Source:  News Release/Classic Communications

World Champions Head Impressive List of Entries For Kentucky Reining Cup

Book Your Tickets Now to Watch Reining's Best Athletes Vie for Spot on the US Team!

Lexington, KY - Top horses and riders from six nations have confirmed their entries for the 2014 Kentucky Reining Cup, including all four members of the United States' 2010 Gold Medal World Championship team.

The Kentucky Reining Cup returns to the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY, April 25-27, and is a World Equestrian Games Selection Trial determining which horses and riders will represent the U.S. in the 2014 World Reining Championships at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France this summer.

Shawn Flarida, Tom McCutcheon, Craig Schmersal, and Tim McQuay, teammates on the U.S.'s Gold Medal World Championship team at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, headline the star-studded entry list. The United States has won the team gold medal at every WEG since the inclusion of the sport of Reining in the FEI family in 2000, and they return to the international stage with their sights set on defending that title.  Many more of the sport's leading riders from the U.S. and abroad have also entered, including defending Kentucky Reining Cup World Champion Freestyle Reiner, Shane Brown.

"Reining's biggest names will be participating at the Kentucky Reining Cup, and the show is going to be spectacular!" said Brad Ettleman, president of HorsePower, Inc., producer of the Kentucky Reining Cup. "The competition will be fierce as the stakes are high for a spot on the US Team, plus the crowning of a new World Champion in the exciting Freestyle. It doesn't get any more exciting than that for the spectators!"

The Kentucky Reining Cup is held in conjunction with the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event Presented by Land Rover, and features the Adequan/USEF Open Reining National Championship, the widely popular World Championship Freestyle Reining, the Kentucky Reining Cup Team Challenge, FEI Junior and Young Rider classes, and the addition of the Nutrena® Para-Reining event.  Total prize money for the three-day event is an amazing $120,000.

Entries include:

• Shawn Flarida of the United States, a two-time World Equestrian Games team Gold medalist (2002 & 2010) with an individual Gold (2002), and an FEI World Reining Masters Gold medalist (2006)
• Tom McCutcheon of the United States, a two-time World Equestrian Games team Gold medalist (2002 & 2010), with World Equestrian Games (2010) and FEI World Reining Final individual Gold medals (2010) and an individual Silver (2002)
• Tim McQuay of the United States, a two-time World Equestrian Games team Gold medalist (2006 & 2010) with an individual Silver (2006), and two-time FEI Masters Finalist
• Craig Schmersal of the United States, World Equestrian Games team Gold medalist (2010), with an individual Silver (2010), World Reining Silver Medalist (2011)
• Pete Kyle of the United States, five-time USEF Freestyle Gold Medal winner and the 2012 World Freestyle Champion, two-time USEF Don Burt award winner, Silver medalist, USEF National Championship (2012)
• Lisa Coulter of Canada, a veteran of the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games, two-time FEI Top Ranking Rider (2006 & 2011), Individual & Team Silver medalist at the Lexington CRIO5* (2009), three-time FEI Masters Finalist.

The full list of entries is available online at the Kentucky Reining Cup website at: http://www.kentuckyreining.com/competitors.html

The 2014 Kentucky Reining Cup schedule includes:

• Friday, April 25 - CRI3* and Opening Round of the Adequan/USEF Open Reining National Championship and the  Kentucky Reining Cup Team Challenge
• Saturday, April 26 - FEI Junior and Young Rider classes, Nutrena Para-Reining Event, and The World Championship Freestyle Reining - An annual crowd favorite
• Sunday, April 27 - Kentucky Reining Cup CRI3* / Second Go and Final of the Adequan/USEF National Open Championship & Official US Reining Team Selection Trial

For more information or to order tickets for the 2014 Kentucky Reining Cup, please visit www.KentuckyReining.com. 

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