Kentucky Spring Horse Show now at KHP, $75k Commonwealth Grand Prix Sunday

Junior Hunter divisions will begin today at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show at the Kentucky Horse Park. The main event will be the $50,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic at 4 p.m. in the Rolex Stadium. Events will continue on Sunday with the $75,000 Commonwealth Grand Prix.

In addition to being part of the U.S. Show Jumping Team Observation events, today’s Hagyard classic will kick off the summer-long Hagyard Challenge Series.

The second day of the Kentucky Spring Horse Show Thursday was the conclusion of the professional hunter divisions and was a great day for the team from Plain Bay Farm as student Reed Kessler won the 1.40m Open Jumper class, and trainer Katie Prudent placed second, as well as claiming her own victory in the 1.35m Open Jumpers.

Kessler, now of Lexington, is currently atop the Long List for the U.S. Show Jumping Team, and hopes to make a bid for the 2012 London Olympics.

Also earning a top finish in the 1.40m Open Jumpers was Ashlee Bond with Wistful, owned by Little Valley Farms of Hidden Hills, CA, who set a quick pace early in the class for third, and Jessica Springsteen with Temmie, owned by Stone Hill Farm of Los Angeles, who placed fifth. The fourth place honors went to Prudent, for her ride aboard Psychee D’Amour, owned by Sleepy P Ranch of Bartonville, TX, as the Plain Bay Team continued their domination of the day.

In the 1.35m Open Jumpers, fellow Venezuelan Pablo Barrios picked up the third place honors with Zara Leandra, while Paige Johnson of The Plains, VA, and Monopoly placed fourth for their fault free rounds.

Tammy Provost and Chris Payne were successful in the Green Conformation Hunters and Second Year Green Working Hunters, respectively. Jennifer Alfano rode to the top of the leaderboard with Lions Paw in the Regular Conformation Hunter division, as well as showing Jersey Boy to the championship tricolor in the High Performance Hunters. Rider Louise Serio dominated the First Year Green Working Hunters, earning the championship prize aboard Aate’ and also taking home the reserve championship with Casino.

The awards did not stop there for Serio. After putting in two strong rounds yesterday with Casino, owned by Bridget Hallman and Merrylegs South of Oyster Bay, NY, the duo was awarded with the First Year Green Working Hunter Reserve Championship.

Tammy Provost and Libretto, owned by Alliy Moyer of Carmel, IN, rose in the ranks earning second and third place ribbons in the over fences, and first place on the flat, ultimately awarded the reserve championship.

Provost also garnered the championship aboard Paul Stuart, owned by Wendy Hofmeister of Willowbrook, IL, in the Green Conformation Hunters. Hunt Tosh and Say Again, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Wheeler of Keswick, VA, took home the reserve championship for their second place in the handy round, fourth in the over fences and second in the under saddle.

Jennifer Alfano rounded out the day with two championship wins in her divisions. Danny Robertshaw’s Lions Paw made a clean sweep of the over fences for the second day in a row. They were presented with the championship award, just ahead of Chris Payne and Righteous, owned by Susan Moriconi of St. Louis, MO.

Shawn Cassidy was awarded the reserve championship for his top ribbons aboard Conquest Z, owned by Wolfstone Stables & Sales Inc. of Wellington, FL.

For more information about the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows or to download the prize list, please go to www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.