Louise Serio and Corvine win the lead off $5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby on Saturday, May 12, 2012, at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show. (Kendall Bierer/PMG)

Lexington, KY - The Kentucky Spring Horse Shows began on Wednesday, May 9, 2012, and one of the highlight events was the kick-off of the 2012 $45,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby Series, sponsored by Hallway Feeds. The Hallway Feeds Series consists of six national hunter derby events to be held during the 2012 show series at the Kentucky Horse Park. Following the final event, cash prizes totaling $15,000 will be awarded to the series' leading riders

The Kentucky Spring Horse Show, held May 9-13, 2012, featured the lead off event on Saturday evening with the $5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby. The top riders from across the nation gathered to compete over a challenging course and vie for the winning title and valuable points towards the $15,000 Leading Rider Awards. At the end of the night it was Louise Serio and Corvine who took led the victory gallop, giving Serio the lead in the standings. The Kentucky Spring Classic, May 16-20, 2012, will host the second of the six derby events in the series, the $5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby, on Saturday, May 19, in the Stonelea Arena.

The USHJA National Hunter Derby program will be in its third year in 2012 and is growing in prestige and popularity. Amateurs, Juniors and Professional riders are eligible to compete, giving it a broad base of support and interest. The $15,000 Hallway Feeds Leading Rider Awards will present a $10,000 cash prize to the professional rider accumulating the most points in the six classes that make up the Series. The amateur rider and junior rider accumulating the most points will each receive a $2,500 cash prize. Riders will receive points only on their highest placed horse in each of the classes. The awards will be presented at the conclusion of the Hallway Feeds class at the KHJA show on August 25, 2012

As the series continues, four more Hallway Feeds National Hunter Derbies will take place during the Kentucky Summer Horse Show, the Kentucky Summer Classic, the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show, and the KHJA Horse Show. The Series concludes with the winners for the $15,000 Leading Rider Bonuses being announced and presented with the prize by representatives of Hallway Feeds.

Supporting sponsors for the Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby Series are KER Sport Horse Nutrition, Sweet PDZ Stall Refresher, PNC Bank, Alfagreen Supreme, Biederman Real Estate and Auctioneers, Trouw Nutrition, and Caddel Equine Therapy Center.

KER Sport Horse Nutrition is a new joint venture between Kentucky Equine Research (KER) and Hallway Feeds. This partnership melds the technological and nutritional expertise of KER with the globally recognized horse feed manufacturing reputation of Hallway Feeds.

Hallway Feeds' close proximity to the Kentucky Horse Park provides the opportunity to utilize the freshest feed, manufactured with time-honored commitments to high standards of quality and the latest scientific advances. Combining a premium nutrition package with a professional level of dedication in horsemen and women provides equine athletes with the Formula for Success.

For more information on Hallway Feeds please visit www.hallwayfeeds.com.

For more information about the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows or to download the prize list, please go to www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.