Tatiana Dzavik and Dahlia

Lexington, KY - Perfect weather greeted riders as competition got underway during the Kentucky Summer Series at the Kentucky Horse Park. The Open Jumper riders gathered at the Rolex Stadium, where the first 1.40m Open Jumper class focused on speed and Tatiana Dzavik had the winning key with Dahlia. She topped Shane Sweetnam and Fineman by just 3/10ths of a second to claim the blue ribbon. The final event of the day was the 1.40m Open Jumper Table 2 Section 2b jump-off class. No one was able to perfect the jump-off, but with speed on his side, Pablo Barrios of Venezuela scored the top prize for his four-fault round on Ambosell.

For Wednesday's opening classes, Richard Jeffery of Bournemouth, England built welcoming courses in the Rolex Stadium, each featuring an open water option with a scored pole. The speed class also included two oxer-vertical combinations and eventually yielded nine clear rounds.

Christian Heineking set the time to beat early on as the first to show with NKH Selena, owned by NKH LLC of Dallas, TX, producing a faultless effort in 68.479 seconds, which held up for the third place honors. He also captured the fourth place award with his second mount Count Me In, owned by Isabelle Terry of Dallas, TX, who was also clear over the course in a quick time of 69.267 seconds.

Tatiana Dzavik was ready to tackle the track though when she entered the ring with her new mount Dahlia. She and the eight-year-old mare quickly covered the ground with a fast gallop and easily cut the turns as they made their way across the arena. The duo broke the beam at 68.057 seconds to take over the lead and eventually claim the blue ribbon. The only rider that came close to catching them was the last in the ring. Shane Sweetnam was right on Dzavik heels with Fineman, owned by Sweet Oak Farm of Wellington, FL, clearing the obstacles and dashing across the finish in 68.318 seconds, to capture the second place prize.

Dahlia is a new mount for Dzavik, one that she co-owns with Ilan Ferder of Wellington, FL. The eight-year-old mare came from Tal Milstein, Ferder's partner in Belgium, and she is already showing that she has a great connection with Dzavik.

"This is the first time I've shown her here," she smiled after her win. "The course was beautiful, and the horse was flawless. I was thrilled with the way she jumped. I felt like she was really quick and rode really easy. She has enough blood herself, and I don't have too much. I just hold her, and she takes me to the jumps."

Dzavik, originally from Canada, traveled to Kentucky with Olympian Will Simpson and the Von Heidegger family. The young professional began working for them just a few weeks ago, competing at The Oaks in California for two weeks before arriving in Kentucky.

"The facility here is phenomenal," she expressed. "The Rolex Stadium is amazing to ride in. The footing is perfect. They have great management, good rings, and nice weather here; it's an incredible facility."

Next week, Dzavik will set her sights on the $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic with Dahlia.

The final class of the day in the Rolex Stadium was the 1.40m Open Jumper class, with a Section B jump-off format. Pablo Barrios claimed multiple victories during the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows, and it looks like he will continue his winning ways this summer. He managed to have the fastest four-fault effort in the tiebreaker aboard his top mount Ambosell.

Benjamin Meredith was the first to post a clear round and advance to the jump-off with Harley 86, owned by Haley Schaufeld of Leesburg, VA. They had an unfortunate rail at the final double combination though, and they were also just off the pace to add a time fault to their score, which was only good enough for third.

Richie Moloney and Alsvid, owned by Equinity LLC of Stonybrook, NY, were able to leave all the rails intact during the first round and the jump-off, but they also proved to be too slow, clocking in at 48.075 seconds to add four time faults to their score. Barrios was next in the ring with Ambosell and also advance to the short course. They had a very quick pace but lowered the height of a single oxer for four faults in 42.197 seconds.

Aaron Vale of Morriston, FL, was the last to compete and he also made the final round with H&M Cisco. The pair needed a slow clear to win, but they added two rails to their score, and despite having the fastest time of 36.609 seconds Vale finished in fourth place aboard H&M Cisco, sealing Barrios' victory.

After competing at the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows for two weeks in May, Barrios traveled to Spruce Meadows, which he found very helpful for Ambosell's training. "I think he grew a lot which we were in Calgary. He's a different horse," explained Barrios. "He really finished jumping really well there, and he felt really good in the ring today. I am very excited about this horse; I think he has a great future."

Barrios added, "Ambosell feels more mature. I am going to put him in the $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic tomorrow and see how he does. He's only eight-years-old, but he's done a few 1.45m classes at Spruce Meadows and they build pretty strong there."

The $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic will be highlight event in the Rolex Stadium tomorrow evening, getting underway at 7p.m. It will be the third event in the Hagyard Challenge Series, featuring the $50,000 Leading Riding Award.  On Saturday, the Kentucky Horse Park will welcome Hat's Off Day, a celebration of the horse and its impact on the state of Kentucky, culminating with the $50,000 Rood & Riddle Kentucky Grand Prix at 7:00 p.m.

For more information about the Kentucky Summer Series, please visit www.KentuckyHorseShows.com.

RESULTS:
OPEN JUMPER 1.40m II sec 1
1    875    DAHLIA     TATIANA DZAVIK     0    0    0    68.057
2    1020    FINEMAN     SHANE SWEETNAM     0    0    0    68.318
3    220    NKH SELENA     CHRISTIAN HEINEKING     0    0    0    68.479
4    225    COUNT ME IN (CHAKIRA)     CHRISTIAN HEINEKING     0    0    0    69.267   
5    488    GIDEON     CALLIE SCHOTT     0    0    0    74.331
6    651    ROCKY W     KAITLIN CAMPBELL     0    0    0    74.856
7    399    ACCORDANCE     JUAN ORTIZ     0    0    0    75.052
8    344    ZIBON HC     VICTOR AMAYA     0    0    0    77.728
9    11    DEEP SNOW     MAX AMAYA     0    0    0   
10    1313    SOLERINA     SHANE SWEETNAM     4    0    4    64.734
11    58    PUERTAS CATENA     JUAN PABLO GASPAR     4    0    4    72.629   
12    8    CARTIER     MAX AMAYA     0    6    6    87.523

OPEN JUMPER 1.40m II , 2b
1    1288    AMBOSELL     PABLO BARRIOS     0    0    0    0.000    4    0    4    42.197   
2    988    ALSVID     RICHIE MOLONEY     0    0    0    72.683    0    4    4    48.075   
3    978    HARLEY 86     BENJAMIN MEREDITH     0    0    0    0.000    4    1    5    45.213
4    657    H & M CISCO     AARON VALE     0    0    0    0.000    8    0    8    36.609   
5    218    NKH QUANTO     CHRISTIAN HEINEKING     0    1    1    77.627        
6    225    COUNT ME IN (CHAKIRA)     CHRISTIAN HEINEKING     4    0    4    69.519        
7    754    P.M. JACKPOT     KATHERINE DEWAR     4    0    4    72.396    
8    759    ALMA     KYLE DEWAR     4    0    4    73.600             
9    27    LORDES     MARCELO BARROS     4    0    4    74.347          10    749    QUARTZ     ALEJANDRO KAROLYI     4    0    4    76.381    
11    1403    ADVENTURE LS     JORGE VERSWYVEL     8    0    8    70.099   
12    661    SPIRIT OF ALENA     AARON VALE     8    0    8    73.223