Lexington KY – July 27, 2012 – It was a moist morning as the Stonelea Arena awoke from a stormy night to the Amateur-Owner competitors ready to show off their dime piece horses in over fences this morning starting at 8am. The first division for the day was the Amateur-Owner 18-35 Hunters, where Caruso and Kelli Sherrill took the blue ribbon in the first class and a red ribbon in the second, earning the lead in the first rankings. In the Amateur-Owner 3’3 Hunters, the charming Dominus and owner Maria Takacs walked away with first and second place finishes from the Amateur-Owner 3’3 Hunters division, while Tuckahoe and owner rider Camille McNeill will be the pair to beat, earning first and third place in the Amateur-Owner 50 and Older Hunters division, as they head into tomorrow’s championship.
Today’s hunter rounds, designed by Joe Carnicom, consisted of two over fences courses at the Stonelea Arena, at the Kentucky Horse Park. Both courses contained two wide round turns leading to a single and double oxer combinations, beautiful lines of corner to corner fences, and a single oxer obstacle as the opening jump. In the Amateur-Owner 18-35 Hunters, Caruso ridden by Kelli Sherrill shined as they rode their way to a first place position in the first round. Natalie Allen-Barinnsky and Val D’isere, cleared fences in fine form earning the duo a second place ribbon for the class. Following suit, a gelding named Red Rooster ridden by Holly Labry placed third in the ranks.