Press relase from Phelps Media Group
The final day of the Kentucky Spring Classic concluded jumper competition in the Rolex Stadium with the $35,000 Bluegrass Grand Prix, sponsored by Audi of Lexington. Thirty horse-and-rider combinations tested Kelvin Bywater’s (GBR) 16-effort first-round track where eight pairs returned to challenge the abridged jump-off phase. Athletes chased a double-clear finish, but Sunday’s finale saved the best for last as Ryan Genn (USA) and Dieta stopped the timers fault-free in 38.234 seconds to clinch the grand prix victory.
The first entry, Nicholas Dello Joio (USA), was the early pathfinder for a clear round to return as the first to contest the 8-effort jump-off round. Schuyler Riley (USA) and Kevin Babington (IRL) followed, but a double-clear finish was not seen until Juan Manuel Gallego Martinez (COL) entered aboard his own Kayack to produce a clear jump-off round in 41.904 seconds. Lorcan Gallagher (IRL) challenged his finish, riding Southern Arches LLC’s Cassandra F to a clear time of 40.010 seconds to take over the temporary lead. Hayley Barnhill (USA) would try her hand with a fault-free finish, but fell just short of Gallagher with a time of 40.658 seconds. Genn returned as the final contender in the jump-off and flew to the quickest time of 38.234 seconds to best all three double-clear efforts and capture the win.
Genn’s grand prix lap of honor was followed by the presentation for the Leading Open Jumper Rider Award, sponsored by Envisian Products, which he earned in part with Alex Granato (USA). Both athletes tied for points to share the award after Granato rode to first place in Saturday night’s $134,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix CSI3* with Carlchen W.
Genn and Dieta concluded a successful week of competition at the Kentucky Spring Classic after finishing in second place in Friday’s $5,000 1.45m Open Jumpers. The 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood is a special mare to the Genn family as they have partnered with her for five years and built her up through the levels together with Ryan’s father, Wilhelm, and brother, Theo.
Gallagher ultimately earned the second place award with the 11-year-old Swedish Warmblood mare, Cassandra F, which he just began riding in March 2019. Barnhill rounded out the top three with Ecanto J, a 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Barnhill and Cheska.
Earlier in the day, the sport’s up-and-coming athletes took to the ring in the $15,000 Under 25 Grand Prix in the Rolex Stadium. Eighteen horse-and-rider combinations tackled Bywater’s course, which asked pairs to complete 14 efforts under the time allowed of 71 seconds. The course proved challenging for many pairs, especially in the triple combination (vertical-oxer-vertical) where many fell victim to rails and refusals. However, it was Brian Moggre and MTM Los Angeles who tackled the course expertly to ultimately walk away with the blue ribbon.
Operating under a two-phase format, five combinations advanced to the jump-off phase where they challenged each other to produce the fastest fault-free round. First to go in the jump-off was Virginia Bonnie and Kimberley Prince’s Corneel. The pair set the bar for the remaining rounds by leaving all of the rails up and coming in under a time of 31.60 seconds. The following competitors, Jacqueline Steffans, KC Van Aarem, and Summer Hill, produced rounds that challenged Bonnie’s time, but ultimately ended with jumping faults.
Entering the ring next was Moggre and Major Wager LLC’s MTM Los Angeles. As the last to go in the jump-off Moggre had to not only go clear, but also beat Bonnie’s swift time. With seven efforts to tackle, Moggre utilized the 7-year-old Westphalian gelding’s large stride to stop the clock at 29.954 seconds, sealing their win. Up next, Moggre will campaign the promising young horse at Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Canada. Moggre is ending his two weeks at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show series on a high note, after winning both the $36,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic CSI3* and the $36,000 Welcome Speed CSI3*.
Ultimately finishing in second was Bonnie, while Steffans and Double C Stables’ Freaky Liefhebber claimed third with four faults and a time of 30.989 seconds in the jump-off.
Kentucky Horse Shows will continue at the Kentucky Horse Park for its summer series, which will begin with the Kentucky Summer Show from July 24 through 29. Highlights will include the $5,000 National Hunter Derby, sponsored by World Equestrian Center and Kentucky Horse Shows, and the $50,000 Rood and Riddle Kentucky Grand Prix. The Kentucky Spring Classic will take place directly after on July 31 through August 5.
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Ryan Genn – $35,000 Bluegrass Grand Prix winner
On Dieta:
“She’s a really special horse to our family because she is one that we have had since she was 6 [years old] and trained her up – she was doing the 1.0m classes when we got her. We developed her to doing smaller grand prix classes and my dad [Wilhelm] won a ton of 1.40m [classes] with her, but he had an injury and because of that she developed a little bit late. Theo [Genn, my brother] started showing her eventually in the grand prix classes and he loved her too, but he went to California so I started riding her last fall. She ended up being really good for me and I just never gave her back. She’s just coming into her prime.”
On the jump-off:
“It was really good. It was pretty much all about what you did in the lines. [Dieta] has such a big stride and she’s so good on the roll backs that I knew if I caught [fence] one nicely and I kept coming in six strides to [fence] two and then turn back to [fence] 15, I knew I was going to have it because she’s just so naturally fast. [Fence] one came up well and she jumped it careful so I just floated in the six. I knew all I had to do was just not mess up. I came a little bit faster than I wanted into the [double] combination and she really helped me out. I felt her twist and give a little extra effort from behind on the way out, so I was really proud of her.”
On Kentucky Horse Shows:
“I’ve always loved showing here. We’re only an hour away so any time I get to come here is always a pleasure. The ring is so nice and so much fun. It’s rare that we get to show in such a big ring like this where the footing is also good too.”
Brian Moggre – $15,000 Under 25 Grand Prix winner
On the class:
“I went towards the end of the class in the first round. Watching the other horses I had mixed feelings about the track. It was a good track, but it was difficult. It was nice to watch and take time to compare it to my horse. I knew that through the triple combination that if I just held his hand a little bit then he could do it and he was great. He is a 7-year-old but he acted like a seasoned horse so that’s really reassuring for his future.”
On the jump-off:
“Before I went there was only one clear so I could have jumped slower and gone clear, but I wanted to be quick in case I did have one down. He has such a massive stride so he soared over the first jump and then was really clever at the plank. I think I did one less stride to the next jump and then ran to the next jump. He is so good about knowing where his stride is. He was so adjustable in the final line.”
On MTM Los Angeles:
“I have had him for one year. He is seven now, and such a special horse. He is going to be such a star. Up next, he will have a little bit of break and then take him to Spruce Meadows. We’ll see how he likes the environment there and plan around that. We’ll be there for about five weeks. He is a great horse, he never lets me down.”
On Kentucky Horse Shows:
“I have never loved Kentucky more in my entire life, it’s been a great two weeks here. The horses love it here so much.”