Lexington, Ky. – Aug. 2, 2016 – Tori Colvin is back in Kentucky, and the young professional kicked off the Kentucky Summer Classic by winning the 1.40m Open Jumpers with her longtime partner, Chanel B.
Colvin originally took the lead on Take The High Road LLC’s Austria 2, going second in the class and setting the early time to beat at 65.749 seconds.
“Today I just wanted to go around and have a nice, smooth round with Austria,” Colvin said. “She’s 7, turning 8, so I just wanted to be efficient, but not crazy.”
Her lead seemed unbeatable until Sharn Wordley entered the ring on Kerry Anne LLC’s Glamour Van De Kakebeek. Wordley sped past Colvin’s time by more than a second, finishing on a time of 64.032 seconds to become the new leader.
Colvin then returned second to last with Take The High Road LLC’s Chanel B, determined to regain the lead. After laying down a clear round and executing a number of tight turns, the duo managed to reclaim the top spot, this time finishing the course in just 62.322 seconds.
“Sharn was beating me,” Colvin continued. “And Chanel B has more experience and is really good at this height. She’s not the quickest, but she has such a big stride. Her stride and her turns really help her in winning speed classes.”
Colvin explained she has been riding the mare for over four years, and Chanel B was her High Junior Jumper mount of choice as she moved up the ranks to becoming a professional. Now 12, Chanel B still enjoys competing with Colvin in the Open division.
“I’ve done a couple of grand prix with her, but she’s a woman,” Colvin explained. “She likes to go low sometimes and then go bigger. She loves the speed classes, too. She just zooms around.”
Wordley was not ready to surrender yet, however, and returned as the class’s final entry with Caiman De Sequoias to challenge Colvin’s lead once again. Despite turning in a clear effort and besting his first time, Wordley’s time of 63.527 seconds would only be good enough for second.
Sharn Wordley and Caiman De Sequoias. PC: Laura Baker
His earlier mount, Glamour Van De Kakebeek, brought home the third-place ribbon, while Trapp O’Neal and Capitano brought home fourth. Colvin’s first ride, Austria 2, ended up in fifth, while another of Colvin’s rides, Neil Jones Equestrian Inc.’s Irca Van De Eilandhoeve, took the sixth-place spot.
Earlier in the day, the 7-Year-Old Jumpers had the stage in the Rolex Arena, and it was Robert Mendoza and Allyn McCracken’s Java Van De Kleinheide who earned the win. The duo were the only ones to go double clear, cinching the victory with a time of 36.455 seconds.
Robert Mendoza and Java Van De Kleinheide. PC: Laura Baker
“I work for Bannockburn Farm, and we imported Java last year to essentially be a broodmare,” Mendoza explained. “She has eggs harvested twice a year, but the rest of the time I get to play with her. She just started doing the 7 –Year-Olds in the spring, and she’s doing great. She hasn’t shown since June, so it was really nice to have her be that eager and clean.”
The 1.35m Open Jumper followed next, and it was Blythe Marano and Balade Du Ry Z who came out with the win. Marano said she has been riding the 8-year-old mare for a year and a half now.
Blythe Marano and Balade Du Ry Z. PC: Laura Baker
“Balade is extremely careful,” Marano said. “I think she’s going to be one that’s going to come up for me to do the bigger classes on. This whole year she has grown up a lot, and I was very happy with her today. She was right there for me.”
Highlight events during the Kentucky Summer Classic include the$25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic, the $50,000 Kentucky Summer Grand Prix presented by GGT Footing and the $5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby.
For more information about the Kentucky Summer Horse Show series, please visit http://www.kentuckyhorseshows.com/.
Written by: Lauren Baker for Phelps Media