Lexington, KY - May 17, 2007 - In a jump-off field of six horses, only one was fast enough to be called the winner of the $30,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic Grand Prix, CSI 3*. Kent Farrington of Chicago, IL, and Up Chiqui sped to the win over Lauren Hough on Laura Mateo´s Quick Study and Molly Ashe Cawley on Vicomte D.

Today´s grand prix is the second of seven events in the Hagyard Challenge Series, a summer-long series of major jumper competitions. The Hagyard Challenge Series features $170,000 in prize money.

Today´s class saw a record number of 53 entries. Six riders were clear and three riders were clear with no jumping faults, but had one time fault. The first return for the jump-off was Caitlyn Shiels and Memphis who had two refusals led to elimination and sixth place. Hough and Quick Study were the next to attempt the course and they finished with a clear round in 40.08.The next to go were Farrington and Up Chiqui. The ten-year-old gelding by Quidam made great turns and had a quick step throughout. They landed from the final fence and galloped through the timers with a clear round in 39.20 seconds to take the lead. No others would be able to catch their time. Christine McCrea and Triomphe de Muze had a fast pace but slower turns. A rail into the two stride caused four faults, and they finished in 40.86. Molly Ashe riding Vicomte D finished clear and moved into third place with a time of 42.08. The last to challenge was Margie Engle on Hidden Creek´s Wapino who finished the jump-off with 12 faults in 38.83, good for fifth place.

Up Chiqui has been on a roll this year, having led the victory gallop at Littlewood, the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington and in Tampa.
They also finished second at the $200,000 Grand Prix of Charlotte last month.


FINAL RESULTS: HAGYARD LEXINGTON CLASSIC CSI 3*
1. UP CHIQUI, KENT FARRINGTON 0, 0, 39.200
2. QUICK STUDY, LAUREN HOUGH 0, 0, 40.080
3. VICOMTE D, MOLLY ASHE 0, 0, 42.080
4. TRIOMPHE DE MUZE, CHRISTINE MCCREA, 0, 4, 40.660
5. HIDDEN CREEK´S WAPINO, MARGIE ENGLE, 0, 12, 38.830
6. MEMPHIS, CAITLYN SHIELS, 0, elim.
7. QARCO V´T MERLENEST, ROBIN SWEELY 1, 83.240
8. LANGUSTER, NONA GARSON 1, 84.910
9. CANDALETTO 4, KEVIN BABINGTON 1, 85.990
10. ILION KILEN, LJUBOV KOCHETOVA 3, 94.680
11. NEMO, ROBERT KRAUT 4, 77.010
12. LANOO, ALI WOLFF 4, 79.750

photo : Kent Farrington & Up Chiqui