Lexington, Ky. – Oct. 15, 2018 – After capturing top prizes in grand prix events throughout the spring and summer, Ireland’s Lorcan Gallagher earned the $50,000 Leading Rider Bonus during the 2018 Hagyard Challenge Series.
The Hagyard Challenge series consisted of seven grand prix classes held during the 2018 show series at the Kentucky Horse Park. The series concluded with the $65,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic during the Kentucky National Horse Show. Following that exciting competition, Gallagher was announced as the winner of the $50,000 Leading Rider Bonus and presented with the cash prize by the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute.
Hagyard Equine Medical Institute is one of the oldest and largest equine veterinary practices in the world. Founded in 1876, the institute offers a staff with qualifications unparalleled by any single non-university veterinary group in the equine industry. Hagyard veterinarians have dedicated themselves to the health and well-being of the horse.
Gallagher calls Lexington home for part of the year at Spy Coast Farm, and being able to win in the horse capital of the world made the victory that much more exciting. “It’s so great,” he said. “I wasn’t going to totally chase it, but after getting a few early results that did become a bit of a goal. To be able to pull it off at the end was really nice. We showed basically every show here. It’s great fences, always good course designers there, and the footing is always really good. It was great to be able to show at home basically every few weeks in the summer.”
Gallagher took home both first and third place during August’s $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic riding Hunters Conlypso and Charlie respectively. His consistent results throughout the rest of this year’s Hagyard Challenge Series culminated in the leading rider bonus which he received at the Kentucky National Horse Show.
“Thank you to Hagyard for their support and to Kentucky Horse Shows. They really do a great job at running the shows, they’re very hospitable. And then of course, the team at Sweet Oak, Shane and Ali Sweetnam, just thank you to them for their support and the horses,” Gallagher said.
Finish just behind Gallagher was Alex Granato coming in second place, while Darragh Kenny earned the third place spot in the rankings.
The 2018 Hagyard Challenge Series would like to thank its title sponsor, MWI Animal Health, and its presenting sponsor, Zoetis, as well as Dean Dorton Allen Ford, PLLC, Audi of Lexington, Pike & Preston, Sallee Horse Vans, Central Kentucky Ag Credit and Hagyard Pharmacy who helped make the thrilling series happen once again.
With more than 50 veterinarians and 142 years behind it, Hagyard Equine Medical Institute is the oldest and one of the largest private equine veterinary practices in the world. Based in Lexington, Kentucky, the facility, located across the street from the Kentucky Horse Park, boasts superior ambulatory services, the world-renowned Davidson Surgery Center, McGee Medicine and Fertility Centers, Hagyard Laboratory, Hagyard Sports Medicine & Podiatry Center, and
hyperbaric medicine facilities. For more information about the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute please visit hagyard.com.
For more information about the Kentucky Horse Shows, please visit www.KentuckyHorseShows.com.
