The lead in the 2010 Hagyard Challenge Series is still being held by Pablo Barrios of Venezuela. He completed a one-two finish in the first $30,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic and earned a second place ribbon in the second $30,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic held during the 2010 Kentucky Spring Horse Shows.

Reed Kessler continues to move up in the standings as she retains the second place position, and now just 50 points now separate her from Barrios. Kessler won last Thursday’s $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic at the Kentucky Summer Horse Show. The young rider finish fourth during this Thursday’s grand prix event and has also finished fourth in both of the previous events held during the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows to earn points towards her current standing.

Last year’s $50,000 Leading Rider Margie Engle has now taken over the third place position after placing third with Lord Spezi and sixth aboard Indigo during this Thursday’s $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic.

The Hagyard Challenge Series is a summer-long series of five show jumping events at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, host of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian GamesT. The fifth and final event will be the the $50,000 Hagyard CSI-W Lexington Classic held on August 20, 2010, during the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show.

The rider who accumulates the most points in the series will receive a $50,000 Leading Rider Award, which will be presented to the winner following the completion of the last event.

This award would not be possible without many generous sponsors including presenting sponsor AdequanR; Dean Dorton Ford; Pfizer Animal Health; Hagyard Flex-Tra 200; Kathleen Sullivan, CIMA, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney; Turf Town Properties; Audi of Lexington; and The Spa at Griffin Gate Resort.

The Hagyard Equine Medical Institute of Lexington, KY, was founded in 1876. The institute, which is located directly across from the Kentucky Horse Park, is one of the oldest and largest equine veterinary practices in the world and is known for its excellence in veterinary medicine. The Hagyard Sport Horse Program, a specialized department at the institute, serves the nation’s top sport horse athletes and brings the same level of excellent care to high performance horses that the institute has provided for the race horse and breeding industries for decades.

For more information on the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows please go to www.kentuckyhorseshows.com

To learn more about the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, please go to www.hagyard.com ht

HAGYARD CHALLENGE SERIES STANDINGS

(Following Hagyard Challenge on 8/5/10)

1 610 PABLO BARRIOS 2 560 REED KESSLER 3 270 MARGIE ENGLE 4 250 DEBBIE STEPHENS 250 LAUREN CROOKS h 250 MARILYN LITTLE-MEREDITH 7 240 MAURICE BEATSON 8 190 PAIGE JOHNSON 9 170 DIEGO VIVERO 10 150 CHRISTINE MCCREA