Katherine Newman Captures Green Hunter Incentive Stake Win With Dandelion

Lexington, Ky. – July 25, 2018 – The first day of the Kentucky Summer Horse Show welcomed hunter horses to the Stonelea Ring at the Kentucky Horse Park to kick off competition. The Green Hunter division combined competitors from the 3’6” and 3’9” heights where Katherine Newman and Dandelion rose to the the top with a victory in the Green Hunter Incentive Stake.

Katherine Newman and Dandelion
Katherine Newman and Dandelion

Newman and the 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare, owned by Allwyn Court and The Dandelion Group, bested the other entries with a score of 85 to claim the win just ahead of Geoffrey Hesslink and High Society with a score of 84.5 in second and Christopher Payne and Ovo with a score of 84 in third.

With a first place ribbon in the second Green Hunter over fences, serving as the Green Hunter Incentive round, and the under saddle, as well as a third place finish in the first Green Hunter over fences, Newman leads the combined green 3’6 and 3’9 Green Hunter division ahead of Thursday’s championship crowning.

Newman is preparing Dandelion for this year’s Platinum Performance/USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Championship upon capturing the reserve champion award behind Scott Stewart in 2017.

This year, the Green Hunter Incentive Program introduced the option for athletes to compete at the 3’6’’ and 3’9’’ height. The top placing horse and rider combinations will be invited to return to the Kentucky Horse Park to compete at the the Platinum Performance/USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Championship at the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show, from August 14 – 19, which will include four fence height options upon adding the 3’6” and 3’9” to the existing 3’ and 3’3” fence heights.

Hunter competition will begin Thursday, July 25, at 8 a.m. in the Stonelea Ring with the Green Conformation Hunter division.

FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE

Katherine Newman – Green Hunter Incentive Stake 3’6”/3’9” winner

On her plan:
“The Green Hunter Incentive Championship is our goal, so we’re gearing up. We’ve been trying to aim [Dandelion] to peak that week, so in a way we were using this class to school. I was thrilled with how she went. We didn’t do a lot of showing this spring, so this is her third show back since April, so we’re just gearing up and I was thrilled. I was pleasantly surprised with how today went.”

On Dandelion:
“She has a lot of personality. She’s super sweet and definitely a people horse. She’s not a typical chestnut mare. She’s game and she has a great attitude. She’s super fun to ride.”

On Kentucky Horse Shows:
“The Kentucky Horse Park is pretty much my favorite place to show. We show here a lot. We were here in the spring, we’re planning to be here all summer and then again in the fall. It’s such a horse friendly place and I love Lexington too. It’s beautiful here so you can’t really top it.”

On the 2018 Green Hunter Incentive Championship:
“She was second last year. I’m trying to go in with no expectations just because it’s hard coming after having success last year. Last year, I went in with no expectations and I’d never done the class before. I think I’m going to have a few more [horses] this year – last year I had two in it and this year I think I’ll have four total, so I’m pretty excited. I’m just trying to peak her for that week, but we’ll just see what happens. I think it’s a great program. It’s really cool to do something that big with the green horses.”

RESULTS

Green Hunter Incentive Stake 3’6”/3’9”
Place / Horse / Rider / Score
1. Dandelion / Katherine Newman / 85.00
2. High Society / Geoffrey Hesslink / 84.50
3. Ovo / Christopher Payne / 84.00
4. Just Ask / Jeff Gogul / 83.00
5. MTM Do Right / Didi Mackenzie / 82.00
6. Perhaps / Tim Goguen / 77.00
7. Arturo / Jeff Gogul / 75.00
8. Take Two / Keri Kampsen / 62.00

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