Lexington, Ky. – Aug. 3, 2019 – On a picturesque summer evening at the Kentucky Horse Park, 28 horse-and-rider combinations attempted to maneuver the course designed by Bobby Murphy for the $50,000 Kentucky Classic Grand Prix. A myriad of fences came down in the first round for the majority of the athletes with only six pairs advancing to the jump-off. It was a race of speed in the 8-effort jump-off with riders thundering across the Rolex Stadium trying to overtake their competitors to the cheer of the crowd. At the end, Brian Moggre swiftly navigated the course on Major Wager LLC’s MTM Flutterby to add another grand prix win to his resume. Moggre overtook Jimmy Torano’s impressive time of 44.857 seconds by the skin of his teeth, breaking the timers in only 44.727 seconds, only a mere .13 seconds to spare. Torano finished the class in second place on Glasgow De Muze, while Ireland’s Darragh Kerins placed third on Carlos JD Z.
In the first round, the very first athlete in the order of go, Brazil’s Celso Ariani confidently completed the course clear, but it took 11 more athletes before the next clear finish by Callie Schott on Christiaan. Joining Ariani and Schott in the jump-off phase was Moggre, Torano, Kerins and Diego Perez Bilbao.
Schott was the first athlete to jump double-clear but her time of 49.960 seconds was quickly beaten by Kerins on NRG Farm LLC’s Carlos JD Z, a 10-year-old Warmblood gelding, with a time of 47.810 seconds. The spectators were on the edge of their seats cheering on the remaining riders who gave thrilling efforts of tight turns and swift galloping between fences. Determined to jump into the lead was the next rider, Torano aboard Glasgow De Muze, Ilan Ferder’s 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding. Shaving off three seconds from Kerin’s time, Torano finished in 44.857 seconds. The duo have had a successful career at the Kentucky Horse Park, winning the 2018 $50,000 Rood & Riddle Grand Prix and finishing in second place in last week’s $50,000 Rood & Riddle Grand Prix.
With what looked to be an unbeatable performance by Torano, the class seemed won but young rider, Moggre was unfazed by the challenge. With an ecstatic crowd encouraging his need for speed, Moggre raced his long-time partner, MTM Flutterby, across the course with dramatic acceleration heading into the final oxer. With a minuscule time difference of .13 seconds, he broke the timers in 44.727 seconds, allowing him to top the leaderboard in a wildly entertaining fashion for the spectators.
With five years of partnership shared between the two, Moggre analyzed the course and knew where he could take risks aboard the trusty 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare. Saturday evening, Moggre even warmed-up alone as one of his coaches, Tracy Fenney, was busy winning the grand prix at Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, Illinois. Moggre and MTM Flutterby have captured countless career-highlighting wins, including the Black Barn $250,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Prix and individual bronze at the Adequan/FEI North American Junior Championships in 2016.
No stranger to the winner’s circle at the Kentucky Horse Park, Moggre and MTM Flutterby won the $36,000 Welcome Speed 1.45m CSI3* earlier this year at the Kentucky Spring Classic and most recently, they placed second in Thursday’s $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic. Based on his performance this week in the $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic and Saturday’s win in the $50,000 Kentucky Classic Grand Prix, Moggre also received the Envisian Leading Rider Award, presented by Envisian Products, LLC.
The Kentucky Summer Classic will conclude on Sunday with the USHJA Pony Hunter Derby taking center stage in the Rolex Arena ahead of next week’s USEF Pony Finals presented by Collecting Gaits Farm.
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Brian Moggre – $50,000 Kentucky Summer Grand Prix winner
On his performance:
“I am ecstatic right now. This horse is very sentimental to me and Leslie (LAST NAME NEEDED) who works with me. We are actually here on our own because Mike [McCormick], Tracy [Fenney] and the rest of the MTM crew are up at EquiFest at Lamplight [Equestrian Center]. She won the grand prix up there tonight too so that’s awesome. It means a lot to be able to come here and be able to do it on my own and make them proud. Leslie and I work so hard together, and it was a great feeling for it to all come together.”
On MTM Flutterby:
“Mike and Tracy bred her and she has taken me around the low junior jumpers, the high junior jumpers, the prix de states, Young Riders, and 5* classes at Spruce Meadows. She has seen me through my highest points and also my lowest moments. A class like this is tough enough for her, especially under the lights. I can’t expect too much from her because she has been around the block, but we can always rely on her. She was really on my side tonight and it worked out well. She is a firecracker. She is so spicy, so quick and I think that’s what makes her great. She has such a heart and that means the world.”
On the course
“I thought the course rode scopey enough, especially for my horse, and I thought it was technical. The jump-off had a lot of straight lines and it was basically a foot race between jumps and that is where she really thrives. She is so quick off the leg and she’s half Thoroughbred so she can race down those long lines and really make up time there. I really took a shot to the last jump, which is not something I typically do with her, but she was really on my side today and I’m glad she was.”
On riding the jump-off after Torano’s quick time:
“For a second I thought to myself, “Wow, that was very fast!” but then I thought to myself “But I’m going to be faster!” She was great and I was confident going into it. I really wanted this win for myself.”
On his success at the Kentucky Horse Park:
“I think the horses are in really top form right now coming off of Spruce Meadows. They love the environment here and the Horse Park is wonderful. I really enjoy myself here and the horses seem really happy here. Being here puts us all in a good mood and sets us up to succeed.”
On his advice to youth riders who look up to him:
“The one advice that I cannot stress enough — If you don’t have goals, you cannot succeed. You need to have short term and long term goals for your career. Tonight was a short-term goal for me and something I looked forward to. Down the road, I would love to qualify for the FEI World Cup Finals next year. I’m really working toward that and hopefully can achieve that. If you don’t have goals, you don’t have direction. Everyone on your team has to be aware of your goals. My parents, my trainers, and everyone on my team is eager to help accomplish set goals by working together. I cannot thank them enough for their support. I am very spoiled with the best horses in the world and a great team behind me.”
Jimmy Torano – $50,000 Kentucky Summer Grand Prix second place
On his performance tonight:
“You can’t ever be mad about second place but two weeks in a row… I gotta tell you, I thought when I went, I thought I did enough but Brian Moggre is on a very fast horse and he’s a very fast rider and he’s had a heck of a year, so he’s always dangerous coming in behind me. But I have to say, had he gone before me and I went dead last, I wouldn’t have done anything any different. I went as fast as I thought my horse could go. He’s a very fast horse as well. He spends a lot more time in the air than Brian’s does, I think that was the difference. I think I did less strides a lot of places and I ran flat out, but my horse just spends a lot of time in the air and I thought I did enough. When I came out of the ring, I thought and said ‘If he beats me, he deserves it’ because I put everything into it. I laid it all out there and he got me fair and square.”
On Glasgow De Muze:
“He’s a winner. He’s very fast, he’s very careful, especially in the jump-off. Going fast doesn’t really affect him, he thrives on it. If you get in the jump-off, you’ve always got a chance in the jump-off with him. I can always run him, you can go with several nights in a row, several days in a row, you don’t have to protect him or save him like a lot of horses.”
On his jump-off strategy:
“I’m on a very fast horse and I did walk strides a few places. It was very similar to last week’s jump-off, it was just gallop, gallop, gallop and my horse has a big stride and it was just all out from start to finish. There was a double, 8a-b, at the end of the ring and I turned back to that double with one stride. I thought I was quick. On the landing, there was a tree and I think I was the only one that turned inside of the tree, but Brian’s horse was quick and doesn’t spend a lot of time in the air and I think that’s what made the difference tonight.”
On showing a the Kentucky Summer Classic:
“I love it here. You can’t get any better than this. It’s nice that last week we had a special class with the Hats Off day, and it seemed like the fans liked it, we had a great crowd. It’s a knowledgeable crowd and with Pony Finals coming up, it’s a big show this week, a lot for the pony riders are out here watching which is great. There’s not a better facility, no better footing, everything about this place is top notch. As I said to Hugh Kincannon, Roy who tends to the footing is second to none. He’s someone you want on your staff and everyone here is like that. This place is second to none.”
RESULTS
$50,000 Kentucky Summer Grand Prix
Place / Horse / Rider / Country / R1 Faults | Time / R2 Faults | Time
1. MTM Flutterby / Brian Moggre / USA / 0 | 77.336 / 0 | 44.727
2. Glasgow De Muze / Jimmy Torano / USA / 0 | 79.774 / 0 | 44.857
3. Carlos JD Z / Darragh Kerins / IRL / 0 | 82.108 / 0 | 47.810
4. Christiaan / Callie Schott / USA / 0 | 82.461 /0 | 49.960
5. Ukulman De La Nutria / Celso Ariani / BRA / 0 | 79.893 / 4 | 45.332
6. Oso Del Terriccio / Diego Perez Bilbao / ESP / 0 | Time / 4 | 45.470
7. Zarina De Vidau / Samantha Schaefer / USA / R1 Faults | Time
8. Le Vio / Pablo Barrios / BRA / 4 | 75.351
9. Shiver / Liza Finsness / USA / 4 | 78.509
10. Javas Miss Jordan / Nicky Galligan / IRL / 4 | 78.702
11. Helios / Diego Perez Bilbao / ESP / 4 | 81.025
12. Win For Life 111Z / Spencer Brittan / USA / 4 | 81.441
Jennifer Waxman and Dominic Gibbs Dominate $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby at Kentucky Summer Classic
Lexington, Ky. – Aug. 3, 2019 – TThe $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, sponsored by World Equestrian Center/Kentucky Horse Shows LLC was the feature class in the Stonelea Ring Saturday at the Kentucky Summer Classic. Sixty-nine hunters took center stage to compete for the title that were broken down into two sections, Pro and Non-Pro. In the Pro section, Jennifer Waxman rode Elm Rock LLC’s Codex 22 to the win followed by Jeff Gogul and Robert Stables LLC’s Snowbird in second, while Domnic Gibbs rode Erin Gibbs’ Perseus YC to first place in the Non-Pro section with Savannah Sugar on her own Boccaccio coming in second.
Due to the large number of entries, the class was split into two sections — Pro and Non-Pro. The top 12 riders of each section returned for the handy round. In the Pro division, scores ranged from 71 to 94 to make the cut, with Jennifer Waxman and Codex 22 leading the way. In the Non-Pro division, scores went from 66 all the way up to a 90, earned by Perseus YC and Dominic Gibbs.
The handy round included four high options and a trot fence and offered a wide variety of inside turns to riders to show off their horses’ handiness. Returning in reverse order on an open card, both Waxman and Gibbs did not crumble under pressure and held their leads. Waxman, aboard Codex 22, earned scores of 92 plus the four high options to clinch the win with 190 total points thanks to their smooth and effortless round. Codex 22 is a 12-year-old Westphalian gelding who is new to the hunter ring. This marks just his second show as hunter. The duo was second last week in the same class, winning the handy round as well.
In the Non-Pro section of the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, Dominic Gibbs and Perseus YC were also able to hold the top spot after their handy round effort. The pair matched their first round score of 90 after receiving an 87 from the judges plus three points for taking three high options for a total score of 180. Perseus YC is owned by Dominic’s mother Erin and is also ridden by his younger sister, Jordan, in the Junior Hunter division. The family has had the horse since he was a yearling and broke him themselves. Although based out of Colorado, Dominic receives coaching from Stacia Madden at horse shows.
The National Hunter Derby Program was launched in 2010 to provide both horses and riders a place to gain experience in Derby competition at a lower height and difficulty level than the International Hunter Derbies. The program has enjoyed continued success and growth throughout the years and is rising in popularity. Sunday’s feature class is part of a 17-event USHJA National Hunter Derby series collaboration sponsored by the World Equestrian Center and Kentucky Horse Shows that includes $20,000 in rider bonuses to be awarded at the World Equestrian Invitational in October.
The Kentucky Summer Classic will conclude Sunday with the presentation of the Grand Amateur Owner Hunter Championship presented by Visse Widell in the Stonelea Ring, as well as the Pony Hunter Derby in the Rolex Stadium.
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Jennifer Waxman – $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby pro section winner
On Codex 22:
“This is his second show as a hunter. He’s amazing. I’m riding him for the DeMartinis and a while ago I asked if I could make him a hunter because I thought he might like it, and he seems to really like it. He’s really clever, easy, and so fun to ride. You just pick up a canter and he just goes. Because he’s so smart, he just gets it and of course the handys are really fun. Last week, he was really good. We were second and we got a big score in the handy, but I was a little slow in the first round. It’s really mine to mess up. I just sit there and he takes care of the rest.”
On her strategy for the handy round:
“My strategy was just to be smooth and nice. He [Codex 22] is so good, so my strategy was pretty much just to not mess it up for him. I just try not to overthink it. When you’re riding a good horse, it makes your life a lot easier.”
On what’s next for Codex 22:
“He’ll off next week off during Pony Finals and then I’ll keep showing him as a hunter. I’ll talk to the owners and see what they want to do. I just want him to go to a good home and I’m happy that he has a career he really likes. He’s going to make someone a very happy person. I’m just glad I get to be a little part of it. I’m so thankful to the DiMartinis for this opportunity and to everyone that helps me.”
On Saturday’s course:
“The courses were good! They’re a lot longer than normal hunter courses, so I just try to make sure I stay focused and don’t go off course. I thought they were fun and challenging enough. I did an inside turn in the handy round on my first horse that I didn’t do on Codex 22. It was just a little awkward.”
On showing at the Kentucky Summer Classic:
“It’s so nice! I live at Spy Coast Farm and we can literally ride over here so it’s very convenient. It’s such a nice facility and the management does a great job. I’ve been coming here since I was little so it’s fun. Of course, the cross country course is so nice! That’s what I do to prepare for these horses. I like to take them for a stroll out there. It just keeps their brain fresh.”
Dominic Gibbs – $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby non-pro section winner
On winning:
“It feels quite amazing to win against this many competitors. We’ve had this horse since he was a yearling and both my mom, my sister and I have ridden him. I’ve had a lot of mistakes in derbies before with him, so it’s really great that it’s finally all coming together.”
On Perseus YC:
“We’ve had him since he was a yearling, we gelded him and brought him along since he was a baby. We broke him and he was quite the problem child when he was young and just within this last year, we’re starting to get out head on straight. He’s been doing very well this past year. Jordan, my sister, has ridden him and she’s done excellent in the Junior Hunters with him and I did him in the Junior Hunters as well. He’s magnificent – he’s just like riding a cloud. He’s so smooth and you can see the distance from so far away. He’s so handy it’s amazing.”
On his strategy for the handy round:
“I had a six point lead on the second place rider and I was looking at an inside turn to the trot fence and I deciding whether or not to do it. My coach, Stacia Madden, advised me to go around and since I had a nice lead, she said not to risk and try not to beat yourself. Just go around and play it safe.”
On what’s next for Perseus YC:
“I am going to the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival in Michigan next week and Perseus is going to go home to Colorado and maybe do some fall shows with my sister.”
On Saturday’s course:
“I really liked both courses actually. It gave us a lot of options, so it kept the riders on their toes and really had us focus through the course.”
On showing at the Kentucky Summer Classic:
“It’ such an amazing show. The rings always run on time and everything is so well managed. I love the courses and I love the competition!”
RESULTS
$5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby Open Section
Place / Horse / Rider / Owner / R1 Score / R2 Score / Total Score
1. Codex 22 / Jennifer Waxman / Elm Rock LLC / 94 / 96 / 190
2. Snowbird / Jeff Gogul / Robert Stables LLC / 91 / 89 / 180
3. Conor / Jennifer Waxman / Jennifer Waxman LLC / 89 / 87 / 176
4. Niko / Steven Gregorio / Cynthia Chaconas / 87 / 86.5 / 173.5
5. Dallas / Brandon Gibson / Select Sport Horses / 83 / 88 / 171
6. Neuwirth SCF / Mary Mielenz / Wendy Meyers / 84 / 86 / 170
7. SWS All In / Emily Williams / Steve Weder / 82.5 / 80 / 162.5
8. Quarterletto / Callie Schott / Riverview Farm LLC / 78 / 82 / 160
$5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby Non-Pro Section
Place / Horse / Rider / Owner / R1 Score / R2 Score / Total Score
1. Perseus YC / Dominic Gibbs / Erin Gibbs / 90 / 90 / 180
2. Boccaccio / Savannah Sugar / Savannah Sugar / 84 / 83 / 167
3. App For That / Madison Winebrenner / Madison Winebrenner / 82 / 79 / 161
4. Eres Tu / Anna Robson / Ana Robson / 76 / 80 / 156
5. Limitless / Jordan Gibbs / Dominic Gibbs / 81 / 70 / 151
6. Quaboom / Emma Blumenkrantz / Frances Moppett / 70 / 80 / 150
7. Carluca / Savannah Metheny / Savannah Metheny / 79 / 68 / 147
8. Welcome / Mary Elizabeth Cordia / Mary Elizabeth Cordia / 73 / 69 / 142
