Lexington, Kentucky, USA – May 13, 2018 – The final day of the Kentucky Spring Horse Show highlighted national jumper competition in the Rolex Stadium with the $35,000 Commonwealth Grand Prix, presented by AUDI of Lexington, and the $20,000 Under 25 Grand Prix, presented by Hollow Creek, to conclude the first week of competition in the spring series. Sunday’s featured victories were awarded to Kevin Babington (IRL) and Eugenio Garza (MEX) in their respective classes.

In the $35,000 Commonwealth Grand Prix, the first round saw 32 starters over Robert Murphy III’s 17-effort course, resulting in a 10 horse jump-off. With two mounts in the class, Babington increased his odds when he piloted both Super Chilled and Shorapur to clear rounds and into the jump-off. Babington and the first of his two rides, Debra Wycoff’s 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse, Super Chilled, scored a double-clear round in a time of 38.761 seconds to capture the gelding’s first grand prix win. An unfortunate rail with Shorapur LLC’s Hanoverian mare ended with the pair in seventh place.

Ramiro Quintana (ARG) & Corento van het Dingenshof

Ramiro Quintana (ARG) rode Corento VH Dingenshof, the 9-year-old Zangersheide gelding owned by Smith Hogan LLC, to a double-clear finish in 40.217 seconds for the second place ribbon. Third place was awarded to Alex Granato (USA) aboard Moyer Farm LLC’s Beorn. Granato and the 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding finished just behind Quintana with a time of 40.449 seconds.

Kevin Babington accepts his award for the $35,000 Commonwealth Grand Prix presented by AUDI of Lexington aboard Shorapur

Darragh Kenny also concluded a successful week, capturing the Leading Open Jumper Rider Award, sponsored by Envisian Products, with a total of 28 points based on wins in Thursday’s $35,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic CSI3* and Saturday’s $131,000 Hollow Creek Farm Grand Prix CSI3*.

The Kentucky Spring Horse Show series will continue with the Kentucky Spring Classic, held May 16-20, and will also feature a FEI CSI3* rating. The $35,000 Welcome Speed will be held on Wednesday, followed by the $35,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic on Thursday, as riders try to accumulate valuable points for the Hagyard Leading Rider Bonus. On Saturday, May 19, riders will compete under the lights in the Rolex Stadium during the $131,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix. Once again all three FEI classes will count for the Longines Ranking List and the Thursday and Saturday classes will also count for the Rolex/USEF Show Jumping Ranking List. In addition, the featured national classes will be the $35,000 Bluegrass Grand Prix, which counts towards the Rolex/USEF Show Jumping Ranking List, and the $20,000 Under 25 Grand Prix to be held on Sunday, May 20, in the Rolex Stadium.

On his plan:
“The first round walked as a nice course – tricky enough for a national level Grand Prix, but a nice course. The only difference in my plan from what I walked was that I did, and almost everyone did, six [strides] to the last fence instead of seven. Everything else walked just like it rode. [Super Chilled] has a huge stride, so it was a little easier to get down the lines on him [versus Shorapur]. In the jump-off, I wanted to make sure I saw Todd [Minikus] go and Todd did seven to the last [fence] – it walked a long eight [strides]. He had it down, but it looked like he could’ve jumped it. I was still planning on the eight when I went in and then the second to last fence I found a flyer at it and I thought let’s just stay on it and it worked out.”

On Super Chilled:
“He’s 10 years old now and I’ve had him since he was 6. I own him with Debra and Kirk Wycoff and we’ve brought him along. This is his first grand prix win so I’m excited about that. He was second [place] I think twice already and I have really high hopes for him. He has a little break now and then Devon will be his next show.”

On Kentucky Spring Horse Shows:
“I live in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and we’re two and a half hours from Old Salem and I drove 11 hours to jump in Kentucky because I just love it. The footing is great here. What I really enjoy, especially if you come for the two weeks, is the hacking and taking the horses out in the fields. There’s so many places to ride. It doesn’t matter if it rains or it’s dry, the footing is always perfect. At this time of year there’s a good chance you’re going to get rain so it’s good to go to a place where the footing is great. The horses seem very happy here. My horses that weren’t showing today I worked them out on the hills this morning – it’s just so refreshing for them.”

Place / Rider / Country / Horse – R1 Faults | Time / R2 Faults | Time
1. Kevin Babington (IRL) & Super Chilled – 0 | 80.922 / 0 | 38.761
2. Ramiro Quintana (ARG) & Corento VH Dingenshof – 0 | 80.703 / 0 | 40.217
3. Alex Granato (USA) & Beorn – 0 | 81.377 / 0 | 40.449
4. Karl Cook (USA) & Caillou 24 – 0 | 80.422 / 0 | 41.168
5. Richie Moloney (IRL) & Button Sitte – 0 | 80.646 / 0 | 50.333
6. Todd Minikus (USA) & Amex Z – 0 | 77.644 / 4 | 36.880
7. Kevin Babington & (IRL) & Shorapur – 0 | 79.167 / 4 | 40.067
8. Carlos Myrrha (BRA) & Quintender LS – 0 | 79.942 / 4 | 41.925
9. Eugenio Garza (MEX) & Pappa Ante Portas 2 – 0 | 81.852 / 4 | 47.782
10. Hector Florentino (DOM) & Venus – 0 | 77.785 / 8 | 42.387
11. Jack Hardin Towell (USA) & Corona 93 – 1 | 82.372
12. Scott Keach (AUS) & Fedor – 4 | 77.542

Source: Press Release by Rebecca Walton for Phelps Media Group

Photos: © Phelps Media Group / Barre Dukes