2013 KENTUCKY SUMMER SERIES

Havens Schatt and Just Fred were just about flawless in tonight’s $5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby. Schatt and Just Fred, owned by R. Bruce Duchossois of Aiken, SC, claimed the victory in what is one of the Kentucky Spring Classic’s most highlighted hunter events. The class, held today in the Stonelea Ring at the Kentucky Horse Park, is the second in the seven-part Hallway Feeds Series in which top riders from across the country vie for their share of the $15,000 Leading Rider Awards.

Tonight’s ten obstacle first round course set by Bobby Murphy, featured a number of bending lines and rollbacks all set at 3’ with four 3’6” option fences. If cleared successfully, the higher options were each worth an additional point added to each of the judges’ scores. From the opening field of 32 horse and rider pairs, the top 12 scoring combinations made the cutoff to come back for the handy round course, also designed by Murphy. The handy course featured nine obstacles, many of which were built to imitate the fences a rider would face on the hunt field. It presented riders with even more tight turns and rollbacks and different options to showcase their horses’ handiness.

The young talent was shinning brightly today during the Kentucky Spring Classic as Emanuel Andrade led the team from Hollow Creek Farm to multiple victories in the jumper ring. His highlight of the day was during the High Junior/Amateur-Owner jumpers, where he piloted Wilkina Lithya to the win, followed by Tiny Tim in third, while Kate Morrison and Four Roses DL Vie Z placed second. Andrade also scored all three of the top ribbons in the Low Junior Jumpers. Earlier in the day, Katie Prudent and V took home honors in the 1.45m Open Jumpers with their quick and clean jump-off round. 

The ten obstacle course for the Pessoa/USEF Hunter Seat Medal, designed by Bobby Murphy, opened over a straightforward line heading away from the in-gate, and it went on to test riders back and forth through tight turns and rollbacks.