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Kelley Farmer Scores Hat Trick at Bluegrass Festival Horse Show

August 19, 2010

Lexington, KY --- Chilly weather and cloudy skies could not hold back spectators and competitors as the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show continued today at the Kentucky Horse Park. The Kentucky Summer Horse Shows will conclude this Sunday, August 22, 2010, after an exciting month-long run of top competition. The professional hunter divisions wrapped up their second day of competition today, many preparing for tomorrow's long awaited $100,000 The Chronicle of the Horse/USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals.

The first division to show this morning in the Stonelea Ring was the First Year Green Working Hunters. Reserve Champion was awarded to Sarah Young aboard Select, owned by Carrie Quirin. Pulling out top notch, however, was Hunt Tosh on Good Humor, proudly owned by Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Wheeler. The pair was awarded the championship honors for their incredible performance over the last two days.

"I thought he was great today," smiled Tosh. "It went really well, the horse went really nicely. He won both classes yesterday, which was fabulous; and when you win both the first day you hope you hang in there and have a good second day. He's a good horse and he always steps up when you want him to and tries really hard, so I thought he was great."

Good Humor is an eight-year-old, owned by the Wheelers for two years now. "We had him last year; he's a pretty good horse. He's been champion a lot this year, and it's been fabulous. There's a lot of good competition and good horses at this show, and hopefully next year we'll do some derbies together."

Next to compete in the Stonelea Ring was the Green Conformation Hunters division. Kelley Farmer atop Wordly, owned by Jennifer Smith, and won the reserve championship prize after being awarded second and fifth place over fences and first prize under saddle. Hunt Tosh once again scored the championship tricolor, but this time riding Tasty, owned by Showcase Ltd. They demonstrated beautiful horsemanship, accomplishing the difficult feat of two first place ribbons for his rounds and fourth place under saddle.

The Second Year Green Working Hunter division got underway next with two over fences classes and an under saddle class. Louise Serio and Do Tell, owned by Bridget Hallman, was awarded reserve champion following a set of third place ribbons for both rounds and under saddle. It was Kelley Farmer, however, who stole the championship award on her mount Sunshine, owned by Shelia Motley. Farmer rode crisply and smoothly, taking home first and second place ribbons for her rounds and the first place prize under saddle.

"She was really good," noted Farmer. "I was really happy with her. She's so much fun in the handy classes because you can make such sharp turns."

Sunshine is a nine-year-old mare who was purchased last year. She had a long break after Florida, but Farmer is thrilled with her progress. "She's come back fantastic, and we're really happy," she explained. "Shelia shows her in the Young Amateurs, and she'll be riding her this weekend."

Farmer continued, "Sunshine has been champion a couple of times with me in Second Years. She was fifth at Traders' Point in the Derby, so she's starting to do the derbies. Hopefully she'll be in that class next year; we're very excited about her."

The final division to compete today was the Regular Working Hunters. Reserve Champion was awarded to Louise Serio aboard Castle Rock, owned by Bryan Baldwin and Meralex Farm. Serio won first and third place prizes for her rounds, and a first place ribbon under saddle. Earning her third tricolor ribbon of the day was Kelley Farmer, this time riding Taken, owned by Nancy Amling. Farmer was awarded the grand championship honors after winning both of her over fences classes yesterday as well as third place ribbon under saddle today.

"Taken is still only a first year horse, still seven years old, so he can get a little green sometimes," said Farmer. "He got a little green the first round, but came back the second round much, much better. Yesterday he was very good and I think he's ready for tomorrow's Derby Finals."

Tomorrow in the Stonelea Ring, the Amateur-Owner Hunter divisions will begin competing as they vie for championship and reserve championship honors. The main event tomorrow will be the First Round of the $100,000 The Chronicle of the Horse/USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals, which will get underway at 8a.m. in the Indoor Arena. Later in the day, the $50,000 CSI-W Haygard Lexington Classic will also be held in the Indoor Arena, beginning at 7p.m.

For more information about the Kentucky Summer Horse Shows please visit www.KentuckyHorseShows.com.

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