This year’s prestigious Lexington Junior League Horse Show opened Monday evening, July 7, with a star-studded cast of the best American Saddlebreds in the world, among nearly a thousand horses and ponies entered for competition at The Red Mile.

Two of the three reigning Saddlebred World’s Grand Champions, Grande Gil and CH Along Came A Spider, will meet all comers in the first jewel of the breed’s Triple Crown of competitions. Other shows in the Triple Crown are the Kentucky State Fair World’s Championship Horse Show in August, and the UPHA National Championship American Royal at Kansas City, in November.

The Three-Gaited Champion Grande Gil heads the powerful show string of Misdee Wrigley-Miller’s Hillcroft Farm in Paris, KY, he was undefeated in 2007, and is so far in 2008. He was the only Triple Crown champion in the breed last year, and one of only two in the Three-Gaited division for the last 15 years. Based on his exploits, he was named Horse of the Year last year by the American Saddlebred Horse Association, and is the defending champion Three-Gaited Saddlebred of the Junior League show.

Miller is expected to be in the saddle for her Lexington debut on him, set for Tuesday evening. Grande Gil was bred by Happy Valley Farm in Rossville, GA, and is among the many stars trained at Joan Hamilton’s historic Kalarama Farm in Springfield, KY, by the renowned Larry Hodge.

The sensational all-black Fine Harness World’s Grand Champion is the mare CH Along Came A Spider, who hasn’t shown since winning her title at the Kentucky State Fair last August. Her esteemed trainer George Knight is expected to be on the lines when she makes her 2008 debut Wednesday night at The Red Mile. She is owned by Georgia Herpin Baker, of Houston, TX, and was bred by Marcy Lafferty of Los Angeles.

Other World’s and National Champions entered at Lexington are too numerous to list, since the Junior League’s prestige has been growing since its founding in 1937. Each performance will highlight any number of exceptional Saddlebreds, as well as Hackney, Harness, and Roadster ponies, the speedy Roadster horses (Standardbreds in show ring mode), carriage driving, and equitation (horsemanship) classes for young riders.

In addition, the show is a Lexington social and shopping occasion that is not to be missed. The Red Mile’s grandstand, apron in front, and box areas on both sides of the track hum with activity throughout, as well as the trade fair selling everything from jodphurs to jewelry. Fine dining is available at the Clubhouse, as well as on terraces at ringside. Best of all, the show enables the Junior League to support a variety of charitable causes in the Central Kentucky community, and is the product of nearly a half-million dollars worth of volunteer time.

For more information, including schedule and ticket prices, visit www.lexjrleague.com, or the American Saddlebred Horse Association web site at www.saddlebred.com.