Holly Labry and Red Rooster.
Lexington, KY – June 26, 2014 – With a busy school schedule, Holly Labry chooses only about eight horse shows to do a year, but the Kentucky Summer Horse Shows are quick to make the list. She elects to spend two weeks at the Kentucky Horse Park during the Kentucky Summer Horse Shows, and today she and her mount, Red Rooster, kicked off those two weeks with a championship tricolor in the Amateur-Owner 18-35 Hunters.
Labry, a Memphis, TN native, and Red Rooster were the very first pair to compete in the Stonelea Ring this morning, and they started the day off strong, winning the opening round of the Amateur-Owner 18-35 Hunter. From there they kept right on rolling, returning for the division’s handy round and picking up another blue ribbon with a second seamless trip.
The back-to-back blue ribbon rounds today, coupled with a win and two second place finishes yesterday, gave Labry and Red Rooster a 38 point total, clinching them the division championship. The reserve championship in the division went to Emily Morin and Ace of Spades.
“Rooster is just awesome,” Labry said. “He jumps great. He takes care of me all the time. You kind of have to keep him together all the time. He’s tricky, but he trusts us so he’ll keep going. You just have to believe in him. We call it the honor code; we trust him, and he trusts us.”
Labry continued, “He has the best personality. He’s like a lap dog. If he could come back in another life, he’d probably be a Golden Retriever. He just wants to always cuddle with you.”
Labry will show Red Rooster again next week during the Kentucky Summer Classic before returning to school at Southern Methodist University where she is entering her senior year majoring in psychology and sports management.
“I focus on school and horse show when I can,” Labry said. “I go back after these two weeks and then I probably won’t horse show until Indoors.”
Taking a similar approach to balancing horse showing and school is Reid Patton, the champion in today’s Amateur-Owner 18-35 3’3″ Hunters with her own Sincere. Patton will be leaving to attend Duke University on August 18, but before she heads to school to begin her freshman year, she is dominating the Amateur-Owner 18-35 3’3″ Hunters.
She and her own Sincere won both over fences classes yesterday, and they picked up another blue ribbon this morning in the opening class of the division. The three blue ribbons tabulated to give Patton and Sincere the division championship with Melissa Jacobs and So You Say earning the reserve.
Patton will show at Traders Point Charity Horse Show, before focusing on school, with dreams of one day becoming CEO of a Fortune 500 company.
“Duke has a really cool program called Program 2 where you can create your own major. Mine will combine markets and management, economics and computer science. It’ll be an entrepreneurial toolkit to have when I graduate,” Patton said. “I may do Indoors with Sincere, but otherwise, I’m going to focus on school.”
Following Patton’s win in the Amateur-Owner 18-35 Hunters, Dawn Fogel took the tricolor in the Amateur-Owner 36 and Over Hunters with her mount Summer Catch. The division reserve championship went to Didi MacKenzie and MTM Inside Scoop.
The Kentucky Summer Horse Show concludes tomorrow with hunter competition starting at 8 a.m. and culminating in the $5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby. The Kentucky Summer Horse Show series continues next week with the Kentucky Summer Classic, which kicks off on July 29 and runs through August 3.
To learn more about the Kentucky Summer Horse Show, please visit www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.
Kentucky Summer Series Fast Facts
Events:
Kentucky Summer Horse Shows, USEF National Pony Finals, Bluegrass Festival Horse Show and KHJA Horse Show, and the 2014 USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals.
What:
The Kentucky Horse Show LLC’s 2014 series includes five weeks of top competition throughout the summer. These premier hunter/jumper competitions host the Hagyard Challenge Series with seven grand prix competitions that culminate with a Leading Rider Award, as well as the Hallway Feeds National 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:
NORTH AMERICAN JUNIOR & YOUNG RIDER CHAMPIONSHIPS – July 15-20, 2014
KENTUCKY SUMMER HORSE SHOW – July 23-27, 2014
$25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic
$50,000 Rood & Riddle Kentucky Grand Prix
$5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby
KENTUCKY SUMMER CLASSIC – July 29 – August 3, 2014
$25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic
$50,000 Kentucky Summer Grand Prix sponsored by GGT Footings
$5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby
2014 USEF PONY FINALS – August 5-10, 2014
BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL HORSE SHOW – August 12-17, 2014
USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals
USHJA Pre-Green Incentive Championship
$25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic
$40,000 Bluegrass Festival Grand Prix
$5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby
WCHR Member Event
KHJA HORSE SHOW – August 20-24, 2014
$10,000 Hagyard Welcome Stake
$30,000 KHJA Grand Prix
$5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby
Sponsors:
A special thanks to the generous sponsors of the Kentucky Summer Horse Shows: Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Hallway Feeds, Audi of Lexington, GGT Footing, Equestrian Services International, Johnson Horse Transportation, Farm Vet, Dietrich Insurance, Take2 Thoroughbred Program, Sleepy P Ranch, 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
Ring Dimensions/Specs:
The Stonelea Ring, Murphy Ring, Walnut Ring, Stonelea/Murphy Schooling Ring, the Alltech Arena and the Rolex Stadium have Otto Sport footing consisting of fine sand and synthetic fiber on pvc mats. The Claiborne, Annex, and Covered Arena (old) rings’ footing consists of a sand cushion on limestone base. The dimensions of the competition areas are as follows:
Stonelea: 140′x 280′, Murphy: 135′x 280′, Stonelea and Murphy Schooling: 110′x 400′
Walnut: 300′x 370′, Claiborne: 140′x 270′, Annex 130′x 250′, Covered Arena (old): 145′x 285′ Rolex Stadium: 360′ x 384′, Alltech Arena: 132′ x 265′
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