Top Field Ready to Compete in the CRI3* Open FEI Reining at the 2012 Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup

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Pete Kyle & A Ruf Gal (Kim Russell/USEF)

Lexington, KY – For the second year running, the Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup is set to host many of the top names in the sport. Held in the Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park, reiners will spin and slide for top honors in the CRI3* Open FEI Reining on Friday April 27th and on Saturday April 28th the Reining World Freestyle Championship will be contested. The Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup is once again being held in conjunction with the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Bridgestone; resulting in an action packed weekend in Lexington.

All 20 horses that were presented to the Ground Jury at Thursday’s CRI3* Horse Inspection were accepted and will compete tomorrow.

This division will feature many of the best in the game as World and National Champions look to add another victory to their extensive resumes. All four members of the Gold medal winning Adequan U.S. Reining Team for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games will contest this division. Last year’s CRI winner, Shawna Flarida, will bring Wimps Chocolate Chip to the Alltech Arena to try and retain his title. While Flarida’s World Games teammate Tim McQuay brings Smart N Shiney. Tom McCutcheon, double Gold medalist in 2010 and son-in-law of McQuay will ride Darlins Not Painted in the 2012 CRI3*. Rounding out the Gold medal team is Craig Schmersal, who also collected Individual Silver medal honors at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, brings Lost in Tinseltown and Whizs Katrina to the Kentucky Horse Park.

U.S. team veteran and 2008 FEI World Reining Championships Team Silver medalist Pete Kyle has entries in both the CRI and Freestyle divisions. Kyle is competing for the second year at the Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup.

“This is a great competition. I just love coming here; primarily for such a high level of competition in our sport but it’s also great to be here with the three-day eventers,” said Kyle, “And I just love this horse park.”

Also competing in the CRI3* Open FEI Reining division is four-time Grammy award winner Lyle Lovett. Lovett will ride Mistress With a Gun.

Both the CRI3* Open FEI Reining and Reining World Freestyle Championship will be live streamed free of charge on the USEFNetwork.com presented by Smartpak. Coverage of the CRI3* Open FEI Reining will begin at 6pm ET on Friday April 27th, with the Reining World Freestyle Championship beginning at 5:30pm ET on Saturday April 28th.

Find video, photos, news and more here: http://www.usefnetwork.com/featured/2012AriatKentuckyReiningCup/.

Follow the 2012 U.S. Reining Team at http://www.usefnetwork.com/featured/2012Reining/.

For details about the 2012 Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup visit: http://www.kentuckyreining.com/.

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