Lexington, KY – August 2, 2014 – Although the victory in Thursday night’s $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic went to Ireland’s Shane Sweetnam, a third place finish on Antares and victories in the previous three events have solidified Pablo Barrios’ lead in the Hagyard Challenge Series Standings.
Shane Sweetnam has edged his way into the second place with his win on Thursday, while an eighth place finish for Emanuel Andrade has helped him stay in the third place position as they continue to compete for the Leading Rider Bonus.
The Hagyard Challenge Series is a summer-long series of seven show jumping events at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. The rider who accumulates the most points in the series will receive a $50,000 Leading Rider Award, presented during the Kentucky National Horse Show in September. The fourth event in the series will be next Thursday during the Kentucky Summer Classic at the Kentucky Horse Park.
“I really want to win it,” said Barrios, who won the bonus in 2013. “I own a lot of my own horses so that helps with the expenses. That bonus helps a lot, especially at the end of the year when you have to pay stalls at WEF.”
Hagyard Equine Medical Institute is one of the oldest and largest equine veterinary practices in the world. Founded in 1876, the institute offers a staff with qualifications unparalleled by any single non-university veterinary group in the equine industry, and Hagyard veterinarians have dedicated themselves to the health and wellbeing of the horse for more than 130 years.
The facility at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute offers 13 Digital Radiology systems, 1.5 Tesla Siemens MRI, Nuclear Scintigraphy, a high speed treadmill, an on-site laboratory, an on-site pharmacy, full surgical services, 24-hour emergency services and Hyperbaric Medicine. The institute has practiced veterinary medicine for more than 133 years and is currently composed of over 60 experienced veterinarians, with 12 board certifications in specialty areas of Medicine, Surgery, Critical Care, and Theriogenology.
Several generous sponsors have helped make this exciting series event happen. These gracious supporters include: title sponsor MWI Veterinary Supply, and presenting sponsor Zoetis, as well as Audi of Lexington, Dean Dorton Allen Ford, Hagyard Flex-tra HA, Johnson Horse Transport, Hallway Feeds, Kirk Horse Insurance LLC, Pike and Preston, and Stoll Keenon Ogden.
