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Equestrian Super Stars Headed to Lexington for 2014 National Horse Show

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Three of four members of the US WEG team will compete at this year’s National Horse Show.
Photo by Susan Stickle
Lexington, KY – October 23, 2014 – An all-star roster of equestrian superstars featuring show jumping’s very best are headed to Kentucky as the top-rated National Horse Show returns to the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington on October 28 –November 2, 2014. This year’s line-up features numerous Olympians, including a handful of Gold medalists, plus many of the sport’s fastest rising stars.

Riders from around the globe all have their eyes on the big cash prizes and the numerous prestigious titles. This year’s show will be offering an impressive $755,000 in prize money. The National Horse Show offers an International Open Jumper division with $460,000 in prize money, while the top rated hunter sections have a total purse of $195,000. Meanwhile, $100,000 in total is offered to the Amateur-Owner and Under 25 Jumper sections.

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Katie Dinan returns to defend her NHS GP title.
Photo by Kenneth Kraus
The National Horse Show, for the fourth year in a row, received a top ranking from NARG, the North American Riders Group and was again named the Show Hunter Hall of Fame Horse Show of the Year in back to back years.

Katie Dinan, who soared to victory in last year’s main event on Saturday night, is scheduled to return to defend her title in Lexington. She’ll be faced with a roster of riders, all trying to make sure that Dinan does not double up this year in the new CP National Horse Show Grand Prix.

Topping the list are three of the four riders on the 2014 Bronze medal winning team at the World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France.

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2011 NHS Grand Prix winner, McLain Ward.
Photo by Kenneth Kraus
Beezie Madden, who also captured the Individual Bronze medal, will be joined by teammates McLain Ward and Kent Farrington. Madden, the 2013 World Cup champion, also added the Keystone Classic at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show to her list of big time wins in 2014. In addition to his other top finishes, Ward led the round of honor in this year’s Global Champions Tour Grand Prix at Antwerp, Belgium and won the National Horse Show Grand Prix in 2011. Farrington meanwhile, rode to victory in the Grand Prix of Barcelona and added numerous Spruce Meadows wins to his already impressive list of victories.
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Beezie Madden, double Bronze medalist at the World Equestrian Games. Photo by Rebecca Walton (Left)
Kent Farrington, Bronze medalist at WEG, is on the roster for the 2014 NHS. Photo by Sue Stickle (Right)
Other Olympians making the trip to Lexington this year include Peter Wylde, Leslie Howard, Laura Kraut, Charlie Jayne, Todd Minikus and Margie Engle. They will be joined by Pan American Games Gold medalist, Christine McCrea.

The above list of some of the all-time best show jumpers in the United States are credited with an amazing total of over one thousand grand prix wins among the group.

Part of the next generation of show jumping stars, Georgina Bloomberg, fresh off her win in the Central Park Grand Prix in New York City will be joined by Jessica Springsteen, winner of the celebrated American Gold Cup this year. Last year’s American Gold Cup champion, Brianne Goutal, is joined by the last two Individual Gold Medal winners from the North American Junior and Young Rider Championship Wilton Porter, the Gold medal winner this summer at the Horse Park in Lexington and Lillie Keenan, who claimed the top of the podium in 2013.

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Jessica Springsteen won the American Gold Cup this year in North Salem, NY. Photo by Emily Riden (Left)
Georgina Bloomberg captured the inaugural Central Park Grand Prix in NYC. Photo by The Book LLC (Right)
Rounding out the list of American riders competing at the National are Quentin Judge, Meagan Nusz, Candice King, Schuyler Riley, Ali Wolff, Kirsten Coe, Charlie Jacobs, Denise Wilson, David Beisel, Molly Ashe-Cawley, Paige Johnson, Kama G odek, Alex Granato and Audrey Coulter.

A star-studded international field of riders is also making the journey to the heart of the Bluegrass this year. They include a strong Irish contingent led by the red-hot Darragh Kenny, along with Shane Sweetnam, Richie Maloney and Conor Swail.

South America is well represented with Paulo Santana of Brazil and Daniel Bluman and Roberto Teran of Colombia.

Top riders from Europe include Belgium riders Francois Mathy and brothers Nicola and Olivier Philippaerts and Switzerland’s Beat Mandli who comes to Lexington fresh off a victory in the FEI World Cup Grand Prix De Penn National at Harrisburg.

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Wilton Porter, center, won the Individual Gold Medal at NAJYRC this year.
Photo by Kendall Bierer
Tickets for the 2014 National Horse Show CSI-W 4* are available online at Ticketleap.com, the official ticket provider for this year’s event. The top-rated equestrian showcase returns to the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, on October 28 –November 2, 2014.
Tickets purchased through Ticketleap.com are discounted 20% as compared to tickets bought at the gate. Children 12 and under are always admitted at no charge.

Tickets for each prime-time show on Thursday evening,Friday evening, Saturday evening and Sunday daytime can be purchased now at Ticketleap.com at: http://nationalhorseshow.ticketleap.com/nhs2014/ 

The highlights for this year’s show include on Thursdaynight, the Copernicus Stables, LLC $75,000 International Open Jumpers – Time First Jump Off.Friday night’s feature is the Chansonette Farm $45,000 Gambler’s Choice Top Score Costume Class in honor of Halloween night. On Saturday, it’s the main event, the $250,000 CP National Horse Show Grand Prix. On Sunday afternoon the National Horse Show plays host to the Maclay National Championship for the ASPCA Maclay Horsemanship Class Presented by Dover’s Saddlery beginning early in the morning and continuing with the final round at approximately 3:00 PM.

All evening sessions begin promptly at 7:00 p.m.

For tickets to this year’s show visit TicketLeap.com at: http://nationalhorseshow.ticketleap.com/nhs2014/ 

The prize list for the National Horse Show can be downloaded at:  https://www.nhs.org/prize-list-and-entry-forms/ 

 

2014 National Horse Show Fast Facts

What:
The National Horse Show is a week-long championship event featuring “AA”-rated hunters, open jumpers, junior/amateur jumpers, and the ASPCA Alfred B. Maclay Finals. The event will run October 28 –November 2, 2014, indoors in the Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY, site of the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games.

Parking:
The Kentucky Horse Park has waived the normal parking fee during the National Horse Show. Parking is free. While dogs are permitted at the Kentucky Horse Park on a leash, no dogs are allowed in the Alltech Arena during the NHS.

Directions:
The Kentucky Horse Park is located at 4089 Iron Works Parkway, Lexington, KY 40511. The KHP is 8 miles northeast of Lexington at Exit 120 on Interstate 75.

Information:
2245 Stone Garden Lane Lexington, KY 40513
Cindy Bozan
Phone: (859) 608-3709
Fax: (866) 285-9496

Email:
Website:
Shopping:
Vendors offering equestrian equipment, apparel, jewelry and home furnishings are located in the Alltech Arena.

Additional Contacts:
Vendors  – Matt Morrissey atmatt.morrissey@stadiumjumping.com or call (941) 915-3457

VIP Table Sales – Cindy Bozan at cindy@nhs.orgPhone: (859) 608-3709

Advertising and Program Sales – Dee Thomas atjmstables@aol.com Phone: 561-310-7679

Sponsorship – Mason Phelps atmpjr@phelpsmediagroup.com or 561-753-3389
or
Susie Webb at webb_susie@yahoo.com or 301-520-6162

Hotels:
HILTON – DOWNTOWN – 859-231-9000 – Approximately 6 miles
CLARION HOTEL (formerly Holiday Inn North) – 859 – 233-0512 – Approximately 4 miles
FAIRFIELD INN & SUITES BY MARRIOTT – 859 -977-5870 – Approximately 4 miles
FOUR POINTS SHERATON – 859-259-1311 – Approximately 4 miles
LA QUINTA – 859-231-7551 – Approximately 4 miles
KNIGHTS INN – 859-231-0232 – Approximately 4 miles
EMBASSY SUITES – 859-455-5000 – Approximately 4 miles
MARRIOT GRIFFIN GATE – 859-231-5100 – Approximately 4 miles
RESIDENCE INN – 859-231-6191 – Approximately 5 miles
COURTYARD BY MARRIOT – 859-253-4646 – Approximately 5 miles
HOLIDAY INN GEORGETOWN – 502-570-0220 – Approximately 6 miles
RAMADA INN – 859-299-1261 – Approximately 6 miles
RED ROOF INN – 859-293-2626 – Approximately 6 miles
HAMPTON INN – 502-867-4888 – Approximately 6 miles
SUPER EIGHT – 502-863-4888 – Approximately 6 miles
MICROTEL INN & SUITES – 502-868-8000 – Approximately 6 miles

For further information on housing in the Lexington area, we invite you to visit:
Management:
Kentucky Horse Shows, LLC
P. O. Box 11428
Lexington, KY 40575-1428
859-233-0492 (phone)
859-233-0495 (fax)
Horse Show Secretary:
Cindy Bozan
859-233-0492
NATIONAL HORSE SHOW MEDIA CONTACT:
Re: News and Information:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12012 South Shore Blvd
Suite 105
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax)
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