Lexington, KY – August 27, 2013 – With another top placing at the KHJA Horse Show last week, Venezuelan rider Pablo Barrios has furthered his lead in the 2013 Hagyard Challenge Series. He and his talented mount Zara Leandra kicked off the Series by winning the first Hagyard Lexington Classic in May, and they then garnered wins in both the third and fourth events. Most recently, Barrios and Zara Leandra finished second in the $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic at the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show, further increasing their lead in the hunt for the $50,000 Hagyard Leading Rider Award.
The Hagyard Challenge Series is a summer-long series of seven show jumping events at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. The rider who accumulates the most points in the series will receive a $50,000 Leading Rider Award, presented during the Kentucky National Horse Show in September. The sixth event in the series was held last week at the KHJA Horse Show, running August 21-25. The final event at the Kentucky National Horse Show is just around the corner, and Barrios leads with 1090 points over Ireland’s Richie Moloney, who maintains the second place position with 660 points.
Moloney placed third aboard Alsvid and sixth with Carrabis Z during the Kentucky Summer Classic. He also earned multiple other placings throughout the five series grand prixs held thus far. Junior rider Wilton Porter is currently ranked third after riding to the blue ribbon with Paloubet during the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show.
“It’s a nice opportunity for the riders to compete for more money,” said Barrios, who took home the title in 2010. “It’s a good incentive, and I am definitely trying to win this year. ”
Hagyard Equine Medical Institute is one of the oldest and largest equine veterinary practices in the world. Founded in 1876, the institute offers a staff with qualifications unparalleled by any single non-university veterinary group in the equine industry, and Hagyard veterinarians have dedicated themselves to the health and wellbeing of the horse for more than 130 years.
The facility at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute offers 13 Digital Radiology systems, 1.5 Tesla Siemens MRI, Nuclear Scintigraphy, a high speed treadmill, an on-site laboratory, an on-site pharmacy, full surgical services, 24-hour emergency services, and Hyperbaric Medicine. The institute has practiced veterinary medicine for more than 133 years and is currently composed of over 60 experienced veterinarians, with 12 board certifications in specialty areas of Medicine, Surgery, Critical Care, and Theriogenology.
Several generous sponsors have helped make this exciting series event happen. These gracious supporters include: title sponsor MWI Veterinary Supply, and presenting sponsor Zoetis, as well as Audi of Lexington, Dean Dorton Allen Ford, Hagyard Flex-tra HA, Johnson Horse Transport, Hallway Feeds, Kirk Horse Insurance LLC, Pike and Preston, and Stoll Keenon Ogden.
For more information on the Kentucky Summer Series please go to www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.
To learn more about the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, please go to www.hagyard.com.
Photo Credit: Pablo Barrios leads the 2013 Hagyard Challenge Series Standings with Zara Leandra. Photo By: Rebecca Walton. Photo may only be used in relation to this PMG press release.
2013 HAGYARD CHALLENGE SERIES STANDINGS
PLACE TOTAL RIDER
1 1090 PABLO BARRIOS
2 660 RICHIE MOLONEY
3 400 WILTON PORTER
4 370 KAITLIN CAMPBELL
5 350 BLYTH MARANO
350 KENT FARRINGTON
7 250 SHARN WORDLEY
8 240 AARON VALE
9 230 SCOTT KEACH
10 200 CHRISTIAN HEINEKING