(edited Press Release)
Lexington, Ky – May 21, 2017 – Alex Granato and Carlchen W came out on top with faultless jump off round and a time of 41.73 to win the FEI 3* $130,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix at the Kentucky Spring Classic. 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.
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.
Lexington, Ky – May 21, 2017 – Alex Granato and Carlchen W came out on top with faultless jump off round and a time of 41.73 to win the FEI 3* $130,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix at the Kentucky Spring Classic. 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.
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.
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.”