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Lexington Junior League - Friday Morning



Friday morning features five classes, four of which require pattern work. The feature event on the program is the USEF Adult Saddle Seat Medal National Championship. This year’s event featured a record 13 entries, which Scott Matton referred to as “just fantastic!” He attributes the rise in numbers in part to a rule change that was put through this past year, eliminating the dropping of irons as a potential pattern piece for adult riders.

It was an intricate pattern that all 13 entries were asked to perform, with several riders showing pinpoint accuracy. Best of the best from the adult ranks this year was John Stutts of Louisville, Kentucky. Trained by Zubrod Stables, Stutts has put together a remarkable campaign, setting his sights now on the UPHA Adult Challenge Cup National Championship in September. Today, he was the last to be called out in the reverse order, breaking into a huge smile as the Zubrod team got loud. Anyone who has seen Stutts show will note how very rare it is to see him break his focused look. With six wins in six outings this season, he had plenty of reason to smile aboard his equine partner, CF Cool Night Out. The Reserve National Champion was the only other male rider in the ring, Joel Dorignac. The boys took it to the girls today on the Red Mile, as Dorignac and Sports Night claimed the reserve tri-color for Barbe Smith. Casey Morgan Tibolet and A Promise Fulfilled were third under the direction of Lisa Paxton, while Rachel Rafolski was fourth. The remainder of the Top 10 consisted of Jennifer McGowan, Sherrill Ducharme, Katie Bartlett Pagan, Constance MacQueen, Dr. Morgan Wolin, and Karen Frances Vick.

The junior exhibitor version of the USEF Saddle Seat Medal was first up on the schedule this morning, with Alexandra Lawson qualifying for Kansas City with a blue ribbon ride aboard Imagine My Surprise. This new team for 2011 has been formidable for the DeLovely banner, winning now for the seventh time on the year. Brooke Boyer has had a consistently brilliant season with The Crowd Favorite. Kent Swalla directed them to the reserve prize today.

Champion in the 13-and-Under Pleasure Equitation Championship was Sydney “Big Bud” Budzinski. She was the unanimous choice of the judges with Oh What A Feeling. Directed by Scott and Carol Matton, Sydney showed smart ringmanship and put together a superb pattern to take the tri-color back to Knollwood. Reserve Championship honors went back to Cape Cod with Maison Boyle. Riding The Millennium Man, Maison had great railwork today in this her first year out of Academy. Cailin Bridges and Wicked Whispers were third for Cater Stables.

The Junior Exhibitor Hackney Pleasure Driving Championship split up the two Pleasure Equitation Championships, with Rose Marie Wheeler making a top drive with Nashville Cat to top all three cards for Lisa McMackin and Charlotte Goodman. Nashville Cat was the Road Pony to Wagon World’s Champion in 2010 and the AHHS Hackney Pleasure Driving Youth Medallion National Champion in Kansas City. He took both victory passes in this division here on the Red Mile this week. Long a stalwart of this division, Cherry Royale was the reserve champion with Caroline Rainbolt-Forbes driving for the Rainbow Princess Farms. Trained by DeLovely, Cherry Royale and Caroline have recently made some of their best drives of their four year career together. Finnagan Winnagan and Jake Dachsteiner finished in third for Mark Dachsteiner and Landmark Farm.

It was just a year ago that the Pleasure Equitation 14-17 Championship entries got drenched in the torrential downpour that cut the session short following their class. Abby Mutrux was the champion then, avoiding drowning in what was fast becoming Lake Red Mile. This year it was another phenomenally gifted, highly decorated young lady taking the tricolor. Taylor Newton was the winner this time around aboard A Sweet Sensation. Instructed by Shelley Fisher, Taylor rides light and bright, teaming well with her longtime partner. The entries performed a triangle pattern today, with Taylor nailing it to perfection. Emily Chapman has followed the trend of West Coast riders coming to Kentucky for additional instruction. She trains at Bridleway Stables in Arizona with Marcia Everett and comes to Kentucky to work with Zubrod Stables. She was the reserve champion here today with My One Night Stand, her best finish on the Red Mile to date. Zubrod Stables also had the third place finisher in Kristin Smith aboard He’s The Real Deal. Kathryn Evans and All About Charm took the fourth-place ribbon back to Cater Stables. 

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