Lexington, KY – July 25, 2009 – The junior hunter divisions wrapped up this morning at the Kentucky Summer Horse Show. The final over fences class and the handy hunter class were followed by the awarding of division championships in the Stonelea ring. The Kentucky Summer Horse Show at the Kentucky Horse Park will come to a close tomorrow, Sunday, July 26, 2009.
Shawn Casady held on to his lead from yesterday for the title of Grand Champion in the Small Junior 15 & Under Hunter division. Casady, aboard Secret Weapon, took second in the over fences class and third in the handy hunter to hold on for the tricolor win.
Winning the Small Junior 15 & Under Hunter over fences class was Mary Margaret Kron on Lylac, owned by V. Mavec LLC of Pepper Pike, OH . In the handy hunter class, Casady took first place on his second mount, Wild Rose. Wild Rose is owned by Callie Schott of Lexington, KY.
In the Large Junior 15 & Under Hunter division, Caroline Spogli and Cachet captured the blue ribbon in the over fences class and the Grand Championship for the division. Cachet is owned by Spogli and Cavallo Farms LLC of San Diego, CA. Casady continued his winning ways in the handy hunter class and jogged for first place with Fitzroy Crossing, owned by Don Stewart.
Spogli was very happy with Cachet’s progress. She exclaimed, “I’m just so excited to have her. I just got her in April, and I just started showing her. This is only my second show with her.” The young rider has shown at the Kentucky Horse Park before and enjoys the venue. She stated, “I did the [Kentucky] spring horse show, and then I went to California and showed. Now I’m down here for a few weeks.”
Kelsey Thatcher received top honors in the Large Junior 16 & 17 Hunter division. She earned both championship ribbons with her horses, Gianni and Francesca. Both horses are owned by Pony Lane Farm of Bluffdale, UT. Thatcher and Gianni received the grand championship, and Francesca came away with the reserve championship. Thatcher and Francesca also won the handy hunter class.
Thatcher was happy overall with her mount Gianni. She noted, “He was definitely spookier today. The wind was out, and he didn’t like when the jumps started moving. In the first class, a bird flew out of the jump, and he just about had a heart attack. But, he held it together in the second round.”
The Small Junior 16 & 17 Hunter division championship went to Jessica Springsteen, who captured a win over fences on Sublime, owned by Stone Hill Farm of Colts Neck, NJ. Jennifer Waxman and Ruby, owned by Holly Labry of Memphis, TN, won the handy
hunter class, which was good enough to earn them the reserve championship.
The Kentucky Summer Horse Show concludes tomorrow with the Pony and Amateur-Owner Hunter division championships. Competition at the Kentucky Horse Park continues next week with the Kentucky Summer Classic, which will be held the week of July 29-August 2, 2009.
For more information on the Kentucky Summer Horse Show or for a complete set of horse show results, please go to www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.
