Darragh Kenny Continues Streak to Win $35,000 Commonwealth Grand Prix with Scarlett Du Sart Z

Lexington, Ky. – May 12, 2019 – The Kentucky Spring Horse Show closed out in the Rolex Stadium on Sunday with the $35,000 Commonwealth Grand Prix, sponsored by Audi of Lexington. With 44 starters challenging each other, it was Darragh Kenny that once again could not be beat in the jump-off, this time winning with Vlock Show Stables’ Scarlett Du Sart Z. Kenny also walked away with the Leading Open Jumper Rider Award, sponsored by Envisian Products, after accumulating the most points through his top placings in the Welcome Speed, Hagyard Lexington Classic, Kentucky Spring Grand Prix, and Sunday’s grand prix.

Darragh Kenny and Scarlett du Sart Z

The course, designed by Anderson Lima, challenged athletes over 16 efforts to be completed in the time allowed of 80 seconds. Featuring technical elements throughout, such as a triple combination (oxer-vertical-oxer), the course produced seven clear rounds. Eugenio Garza and El Milagro’s Pappa Ante Portas were the pathfinders for clear rounds, being the third horse-and-rider combination on course. Other top pairs would follow, such as Margie Engle and Indigo and Kenny aboard another mount, SHL Farm’s Sweet Tricia.

Eugenio Garza and Pappa Ante Portas

Kenny and Scarlett Du Sart Z, a 9-year-old Zangersheide mare, went first in the jump-off, switching up the order to accommodate his two mounts. The pair raced around to cross the timers in 37.082 seconds, a time that could not be touched by the following six competitors. Garza and the 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding were second to try their hand at the jump-off course. Although the pair finished in a clean and clear fashion, their 39.084 second time could not reach Kenny’s and ultimately landed them in the second place position.

Scarlett du Sart Z, award accepted by Rob Gray and owner, Teddy Vlock

Third place was captured by Kenny and Sweet Tricia, a 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood. The pair, who newly joined forces during the 2019 winter season in Wellington, Florida, stopped the clock at 40.099 seconds, nearly four seconds behind his own winning time.

Earlier in the day, the $15,000 Under 25 Grand Prix took place in the Rolex Stadium, giving up-and-coming athletes the opportunity to try their hand at the 1.40m and 1.50m height. Twenty-five athletes entered the class hoping to walk away with the winning title, but it was Abigail  McArdle and her longtime partner Cade who took the top prize. The 16 effort track proved tricky for some competitors with both time and jumping faults playing a role in the day’s challenges. Only three competitors returned for the jump-off, Delaney Flynn, Tanimara Macari, and McArdle.

Abigail McArdle and Cade

First to go in the jump-off was Flynn and Grace Jacobsen’s Milan IV. The jump-off course, consisting of eight efforts, allowed horse-and-riders the opportunity to gallop in a variety of locations while utilizing delicate verticals. Flynn and her 14-year-old Holsteiner gelding sped around the course with the fastest time of the day at 38.696 seconds, but fell victim to eight jumping faults. Next to enter the ring was Macari and Feminka, her own 9-year-old Dutch Warmblood. The pair also suffered eight jumping faults, leaving McArdle in a position to take the win by tackling the course with four faults or less.

Delaney Flynn and Milan IV

McArdle, entering the ring with 18-year-old Cade, appeared to have the win within reach, until she reached the second to last fence where her horse had an uncharacteristic stop. After resetting the fence, the pair still had a chance to win if they could finish the final two fences within the time allowed of 50 seconds. Crossing the timers at 49.317 second with four jumping faults, McArdle sealed her first place finish as the last competitor to go.

The Kentucky Spring Horse Show series will continue with the Kentucky Spring Classic, held May 15–19, and will also feature a FEI CSI3* rating. The $35,000 Welcome Speed will be held on Wednesday, followed by the $36,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic on Thursday, as riders try to accumulate valuable points for the Hagyard Leading Rider Bonus. On Saturday, May 18, riders will compete under the lights in the Rolex Stadium during the $134,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix. Once again all three FEI classes will count for the Longines Ranking List and the Thursday and Saturday classes will also count for the Rolex/USEF Show Jumping Ranking List. In addition, the featured national classes will be the $35,000 Bluegrass Grand Prix, which counts towards the Rolex/USEF Show Jumping Ranking List, and the $15,000 Under 25 Grand Prix to be held on Sunday, May 19, in the Rolex Stadium.

FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE

Darragh Kenny – $35,000 Commonwealth Grand Prix winner

On Scarlett Du Sart Z:
“I’m really excited about the ride on this new horse. She’s a really talented mare and I’m very thankful to Vlock Show Stables for giving me the ride on her. This was her first week showing at the FEI level and she performed super. The team at Oakland Stables and the Vlock’s are really excited for her future.”

On the jump-off:
“The course was really suited to Scarlett, Anderson [Lima] once again created a fantastic course. She was really willing to make some tighter turns and really move between the lines. I think that’s how we made up a good bit of time.”

Abigail McArdle – $15,000 Under 25 Grand Prix winner

On Cade:
“He is 18 and really just my good old boy. He really went in today wanting to win it. These are great divisions to have, especially for an older horse like him that doesn’t need to be doing FEI.”

On the jump-off:
“I just needed to jump clean today and we actually had a stop-crash through the second to last fence. It counted as a refusal so I was worried about making the time allowed now. I planned a direct, very forward leave out from that oxer to the final fence. I was watching the clock and thought that I could probably finish without a time fault. It was a tough jump-off with the first two vertical’s on turns. The courses have been really great all week.”

On Kentucky Horse Shows:
“We’ve been coming to Kentucky for years and years. For me, they are the best shows to be at in the spring because there is such great competition. The venue is unbelievable, one of the best in the world.”

RESULTS

$35,000 Commonwealth Grand Prix sponsored by Audi of Lexington
Place / Horse / Rider / R1 Faults | Time / R2 Faults | Time
1. Scarlett Du Sart Z / Darragh Kenny / 0 | 77.587 0 | 37.082
2. Pappa Ante Portas / Eugenio Garza / 0 | 77.988 / 0 | 39.084
3. Sweet Tricia / Darragh Kenny / 0 | 74.927 / 0 | 40.099
4. Indigo / Margie Engle / 0 | 77.558 / 4 | 38.377
5. Emma-Lee / Stefanie Collier / 0 | 78.667 / 4 | 39.160
6. Quilimbo / Schuyler Riley / 0 | 79.616 / 4 | 39.498
7. Just Nice Van Het Indihoff / Juan Jose Zendejas Salgado / 0 | 79.576 / 4 | 50.110
8. Oasis Spirit / Amanda Derbyshire / 1 | 80.635
9. Very Chic Du Tillard / Schuyler Riley / 1 | 80.659
10. Iluna / Ramiro Quintana / 2 | 81.787
11. Warinde B / Lauren Hester / 4 | 75.118
12. Boucanier / Theo Genn / 4 | 75.519

$15,000 Under 25 Grand Prix
Place / Horse / Rider / R1 Faults | Time / R2 Faults | Time
1. Cade / Abigail McArdle / 0 | 75.906 / 4 | 49.317
2. Milan IV / Delaney Flynn / 0 | 75.868 / 8 | 38.696
3. Feminka / Tanimara Macari / 0 | 76.014 / 8 | 40.249
4. Voyou Du Bobois / Flore Giraud / 1 | 79.204
5. MTM Los Angeles / Brian Moggre / 1 | 79.241
6. Silver Creek’s Validation / Hunter Holloway / 1 | 79.255
7. Carola BH / Sophie Gochman / 4 | 73.519
8. Caracas / Eugenio Garza / 4 | 74.873
9. Boudika Ideal Home / Kady Abrahamson / 4 | 78.236
10. Nat King Cole Anna Beth Athey / 6 | 80.444
11. Contago / Eugenio Garza / 7 | 81.920
12. Loro Piana Ballyleck Royale / Alma Bjorklund / 8 | 78.282

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