Lexington, KY -  Five days of top-rated hunter competition came to a close today as the Kentucky Spring Horse Show awarded its final hunter championships in the Junior and Children's Hunter divisions. Leaving the Kentucky Horse Park with the championship tricolor in the Children's Hunter 14 and Under division was rider Jane Brooks and her mount Lifeline.

 

Brooks, a Cincinnati, OH native, always enjoys making the relatively short trip from home to horse show at the Kentucky Horse Park and this weekend was no exception - and with good reason. Brooks and Lifeline came in to the day with a first and third place finish over yesterday's Children's Hunter 14 and Under courses, and they earned a score of 84 and the blue ribbon over today's first course before being awarded the division championship honors.

"It feels like home here, so I don't get too nervous, and it's beautiful," Brooks shared. "There was just a nice easy flow to the courses today, and Lifeline was great. He's just wonderful to ride and such a sweet guy. He knows what to do so you just let him kind of relax."

 

Brooks has had Lifeline or 'Regis', creatively named for Regis Philbin from the show 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire' for nearly three years. Now, under the expert tutelage of David Belford of New Hope Farm LCC in Cincinnati, OH, Brooks is looking forward to advancing to the Junior Hunters with Regis.

 

"It's very fortunate to have a horse like him, and it's going to be exciting to watch them move up together," Belford commented. "I'm really looking forward to the future."

 

The future also looks bright for junior rider, Cloe Hymowitz. Hymowitz swept both the champion and reserve champion awards in the Kentucky Spring Horse Show's Large Junior 16-17 Hunter division. Hymowitz, a Bridgehampton, NY resident, earned the highest honor aboard Garfield and took the reserve with Perfectionist, both owned by Rose Hill Farms LLC.

 

 

Hymowitz started riding Garfield just two months ago when he was purchased from Alexandra Crown, but the pair synced immediately, winning their first class together and seeing continued success since then.

 

"I can't even describe him in words. He's one of the most amazing horses I've ever ridden. He's so much fun, and he's incredible in the ring," Hymowitz shared following her victory.

 

After winning both of the Large Junior 16-17 Hunter over fences classes yesterday, Hymowitz and Garfield finished first over the first course of the division today. The duo clinched the second place ribbons in both the handy round and the under saddle to guarantee their spot as champions of the division.

 

"Everything came up really nice on him in the ring," Hymowitz said. "You just need to keep your leg on him, otherwise he's pretty straight forward. You just point him at the jump and it comes up so nicely."

 

The only horse to surpass Garfield in the handy class and the under saddle today was Hymowitz's second mount, Perfectionist. The pair earned a score of 84 over the Skip Bailey designed handy course in the Stonelea Ring to finish with the blue ribbon.

 

"He's one of my more difficult hunters to ride, but I've become pretty consistent on him, which is exciting because the year before I wasn't," Hymowitz said of Perfectionist. "His personalities great, and he's really sweet to me."

 

Rounding out the Children's Hunter championships today were Kylie Geddes and Spandau. With Geddes at the reins, the seven-year-old grey gelding swept all four of the Children's 15-17 Hunter over fences classes to ride away with the victory in the division.

 

"He's very lazy, but he was a very a good boy today," Geddes mentioned. "I'm looking forward to being back here again next week."

 

While the Kentucky Spring Horse Show has come to a close, the competition will resume at the Kentucky Horse Park as the Kentucky Spring Classic kicks off on Wednesday, May 15 and runs through Sunday, May 19. This second leg of the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows will feature numerous hunter divisions as well as the $5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby and the $1,5000 Take2 Thoroughbred Hunter division.

 

For more information about the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows, please visithttp://www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.