Lexington, KY- August 21, 2010-The new Indoor Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park was a real asset today as a storm rolled through the shows grounds of the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show. It was all about speed today as riders competed in the High and Low Amateur–Owner/Junior Jumpers. Christina Kelly galloped Camirage to victory in the High Amateur-Owner/Junior Jumpers in a blazing time of 31.899 seconds, while Kenzie Donovan and Nikon’s Prima Donna took the top prize in the Lows.
Today’s riders in the High Amateur-Owner Junior Jumpers competed over a demanding course that was designed by Richard Jeffery. It involved many turns, bending lines, an oxer-vertical-oxer triple combination, and a vertical-oxer double combination. Those that made it to the immediate jump-off began with a vertical-to-vertical rollback, an oxer with a sharp right turn to the double combination and a gallop to the final oxer within 43 seconds.
Alyssa Mansfield and her mount Ulla Blue were the first pair to go clean in the jump-off, but unfortunately took a safe route and had one time fault in a time of 43.664 seconds, settling for fourth place. Christina Kelly and her eight-year-old mare, Camirage, also went fault free in the jump off, taking inside turns and tripping the wire in a blazing time of 31.899 seconds. Alex Parrish was next to make it to the jump-off and was able to keep every rail up but was unable to beat Kelly’s time stopping the clock in 40.496 seconds, good enough for third place.
Out of 19 entries, the final horse and rider to enter the ring weas Shawn Casady and Lady Mary Jane, owned by Jimmy and Danielle Torano. Jumping a clean first round gave them the chance in the jump-off to claim the lead over Kelly. Casady and Lady Mary Jane went fault free in the in a time of 40.066 seconds for second place. The speedy Camirage and 17-year-old Christina Kelly held their lead and took home the first place ribbon.
Kelly has been at the Horse Park since the show series began in late July. “I just love the Horse Park and the shows are so competitive,” she noted. “My horse is amazing. It was a difficult course today with all the turns and winding through fences. I planned to keep a good pace but she is so fast and so careful that we had an incredible time.”
After a quick course change, the Low Amateur-Owners/Junior Jumpers were next to compete. Out of 39 horse and rider duos, an astounding 21 made it back to the jump-off. It would take a quick time to take top honors as 12 of those returners went double clear. Setting the bar was Kenzie Donovan and Nikon’s Prima Donna. Donavon guided her mount through a very risky route in the jump-off, taking inside turns and galloping between fences to stop the clock in a quick 29.133 seconds without fault.
Immediately following Donovan was Sandra Porath and Meadow Hill Stabless’ ten-year-old Le Beau Cheval. Porath and Le Beau Cheval managed to jump clear but taking wider turns cost them in their time of 31.060 seconds. It came down to Sarah Sturges and her horse Kick Az to try and surpass Donovan. Taking a similar route by cutting off turns and galloping to each jump, Sturges crossed the wire in a quick 29.890 seconds, just enough for second place. Taking home first place honors would be 21-year-old Kenzie Donovan and Nikon’s Primma Donna.
“She is a very fast horse,” smiled Donovan, “I was able to make the turns like I wanted and leave out a stride and she is extremely careful so it all went well. Donovan added, “We are going to Harrisburg in Washington next and hope to move up from there.”
Donovan boards her horses down the road from the Kentucky Horse Park when competing at the Summer Shows, “I love the Horse Park. The Indoor was different today because of the Derby setup but it was really fun to show in.”
Tomorrow’s events conclude the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show and the Kentucky Horse Show Series at the Kentucky Horse Park. Tomorrow’s highlight event is the $30,000 Bluegrass Festival Grand Prix that will attract the best horse and rider combinations to compete for the top prize.
For more information please visit www.KentuckyHorsePark.com.
Photo Credit: Christina Kelly and Camirage Dash won the High Amateur-Owner/Junior Jumpers at the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show. Photo By: Whitney Campbell/PMG. Photo may only be used in relation to this PMG press release.
RESULTS:
Class 246, AO-JR JPR HIGH 1.35m-1.45m II 2b
1 292 CAMIRAGE CHRISTINA KELLY DIAMOND EDGE FARM 0 0 0 73.098 0 0 0 31.899
2 898 LADY MARY JANE SHAWN CASADY JIMMY TORANO & DANIELLE TORANO 0 0 0 72.098 0 0 0 40.066
3 161 FRISCO ALEX PARRISH ALEX PARRISH 0 0 0 73.098 0 0 0 40.496
4 459 ULLA BLUE ALYSSA MANSFIELD ALYSSA MANSFIELD 0 0 0 73.084 0 1 1 43.664
5 772 ESO KIRSTIE DOBBS TREESDALE FARM 0 0 0 73.362 4 0 4 38.057
6 771 TEA PARTY KIRSTIE DOBBS TREESDALE FARM 0 0 0 72.465 4 0 4 39.647
7 609 WINTINA DEUX CLEMENTINE GOUTAL CLOVERLEAF FARM 0 0 0 75.098 8 0 8 36.169
8 610 WOUTER CLEMENTINE GOUTAL CLOVERLEAF FARM 0 0 0 69.729 8 0 8 37.412
9 457 REBEL DE SAINTE-HERMELLE ALYSSA MANSFIELD ALYSSA MANSFIELD 0 0 0 73.098 8 0 8 39.797
10 612 MAMBO DE LEZEAUX LAURA BELMONT CHARLES DE GUNZBERG 4 0 4 69.728 0 0 0.000
11 862 CREATA VAN TEN BIESEN CHRISTINA KELLY DIAMOND EDGE FARM 4 0 4 71.177 0 0 0.000
12 103 ROCKVILLE RANDII GOBLE RANDII GOBLE 4 0 4 72.038 0 0 0.000
