Clear skies welcomed competitors and spectators for the third day of the Kentucky Summer Horse Show at the Kentucky Horse Park. The Kentucky Summer Horse Show, produced by Kentucky Horse Shows LLC, will run through Sunday, August 1, 2010. Today’s highlight event was the THIS Children’s Medal class held in the Murphy ring, which challenged young riders for an excellent trip over fences in order to qualify for a top four spots in the test round immediately following the class.

The top four riders to qualify for the test resulted in Katherine Strauss and mount Duncan, owned by Heidi Tummel, Nikki Carr and Whisky, owned by Sweet Oak Farm, Spencer Smith aboard Icarus, owned by Selby Merrit, and Destry Spielberg riding Patriot, owned by Mallory Olsen. The top scoring pair in the qualifying round, Spielberg and Patriot earned a solid 85. The other top scores were as follows: Smith and Icarus (84), Carr and Whisky (83), and Strauss and Duncan (80).

The test for the class involved a trot fence to a counter canter fence, and then two canter fences with an immediate halt in front of the judge. Riders finished with a sitting trot back to the line.

The first to go was Strauss and Duncan who unfortunately had a rail down at the second jump, but they still advanced to the third place position in the final results. Next in the order was Carr and Whiskey who were clear despite a small chip and eventually earning the second place prize. Smith and Icarus were third to go, the pair left out the sitting trot at the end of the test, which dropped them into the fourth place position. Last to go was Spielberg and Patriot who completed a beautiful round with no flaws to walk away with top honors in the THIS Children’s Medal.

Closing out the day in the Stonelea Ring was the WIHS Hunter Equitation class. This first of two phases, the hunter phase consisted of 42 entries. Jessica Springsteen piloted Class Action, owned by Stone Hill Farm, to the day’s highest score of 87 points. Half a point behind Springsteen was Catherine Tyree and Triple Lutz scoring an 86.5. The WIHS Equitation Jumper Phase will continue on Sunday morning, August 1, 2010 in the Covered Arena.

Tomorrow at Kentucky Summer Horse Show the Junior Hunters will compete for championship and reserve championship prized in the Stonelea Ring. Next week the Kentucky Summer Classic will kick-off Tuesday, August 3, 2010 with the Junior Hunter Finals – East Coast. The month long excitement at the Kentucky Horse Park will also feature the 2010 USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals being held August 20-21, 2010.

For more information about the Kentucky Summer Horse Shows please visit www.KentuckyHorseShows.com

Photo Credit: Destry Spielberg and Patriot scored the top prize during the THIS Children’s Medal. Photo By: Whitney Campbell. This photo be only be used in relation to this PMG press release.

RESULTS:

Class 193, THIS CHILDREN’S MEDAL 1 486 PATRIOT DESTRY SPIELBERG MALLORY OLSEN 85.000 2 1682 WHISKEY NIKKI CARR SWEET OAK FARM 83.000 3 461 DUNCAN KATHERINE STRAUSS HEIDI TUMMEL 80.000 4 840 ICARUS SPENCER SMITH SELBY MERRITT 79.500 5 1148 REVEILLE PORTER ALLEN PORTER ALLEN 79.000 6 1061 WISHFUL THINKING ELIZABETH RUSS ELIZABETH RUSS 75.000

7 288 CARVIN CARALEE LAYNE CATALEE LAYNE 74.000 8 523 MADAM X LUCINDA BOYD LUCINDA BOYD 73.00