Joe Fargis and Diams III Win 1.35m Open Jumpers at Kentucky Summer Classic

Written by: Gillian Ellis

Debbie Stephens and All Star Return to Action in 1.30m Jumpers

Lexington, KY – July 31, 2009 – The Open Jumpers took center stage today at the Kentucky Summer Classic. Held at the Kentucky Horse Park in the Sheila C. Johnson Ring at the New Outdoor Stadium, the 1.35m and 1.30m Open Jumper classes were down to the wire. The Kentucky Summer Classic will continue at the park through Sunday, August 2, 2009.

Joe Fargis put in a foot perfect round to win the 1.35m class aboard Diams III. The pair made easy work of Michel Vaillancourt’s course to finish the jump-off with a time of 33.848 seconds. Diams III is owned by Mary B. Schwab and O.E.J.I. Farm LLC of Middleburg, VA. In second place was Aaron Vale and his own Concorde B. The pair finished the jump-off with a time of 35.098 seconds. Rounding out the top three was Angel Karolyi showing Madrid D’Auray for Overlook Farm of Stoneville, NC. Karolyi came home with 36.689 seconds on the clock.

Fargis was pleased with Diams and stated, “The horse did everything I asked. She did it willingly, and she listened to me. It was great.”

“Things worked out and a lot of times things don’t. But she’s won two classes here, and they worked out all week long. So, she was great,” Fargis beamed. “You go in the class, and you hope your score stands up, and it did today.”

Fargis talked about his lack of strategy saying, “You know, people always ask about strategy. Here in Kentucky, you’re in one ring and then you’re in another ring, and you don’t really see the competitors. What you have to do is do the best you can. I didn’t really see anyone else jump. I studied the course, I turned as neatly as I could, and that’s about it. It was nothing more than doing the best I could.”

“I love the ring, and I love the footing. It’s all good. It’s uplifting to the whole industry to be here. I think it’ll be even better when there’s no construction,” he joked. “It’s uplifting, no questions. It’s become a standard that we’ve all needed. We all need to raise our standards of horse shows, and this is the top.”

In the 1.30m Open Jumpers, only five of the 24 riders made it on to the jump-off. Taking home the blue ribbon was Debbie Stephens piloting All Star. Stephens and All Star’s time of 36.053 seconds secured the top placing. All Star is owned by Centennial Farm of Palmetto, FL. Following closely behind Stephens with 37.448 seconds was Alison Robitaille and her horse, Pourquoi. Pourquoi is owned by M/M Bertram Firestone of Upperville, VA. In third, the fastest four-faulter was Shane Sweetnam. Sweetnam rode Tangelo Z for Spy Coast Farm LLC of East Setauket, NY.

Stephens was thrilled with her win and said, “Today was a fairy tale. This was only his second class back. Honestly, this horse has the most amazing heart, courage and fight. He wants to be a show horse.”

She revealed that, earlier in the year, All Star was hospitalized from a career-threatening reaction to a vaccine. He spent four months in the hospital recovering and has only been back under tack for six weeks. “Today brings tears to my eyes because he shouldn’t even be jumping, let alone winning.”

All Star has been a perennial contender for the Hagyard Challenge Series and is a multiple grand prix winner here at the Horse Park.

She remarked, “I like this course designer. I think he does a really good job, and he uses the proper time allowed. He doesn’t give you anything. There were a lot of time faults because you have to ride the course efficiently, and I think at this level we need to.”

Show Jumping continues tomorrow at the Kentucky Horse Park with the $40,000 Kentucky Classic Grand Prix sponsored by Air 51 and Audi of Lexington. The Kentucky Summer Classic will continue competition at the Kentucky Horse Park until August 2, 2009.

For more information on the Kentucky Summer Classic, please go to www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.

1.35M OPEN JUMPER RESULTS

1 103 DIAMS III JOE FARGIS, 0, 33.848 2 564 CONCORDE B AARON VALE,0, 35.098 3 1015 MADRID D’AURAY ANGEL KAROLYI,0, 36.689 4 134 TIOVANNA LA CANTERA SAYRE HAPPY, 0, 41.095 5 447 BALDATO SHARN WOODLEY, 0, 42.902 6 1019 LADINO ANGEL KAROLYI, 4, 36.919 7 649 ANDIAMO JACKIE LEEMON, 5, 47.323 8 1290 MICHAEL IVY REJENT, 4, 57.654 9 14 ZED DUSTIN BALL, 4, 61.175 10 533 WILKIE VAN’T MERELSNEST AARON VALE, 4, 61.246 11 1269 CENTRO AARON VALE, 4, 62.828 12 536 AVEC COUER AARON VALE, 4, 63.961

1.30M OPEN JUMPER RESULTS

1 392 ALL STAR DEBBIE STEPHENS, 0, 36.053 2 175 POURQUOI ALISON ROBITAILLE, 0, 37.448 3 899 TANGELO Z SHANE SWEETNAM, 4, 34.575 4 1151 H J SANTA ANTONIO MARTINEZ, 4, 37.635 5 183 LAURINE MEGAN FELLOWS, 4, 37.774 6 1328 PERLA MICHAEL KERRINS, 1, 74.095 7 170 STUART JILL KNOWLES, 2, 75.954 8 1302 SIRENA DANIEL BLUMAN, 4, 64.584 9 1114 REMBRANDT Z AARON VALE, 4, 66.692 10 1014 MALDINI ANGEL KAROLYI, 4, 72.169 11 922 UP CHIQUI KENT FARRINGTON, 5, 73.684 12 1248 RUMBA LA SILLA GABRIEL GALAN, 6, 74.422

Photo Caption: Debbie Stephens and All Star competing at the Kentucky Horse Park. Photo C 2008 Kenneth Kraus/ PhelpsSports.com. Photograph may be used only in relation to this PMG press release.