News
V is for Victory
May 21, 2012
Kent Farrington concluded the Kentucky Spring Classic on a great note, claiming first and second during $20,000 Bluegrass Classicaboard Venus and Voyeur, respectively. With a baker's dozen in the jump-off, Farrington completed the fastest two double-clear efforts with the talented mounts. Young rider Michael Murphy earned the third place award with his fault-free short course, following right on Farrington's heels with Audi's Allouette Van Het Lambroeck.
Kent Farrington was the pathfinder during the first round with Voyeur, owned by Amalaya Investments of The Woodlands, TX, and as the first to return for the jump-off he set a pace that only he could catch. The pair crossed the finish line in 40.042 seconds. Michael Murphy of Wellington, FL, was next in the ring with Audi's Allouette Van Het Lambroeck, and they made an excellent effort to catch Farrington, knowing a number of fast riders would be following. They tripped the timers in 40.100 seconds and eventually finished in third with no faults to their name.
The only other horse and rider combination to complete a double-clear effort was Alison Robitaille with Cover Girl who were also very quick across the ground but just short of the leaders in 40.573 seconds, which resulted in the fourth place honors.
Farrington completed the last clear short course riding his second mount Venus and he was just barely able to best his first time breaking the beam in 40.030 seconds, just 1/100th of a second ahead of Voyeur. His wonderful effort over the track with Venus jumped to the top of the leader board, and they took home the winning title.
In an effort to catch the original leading time that Farrington posted with Voyeur, a number of riders added faults to their score. The last to go in the jump-off was Ashlee Bond riding Wistful and they were the only pair to clock in with a better time of 39.777 seconds, but a rail at the vertical moved them into fifth with four faults. Pan American Individual Gold medalist Christine McCrea was not able to back off Avenir's gallop to the double combination, causing A to come down in 40.995 seconds to round out the top six.
Source World of Showjumping