Alex Granato and Carlchen W Return to Win the $130,000 Mary Rena Murphy CSI3* Grand Prix

Lexington, Ky – May 21, 2017 – The final day of the Kentucky Spring Classis did not start exactly as it had been planned. The first class in the Rolex Stadium was the very competitive jump off of the $130,000 Mary Rena Murphy CSI3* Grand Prix. American rider, Alex Granato and Carlchen W came out on top with faultless jump off round and a time of 41.73. Aaron Vale and Finou 4 finished just off the lead time in 42.36 and Michael Morrissey and Chance Ste. Hermelle rounded out the top three spots with a clear round and time of 43.45.

Alex Granato and Carlchen W

The highlight event of the Kentucky Spring Classic, the $130,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix, is held every year in honor of Mary Rena Murphy, who was an important part of American horse show history. Murphy, a show organizer, was an integral part of giving many of today’s top hunter and jumper professionals their start.  For Granato, who calls Kentucky home during the summers, jumping in honor of Murphy made the winning the prestigious class even more important.

Aaron Vale and Finou 4

Carlchen W, a 9-year-old warmblood gelding has been with Granato since he was purchased as a five-year-old by Page Tredennick. Although Carlchen W showed early promise and speed, Granato was careful to bring the youngster along, knowing all the while that he was cultivating true winning potential. After spending several years in the Young Jumper divisions, the winter of 2017 saw Carlchen W move up to competing in 1.40m classes during the Winter Equestrian Festival. After winning several of those classes, the pair competed in a 1.50m National Grand Prix with positive results. The Kentucky Spring Classic marks only the second time that Carlchen W and Granato have competed under FEI and with the win in the biggest class of the horse show, Granato is confident that the summer is going to be a great one.

Santiago Lambre and Dingeman

The Kentucky Spring Classic will come to a close at the Kentucky Horse Park today but not before hosting an $25,000 Under 25 Grand Prix, presented by Hollow Creek Farm and the $40,000 Kentucky Bluegrass Grand Prix, presented by Audi of Lexington. Competitors will come back to the Kentucky Horse Park for Kentucky

 

Winners Circle

Alex Granato

On Carlchen W:
“The owners bought him as a 5-year-old so we have had him 4-years. They have let me take my time producing him and take him through all the young jumpers. We took a lot of time as a late 7-year-old and 8-years-old to with him and just started this winter in Florida hitting it a little harder. This is his first real step up to FEI doing this 3* week.”

On Take A Year off with Carlchen W:
“He has always been aggressive and always a showman in the ring and naturally fast. And that’s why we took the 8-year-old year to back off to really make sure the rideability was there and tone it down so he didn’t get too exuberant in the ring. It was the right thing to do but it was also a very hard thing to do. But I am glad that we did because it is really paying off right now.”

On Jumping Off the Next Day:
“I’ve only done that one other time and it was on a more experienced horse. Honestly, I didn’t hate the idea of it with this one because he was so naturally fast I didn’t think it would take much to gear him up for the jump off, but with him being green there were a lot of thoughts in my mind on how he would react. He felt great in the warm up and we went ahead and took a shot and he rode really well.”

On Winning the Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix:
“I love winning this class for Mary Rena because it just means that much more. Every win is exciting, especially when it is a horse that you have had for a long time but when it is a special class for the crowd ii feel like they get more involved which make the horses and riders try harder and then it is just that much more special.”

RESULTS

$130,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix CSI3*

1.    Carlchen W / Alex Granato / Page Tredennick / 0 / 41.73
2.    Finou 4 / Aaron Vale / ThinksLikeAHorse & Don Stewart / 0 / 42.36
3.    Chance Ste. Hermelle / Michael Morrissey / QBS Equestrian, LLC / 0 / 43.45
4.    Dingeman / Santiago Lambre / Santiago Lambre / 0 / 43.60
5.    Beezie / Shane Sweetnam / The ISB Group, LLC / 0 / 44.54
6.    Thriller P / Ignacio Maurin / Stransky’s Mission Farms, Inc / 0 / 45.69
7.    Carrabis Z / Richie Moloney / Equinimity, LLC / 0 / 45.95
8.    Bull Run’s Faustino De Tili / Kristen Vanderveen / Bull Run Jumpers, LLC / 4 / 40.89
9.    Bull Run’s Testino / Kristen Vanderveen / Bull Run Jumper’s, LLC / 4 / 44.60
10.    Tembla / Karl Cook / Signe Ostby / 4 / 44.85
11.    Zerro Leone / Marten Van Der Hoeven / Augusta Pines Farm / 4 / 48.64
12.    Sorzen Z / Kasey Amet / KW Jump, LLC / 8 / 46.28

 

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