Kentucky Summer Horse Shows Kick Off Competition; Top Winners Include Pablo Barrios, Kelley Farmer, Angel Karolyi, and More
RELEASE: July 24, 2009
AUTHOR/ADMINISTRATOR: By Jenny Ross Koning
This week the Kentucky Summer Horse Shows launched into action at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. The Kentucky Summer Horse Show started on Wednesday, July 22, and will conclude on Sunday, July 26. The Kentucky Summer Classic will follow from July 29-August 2, 2009.
Featuring classes for hunters and jumpers, the Kentucky Summer Horse Shows welcome riders and horses from across the country. Both weeks have a USEF five-star jumper rating and feature two weekend grand prix competitions. Each grand prix event features two rounds of exciting action; only the best horse-and-rider combinations advance to the jump-off round, where speed is the deciding factor.
The $40,000 Kentucky Summer Grand Prix will be held in the evening on Saturday, July 25, at the Kentucky Summer Horse Show. The $40,000 Kentucky Classic Grand Prix is sponsored by Air 51 and Audi of Lexington and will be held the evening of Saturday, August 2, at the Kentucky Summer Classic.
Six Wins for Maggie Jayne and Pony Lane Farms on First DayThe Kentucky Summer Horse Show kicked off on Wednesday despite threatening skies and steady rain. The new all-weather footing in several arenas was unaffected by the constant rainfall, while the hunters took center stage in the Stonelea and Claiborne Rings. Even with the Kentucky Horse Park undergoing major construction for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, the horse show, put on by Kentucky Horse Shows, LLC, began its 2009 summer competition without a hitch.
Starting early in the Stonelea ring, Ken Smith and Triton bested the field of six to win the first over fences class of the First Year Green Working Hunters. Triton is owned by Don Stewart of Ocala, FL. Bob Crandall won the second over fences class in the First Year Green Working Hunters aboard Ascot, owned by Robin Hummel-Johnson of Sewickley, PA.
The big winner today in the professional hunter divisions was Maggie Jayne, who won six classes with three different horses, all owned by Pony Lane Farms of Bluffdale, UT. Jayne and her mount Early Applause won both Green Conformation Hunter classes, and she captured two more blues in the Second Year Green Working Hunter classes aboard Gianni.
Jayne finished her morning by winning two Regular Conformation Hunter classes on Pony Lane Farm's Francesca. In addition, Francesca won the Regular Conformation Model earlier in the day. Jayne reflected on her wins by saying, "I thought they were nice. All the horses went well, and we're just happy to be here."
Angel Karolyi Secures One-Two Finish in $5,000 1.40m Open Jumper Welcome ClassOpening day of the Kentucky Summer Horse Show featured the $5,000 1.40m Open Jumper Welcome Class in the newly built Main Outdoor Stadium. The class was held at 6:30 p.m. and scored under a Table II, Sec 1, Time First Round format. Angel Karolyi of Aiken, SC, had a strong performance with both of his horses and came away with first and second place.
After a damp day of rain showers, 10 competitors participated in the main event. The newly resurfaced footing in the Main Outdoor Stadium held up beautifully throughout the wet conditions, and the course, which was designed by Olaf Peterson, Jr., was extremely inviting for the first day of this week's competition.
Max Amaya and Wintina Deux, owned by New York City's Senartmont Management, were the first to take on the course. They lowered the height of the oxer at 3b and finished in 61.450 seconds, well within the 79-second time allowed. Sharn Wordley piloted Zorro next in the order. They too accrued four faults; however their penalty occurred over a vertical at fence 10. They came home in 62.716 seconds. Zorro is owned by Filip Amram of Ocala, FL.
Aaron Vale and his mount Kryptonite were the first duo to come home clear. Stopping the clock in 72.023 seconds, Kryptonite, owned by ABC 4 Horses, took over the top spo