Chris Payne took home the championship and reserve championship titles in Green Working Hunter division early in the day. He scored the championship award aboard Holden, owned by Susan Moriconi from St. Louis, MO. The duo earned a first place ribbon, two second place ribbons, and a third place ribbon. Payne also scored the reserve championship prize, this time aboard Up Front, owned by Chris Brown of Oakland, NJ. Payne and Up Front earned a first place ribbon, two second place ribbons, and a fourth-place ribbon.
"Both of the horses were amazing today," smiled Payne. "They both went in there and did their job and were very agreeable with all this heat. They are each very young and only started doing the First Years in May. Today, they gave me all they had and rode beautifully, I was very happy."
"Up Front likes a very light with the rein, he has a big stride and it is all just nice and light," explained Payne. "Holden needs a little bit more leg and he likes to fire at the jump a little bit more. Holden rides like a pony, you just close your leg and go, and then he gives you all he has at the jumps, which is normally 6" above the jump, he doesn't like to touch them."
Payne added, "Holden's owner shows him in the Older Adults, so he had to learn his job doing both divisions, and he has a great attitude for it. I show in Kentucky all summer long. The rings are amazing, the shows are run great, and you can't beat the facility!"
Molly Sewell garnered the championship and reserve championship awards in the Conformation Hunter division with her two talented mounts. She scored the championship tricolor in the irons of Gisele, owned by Porter Allen of Boerne, TX. The duo earned nearly swept the division, winning five of the six classes. Sewell took home the reserve championship rosette riding Photo Shoot, owned by Peake Wood Pharm Inc of Sanford, FL. Sewell accumulated one first place ribbon, four second place ribbons, and one third place ribbon for their great rounds.
"Both of them were really good today, I was very pleased," said Sewell. "Gisele had an excellent first round and a really good handy round, she was very consistent today. Photo Shoot was really good as well; he jumped really well today. They still make green mistakes every once in awhile but they have a come a long way. Gisele has a big stride so you go around nice and slow and right down the lines. Photo Shoot has a big stride as well, but he takes a little more leg and you have to create it a little more than with Gisele, but he's such an amazing jumper. He really just fires over the jumps."
Terry Brown was aboard Nice, owned by Lori Christman from Atlanta, GA, to take home the championship award in Performance 3'6-3'9 Hunter division. The duo earned three first place ribbons and two second place ribbons for their excellent effort in the ring. Susie Schroer riding Rumba, owned by Dogwood Hill LLC of Los Angeles, CA, earned two first place-ribbons, and two third-place ribbons to win the division's reserve championship prize.
"Nice needs a very soft ride, I always ask, I never demand," explained Brown. "He likes that, he wants you to ride him soft, and things can't happen too quickly because he can get nervous. I was very pleased with both trips, he was more relaxed today, easy to ride. I thought he jumped beautifully and it felt like he enjoyed doing his job. I was conservative during the beginning of the handy course, but we were handier as we got going. I felt it was important to keep him relaxed and keep his style nice."
Brown concluded, "We love showing in Kentucky. It's very nice; we come here as often as possible. It's great grounds, great management, great footing, the best course designers; it's a professionally run horse show."
Tomorrow the Junior Hunter divisions will begin, and champion and reserve championship honors will be awarded on Saturday. The Amateur-Owner Hunter divisions also begin on Saturday, and Sunday's highlight event will be the USHJA National Hunter Classic.
For more information, visit www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.