Richie Moloney and Slieveanorra won the $75,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix at the Kentucky Spring Classic. Photo Credit: Rebecca Walton/PMG
Lexington, KY – May 19, 2012 – It was a very exciting night for Ireland’s Richie Moloney as he captured his first international grand prix victory, riding Slieveanorra during the $75,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix at the Kentucky Spring Classic. The talented duo have been runner up on numerous occasions, even placing third during Thursday’s $32,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic, but tonight the luck was on their side. Six horses advanced to the jump-off, but only three were double clear, with Moloney landing at the top of the leader board, while Margie Engle took second aboard Royce, and Egypt’s Nayel Nassar rode Raging Bull Vangelis S to third.
Germany’s Olaf Petersen Jr. created a very technical course for tonight’s main event in the Rolex Stadium. With a tight time allowed, riders had to show over a triple bar, an open water obstacle, a vertical-oxer double combination, and finally an oxer-vertical-oxer triple combination, which caused errors for many of the competitors. Only six of the 31 entries were able to master the initial track and advance to jump-off, where they had to jump the double combination again while also making tight rollbacks and then galloping across the ring to reach the final oxer.
Lourdes de Guardiola and Autumn Rhythm won the $5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby at the Kentucky Spring Classic. Photo By: Kendall Bierer/PMG
Lexington, KY – May 19, 2012 – The $5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby saw nothing short of fierce competition this evening in the Stonelea Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park. It was Lourdes de Guardiola and Autumn Rhythm who rode to the top of the leader board with two fantastic rounds, catching the judges’ eyes and being dually rewarded for their tremendous efforts. Ashley Hotz and Summer Catch eventually were presented with the red ribbon for their efforts and an overall score of 178 points, while Louise Serio took the third place prize aboard Corvine.
Riders were tested over a classic hunter course designed by Bobby Murphy, and the top 12 scoring combinations advanced into the handy hunter round. The course was skillfully set, and was evocative of a hunt field. The two-round course included stonewalls, oxers, standalone verticals, gates, brushes and a vertical-oxer line. Four high options were offered to the riders as a way of earning additional points on their base scores.
Bonheiden, Belgium – A team of four American riders took to the course in Young Rider Nations Cup competition at the CSIOYJ Bonheiden Saturday afternoon and jumped their way into a tie for fourth place. The U.S. Team’s top performer of the day was Alise Oken (Charlotte, NC) & Hi Hopes Farm’s Kaid Du Ry. They offered one of the strongest showings of the day and jumped two clear efforts over both rounds of competition. Oken & Kaid Du Ry was one of only two pairs to produce double clear rounds Saturday.
Annie Cook & Signe Ostby’s Banba and Lydia Ulrich & Beth Congel and Up The Creek Farm’s Santos Utopia both improved from round to round. Cook (Woodside, CA) had 12 faults in the first round and 8 in the second. Ulrich (Rochester, NY) improved on 8 faults in round one to score a 4 fault total in round two.
Beezie Madden and Simon lead the 2012 Hagyard Challenge Series. Photo By: Rebecca Walton/PMG
Lexington, KY – May 17, 2012 – Kentucky Horse Shows, LLC, is pleased to announce that the 2012 Hagyard Challenge Series will feature a high point Thoroughbred Award. The Hagyard Challenge Series consists of seven grand prix classes to be held during the 2012 show series at the Kentucky Horse Park. Following the final event, a $10,000 prize will be presented to the high point Thoroughbred participating in the Series. To be eligible for the Thoroughbred award, horses must be registered with the Jockey Club or have a verifiable lip tattoo.
Dr. Stuart Brown, President of Hagyard, commented, “This award is in keeping with Hagyard’s commitment to Thoroughbreds. Since we were founded in 1876, we have had a vested interest in the Thoroughbred industry through the relationships with our traditional clients in the Bluegrass. We want to encourage and reward those who seek opportunities for second careers for these horses in athletic endeavors beyond flat racing.”
May 19th, 2012 ~ Conyers, GA – It was a bustling evening at the acclaimed Georgia International Horse Park as the crowd watched 25 of the country’s top hunter riders compete under the lights in the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby presented by Dietrich and Company Equine Insurance. No stranger to the winner’s circle, Liza Boyd took home the blue ribbon last evening aboard Mrs. Janet Peterson and Finally Farm’s Quatrain while capturing the second place on her and Mrs. Janet Peterson’s Brunello. The team from Finally Farm in Camden, SC just came off a one-two win at the Aiken Spring Classic Derby and the Camden Spring Classic Derby back in April with Brunello taking the top spot over Quatrain in both of those classes.
It was finally Quatrain’s time to shine as the 8-year-old’s boldness and consistency garnered him and Boyd the top scores of the night. In round 1 they received an 87 and 88 plus 8 high option bonus points from the judges and in the second handy round received an 84 and 88 plus 8 bonus points and 13 bonus handy points, giving them the winning total of 376 over Brunello’s 370. Towell was pleased at how far Quatrain has come along this spring. Just this past February he was competing in the jumper ring in Palm Beach. The pair also captured the High Performance Hunter Championship earlier in the week that division sponsored by Fenwick Equestrian. Julie Curtain and Morgan Connely’s Hanover On The Rocks took home the third place ribbon in the Derby and Alamo and Mariah Friedland rounded out the top 4.
Quick and Easy and Claudia Billups sail to the blue in the $5000 Open Welcome Stake at the Atlanta Spring Challenge. Photos by Shawn Mcmillen
May 18th, 2012 ~ Conyers, GA – The 9th annual Atlanta Spring Challenge Horse Show kicked off on Wednesday with a record number of attendees turning out for competition at the Georgia International Horse Park. The event is managed by Aiken, SC based J. P. Godard and his Equus Events. “We have a busy week; lots of horses and lots of entries!” quoted Godard. “My staff and I haven’t had a moment to spare, but it’s great I couldn’t be more pleased with the turnout.”
Thursday marked the culmination of a few highly anticipated professional hunter divisions. Traveling all of the way from Topeka, KA, Rio, owned by Hays Investment Corp, took home the championship honors in the first year green hunter division sponsored by Fenwick Equestrian, LLC. Camden, SC’s Elizabeth Boyd had the ride on Rio who took home a Fenwick Equestrian High Performance Sporty Dress Sheet for their efforts. In the second year green division it was Ocala, FL based rider Aaron Vale and Lynn Reed’s Spell Bound who took home top honors in the division winning 3 of the 5 classes. Elizabeth Boyd found herself in the winner’s circle once again this time with Mrs. Janet Peterson and Finally Farm’s Quatrain who took home top honors in the High Performance Working Hunters sponsored by DFG Stables.
Kiersten Litzinger and Baroness Blixen posted the high score of the day during the Adult Amateur 36-49 Hunters at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show. Photo By: Kendall Bierer/PMG
Lexington, KY – May 18, 2012 – The Murphy Ring was alive with hunter action throughout the third day of the Kentucky Spring Classic, with horse and rider combinations vying for the top ribbons in the Adult Amateur Hunter divisions. Kiersten Litzinger navigated Baroness Blixen to the top of the leader board, posting the high score of the day and taking the opening day lead in the Adult Amateur 36-49 Hunters. Sarah Sturges aboard Second Shot swept the over fences in the Adult Amateur 18-35 Hunters, while later in the day, junior rider Victoria Colvin and VIP Z won the Pessoa/USEF Hunter Seat Medal.
Out of a field of 15 competitors, Kiersten Litzinger and Baroness Blixen posted an imposing lead. Although Missy Luczak-Smith and Surf’s Up took the first place during the first round over fences, Litzinger guided Baroness Blixen to the first place ribbon during their second round over fences. The pair rose to the top, and posting a score of 90, which was the highest scoring trip of the day. They also earned the blue ribbon for their efforts in the under saddle.
Paige Johnson and Monopoly won the High Amateur-Owner Jumpers at the Kentucky Spring Classic. Photo By: Rebecca Walton/PMG
Lexington, KY – May 18, 2012 – Today, the amateur and junior jumper riders had the opportunity to showcase their skills in the Kentucky Horse Park’s Rolex Stadium during the Kentucky Spring Classic. Topping the High Amateur-Owner Jumpers, Paige Johnson piloted Monopoly to a double-clear victory, and also claimed third with her second mount Amagedon 3. Meagan Nusz slid into third aboard Banana D’Ive Z, also completing a fault-free short course. In the High Junior Jumpers, Abigail McArdle claimed the blue ribbon with her quick and clear round aboard Cosma 20, while Emanuel Andrade placed second and third with Costa and Tiny Tim, respectively.
There was not a cloud in the sky as riders prepared for the High Jumper events. Today, Olaf Petersen, Jr.’s first round track included a vertical-oxer double combination and an oxer-vertical double combination, each causing errors for some of the entries. For the jump-off riders had to use an open gallop across large parts of the ring to shave seconds off their time, while also leaving the delicate fences in place.
Lausanne (SUI), 18 May 2012 – Soraya Ourrais, the Franco-Moroccan winner of the FEI Development Award 2011, has set the bar very high for this category of the FEI Awards, for which nominations opened last week.
The FEI Development Award rewards an individual, organisation or project that has in some way made equestrian sport accessible to a wider public.
“Development is often an adventure that takes place far from everyone and everything,” Ourrais said recently. “This award enabled me to make our project known on a bigger scale and take part in a superb gala evening where I was surrounded by equestrian professionals.”
Ourrais won the Development Award for her huge contribution to the revival of equestrian sport in Cambodia, where it had disappeared completely in the 1970s under the Khmer Rouge regime.
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Bonheiden, Belgium – A team of four American riders took to the course in Young Rider Nations Cup competition at the CSIOYJ Bonheiden Saturday afternoon and jumped their way into a tie for fourth place. The U.S. Team’s top performer of the day was Alise Oken (Charlotte, NC) & Hi Hopes Farm’s Kaid Du Ry. They offered one of the strongest showings of the day and jumped two clear efforts over both rounds of competition. Oken & Kaid Du Ry was one of only two pairs to produce double clear rounds Saturday.
Lausanne (SUI), 18 May 2012 – Soraya Ourrais, the Franco-Moroccan winner of the FEI Development Award 2011, has set the bar very high for this category of the FEI Awards, for which nominations opened last week.
