Finishing in the reserve championship position were Ainsley Sadlo and Balin.

What made that one-two finish special is that both Corrigan and Sadlo train with Havens Schatt. Corrigan began riding with the Lexington, Kentucky-based trainer last spring, and has enjoyed it immensely since.

“It’s a mellow barn. There are a lot of horses, but it’s not tense,” Corrigan said. “Havens’ is great. The horses are all topnotch.”

One of those topnotch horses is Corrigan’s own Game Day. “I got him a year ago in August, and I have had him for a little over a year. We’ve been doing the 3’3″ every year, and we’re hoping to move up to the 3’6″,” Corrigan said. “He’s 7, but he kind of acts like he’s 11 or 12. He’s very amateur friendly.”

Following his success Thursday, Game Day will enjoy some time off at Corrigan’s home farm in Lexington, Kentucky, before getting back into Schatt’s program and heading to Wellington, Florida, for the winter, where Corrigan will set her sights on her goals for next year.

“I really, really want to get to Devon next year. It’s my favorite show,” Corrigan said. “I would like to do Indoors. He’s a horse that gets a little bored doing the same jumps all the time so maybe the following year we’ll start doing some derbies.”

Thursday afternoon marked the conclusion of the Amateur-Owner 3’3″ Hunters, but the hunter competition continues tomorrow with the conclusion of the Amateur-Owner 3’6″ Hunter divisions.

Watch live streaming of the National Horse Show all week on USEF Network at www.usefnetwork.com, and find out more about the show at www.nhs.org.

About the National Horse Show

Founded in 1883 at the original Madison Square Garden, the National Horse Show is America’s oldest indoor horse show, firmly established as a major fixture on the national and international sports and social event calendars. The National Horse Show Association’s primary activity is the annual production of the National Horse Show and all ancillary events. Over the years, the National Horse Show has provided financial aid to many worthwhile charities.

With $755,000 in prize money offered, this year’s National Horse Show offers an International Open Jumpers with $460,000 in prize money, while the top rated hunter sections have a total purse of $195,000. Meanwhile, $100,000 in total is offered to the Amateur-Owner and U 25 Jumper sections.

For the fourth consecutive year, The National Horse Show received a top ranking from NARG, the North American Riders Group and was named the Show Hunter Hall of Fame Horse Show of the Year in four back-to-back years.

For more information, go to www.nhs.org.

2014 National Horse Show Fast Facts

What:
The Alltech National Horse Show is a week-long championship event featuring “AA”-rated hunters, open jumpers, junior/amateur jumpers, and the ASPCA Alfred B. Maclay Finals. The event will run October 28 – November 2, 2014, indoors in the Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY, site of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

Parking:
The Kentucky Horse Park has waived the normal parking fee during the Alltech National Horse Show. Parking is free. While dogs are permitted at the Kentucky Horse Park on a leash, no dogs are allowed in the Alltech Arena during the ANHS.

Directions:
The Kentucky Horse Park is located at 4089 Iron Works Parkway, Lexington, KY 40511. The KHP is 8 miles northeast of Lexington at Exit 120 on Interstate 75.

Information:
2245 Stone Garden Lane Lexington, KY 40513
Cindy Bozan
email: cindy@nhs.org
Phone: (859) 608-3709
Fax: (866) 285-9496

Email:
Cindy@nhs.org

Website:
www.nhs.org

Shopping:
Vendors offering equestrian equipment, apparel, jewelry and home furnishings are located in the Alltech Arena.

Additional Contacts:
Vendors – Matt Morrissey at matt.morrissey@stadiumjumping.com or call (941) 915-3457
VIP Table Sales – Cindy Bozan at cindy@nhs.org Phone: (859) 608-3709
Advertising and Program Sales – Dee Thomas at jmstables@aol.com Phone: 561-310-7679
Sponsorship – Mason Phelps at mpjr@phelpsmediagroup.com or 561-753-3389 or Susie Webb at webb_susie@yahoo.com or 301-520-6162

Hotels:
HILTON – DOWNTOWN – 859-231-9000 – Approximately 6 miles
CLARION HOTEL (formerly Holiday Inn North) – 859 – 233-0512 – Approximately 4 miles
FAIRFIELD INN & SUITES BY MARRIOTT – 859 -977-5870 – Approximately 4 miles
FOUR POINTS SHERATON – 859-259-1311 – Approximately 4 miles
LA QUINTA – 859-231-7551 – Approximately 4 miles
KNIGHTS INN – 859-231-0232 – Approximately 4 miles
EMBASSY SUITES – 859-455-5000 – Approximately 4 miles
MARRIOT GRIFFIN GATE – 859-231-5100 – Approximately 4 miles
RESIDENCE INN – 859-231-6191 – Approximately 5 miles
COURTYARD BY MARRIOT – 859-253-4646 – Approximately 5 miles
HOLIDAY INN GEORGETOWN – 502-570-0220 – Approximately 6 miles
RAMADA INN – 859-299-1261 – Approximately 6 miles
RED ROOF INN – 859-293-2626 – Approximately 6 miles
HAMPTON INN – 502-867-4888 – Approximately 6 miles
SUPER EIGHT – 502-863-4888 – Approximately 6 miles
MICROTEL INN & SUITES – 502-868-8000 – Approximately 6 miles

For further information on housing in the Lexington area, we invite you to visit www.visitlex.com and www.georgetownky.com.

Management:
Kentucky Horse Shows, LLC
P. O. Box 11428
Lexington, KY 40575-1428
859-233-0492 (phone)
859-233-0495 (fax)
email: hakshows@earthlink.net
website: www.kentuckyhorseshows.com

Horse Show Secretary:
Cindy Bozan
859-233-0492
Email: secretary.nhs@aol.com

NATIONAL HORSE SHOW MEDIA CONTACT:

Re: News and Information:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12230 Forest Hill Blvd.
Suite 214
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax)
pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
www.phelpsmediagroup.com

Ellen Toon and Invincible Punch Their Ticket for the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final

©ESI Photography. Ellen Toon and her own Invincible sail to victory and pick up their final Diamond Mills Hunter Prix Final qualifier in the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix

SAUGERTIES, NY (July 22, 2012) – With a win in Saturday’s $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix at HITS Saugerties, Ellen Toon and her own Invincible picked up their fifth qualifying class and are on their way to HITS Championship Weekend for their second appearance in the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final.

“I was a little rusty coming into this class,” admitted Toon of South Salem, New York. “But, he [Invincible] is such a seasoned and enthusiastic competitor, he always makes me feel more confident. As soon as he picked up a canter in the ring, I knew we were going to have a good day.”

Saturday’s Devoucoux Hunter Prix took place in the newly debuted Outside Course at HITS-on-the-Hudson and featured a dynamic track built by Rian Beals of Saugerties, New York.

“Jumping off the bank was really nice and made for a fun first round,” said Toon. “The footing in this new ring gets better and better each week.”

Continue reading Ellen Toon and Invincible Punch Their Ticket for the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final

Scott Brash and Whisky Mac Win $25,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic

Kathryn Haefner and Columbus Find Victory in the Hunter Ring

Scott Brash and Whisky Mac. Photos © Sportfot

Wellington, FL – February 5, 2012 – Week four of the 2012 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), sponsored by Adequan, concluded on Sunday with a win for Great Britain’s Scott Brash and Whisky Mac in the $25,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic.

Week four of the FTI WEF was sponsored by Adequan. Week five, sponsored by Spy Coast Farm, will run February 8-12. The 2012 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of competition that conclude on April 1, 2012, and they will be awarding more than $6 million in prize money through the circuit.

Forty-four entries showed in the 1.50m class over a track set by 2012 Olympic course designer Bob Ellis of Great Britain. Six went clear to jump-off and five completed double clear rounds. Scott Brash and Whisky Mac, owned by Stan Brash, finished with the fastest time of 44.670 seconds taking the top prize.

Continue reading Scott Brash and Whisky Mac Win $25,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic