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Showplace Spring Spectacular to Offer Two Weeks of Qualifying Events for $60,000 Showplace Leading Rider Series

Release: May 27 2009

Author: severs

By Jennifer Wood

The Showplace Spring Spectacular will begin next week on Tuesday, June 2, and run through Sunday, June 14, at the Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, IL. The horse show will offer more than $350,000 in prize money, with $200,000 available just in the second week. In addition to this great prize money, riders will compete in qualifying classes for the Showplace Leading Rider Series, which will offer $60,000 in prize money.

The Showplace Leading Rider Series tracks the top riders through a series of nine events and awards bonus money to the top three riders in five different sections: $30,000 Tapestry Farms Open Jumper, $10,000 THIS Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper, $10,000 Weathertech.com Children's/Adult Jumper, $5,000 Our Day Farm Low Children's Jumper, and $5,000 Ann K. Hubbard's Tack Shop Low Adult Jumper. Riders are ranked according to the prize money won by their top placed-horse in the classic or grand prix for their division.

The finale for the Showplace Leading Rider Series is at the Showplace Fall Classic Championship Horse Show on September 22-27, 2009. There, the top three riders in each section will win bonus money (first place-50%, second place-30%, and third place-20%), and the top ten will receive awards.

The Tapestry Farms Open Jumper Series was won last year by Wilhelm Genn of Lebanon, OH, while second place went to Kate Reuter, and third place went to Nick Novak. Genn took home bonus prize money through his win, which was his second year in a row. This year, Genn is tied for the lead in the division standings with Kelsey Thatcher of South Jordan, UT, who recently won her first grand prix event. Genn won the grand prix this past Sunday at Ledges Sporting Horses, the second facility that holds events for the Showplace Leading Rider Series.

Genn feels that the Showplace Leading Rider Series is a great addition from Showplace Productions. "It's a nice goal to have and good incentive to participate in the shows," he said. "It is a very competitive circuit, and you only get points for your best placing in the grand prix classes. It's a great program, and we love it. I wish more shows had it."

Genn noted that by winning the extra money, he is able to bring other young horses to the series' events. "It makes you able to bring extra young horses that can't pay for themselves yet," he explained.

He also feels that competing at the Showplace Spring Spectacular Series comes with its own highlights. "It's a very nice facility, with good footing and good course designers. It's also a beautiful show with landscaping, great parties, brunches, and good food. They're fun shows to go to. They are very exhibitor, sponsor, and owner oriented. I think that is something that we need to do more," he added. "I'm from Germany, and there we're used to every show having a nice VIP tent where owners and sponsors are treated special. Pat Boyle (Showplace Productions owner and manager) does that at the Lamplight shows. He makes everybody feel special, and then you attract new people to the sport who give money to the show."

Alex Jayne of Our Day Farm is one of the top trainers in the country and is based in Elgin, IL. The shows at Lamplight have been staples in their yearly calendar for decades. His son Charlie was short-listed last year for the Olympic Games, and his student, Kelsey Thatcher, won her first grand prix at Ledges and is tied for the lead in the Open Jumper Series.

"I think the horse shows in Chicago, like Lamplight and Ledges, are undiscovered gems," Jayne revealed. "Charlie grew up riding there and could go from there almost straight to the international ranks. The footing is great, and they are really nice venues."

At the Showplace Spring Spectacular Shows, Jayne feels that the grand prix classes are perfect for up-and-coming show jumpers like Thatcher, who is in her first full year of competing at the grand prix level. He said

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