Junior and Adult Amateur Competitors Take Center Stage at Kentucky Spring Horse Show

Sam Walker Speeds to the Win in the High Junior/Amateur Owner Speed Class 

Lexington, KY – May 12, 2017 Sam Walker sped to the top of the High Junior and Amateur Owner Jumper class on Friday morning at the Kentucky Horse Park during the Kentucky Spring Horse Show. Walker was aboard Missy Clark’s Twan and completed the speed course in the fastest clear time of 61.198 seconds. Addison Gierkink rode Wisconsin III to a second place finish one second slower in a clear time of 62.484 seconds. and Noel Fauntleroy took home the third and fourth place ribbons with Arbitrage and Mae, respectively.

Thirty-four entries competed in the Rolex Arena over a course that was designed by Maria Azevedo and was very similar to the track that was featured in the first round of the $35,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic CSI3* from Thursday evening.

Walker, a Canadian junior rider from Ontario, completed the speed course on the 16-year-old bay gelding who is owned by Missy Clark of North Run Farm. Walker and Twan have been competing together since March and had multiple top place finishes in the Junior Jumper and 1.30m divisions at the Winter Equestrian Festival.

No stranger to the show ring, Walker was raised on his families Forest Hill Farm and began riding at the age of four. Once his parents placed him on top of a horse, he has never looked back and has excelled at hunter, equation and jumpers.

FEI Jumper competition continues tomorrow at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show with the $130,000 Hollow Creek Farm Grand Prix at 6:30pm in the Rolex Arena.

Sam Walker aboard Twan
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Sam Walker

On Riding with Trainer Missy Clark :

“I love training with Missy Clark. She is one of the best coaches, if not the best, in the world and she always is always there to guide me and be supportive. I really appreciate that she makes sure that I am prepared when I go into the ring.”

On Riding Twan:

“He is always very fast and always tries his heart out for me. He really is the perfect horse and I am lucky to ride him.”
RESULTS
High A-O/Jr Jumper Table II Section I

1. Twan / Sam Walker / Missy Clark

2. Wisconsin III / Addison Gierkink / Kadley Holdings LLC

3. Arbitrage / Noel Fauntleroy / Noel Fauntleroy

4. Mae / Noel Fauntleroy / Noel Fauntleroy

5. Cantero Da Lagoa / Anna Beth Athey / Anna Beth Athey

6. USA Today / Spencer Brittan / Spencer Brittan

7. Unex Captain Chaos 8 / Alma Bjorklund / Alma Bjorklund

8. Bente / Briley Koerner / BKS Horse Farms, LLC

9. Cardenfe / Abbey Soffer / Abbey Soffer

10. Chellana B / Viggo Bjorklund / Viggo Bjorklund

11. Armani / Helen Graves / Deerfield Farm LLC

12. Lisanto 2 / Briley Koerner / BKS Horse Farms, LLC


Sara Santisi Scores Ariat National Adult Medal Win

Lexington, Ky. – May 12, 2017 – Competing in her first show of the year, Ohio State University student Sara Santisi of Dublin, Ohio was on form, winning the Ariat National Adult Medal Friday morning at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show. Exhibitors were asked to navigate a course of eight fences designed by Bobby Murphy in the Claiborne Ring for the first round, and the top four to place returned for additional testing.

Returning in the reverse order of preference, riders were instructed to enter the ring at a walk, canter directly to fence two, halt, canter to fence eight, trot fence one, and exit the ring at a walk. Santisi was aboard her own Swedish Warmblood, Jackson, and scored an 83 in round one to came into the test in second place behind Emily Kowalchik who had an 88 in the first round.
The test played to Jackson’s strengths, and Santisi took over the lead to win the class. The duo executed a beautiful, consistent round, where Jackson immediately picked up the left lead after the halt.
Santisi purchased Jackson, a 12-year-old gelding, five years ago and the duo showed together in the junior hunters in 2016 before she aged out. Having also competed in the jumpers for a year, Santisi enjoys watching the professional jumper classes while at Kentucky Horse Park. Lyriss Jaeger of Georgetown, Kentucky rose from a score of 78 in round one to claim second place aboard her own Catanova while Lindsey Tomeu piloted Red Drum, owned by Elm Creek Holdings, LLC, to the third place honors.
On Saturday, the hunters will take center stage in the Stonelea Ring where the Grand Champion Amateur-Owner Hunter will be named. The Kentucky Spring Horse Show will come to a close on Sunday after the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby and the $5,000 World Equestrian Center/Kentucky Horse Shows USHJA National Hunter Derby.
Sarah Santisi and Jackson won the Ariat National Adult Medal.

FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Sarah Santisi 

 On the First Round

“Jackson likes his left lead better and there was a right lead bending line so I really had to set him up around the corner and make sure he landed right so we could bend to the oxer. Then from there we had the outside line and he is short strided because he is a small horse, so we had to push. Then we picked up the left lead to the two stride. He was really great throughout, nothing too complicated there and the last two singles he rode very well.”

On Jackson

“He’s a big teddy bear and he loves to cuddle. One of his favorite tricks is to eat pineapple off a fork. One day I was eating pineapple and he wanted a piece so I gave it to him and he loves it.”

RESULTS
Ariat National Adult Medal
1. Jackson / Sara Santisi / Sara Santisi
2. Catanova / Lyriss Jaeger / Lyriss Jaeger
3. Red Drum / Lindsey Tomeu / Elm Creek Holdings, LLC
4. Batista / Emily Kowalchik / Louise Cline
5. Devout / Larissa Hufnagel / Larissa Hufnagel
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