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Barri Platt Takes the Blue in the USEF Hunter Seat Medal at the Kentucky Summer Classic

August 9, 2008

Lexington, KY --- It was another beautiful day at the Kentucky Horse Park. Today at the Kentucky Summer Classic, junior riders competed in the Indoor Arena in the USEF Hunter Seat Medal and the ASPCA Maclay.

Riders competed over an exciting course during the USEF Hunter Seat Medal. They began over a large oxer, and then had a roll back to a bending line. Next was a forward five-stride line, followed by an easy two-stride. The course ended with an oxer bending to a vertical. Many riders had difficulties at the last fence, having a rub or pulling the top rail.

The top four riders were called back for the test. They were asked to canter the first two fences and roll back to the diagonal line. After the first jump they had to break back and trot the out jump. Then they returned to the final fence from the previous course, jumping it the other direction. Riders then halted, and finally cantered away over a single oxer.

Barri Platt took home the blue ribbon on her mount Isis, owned by Don Stewart of Ocala, FL. “My first round felt pretty good. It was forward and she had a great pace to all the jumps,” said Platt. She was the first rider to take the inside turn from the five-stride line to the two-stride. “I think if you’re going in to win you might as well do whatever is most difficult.”

During her test course Platt took down the rail at fence eight. She explained, “She was really good. She picked up the canter right away and jumped the first fence. From two to the oxer, that rode perfect! She came back really nicely to the trot fence. We had the rail down at the vertical, but she rode it really well and came back to the halt nicely. It ended really well.”

Chelsea Huss rode Collin, owned by Jason Schnelle of Collierville, TN, in the class and took the red ribbon. Third place was awarded to Brian Stucky and Grand Traverse, owned by Robert Stucky of Cherryville, NC. Katherine Lee Gay and Chesterfield’s Finally Found, owned by Elizabeth Morgan Gay of Carrollton, GA, had an unfortunate stop at the trop jump, and received fourth place honors.

The next class in the Indoor Arena was the ASPCA Maclay. Riders started with a bending line, followed by a single oxer on the diagonal. Then they rode to the two-stride line, continuing to the five-stride diagonal line. Riders finished over a long, three-fence, bending line.

The winner of the class was Danielle Menker with Countdown, owned by Margie Engle of Wellington, FL. Andrew Farless of Novi, MI, and Strictly Business took home the red ribbon. Third place honors went to Caroline Donnally aboard The New Yorker, owned by Christine Biederman of Dallas, TX.

Menker was very excited about her win. She smiled, “I was very happy with him. I felt confident going in because we got second in the USEF Show Jumping Talent Search earlier today. The course rode really well. I’ve only been riding him for a week, and this is his first day doing the medals. So far it’s been great!”

Tomorrow will be the last day of competition at the Kentucky Summer Classic. The Stonelea Ring will begin at 8 a.m. with the amateur owner divisions. Championship and reserve championship prizes will be award to the top horse and rider combinations.

For more information on the Kentucky Summer Horse Shows, please go to www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.

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