Lexington, KY-August 20, 2010-The day that all riders, trainers, owners and spectators have been waiting for all month at the Kentucky Horse Shows Series has finally arrived, the 2010 $100,000 Chronicle of the Horse/USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals. Attendees could not have ordered a more perfect day with sunny skies and moderate temperatures to kick off such an anticipated event. This is the second annual USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals and it has returned to the Kentucky Horse Park, the host of the upcoming 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Scott Stewart and Fashion Farm’s Summer Place won today’s class with ease and are one of the top 25 who will advance to tomorrow evenings’ final event.

This event was created to bring show hunters to the world stage, to increase spectator, media and sponsorship interest, and the bring tradition and basic riding principles back to the sport of showing hunters. It is an event that involves a 12-month qualifying period and only the top 75 horses are invited to compete for the Championship title. After opening ceremonies, the competition got underway with the qualifying round for all 61 horse and rider combinations in the new Indoor Arena.

The Qualifying Round course, the first of three courses in the finals, was designed by Bobby Murphy and Patrick Rhodes. This Hunter Derby style course challenged riders over 14 fences ranging from 3’6” to 4’0”. The course offered four optional obstacles that would add an additional point per fence to their overall score due to their added heights and elevated difficulty. Obstacles on the course included oxers made up of natural posts, rails and white board fences, gates, hedges hay bales, a brush, logs, and natural foliage. “It was a challenge trying to simulate a hunt field in an indoor arena,” said Murphy. “The Horse Park has so many good resources to make it happen though, and in the end everything ended up working.”

Out of 61 competitive horse and rider duos, only 25 will move onto the second round, the Handy Hunter course, which will be held tomorrow evening. Jennifer Alfano and her eight-year-old Warmblood, the Specialist, owned by Meredith Lepke, were the first to earn a substantial lead on the rest of the field earning scores of 81.5-88-88-88, totaling 357.5, which held up for fifth place. Well into the second half of the entries no one had passed The Specialist. Scott Stewart and eight-year-old Summer Place, owned by Fashion Farm earned an astounding group of scores of 90-93-94-92, totaling 377 to take over the lead and eventually win the class.

Jennifer Alfano returned to try and reclaim her lead with the six-year-old Warmblood, Extraordinary, owned by Helen Lenahan, but was just shy with scores of 88-94-95-89, for a total of 374 for fourth place. Nearing the end of the competition, Liza Boyd returned with her second mount, 12-year-old Hanoverian Brunello, owned by Janet Peterson and Boyd, to try and move ahead of Stewart but with an 89-93-90-94, Boyd would have to settle for third with 374 points.

The last horse and rider team to enter to arena was Jennifer Alfano and the 2009 USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals Reserve Champion, Jersey Boy. The crowd looked on with anticipation as many knew if anyone could surpass Stewart and Summer Place for the lead it would be this pair. Landing off of the final oxer the crowd erupted into applause as they waited for the judge’s scores. The eight-year-old Jersey Boy, owned by SBS Farms, and Alfano were awarded 90-83-84-86, totaling 375 points, just shy of the lead but overall good enough for second place. The Qualifying Round victory would go to Scott Stewart and his brave mount Summer Place.

“I was actually worried with Summer Place today being Indoors,” commented Stewart, “but you could really gallop in this course, it was nice. He is usually a very simple horse but he was very brave today for the first time being in an Indoor ring.”

Stewart laughed, “I was more nervous about forgetting my course today. You really worry about just getting to the Finals and once you get there it’s a bit more relaxing.”

Out of the top 25 qualifying horse and rider duos, there were many riders that qualified multiple mounts through to finals. Jennifer Alfano will have the best chances when returning to finals tomorrow evening bringing back her three mounts that finished in the top five during the first round.

“Today was so nerve racking, but tomorrow will just be fun,” smiled Jennifer. This was the first year the Hunter Derby Finals will be held indoors and it caused for some uproar from the public. “I was one who wasn’t happy about it being indoors,” commented Alfano. “I was pleasantly surprised though because you really could gallop this course. Jersey Boy especially takes a little more attention to get him settled but everything went well so I’m happy with the end result.”

The USHJA selected the Kentucky Horse Park to host the Derby Finals for the second year in a row. The program has already seen much attention since its birth into the show scene. Alfano continued, “This program is great for riders, it makes us better. Anytime you can get tons of spectators at a hunter event is great.” By the middle of the first round, nearly 44,000 hits on the Hunter Derby Finals live video feed were registered.

Finishing seventh was another Fashion Farm entry, eight-year-old Westphalian, Declaration, ridden by top qualifier Scott Stewart. World Time, a nine-year-old Oldenburg shown by Victoria Colvin and owned by top rider Scott Stewart finished sixth. Liza Boyd also qualified the 13-year-old Holsteiner, Castello, owned by Roger Smith, who finished 17th in the first round.

Boyd commented, “I had to be really disciplined today. I broke the course into two parts to stay focused. Every Derby I do, the classes get better and better. Compared to Hunter Classics, it’s the same feel and excitement and quality horses, but it is Indoors, so I have to stay focused. Especially over two days now.”

The Final Round will be held tomorrow evening beginning at 7pm. The top 25 qualifiers will compete in the Classic Hunter Round. From that class, the top 12 riders will compete in the Handy Hunter Round that will determine Champion of the$100,000 Chronicle of the Horse/USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals. The Bluegrass Festival Horse Show at the Kentucky Horse Park will continue through Sunday and will conclude with the $30,000 Bluegrass Festival Grand Prix.

Photo Credit: Scott Stewart and Summer Place took top honors during Round One of the $100,000 The Chronicle of the Horse/USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals at the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show. Photo By: Rebecca Walton/PMG. Photo may only be used in relation to this PMG press release.

RESULTS:

Class 500, USHJA HUNTER DERBY FINAL ROUND 1
1 43 Summer Place Scott Stewart Fashion Farm 377.000
2 38 Jersey Boy Jennifer Alfano SBS Farms 375.000
3 49 Brunello Liza Boyd Janet Peterson, Liza Boyd 374.001
4 40 Extraordinary Jennifer Alfano Helen Lenahan 374.000
5 39 The Specialist Jennifer Alfano Meredith Lipke 357.500
6 42 World Time Victoria Colvin Scott Stewart 356.500
7 41 Declaration Scott Stewart Fashion Farm 355.000
8 11 CR Haribo Colleen Acosta Emily Allen 354.000
9 63 C Coast Z Lillie Keenan Chansonette Farm, LLC 352.000
10 69 NLF Shakespeare's Rhythm Peter Pletcher Nordic Lights Farm 351.000
11 22 Listen Kelley Farmer Jane Gaston 347.500
12 26 Peridot Tammy Provost Stephen Martines 346.250
13 37 Rock Star Louise Serio Bright Star 158, LLC 345.500
14 29 Francesca Maggie Jayne Pony Lane Farm 344.250
15 28 Sander Maggie Jayne Pony Lane Farm 344.000
16 65 Poetic Maggie Boylan Maggie Boylan 343.000
17 48 Castello Liza Boyd Roger Smith 342.500
18 56 Borealus Katie Dinan Katie Dinan, LLC 341.500
19 30 Early Applause Maggie Jayne Pony Lane Farm 338.000
20 19 Taken Kelley Farmer Nancy Amling 336.250
21 33 Maui Tiffany Morrissey Kate Goodman 335.250
22 47 Lonestar Hunt Tosh Dr. Betsee Parker 330.000
23 70 Tell All Peter Pletcher Susan Baker 329.500
24 36 Castle Rock Louise Serio Meralex Farm 329.250
25 68 Westview Peter Pletcher Eva Bisso 328.750