Debbie Stephens Speeds to Victory with Callaway 4 in the $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic at the Kentucky Summer Horse Show

Photo Credit:Debbie Stephens is victorious with Callaway 4 in the $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic at the Kentucky Summer Horse Show. Photo By: Kenneth Kraus/PhelpsSports.com

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Lexington, KY - July 31,2008 - The last day of July was an exciting one at the Kentucky Summer Horse Show. Debbie Stephens and Callaway 4, owned by Centennial Farm of Palmetto, FL, jumped their way to victory in the $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic. The class was scored under Table II .2 - a timed first round, with those jumping clear advancing to the jump off.

Stephens and her mount, Callaway 4, rode to victory with a clear round in 39.456 seconds. "Callaway is such a tryer, every time he walks in the ring he fights to go clear," Stephens described.

Stephens entered the jump off on two of her three mounts. "All Star should have won, that was his class," said Stephens, "I got too deep to the plank, it was my fault." All Star is owned by Centennial Farm of Palmetto, FL. "That horse jumps more clear rounds, he's just amazing. For as big as he is, he's just amazing," Stephens explained.

Stephens was the first rider to take an inside approach to fence number 4, the first fence of the jump off. The fence was an orange, blue, and yellow triple bar in the center of the arena. Stephens sliced the fence going right to set up for the vertical-oxer two-stride combination that followed. "It was a very short combination, and that was a very quick horse. I thought that would slow him down so I could give myself more room," Stephens explained about her decision to make the inside turn.

The next fence was a yellow and white plank vertical to a four-stride line. Stephens steadied Callaway 4 just enough as they came out of the four-stride, so he was able to jump the oxer without taking either of the blue and white rails with him. Stephens made a sharp inside right hand turn to the liver pool fence and then galloped down to the final jump, a green and white oxer.

The only other clear round in the jump off went to Taras D' Eden, owned and shown by Richard Cheska of Waukesha, WI. The pair completed the eight-fence jump off in 41.121 seconds.

Debbie Stephens came back to pick up the yellow ribbon aboard All Star. "He has a big stride so I was going to use his stride, I felt like Big Brown in Kentucky on All Star," recounted Stephens. The pair completed the short course with a time of 38.738 seconds, beating her previous round on Callaway 4. Unfortunately, a rail off the yellow and white plank fence came down. "I blew it, it was All Star's jump off, no question," said Stephens.

Only four other riders advanced to the jump off with an original field of 34 competitors. Fourth went to Robin Sweely and Qarco V'T Merlenest owned by Acorn Hill farm of Madison, VA. The pair took down a purple and black rail at fence number 10. Fifth went to Graf Lando owned and shown by Meghan Moran of Malvern, PA. The duo took down the back rail of fence 9. The green ribbon went to Aaron Vale and Danacar, owned by Hidden Trail Farm of The Plains, VA. Finishing up the jump off in seventh place was Angel Karolyi and his mount, Sun God. The first to go clean in the long course, they took down rails from fences 8 and 10.

This was the third of seven events in the Hagyard Challenge Series. At the end of the seventh event, the rider who has earned the most money throughout the Hagyard Challenge Series will earn a $50,000 leading rider bonus. Debbie Stephens came close to winning the challenge series last year and with a win on Callaway 4 today, she is hoping to come from behind and take home the prize this year. "I'm going to get in the lead and keep the lead," Stephens expressed, "I'm riding well and my horses are going well, so bring it on!"

This Saturday the Walnut Arena will host the $40,000 RV Sales of Broward Kentucky Classic Grand Prix. The class is set to start at 6:30 p.m. The Hagyard Challenge Series will continue next week with another $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic during the Kentucky Classic Horse Show at the Kentucky Horse Park.

$25,000 HAGYARD LEXINGTON CLASSIC
Table II, Sec.2 (a) Time First Jump-Off

1 78 CALLAWAY 4 DEBBIE STEPHENS CENTENNIAL FARM 0 0 0 88.500 0 0 0 39.456
2 86 TARAS D'EDEN RICHARD CHESKA RICHARD CHESKA 0 0 0 83.107 0 0 0 41.121
3 77 ALL STAR DEBBIE STEPHENS CENTENNIAL FARM 0 0 0 83.100 4 0 4 38.738
4 387 QARCO V'T MERLENEST ROBIN SWEELY ACORN HILL FARM 0 0 0 87.203 4 0 4
39.028
5 913 GRAF LANDO MEGHAN MORAN MEGHAN MORAN 0 0 0 88.958 4 0 4 42.270
6 848 DANACAR AARON VALE HIDDEN TRAIL FARM 0 0 0 80.305 8 0 8 39.824
7 958 SUN GOD ANGEL KAROLYI RON KRISE & SPLIT CREEK FARM 0 0 0 87.878 8 0 8
48.649
8 910 NEMO ROBERT KRAUT WEC LLC & MEGHAN MORAN 4 0 4 80.965
9 382 RMW NEW DAY MARY SHIRLEY ROCKY MT. WARMBLOODS & E SALAS 4 0 4 83.151
10 383 RMW LANDAME MARY SHIRLEY ROCKY MOUNTAIN WARMBLOODS 4 0 4 83.947
11 1054 PHELOX JORGE ZAMUNDIO ERIKA MORALES 4 0 4 86.096
12 704 QENA 2 COLIN SYQUIA LADSON LLC 4 0 4 86.206

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