Tag Archives: Ky. Spring Horse Show

Hunter/Equitation, Kentucky Horse Shows, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Eve Jobs and Quickley 3 Take Top Spot in Medium A-O/Jr. Jumpers at Kentucky Spring Horse Show

May 14, 2016 Associate Editor Leave a comment

Eve Jobs and Quickley 3.

Emma Kurtz Takes Back-to-Back Equitation Wins with Clearway

Lexington, Ky. – May 13, 2016 – Eve Jobs and Quickley 3 had a strong debut Friday on day three of the Kentucky Spring Horse Show, besting a field of 31 in the Medium Amateur-Owner/Junior Jumpers in a time of 52.038 seconds. Dana Wille and Olympus were close behind Jobs with a second place finish in 52.104 seconds.

From the start, Jobs made a plan that paid off in time saved.

“We looked at the inside turn from two to three when we walked the course and were a little skeptical about trying it,” said Jobs. “Then the first one went in and was fast and efficient, and it didn’t look too bad, so that was the one turn where I think I made up the most time.”

Quickley 3, an 11-year-old Westphalian gelding, is coming off of a successful winter season, having won the Medium Junior Jumper championships three times at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF).

“I’ve had this horse for just over a year,” Jobs explained. “I’ve pretty much kept him in the Medium Junior Jumpers. He’s a really simple ride. He loves to go fast; he’s really careful, he’s catty, he’s quick and he’s been one of my best horses for about a year now.”

Jobs was full of praise for the Kentucky Spring Horse Show, with this being her first time competing at the show.

“This is actually the first time we’ve been here for the Kentucky Spring series,” Jobs said. “I’ve been here in the summer for young riders and in the winter for the National Horse Show. We decided to come here for the spring because we thought it would be a nice preparation for the Devon Horse Show’s junior week. All of the horses have been going great. The weather has been beautiful and I’m really happy we came!”

Jobs plans to compete in the $25,000 Under 25 Grand Prix on Sunday and is enthusiastic about the opportunities that the division offers.

“I did the division in Wellington, and I feel my best rounds were in that division,” Jobs explained. “I think it’s a wonderful bridge between the junior and the professional divisions. There are a bunch of kids in it. It’s great competition, and it’s big and technical. I’ve had a lot of success in those classes and I’m really excited that they are having a grand prix here.”

Jobs also took her talents to the equitation ring Friday afternoon, placing third in the WIHS Equitation Hunter Phase.

In the Low Amateur-Owner Jumpers, Madison Dehaven scored a meaningful win aboard Chanel, topping a field of 35 in a time of 33.611 seconds – a full second faster than Anna Dryden and Caprice 463 who took second place in 34.622 seconds.

“I have had her since she was three months old, so she’s kind of special to me,” Dehaven said of the 8-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare. “I bought her when she was a weanling. I was 15 then and trained her myself and brought her along.”

Careful planning in the course walk also paid off for Dehaven and Chanel.

“Everything kind of went as planned,” said Dehaven. “I walked with Aaron [Vale’s] wife, Mallory, and we came up with our game plan and went out there and rode it pretty much as close to what I wanted to as I could. In the jump-off, I had planned nine down the one line and ended up on a big stride and the eight just came up and was right there so we went with it. That was probably part of the reason we had the time we did. I was really happy with how she went today.”

Similar to Jobs, Dehaven was enthusiastic about the environment at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show.

“I love Kentucky,” said Dehaven. “There’s really no better place to be to show. We spend all winter in Florida and it’s nice to change the venue up. The horses all jump great and go great here. We love being here!”

Emma Kurtz Takes Back-to-Back Equitation Wins with Clearway

Emma Kurtz dominated the Stonelea Ring on Friday at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show with back-to-back equitation wins in the WIHS Equitation Hunter Phase and the ASPCA Maclay on Clearway, owned by Dr. Betsee Parker.

Kurtz and Clearway are coming off of a successful 2016 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) season, after claiming numerous top placings in the equitation ring, but Kurtz has not shown the 10-year-old Warmblood gelding since the circuit ended in April.

*Emma Kurtz and Clearway (Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography)*

“I’m very excited about today,” said Kurtz. “He hasn’t shown in probably a month and a half. It’s been a long time since these horses have shown, so it’s really nice to come out here and have them be perfect.”

Kurtz piloted Clearway, who previously had a famously decorated equitation career with Tori Colvin, past 24 horse and rider combinations in the WIHS Equitation Hunter Phase and 22 in the ASPCA Maclay to take the two blue ribbons.

“It’s big shoes to fill for sure, but he’s an amazing horse and I love him,” said Kurtz.

The pair impressed the judges in the ASPCA Maclay on Friday with a smooth and effortless round, navigating an in-and-out combination to a bending line as well as rollbacks and a brush fence.

“Since it was in a hunter ring, it was like a hunter-y kind of course but it was really nice,” said Kurtz. “The bending was just a normal eight off the turn, and then just the two straight lines and the in-and-out. It wasn’t too challenging so that was nice, especially coming off of the Winter Equestrian Festival [WEF].”

Out of the 22 original entries, 11 were called back to show on the flat.

Kurtz’s equitation once again stood out as the judges challenged the riders to demonstrate a working canter, a half turn and reverse at the sitting trot, a lengthening of stride at the trot and a working walk.

Finishing in second in the ASPCA Maclay behind Kurtz was Emma Wujek and Isle of Wight, owned by Castlewood Farm, Inc. of Wellington, Florida.

“Today’s course wasn’t too technical,” said Wujek. “This was like a nice hunter equitation course. My horse was awesome. He’s a young one. We just got him this past WEF and he’s come so far. He’s gotten so much stronger. He’s a great horse.”

Rounding out the top three was Lauren Brown and Cashmann, owned by Angela Brown.

Sunday is “Derby Day” with the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby and the $5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby taking place.

EQSportsNet will stream live webcasts of the $130,000 Hollow Creek Farm Grand Prix CSI3* on Saturday as well as the $130,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix CSI3* during the Kentucky Spring Classic on Saturday, May 21. EQSportsNet Full Access subscribers can also watch all rounds of the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows series on demand at www.eqsports.net.

For more information on Kentucky Horse Shows LLC and the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows, please visit www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.

Media Contact: Rebecca Walton
Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
phone 561.753.3389 fax 561.753.3386
PhelpsMediaGroup.com

Hunter/Equitation, Kentucky Horse Shows, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Pablo Barrios Debuts ASD Farfala with $35,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic CSI3* Victory

May 13, 2016 Associate Editor Leave a comment

Pablo Barrios and ASD Farfala.

Kelley Farmer and It’s Me Claim Grand Hunter Championship on Day Two of the Kentucky Spring Horse Show

Lexington, Ky. – May 12, 2016 – The 2016 Hagyard Challenge series, sponsored by the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, kicked off its eleventh year at the Kentucky Horse Shows on Thursday evening with the $35,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic. Sixty-six horse and rider combinations went head-to-head in the CSI3* competition, but it was Pablo Barrios (VEN) who took the victory with ASD Farfala. The talented pair beat out of a field of 14 during the jump-off, tripping the timers in a speedy 37.940 seconds.

Riders battled the elements during Thursday’s class, but the rain did not faze ASD Farfala, owned by Barrios, who has only been riding the 12-year-old Warmblood mare for a month. The Kentucky Spring Series marks their first horse show together, but the two are already demonstrating a winning partnership.

“I’ve known the mare for a long time,” said Barrios. “It belongs to a very good friend of mine, Americo Simonetti. He is a legend in the sport in South America from Chile and he kindly let me ride this wonderful mare that I’ve known for a long time.

“The mare came to the Winter Equestrian Festival with a rider from Chile and when she was about to go back to Chile I called him and asked if they could leave her with me,” continued Barrios. “I love the mare and I think I can do a great job with her. It’s amazing, when you have a good horse, how easy it is to go clean and fast. This is my first horse show with her. I was concerned about whether to put her in a lower class, but she’s so smart and talented I thought, ‘Why hold her back?’ So I went straight to it. When I call [Americo] again he is going to be very happy!”

Aaron Vale (USA) and Quidam’s Good Luck, owned by Troy Glaus, were the early pathfinders as well as the fastest pair to navigate the technical first round track, designed by Bernardo Costa Cabral, finishing in a fault-free effort of 74.100 seconds. The two later returned to the jump-off finishing double clear in 38.210 seconds, just one second behind Barrios claiming second place honors.

“Quidam’s Good Luck is a fast horse,” said Vale. “It was a nice galloping track with smooth, sweeping turns, which really suits him. We just took a shot. He feels like he’s going well and he likes this ring, so we took a shot. We had a really quick round. I just couldn’t leave one out to the last on him. We put in a great round and Pablo just beat me by fractions, so can’t complain too much!”

Vale also finished double clear again placing third with his second mount of the evening, Finou 4, owned by Thinkslikeahorse, in 39.540 seconds.

“I saw Aaron and I knew he was very fast,” said Barrios. “I knew he had a horse behind me and I really tried. I saw him doing seven strides one to two. My plan was to do six or seven with her and I made it and I think any other horse would have had fence 15 down but she just left it up because she is amazing. I’m so excited with this mare and I’m thankful to get to ride her.

“The winners always say that the course is really good, but we were talking before the class with all of the riders and I mentioned that every single class has been very well designed so far,” said Barrios. “I think this is one of the difficult classes to build. He had a great jump-off, a great class and I was very excited. Not because I won but because I like it, and it’s always very nice to beat Aaron because he is very fast!”

Barrios is no stranger to the winner’s circle at the Kentucky Horse Shows. He won the Hagyard Challenge series back to back in 2013 and 2014 and is already off to a strong start in the 2016 series.

“I have a good vibe here; I feel like this is home,” said Barrios.

“Every time you come they have done something new” said Vale. “The rings are great, they always get top-notch course designers and they have a great set of jumps. It’s a top quality product and it’s great to be here. I showed here for the first time in 1988. Jumpers back then were on the grass where the Claiborne Ring is now!”

Barrios is also set to compete on the Venezuelan team at the Rio Olympic Games this summer with Antares, his 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding.

“I’m going with Antares,” said Barrios. “I’m showing him very lightly. He showed three times at WEF. I used him a lot last year because my mare got hurt. I’m starting to use him a little bit more and working on the fitness when I run him so he gets a little cardio. This is the time to do it before the Games. Then, I’ll keep him a little fresh for the Games; that’s the plan.

“I want to thank Devoucoux, Purina and MDC Stirrups – without those stirrups it’s very hard to ride in the rain so that’s very awesome that I was wearing them tonight. Also Animo, my new sponsor of boots, Parlanti and Choice of Champions.”

The Hagyard Challenge series consists of seven grand prix classes to be held during the 2016 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.

“Anything that gives us a chance to make a little extra money you have to appreciate,” said Vale. “They have been great supporters for 11 years. It sure is a nice thing for us to have a chance to get a rider bonus at the end of the year. It’s good for the horse show, good for Hagyard and good for the riders.”

Throughout the summer, the top riders from across the nation will gather to compete over challenging courses and vie for the winning title and valuable points toward the $50,000 Leading Rider Bonus. The Kentucky Spring Classic, May 18-22, will host the second $35,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic CSI3* on Thursday, May 19. Four more Hagyard Lexington Classic grand prix events will be held during the Kentucky Summer Horse Show, the Kentucky Summer Classic, the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show and the KHJA Horse Show. 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 Bonus will be announced and presented with the cash prize by the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute.

New this year to the Hagyard Challenge series is the $200 Best Turned Out award, sponsored by Bob Mickler’s. The award goes to a well-deserving groom following each grand prix. Following Thursday’s competition Andre Luis, groom to Mark Bluman and Uitteraard of Stransky’s Mission Farms, won the first Best Turned Out award of the series.

Kelley Farmer and It’s Me Claim Grand Hunter Championship on Day Two of the Kentucky Spring Horse Show

Kelley Farmer and It’s Me had another banner day in the Stonlea Ring at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show Thursday claiming the Hunter Grand Championship sponsored by Visse Wedell at Douglas Elliman Real Estate.

Kelley Farmer and It's Me (Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography) — *Kelley Farmer and It’s Me (Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography)*

Farmer swept the over fences classes in the Green Conformation Hunters with the 8-year-old Warmblood stallion It’s Me, scoring the division championship and going on to claim the Grand Hunter Championship.

Wedell has been a great supporter of the Kentucky Horse Shows sponsoring grand championship prizes in multiple divisions. “I love that a stallion won,” Wedell said. “Kelley actually rode a horse of mine a long time ago for me so I’m thrilled that they were able to be Grand Hunter Champion at the first horse show here in beautiful Kentucky.

“I love this facility so much,” added Wedell, who recently purchased a property nearby. “It’s such a pleasure to be here I’ve officially decided to based myself here for the season, so I’ve invested myself personally in the area because I love it here so much.”

Farmer was thrilled with her win today as It’s Me is a special horse for her. “He belongs to Sue [Pinney] and my mom [Bibby Hill] and I,” Farmer explained. “The last one my mom owned was Scripted. It is really special for mom to own a part of him with us.”

Farmer was full of praise for the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows. “I love this horse show,” She said. “They do such a nice job, the jumps are beautiful, the footing is beautiful, the horses go perfectly and this is home for us now.”

It’s Me is clearly a fan of the show as well. “He’s been fantastic from the first day he’s been here,” noted Farmer. “He tries hard. He finds ways to win and he tries to win blue ribbons. He’s a great horse. I’m excited for Devon!”

Scott Stewart scored a hat trick today winning championships in three divisions. He won the Regular Conformation Hunter Championship aboard First Light, the Second Year Green Championship on Catch Me, and finished out the day winning the High Performance Hunter Championship with A Million Reasons, also bringing home the Reserve Championship with Cameo.

“We always come here because we stay in Florida and this is sort of on the way home,” Stewart explained. “We take a little break after showing and this is our first time back. It’s always a nice place to come to get ready for Devon. Florida is great, but there’s so much going on. When they get here they get to be turned out and relax more. A lot of the young horses really mature and when they come here, they just relax.”

Catch Me clearly benefitted from this stop on the way home from Florida. “Catch Me is awesome,” Scott said. “He hasn’t shown since the night class in Florida. He was good there so we stopped showing. He had a month of just hacking and then I jumped some little jumps with him after that, so this was his first time back and it was great!”

Friday will see the Amateur Owner Hunters taking over in the Stonelea Ring. Sunday is “Derby Day” with the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby and the $5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby taking place.

For more information on Kentucky Horse Shows LLC and the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows series, please visit www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.

Media Contact: Rebecca Walton
Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
phone 561.753.3389 fax 561.753.3386
PhelpsMediaGroup.com

Competitions, Hunter/Equitation, Kentucky Horse Shows, Show Jumping

Todd Minikus Pilots Four Horses to the Win at Kentucky Spring Horse Shows

May 19, 2015 Associate Editor Leave a comment

Todd Minikus and Quality Girl win the $25,000 Bluegrass Classic at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show (Photo courtesy of Shawn McMillen Photography)

Lexington, Kentucky (May 18, 2015) – Vita Flex Victory Team member Todd Minikus jumped to first place on not just one but three horses at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show in the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington on May 6-10. This past weekend on May 15 in the Kentucky Spring Classic, Minikus won the $20,000 1.45m Bluegrass Classic on a fourth horse. He claimed victories aboard well-known mount Quality Girl, young horses Con Capilot and Maharaja Del Juncal, and Oldenburg gelding Cordonos. Vita Flex, a leading equine supplement brand with products designed to help horses carry their riders to victory, is proud to congratulate Minikus on his successes. The victories in Kentucky came as no surprise to spectators, as seasoned competitor Minikus has already been extremely successful earlier this year in Wellington, Florida’s Winter Equestrian Festival and in the Longines Global Champions Tour of Miami Beach.

Minikus opened the Kentucky Spring Horse Show by winning on a new mount – Plum Creek Hollow Farm’s 12-year-old Westphalian stallion Con Capilot – in the $5,000 1.45m Open Jumper Class. Maharaja Del Juncal, a young horse owned by Two Swans Farms, finished first in the Six-Year-Old Jumpers. Quality Girl, owned by the Quality Group, bested the competition in the $25,000 Bluegrass Classic.

Quality Girl, a 12-year-old Oldenburg mare (Quidams Rubin x Dobrock), has been ridden by Minikus for the past three years. The pair have enjoyed much success, including winning the 2014 Zoetis $1 Million Grand Prix at HITS Saugerties, NY. Quality Girl was also named Horse of the Year last year. At the Kentucky Spring Horse Show, Minikus and Quality Girl were one of only three clear rounds and blazed through the jump-off to beat the starting field of 37 combinations with a time of 33.609 seconds. The victory earned the pair valuable points for the USEF/Rolex Show Jumping Rankings.

During the Kentucky Spring Classic, Minikus and Cordonos (Lordanos x Tin Rocco), owned by Matthew de Grande, raced to first place in the $20,000 1.45m Bluegrass Classic. Of the forty-seven riders who competed in the speed class, only eleven cleared Bernardo Cabral’s course. Minikus and Cordonos’s time of 60.766 put them ahead of closest contender Shane Sweetnam and Beluga.

The Vita Flex Victory Team rider Todd Minikus credits a well-planned training program complemented by conscientious nutrition and supplements from Vita Flex as helping achieve such success in show jumping. “The fine line between good and great is paying attention to your horses,” Minikus explains. “To be able to feel that power and speed and athleticism is very special. Vita Flex helps me keep my horses in tip-top condition for competing, and makes sure that we stay in the winner’s circle.”

Vita Flex, with advanced supplements specifically created for equine athletes, will be with Minikus and his horses as he campaigns for a spot on the U.S. team for the Pan American Games in Toronto in July. Vita Flex® products include health supplements, antioxidants, electrolytes, joint supplements, performance supplements, topical ointments, vitamins, and minerals. For more information about Vita Flex, its products, and the Victory Team members, visit www.vitaflex.com or call (800) 848-2359.

Contact Katie Stevenson
kstevenson@central.com
www.vitaflex.com
(602) 281-3872

Hunter/Equitation, JRPR, Kentucky Horse Shows, Show Jumping

Todd Minikus and Quality Girl Win $25,000 Blue Grass Classic

May 12, 2015 Associate Editor Leave a comment

Todd Minikus and Quality Girl win the $25,000 Blue Grass Classic at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show (Photo courtesy of Kendall Bierer/Phelps Media Group)

Lexington, KY (May 12, 2015) – International show jumping veteran and trainer Todd Minikus knows quality when he sees it – and three years ago he started a winning streak synonymous with the word, thanks to a 12-year-old Oldenburg mare known as Quality Girl. Since then, man and mare have tallied some of the biggest wins in the sport – including the 2014 Zoetis $1 Million Grand Prix at HITS-Saugerties and Horse of the Year honors. Just this weekend, Minikus and Quality Girl once again surpassed competitors when they won the $25,000 Blue Grass Classic at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show in Lexington’s Kentucky Horse Park. Now, just five months into 2015, the veteran of more than 75 Grand Prix wins has added enough victories to this season’s tally to keep show office calculators busy and international competitors nervous.

Neither Minikus, nor Quality Girl and his other exceptional equine partners, are showing any signs of slowing down.

Minikus is strategically based in the Homeland equestrian development just minutes from Wellington, Florida’s Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) show grounds, where his 2015 victories began. In January, he led a 22-horse jump-off to win the $30,000 WEF Week 1 Grand Prix on Cordonos and set the pace for an epic season.

February’s Week 8 at the Winter Equestrian Festival saw Minikus ride his “greener” grand prix partner, Babalou 14, and anchor a winning Team USA effort against nine competing countries in the $100,000 Nations Cup presented by Kingsland Equestrian. The first to jump for his squad in each round, he delivered double clears on Two Swans Farms’ 10-year-old Oldenburg mare who – in lieu of his stand-out star, Quality Girl – Minikus had asked U.S. coach Robert Ridland for permission to use in the Nations Cup. “I really appreciate the fact that I have had the opportunity to bring her from a schooling jumper to winning a Nations Cup. That’s pretty special – she’s got a big future.”

His astute eye for rising talent was further confirmed in March with a second big win for Two Swans Farm on Babalou 14 against a starting field of 49 in the Winter Equestrian Festival’s $150,000 Grand Prix CSIO4*, presented by Lugano Diamonds.

As April action heated up along Miami Beach for the Longines Global Champions Tour, Minikus kept winning form against a world-class field. He rode Quality Group’s Oldenburg, Quality Girl, to win the $34,000 Elm Rock Prix 1.45/1.50m CSI5*. “I just let her do her thing,” he said. “Normally, it turns out well.”

Turning out “well” is an understatement for the pair, whose history last year includes winning the opening leg of FEI World Cup Jumping qualifiers in Bromont, Canada, finishing sixth at Harrisburg in October, and closing the year with enough points collected after the Washington International to win the FEI World Cup Jumping 2014/2015 North America East Coast League standings.

Minikus’s impressive results prompted HorseTalk of New Zealand reporters to note that all that was left this year was for Minikus to “sit back and let the rest catch up to him.”

Never one to sit still, though, Minikus sprang into Spring with two rising new talents to mark his third consecutive decade of winning performances in Kentucky. He scored a May 6 win for Plum Creek Hollow Farm in the $5,000 1.45m Open Jumper class on Westphalian stallion, Con Capilot, plus a win for Two Swans Farms in the Six Year Old Jumpers on Maharaja Del Juncal.

“I’m still experimenting with him,” he said of Con Capilot, after going in second in the order and setting a 42.680 effort too fast and too flawless for Aaron Vale and Bonzini S to catch.

“This was a great kick-off for Team Minikus in Kentucky. I’ve been coming here before it was the Kentucky Horse Park, when it was grass rings and they used gas station flags to separate them! It’s great to see how much it has grown.”

It’s just as great to watch how this American show jumping celebrity continues to grow a talented string of jumpers. To the thrill of fans, Minikus did not disappoint when he entered the arena on May 10 with Quality Girl to win the $25,000 Blue Grass Classic.

“This will be my third year with her, so it’s always nice to establish a partnership with a horse like this. You really think of her as a veteran of the sport, but it’s just her third year doing this sport at an upper level, so she’s just now really coming into her own, even though she has already had great success.”

The $25,000 Blue Grass Classic win has prompting pulling out those calculators again as Minikus tallies still more points on the USEF/Rolex Show Jumping Ranking List, where he has been seeded eighth on Babalou 14 and 23rd on Quality Girl.

Follow Team Minikus (hint, in his ‘spare time’ Todd Minikus’s hobby is bull riding) on Facebook or visit www.ToddMinikus.com and don’t miss a minute of the international news and action that keeps Florida and the world jumping.

Contact: Amanda Minikus
toddminikus@yahoo.com

Competitions, Hunter/Equitation, Kentucky Horse Shows, Show Jumping, USHJA

Jennifer Alfano Takes 1-2 Finish with Jersey Boy and Miss Lucy in $15,000 USHJA Hunter Derby

May 11, 2015 Associate Editor Leave a comment

Jennifer Alfano and Jersey Boy.

Lexington, KY – May 10, 2015 – In the world of hunter derbies, one name always stands out: Jersey Boy. Today, the 13-year-old chestnut gelding, better known as Lewis, delivered two textbook rounds with Jennifer Alfano during the WCHR Member Event, the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, earning a total of 401 points to capture first place overall.

Rider Jennifer Alfano was skeptical about the class, due to the fact that Jersey Boy was so well behaved in the schooling ring. “Lewis is a little temperamental at times; you never really know with him,” Alfano laughed.

From the moment the duo stepped in to the ring, however, it was obvious that Jersey Boy had decided he wanted to impress. Taking all the higher options, Alfano navigated Jersey Boy smoothly through Bobby Murphy’s course, earning a 94 and 96 for the classic round.

“I haven’t ridden a lot of horses that can gallop and jump like he does,” Alfano said. “He is one of those that can stay on the gallop and turn and jump. He is so naturally balanced that I think the turning comes so easy for him.”

The pair especially excelled in the handy, pulling in scores of 92 and 94 from the judges. Adding on 4 points for taking the high options, and 9 and 8 handy points, respectively, Jersey Boy delivered the highest-scoring round of the day. “He definitely excels at the handy,” Alfano said. “That’s his thing.”

Alfano also impressed the judges on Miss Lucy, another mount she holds dear to her heart. Miss Lucy is back after almost two years, and has not slowed down a bit. Coming off of a derby win at the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, the mare put in another outstanding performance today to secure second place overall with a score of 374.

“It’s awesome to have Miss Lucy back,” Alfano said. “Aside from what she does in the ring, she is just a special horse. I’m very lucky to have the two of them.”

Tammy Provost and Kallisto earned a total score of 366.5 to claim third place, with Alfano back atop Miramar earning a 365.5 for fourth place. Fifth place was awarded to Havens Schatt, who piloted Savannah to a score of 360 points. Sarah Young and Gabriella rounded out the top six with a score of 357.

Alfano’s four entries all placed in the top 12 and will return to the Kentucky Horse Park in August for the long-anticipated 2015 USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship.

Earlier in the day, the $5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby was underway, with Sarah Sturges leading the event from start to finish aboard Jessica Blum’s Conan. A smooth opening round resulted in a score of 93, and the pair retuned to the handy, receiving a 92 and utilizing the high options for a four-point boost.

“He likes to jump the jumps,” Sturges explained. “If I get him where he needs to be, he takes care of the rest of it. He’s pretty straightforward. He coasts around and he does his thing and I try to stay out of the way.”

Kelli Cruciotti and Totem Pole gave Sturges a run for her money, coming in second by a 2.5-point differential. The judges awarded their efforts with scores of 92 and 90.5 for a 182.5 total.

“Totem Pole was fantastic,” Cruciotti said. “He’s been a work in progress for the last three years. We bought him, and then he got hurt. We almost had to put him down. We redid everything and now he is coming back, so it’s kind of like a fairytale that he is being a super star. I cannot thank my sponsors and my team enough, it has been a wonderful day, and I love this class; it’s my favorite.”

Havens Schatt returned next riding Sans Souci for CH Farm LLC, having received a score of 90 in the first round. The pair earned a score of 91 in the handy. However, Cruciotti’s classic round score would give her a leg up for the second place honors, while Schatt would settle for third place today.

Sturges’ victory has her sitting at the top of the Hallway Feeds Leading Rider Bonus leader board, a place she knows all too well. In 2013, Sturges was awarded the $2,500 bonus as the leading amateur rider, and last year her trainer, Christopher Payne of New Hope LLC captured the $10,000 professional leading rider bonus. As an event of the five-part series, the Hallways Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby has become a staple at the spring and summer shows, and will continue into the summer series. The leading riders will be presented with the cash prizes at the end of the Bluegrass Festival on August 16, 2015.

“It definitely helps to start out on top,” Sturges said. “We are only an hour away, so we will definitely compete in the series, but whether or not I win the bonus, it is a fun class. I turned professional at the end of 2013, so it is fun trying to rack up the points for the professional bonus.”

The final day of the Kentucky Spring Horse Show concluded with the Grand Championships, sponsored by Visse Wedell of Douglas Elliman Real Estate. Emma Kurtz was awarded the Junior/Amateur-Owner Hunter Grand Championship for her efforts in the Small Junior 15 and Under Hunter division with Frederick, owned by David Gochman. The Junior/Amateur-Owner Hunter Reserve Grand Championship went to Vivian Yowan and Ransom, owned by Saddle Ridge LLC.

It was the Gochman sisters, Sophie and Mimi, who snatched up the Pony Hunter Grand Championship and Pony Hunter Reserve Grand Championship, respectively. Sophie rode Bit of Love to the high point award during the Small Pony Hunters, while Mimi took the second tricolor for her efforts in the Large Pony Hunters.

The Kentucky Spring Classic will continue May 13-17, 2015, with the $5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby in the Stonelea Ring. Both weeks of the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows will offer WIHS & NAL classics for Children’s & Adult hunter and jumper riders as well as $10,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Classics.

To learn more about the Kentucky Spring Horse Show, please visit www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.

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

Website: www.kentuckyhorseshows.com

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.

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

Media Contact:
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

Kentucky Horse Shows, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Luifer Larrazabal and Atlodetto FZ Capture Inaugural $25,000 Under 25 Grand Prix Win

May 11, 2015 Associate Editor Leave a comment

Luifer Larrazabal and Atlodetto FZ.

Lexington, KY – May 10, 2015 – The $25,000 Under 25 Grand Prix saw a start list of 33 horse and rider combinations gather at the Rolex Stadium for the pilot event on the final day of the Kentucky Spring Horse Show. It was Luifer Larrazabal of Venezuela who dashed for the cash Sunday afternoon, winning the majority of the purse with recent mount, Atlodetto FZ.

The 22-year-old consistently showed throughout the Wellington and Ocala circuits, even riding for his country’s team during the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ CSIO4* in at HITS Ocala. The young talent has been working to build a partnership with new mount, Atlodetto FZ, owned by San Francisco Stables LLC of Wellington, FL. The 8-year-old gelding showcased his impressive skills over Richard Jeffery’s track, becoming the final of only six pairs to qualify for the speed round.

“He’s very small actually; he was gelded very late, so he’s kind of like a stallion,” Larrazabal said of his winning mount. “He’s very sensitive, but he’s lazy; he doesn’t put out much effort when he jumps. He is a small horse, and he jumps little as well. When he goes in the ring, he tries to do the job very carefully, and he’s very quick. This is the best thing I’ve done with him since I got him in December; we have been working on building a relationship and improving.”

Wilton Porter was the first to return for the jump-off. Aboard Patriot, owned by Sleepy P Ranch of Bartonville, TX, he navigated the course to finish with the first of four double clears in 35.168 seconds. He continued to lead the way with Sophie Simpson and Why Not falling just behind his time with a clear effort in 35.353 seconds, and Kelli Cruciotti and Chamonix H tripping the timers in 36.523 seconds.

Larrazabal was the last in the ring, and he knew that he had to take some risks on the track in order to catch Porter’s pace. It was a little over one second that would separate the two in the end, and it was only one turn that made the difference.

“Today I didn’t how it was going to be, because this horse is kind of new for me,” Larrazabal explained. “The first round, I didn’t know what to expect in the ring, but he was super. In the jump-off there were only six, and I was last to go. I didn’t know I was going to go clear, but I knew I had to try a risk and try to win. I was lucky today.”

Larrazabal said, “I was a little bit risky to the last jump; it was a very tight turn, but that’s where I made up the time. A little bit risky, but I mean, he was super. He was jumping great; he felt so much better today, and I think he improved a lot, so maybe next week I will try to do the Grand Prix.”

Today marked Larrazabal’s first Under 25 Grand Prix, yet the series is not on his radar for the future. Although he thinks that the series is beneficial for up and coming riders, his aims are set on the Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada this summer. The Kentucky Spring Horse Shows are Larrazabal’s first stop in preparation for the Pan Ams, with Spruce Meadows next on his tour.

“I love Kentucky, and even more after you come from the Winter Equestrian Festival, after all those intense 12 weeks that you never stop, you know, over there it’s a little busy. Here it’s quieter; I only have four horses here, by myself, so here you can relax. It’s very nice; there are fields where you can flat the horses, and they don’t think that they are at a show. It keeps them fresh, and they feel like they’re at home resting.”

$25,000 Bluegrass Classic

International Grand Prix rider Todd Minikus knows quality, and three years ago he recognized it in the 12-year-old mare, Quality Girl. Since their partnership began, they have risen to the top of the ranks, capturing the win during the Zoetis $1 Million Grand Prix at HITS Saugerties, NY and earning Horse of the Year last year.

The formidable rider took Quality Girl, owned by the Quality Group of Loxahatchee, FL, to the top of the leader board Sunday during the $25,000 Bluegrass Classic, besting a field of 37 contenders.

Only three would clear Jeffery’s course and move into the jump-off, with Shane Sweetnam and Eregast Van’t Kiezelhof, owned by Spy Coast Farm of E. Setauket, NY, finishing second with a time of 34.055 seconds, less than half of a second shy of Minikus’ speedy 33.609 seconds. Third place was awarded to Roberto Teran and Farina, owned by Ark Partners LLC of Wellington, FL.

“To tell you the truth, I would have been jumping off the top of the building there if Quality Girl hadn’t gone clear,” Minikus laughed. “With that being said, she went beautiful out there. I kind of went medium knowing that Shane’s horse is not a speedster; it’s a power jumper. It worked out well.”

“This will be my third year with her, so it is always nice to establish a partnership with a horse like that,” Minikus acknowledged. “You really think of her as a veteran of the sport, but it is just her third year doing this sport at an upper level, so she just now is really coming into her own, even though she has had such great success. It’s nice to have a horse like her; I know every move that is going to happen. She is comfortable; it is like putting on that old leather jacket; it is comfortable and just kind of feels right.”

The $25,000 Bluegrass Classic helped Minikus earn valuable points for the USEF/Rolex Show Jumping Ranking List, where he currently sits in in the eighth position with horses Babalou 41 and Quality Girl listed in the ninth and 23rd positions, respectively.

The Kentucky Spring Classic will kick off next week with a CSI3* rating. The $34,000 Welcome Speed will be held on Wednesday, followed by the $34,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic on Thursday, as riders try to accumulate valuable points for the Hagyard Leading Rider Bonus. On Saturday, May 16, riders will compete under the lights in the Rolex Stadium during the $127,000 Hollow Creek Farm Grand Prix. All three of these FEI classes will count for the Longines Rider Ranking List. The $34,000 Hagyard Classic and the $127,000 Hollow Creek Grand Prix will also count for the USEF/Rolex Show Jumping Ranking List as will the $50,000 Commonwealth Grand Prix on Sunday, May 17th.

For more information about the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows, please visit www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.

Kentucky Horse Shows 2015 Horse Show Series Fast Facts

Events: 2015 Kentucky Spring Horse Shows

Where:
Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, KY, site of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™, home to the United States Equestrian Federation.

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.

Website: www.kentuckyhorseshows.com

Shopping:
Vendors offering equestrian equipment, apparel, jewelry and home furnishings are located adjacent to the Stonelea Ring.

Hotels:

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

Media Contact:
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

Hunter/Equitation, Kentucky Horse Shows, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Stephanie Danhakl Wins Three Tricolors in Amateur-Owner Hunters at Kentucky Spring Horse Show

May 10, 2015 Associate Editor Leave a comment

Stephanie Danhakl and Golden Rule.

Lexington, KY — May 9, 2015 — Stephanie Danhakl, Becky Gochman and their talented horses are no strangers to success, and today’s hunter classes at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show awarded the amateur riders plenty of chances to shine atop their entries.

The day began with the Amateur-Owner 18-35 3’6 Hunters, as Danhakl piloted her flashy chestnut Golden Rule to two third-place finishes. Despite only being the gelding’s third show this year, the pair from Pacific Palisades, California earned two blue ribbons and a red ribbon on Friday, adding up to enough points for the division championship.

“Golden Rule has just been a phenomenal horse,” Danhakl said. “He has been champion pretty much every time I’ve shown him. He just has a really great rhythm and a nice, slow, sort of even way of going, so he’s pretty easy to see the distances on. He has a big stride and is scopey. He’s my dream horse.”

Kelly Bauernschmidt and her horse Legato placed first over fences and eighth in the handy, and combined with the previous day’s blue ribbon and fifth-place finish, the duo earned the division’s reserve championship.

The next division of the day was the Amateur-Owner 35 plus 3’6 Hunters, in which Becky Gochman, of New York, New York, delivered smooth rides atop Last Call, her stunning seal bay gelding. The pair earned a blue ribbon, two second-place ribbons and a third-place ribbon over the course of two days, boosting them to the top of the pack to claim the division championship. Gochman proclaimed Last Call is a perfect delight, and the barn favorite always gets a ton of carrots.

“Last Call is a great horse; I have had him for not quite a year yet, but he is very sweet and he always wants to do his job,” Gochman said. “He’s so adjustable that it makes it easy for the rider. He is so big, and in the beginning I was a little intimidated, but he feels so comfortable to me now that I don’t think about his size.”

The division’s reserve championship was awarded to Emily Morin and Ace of Spades of McLean, Virginia. The pair combined a first-place finish with two fifths, a fourth and a third to earn the tricolor.

In the Amateur-Owner 18-35 3’3 Hunters, Danhakl captured both the division’s championship and reserve championship aboard her horses Enough Said and First Light, respectively.

“First Light has come such a long way,” Danhakl commented. “Every week, he just gets easier and easier to ride. I’ve only had him for a few months, and I’ve just kind of been getting to know him, figuring him out. He was great yesterday. Now he’s going well for me, which is nice.”

Saturday’s final division, the Amateur-Owner 35 plus 3’3 Hunters, got underway with Becky Gochman back in the irons on Mythical. The duo captured the division’s championship, with the reserve championship going to Dawn Fogel atop Summer Catch, of Louisville, KY.

The action of week one at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show will continue Sunday in The Claiborne for “Derby Day.” The highlight events will include $5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby and the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby.

To learn more about the Kentucky Spring Horse Show, please visit www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.

Kentucky Horse Shows 2015 Horse Show Series Fast Facts

Events: 2015 Kentucky Spring Horse Shows

Where:
Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, KY, site of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™, home to the United States Equestrian Federation.

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.

Website: www.kentuckyhorseshows.com

Shopping:
Vendors offering equestrian equipment, apparel, jewelry and home furnishings are located adjacent to the Stonelea Ring.

Hotels:

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

Media Contact:
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

Competitions, Kentucky Horse Shows, Show Jumping

Aaron Vale and Quidam’s Good Luck Dash to Victory in $85,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix

May 10, 2015 Associate Editor Leave a comment

Aaron Vale and Quidam’s Good Luck.

Lexington, KY – May 9, 2015 – Capturing the first place finish was no easy feat during Saturday night’s $85,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix, sponsored by Audi of Lexington. Forty-four starters contended for the lion’s share of the earnings in the FEI CSI2* event, but when nine qualified for the jump-off, it came down to the wire. Besting the clock and the short course was Aaron Vale aboard Quidam’s Good Luck, tripping the timers in 37.800 seconds for the first place finish. Charlie Jayne and Valeska followed closely in second with a clear effort in 39.29 seconds, while Andrew Welles and Boo van het Kastanjehof earned the third place in 39.610 seconds.

Richard Jeffery of Bournemouth, England set an inviting course for the CSI2* event at the Kentucky Horse Park. The first round included an open water option, a vertical-oxer double combination, and a tricky oxer-vertical-oxer triple combination. Nine were able to traverse the track and advance to the jump-off, where speed and accuracy could not be compensated in the attempt to win.

Eventual winner Aaron Vale said of the course, “Richard [Jeffery] is a master. I know he could only build to 1.45m specs, so his hands were tied a little bit, but he did a beautiful job with this class, as well as the Hagyard Classic on Thursday. I had just a green rail the other night with Quidam, but it was probably a blessing that I didn’t go in that jump-off. Everything works out the way it is supposed to. I may not have had the brain available tonight that I did for this class had I made it into that jump-off. We got the bigger purse, so it all worked out for us.”

Only four of the nine were able to ride both courses without fault. Jayne was second in the order to return, and set the pace at a speedy 39.29 seconds as he broke the beam with no faults.

Jayne said, “I thought Richard Jeffery did a great job tonight with the 2* specs of making it a horseman’s course, a rider’s course. There were a lot of options, and it was really about knowing your horse. I thought it was very technical in that aspect. Most of the options today you had a water, skinny, a liverpool, a hedge oxer underneath, so you had basically all the tools out there, and I thought he did a great job and had the right number clear.”

Andrew Welles was hot on Jayne’s heels, riding Boo van het Kastanjehof to a fault-free round in 39.61 seconds. Just a nickel off Jayne’s pace, it seemed as though with only three left to go that victory was in sight, yet Aaron Vale and Quidam’s Good Luck were in it for the win, leaving no stone unturned.

Jayne said, “It’s a little tough, the position that I drew going second in the jump-off out of nine. The footing is so fantastic here; we can really pick up some speed, and the class got quicker and quicker. I knew I needed a little luck on my side, but I thought she jumped fantastic. If anything, maybe at the end I took it a little conservative, and that’s where I could have made up the second and a half that Aaron caught me.”

Vale caught a good first fence, heading forward through the opening line where he stuck to the nine strides that Charlie did, finding a deep distance. After landing from the oxer, he did a very fast and long five strides to the vertical, clearing the line and gaining enough momentum to have spectators on the edge of their seats as he more than a second ahead of Jayne’s pace. He was able to clear the final efforts in 37.800 seconds, setting an untouchable time.

“We didn’t come to canter around and look pretty; we were in it to win,” Vale said. “I knew Charlie has a quick time tonight, and that he got everything the way he wanted for it to appear. The only thing: I got kind of tricked. I thought when I was walking the course that I could get eight strides from one to two when I watched Charlie go, but somebody dissuaded me from that decision. I had a lot of momentum after doing the long five, and he is a thoroughbred-like galloper with a lot of foot speed. I could have done eight, it would have been smoother, but the momentum I had out of the five carried me over the next jumps. I had to get going. The big share of the prize money goes for first, so usually I like to try for that portion if it is possible.”

Quidam’s Good Luck is a 9-year-old who still has a few green moments, but Vale said that when the jumps stay in their cups, he can usually win the class. With the added FEI CSI2* events, his knack for clearing rounds with speed is proving useful. Vale plans on staying through the Kentucky Spring Classic where he will compete with his string of mounts in the CSI3* events.

“This is how the sport is going,” Vale said. “With the influx of foreigners, the way the world ranking list is working, I think that this is going to stick here in Lexington. There is enough depth of people who need it. It looks like there is enough support.”

Jayne agreed with Vale’s sentiments. “It’s fantastic having the FEI competition reinstated in Lexington. You know, going from last year at this time, where we had no FEI shows, to now competing in five weeks consecutive weeks of FEI events, you can’t beat that. Now we have the opportunity to stay in North America-I’m not planning on going to Europe this summer, there are options now. I just thank the Kentucky staff. I think this is great for the organizers and the riders; it was a win-win situation. A lot of new riders came here this year for FEI, and I’ve only heard good things.”

Juan Ortiz aboard D’Ulein van de Smeets and Jorge Matte with Perle du Marisas were the only others to jump double-clear, completing the night in the fourth and fifth place, respectively. Sixth place was awarded to Margie Engle and Royce, the fastest of the four-faulters.

The grand prix was held in memory of the late Mary Rena Murphy, one of the horse industries’ most influential people. She worked diligently to promote the Kentucky Horse Park and was a big influence upon the first hunter jumper shows at the venue. Her vision for an exhibitor-friendly competition at a world-class facility helped shape the Kentucky Horse Park into what it has become today.

The Kentucky Spring Horse Show will conclude tomorrow with the $25,000 Bluegrass Classic and the $25,000 Under 25 Grand Prix set to start at 8 a.m. in the Rolex Stadium.

For more information about the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows, please visit www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.

Kentucky Horse Shows 2015 Horse Show Series Fast Facts

Events: 2015 Kentucky Spring Horse Shows

Where:
Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, KY, site of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™, home to the United States Equestrian Federation.

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.

Website: www.kentuckyhorseshows.com

Shopping:
Vendors offering equestrian equipment, apparel, jewelry and home furnishings are located adjacent to the Stonelea Ring.

Hotels:

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

Media Contact:
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

Competitions, Hunter/Equitation, Kentucky Horse Shows

Kelli Cruciotti Wins Platinum Performance USEF Talent Search 2* at Kentucky Summer Horse Show

May 9, 2015 Associate Editor Leave a comment

Kelli Cruciotti and Monterrey.

Lexington, KY – May 8, 2015 – Kelli Cruciotti is a three-year veteran in the Platinum Performance USEF Talent Search, and today’s blue-ribbon performance further proved her excellence in the equitation ring.

The Talent Search classes showcase equitation basics over fences and on the flat, reinforcing the principle that form follows function. The class plays an instrumental role in preparing the next generation of professional American riders for the future.

Cruciotti and her horse, Monterrey, were the first on course, and the pair stepped confidently into the Walnut Ring at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show, ready to face designer Scott Starnes’ 15-effort course.

Key technical elements included three double combinations, a liverpool and, Starnes’ personal favorite: an 11-foot water jump. The 2* ranking allowed for a fence height of 1.15m.

“It’ll be tough, but fine,” Starnes said of his course. “If they do qualify, they need to be ready for the Finals. I have the lines across the middle of the arena with four related distances in a row. There are numbers there, and they have to work them out and set up for the turns. They can get lost out there with the time, too. If they go all the way to the end of the ring, they’re going to get time faults.”

Overcoming the potentially tricky elements, Cruciotti smoothly navigated Monterrey around the course, while remaining comfortably under the time allowed of 99 seconds.

“I thought the course was fantastic, I thought it was really symmetrical off of both leads,” Cruciotti commented. “The time allowed was tight, so it really encouraged you to take the leave-out on all the lines and keep coming through the turns; it was nice. I loved the course. I have ridden under this course designer before, and I have always liked his courses; he did a great job today.”

With today’s win, Cruciotti and Monterrey have earned enough points to qualify for the USEF Talent Search Finals East in Gladstone, New Jersey.

“Monterrey is fantastic,” Cruciotti said with admiration. “He is the best horse I will ever ride for sure. He has scope, stride, and he loves to win; I think more than I do sometimes. We’ll give it our best shot at Finals.”

While Cruciotti made it look easy, some of the other young riders struggled with the course’s more technical elements. Second-place finisher Virginia Ingram and her mount Comanche, owned by Hilary Sapanski, had an unlucky rail and two time faults that separated her from the top spot.

Lucas Porter and Punch, owned by Sleepy P Ranch LLC out of Bartonville, Texas, had a clear round, but incurred eight time faults, which earned the duo third place.

The competitors’ equitation continued to shine on the flat, where riders were asked to show their horses at the working trot, sitting trot, extended trot, working canter, counter canter and extended canter.

In the end, it was Cruciotti’s well-executed over-fences round that vaulted her to the top of the leader board, ensuring the pair will continue to Finals.

Up next at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show, the Claiborne will take center stage on Sunday for “Derby Day.” The highlight events will include $5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby and the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby.

For more information on Kentucky Horse Shows LLC and the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows, please visit www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.

Kentucky Horse Shows 2015 Horse Show Series Fast Facts

Events: 2015 Kentucky Spring Horse Shows

Where:
Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, KY, site of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™, home to the United States Equestrian Federation.

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.

Website: www.kentuckyhorseshows.com

Shopping:
Vendors offering equestrian equipment, apparel, jewelry and home furnishings are located adjacent to the Stonelea Ring.

Hotels:

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

Media Contact:
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

Kentucky Horse Shows, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Vivian Yowan and Vornado van den Hoendrik Win High A-O/Jr Jumpers at Kentucky Spring Horse Show

May 9, 2015 Associate Editor Leave a comment

Vivian Yowan and Vornado van den Hoendrik.

Lexington, KY – May 8, 2015 – For Lexington native Vivian Yowan, the winner’s circle at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show is a familiar place. Today, the young talent returned to the Rolex Stadium with veteran mount Vornado van den Hoendrik, capturing the $1,500 High Amateur-Owner/Junior Jumper as the only double-clear combination of the class.

Twenty-eight contenders took their try at Richard Jeffery’s High Amateur-Owner/Junior Jumper course. Only three would make it through to the jump-off, but as the trailblazer of the class, Yowan set the pace at 34.049 seconds with a faultless round, which would be good enough to take home the victory.

“I was actually the first one to go in to the jump-off, so I didn’t know if anybody else would have a rail. I kind of just went for it, and obviously it paid off. I rode the jump-off like there would have been more double clears; it just kind of worked in my favor,” Yowan said.

Where many of the riders saw the rails fall during the double and triple combinations, Yowan kept confidence in her 17-year-old mount, Vornado van den Hoendrik. During the jump-off, she caught the first jump and moved forward utilizing his large stride to cover the ground in seven strides instead of eight, which she had previously walked.

“He has a really big stride; that probably helped out because he’s kind of a slower mover, but he has such a big stride that the jump-off is kind of where you catch the time, taking out a stride where you can,” Yowan explained. “He’s so scopey; this was nothing for him, but it was a good warm-up for the spring and summer series, as well as Devon and Young Riders.”

Noel Fauntleroy of Manakin Sabot, Virginia and her mount Cabras rode to the second place finish with four faults in 36.210 seconds. Canada’s Veronica Bot and Calato’s Charles scooped up third place with their conservative effort of 38.950 seconds and four faults.

Earlier in the day, the $5,000 1.45m Open Jumper division took center stage in the Rolex Stadium. Thirty horse-and-rider combinations attempted the same course as the High Amateur-Owner/Junior Jumpers, and only one pair would clear the opening track to score the victory – native Australian Scott Keach and Fedor.

*Scott Keach captured the $5,000 1.45m Open Jumper victory with Fedor*

“It’s a schooling class for next week for me, and I just put him in there to jump the water a couple times before the Grand Prix next week,” Keach said. “I assumed there would be quite a few that would go okay, so it’s a bit of a surprise that I was the only clear. I think that the combinations, for some of the greener horses, was just enough to get some out.”

Second place was awarded to Juan Andres Rodriguez and Bugatti for their careful first round effort. The pair only earned two time faults, but it was enough room for Keach to take the victory.

Keach said, “I’ve had Fedor for two years, and he’s a 10-year-old Belgian, and he’s actually quite straightforward. He’s come a long way in his first year. We’ll see what happens. He’s got some big classes this summer, and it’s a bit of an open book, but we’ll see how it goes. At the moment I think he’s ready to go.”

Keach has made Kentucky his summer home, returning for his third consecutive year. Now, with Tryon only five hours down the road, Lexington makes the perfect pit stop on his summer tour. The addition of the FEI competition to the spring shows has opened new doors for many of the riders, Keach admitted.

“It’s good isn’t it?” Keach smiled. “It’s crazy! I think with Tryon down the road, it adds a lot more ground to the area. I think that’s helped contribute to all these horses being here, I really do. Most of the people are going to Tryon, which is great because it means this show is winning as well, which I hope it does. I hope in the long term this show continues to do well, and both of shows complement one another.”

The jumper action at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show will continue tomorrow with the $85,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix CSI2*, set to start at 6:30 p.m. in the Rolex Stadium. The $25,000 Bluegrass Classic and the $25,000 Under 25 Grand Prix will wrap up the first week of the Kentucky Spring Horse Show on Sunday.

For more information on Kentucky Horse Shows LLC and the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows, please visit www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.

Kentucky Horse Shows 2015 Horse Show Series Fast Facts

Events: 2015 Kentucky Spring Horse Shows

Where:
Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, KY, site of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™, home to the United States Equestrian Federation.

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.

Website: www.kentuckyhorseshows.com

Shopping:
Vendors offering equestrian equipment, apparel, jewelry and home furnishings are located adjacent to the Stonelea Ring.

Hotels:

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

Media Contact:
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

Horses in the South – An Equine News Publisher

Tag Archives: Ky. Spring Horse Show

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