Articles: Press Release
Pablo Barrios and LaGran Sweep $20,000 Bluegrass Classic for Second Year at
Kentucky Spring Classic
Photo Credit: Pablo Barrios and LaGran were victorious for the second year
in a row during the $20,000 Bluegrass Classic at the Kentucky Spring
Classic. Photo By: Rebecca Walton
Contact:
Rebecca Walton for
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
at (561) 753-3389 or at pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
Lexington, KY - May 17, 2009 - The sun was shining during the final day of
competition at the Kentucky Spring Classic, and for the second year in a row
Pablo Barrios and LaGran were victorious in the $20,000 Bluegrass
Classic. Six horse and riders qualified for the jump-off during today's
class in the main outdoor stadium at the Kentucky Horse Park but only two
completed double-clear efforts. Barrios and LaGran were able to set a time
of 40.851 seconds to edge out Tiffany Foster riding Carlos De Noel, and win
today's class.
Fellow Venezuelan, Leopoldo Palacios, designed today's course. The thirteen
fences in the first round featured an open water fence, an airy plank jump,
a stonewall, and three double combinations. The last double combination was
followed by a liverpool fence which proved to be a difficult line for many
riders. Six riders were able to complete clear rounds and advance to the
jump-off. The short course began over a single vertical, followed by the
option to make a tight inside turn to a single oxer and then continued to a
double combination. The riders then had to gallop to a single oxer and make
a tight turn to the plank, followed by another sharp turn to the liverpool
fence. Finally riders galloped home to a single oxer on the opposite side of
the arena.
Beezie Madden and Play On, owned by Allan Shore of Bedford, NY, were the
first to complete the first round without fault and have the opportunity to
compete in the jump-off. Riders had the opportunity to complete an immediate
jump-off or wait until the completion of the class, and Madden chose to do
an immediate jump-off with Play On. The pair had a difficult trip, bringing
down rails at the first three fences as well as the liverpool. They tripped
the timers in 41.713 seconds with a 16-fault score to finish in the sixth
place position.
The five other combinations that completed clear first round efforts chose
to wait to jump-off until the completion of the class, including Madden and
her second qualified mount, Desilvio.
Pablo Barrios, of Wellington, FL, and LaGran entered the ring first during
the 2b jump-off portion of the $20,000 Bluegrass Classic. With four more
riders to follow Barrios knew he would have to be clean with a fast time. He
spurred LaGran towards the first jump and they sailed over it with
ease. They quickly began to gallop across the course, easily leaving each
jump standing. The pair galloped across the finish line in 40.851
seconds. Their fast pace and clear effort would be enough to take over the
lead and win the class.
Tiffany Foster, of Schomberg, ON, attempted to challenge Barrio's lead with
Carlos De Noel and came close. The pair laid a clean track and were able to
stop the clock in 44.695 seconds, just behind Barrios to pick up the second
place ribbon. Madden competed next with Desilvio, but the duo had rails at
the first vertical, the beginning of the double combination, and the plank
fence to pick up 12 faults. They tripped the timers at 42.563 seconds and
earned the fifth place prize.
Henri Kovacs and Cermit, owned by East Hampton, NY, stepped into the ring
next and the crowd wondered if they would be able to pick up their third
1.45m victory. There was a collective groan when a light rub lead to the
pole dropping off of the top of the in jump of the double combination and
Kovacs accrued four faults. He and Cermit broke the beam at 42.904 seconds
and earned the day's third place honors. The final horse and rider
combination of the day would be Peter Leone and Candide, owned by Haphco LLC
of New York, NY. They would also have difficulty at the beginning of the
double combination for a four fault score. The pair stopped the clock at
43.169 seconds to place just behind Kovacs and pick up the fourth place
ribbon, sealing Barrios' victory with LaGran.
"I'm very happy," expressed Barrios. "I've been riding LaGran for a little
over a year, and his first big victory was last year in this class. He's
been doing really well since then, especially during WEF this year; he's
coming along very, very well."
During the past two weeks Barrios has competed with 10-year-old LaGran in
the $55,000 grand prix classes and the $30,000 Hagyard Lexington Classics,
with excellent placings in all of them.
Barrios had a set plan for today's jump-off, and his main worry was Kovacs
and Cermit who have been very competitive during the last two weeks. "I
wanted to go as fast as I could," he said. "I was the first one in the
jump-off so I wanted to put down a good time to make the other riders go for
it and make a mistake. Henri has been pretty hot these last two weeks; he's
been winning a lot. Cermit is pretty fast in the jump-off and Henri is a
pretty fast rider so I knew he wanted to go for it. I think my time was good
enough to make him try for it."
Barrios will now continue to Spruce Meadows to compete and will return to
Kentucky at the end of July to compete during the Kentucky Summer
Series. "The Kentucky Horse Shows are wonderful," he smiled. "The footing is
amazing and the weather has been very nice. I can't wait to show in the
World Equestrian Games."
Earlier in the day the Amateur-Owner Jumpers and Junior Jumpers completed
their third day of competition. Jennifer Waxman captured the High Junior
Jumper championship award with Shakira, while Liberty Lady and Christina
Kelly earned the reserve championship honors. Paige Johnson and La Martinee,
owned by Salamander Farm of The Plains, VA, earned the championship tricolor
in the High Amateur-Owner Jumper division, while Kristie Dobbs and Koltee
tied with Brittany Sutton and Pim, owned by Geoff Sutton of Wellington, FL,
for the reserve championship prize.
Today marked the conclusion of the Kentucky Spring Classic. The Kentucky
Summer Series will begin at the end of July with the Kentucky Summer Horse
Show, held from July 22-26, and the Kentucky Summer Classic held from July
29- August 2. The Kentucky Summer Horse Shows are a part of the Hagyard
Challenge Series. The series offers a $50,000 Leading Rider Bonus to the
rider who accumulates the most points in the series. The Kentucky Summer
Series also offers top prize money grand prix events every Saturday. The
Kentucky Summer Horse Show will be featuring the $40,000 Kentucky Summer
Grand Prix on July 25 in the Walnut Arena. The $40,000 Kentucky Classic
Grand Prix sponsored by Air 51 and Audi of Lexington will be taking place
during the Kentucky Summer Classic August 1.
To learn more about the Kentucky Summer Horse Shows or to download the prize
list, please go to www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.
RESULTS:
$20,000 BLUEGRASS CLASSIC
1 368 LAGRAN PABLO BARRIOS 81.246
40.851
2 96 CARLOS DE NOEL TIFFANY FOSTER 81.319
44.695
3 481 CERMIT HENRI KOVACS 80.929 4
42.904
4 689 CANDIDE PETER LEONE 78.116 4
43.169
5 12 DESILVIO BEEZIE MADDEN 78.437 12
42.563
6 14 PLAY ON BEEZIE MADDEN 76.831 16
41.713
7 236 DIABLO MARIO DESLAURIERS 3 84.742
8 528 MISSISSIPPI L.S.ALEJANDRO KAROLYI 4 76.365
9 306 LAJANA WIM JANSSEN 4 78.050
10 414 RIO LINDEBJERG DEREK BRAUN 4 80.983
11 617 VDL BUBALU RICARDO VILLA 4 81.695
12 97 TIKITA TIFFANY FOSTER 5 82.528
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