Darragh Kenny and Perle JRF Post Win

Wellington, FL – February 26, 2010 – Show jumping competition continued today in the International Arena at the 2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Darragh Kenny (IRL) and North Run’s Perle JRF were victorious in the $6,000 Spy Coast 1.40m Speed Challenge over McLain Ward (USA) on Overlook Farm Inc.’s Miss Liberty 7 and Lauren Hough on Available Versace, owned by Chloe Reid LLC.

The seventh week of the FTI WEF is sponsored by Fidelity Investments and runs through Sunday, February 28. This week hosts very exciting competition, and the second trial for the USEF World Equestrian Games (WEG) Show Jumping team will be incorporated into the $75,000 Fidelity Investments Grand Prix, CSI 2* on Saturday, February 27, at 7 p.m. The 2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of competition that conclude on April 4, 2010, and they will be awarding almost $6 million in prize money through the circuit.

Darragh Kenny and Perle JRF won the $6,000 Spy Coast 1.40m Speed Challenge during week seven of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. © 2010 Randi Muster/Mustphoto, Inc., www.mustphoto.com.

In today’s $6,000 Spy Coast 1.40m Speed Challenge, there were 51 entries that attempted the course set by Brazil’s Guilherme Jorge. There were 11 clear rounds over the speed course, but it was Kenny and Perle JRF, a 10-year-old Holsteiner mare by Larioni xx Chamisso, who found the fastest track in 64.301 seconds, just tenths of a second faster than Ward and Miss Liberty 7, who finished in 64.516 seconds. Hough and Available Versace cleared the course in 70.908 seconds.

Kenny and Perle JRF have only been paired together since the start of the season. Missy Clark and John Brennan of North Run purchased her two years ago, and she was brought along by Kristy McCormack. While Perle JRF showed in grand prix classes last summer, she and Kenny show in the 1.40m to get to know each other.

Kenny said of Perle JRF, “She’s a super mare. She’s really careful, lots of scope, easy to ride. Those are always easy! She’s been in that (International Arena) about 10 times and placed eight or nine times. She’s been fantastic.”

Kenny said that her “massive stride” is what gives her an edge in the speed classes. He added, “You can leave out strides all over the place. She’s so, so careful that you can just trust her. We’re only just producing her yet, and I think she’s going to be really nice.”

Today’s victory was meaningful for Kenny. He explained, “It’s the first time I’ve ever won in the main ring before at WEF. It was really nice! It was a big class, fairly fast, and it was nice to win something in there. It’s not easy winning in that ring.”

For full results please visit www.shownet.biz or www.equestriansport.com.

Final Results: $6,000 Spy Coast 1.40m Speed Challenge

1. PERLE JRF, DARRAGH KENNY, NORTH RUN FARM: 0/64.301

2. MISS LIBERTY 7, MCLAIN WARD, OVERLOOK FARM INC.: 0/64.516

3. AVAILABLE VERSACE, LAUREN HOUGH, CHLOE REID LLC: 0/70.908

4. ORLANA, RAMIRO QUINTANA, KATHRYN QUIRK: 0/70.951

5. FIRST LADY, CHRISTINA SERIO, ROY WILTEN: 0/75.111

6. COCU, MARIO DESLAURIERS, JANE CLARK: 0/75.337

7. CATWOMAN, CHRIS SORENSEN, FOXRIDGE FARM: 0/77.014

8. SIL, STEVEN WEISS, LAURA CONNOLLY: 0/77.771

9. COKIO VITZ, MAURO ATZERI, GREG GINGERY: 0/81.493

10. DUTCHMEN’S ALLURE, DANIELLE VAN DER WERF, DUTCHMAN EQUIPMENT: 0/84.555

11. REEVA, JULIE WELLES, EQUI INVEST: 0/84.657

12. ARWIN, CHRIS DELIA: 4/69.526