Katy, TX –Kelly Lorek and MTM Campedu claimed a commanding victory in the $25,000 Olde Oaks Farm Hunter Classic on Thursday, April 6, at the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show in Katy, TX.
A field of 21 entries took on the class under the lights in the Porter Hedges Main Arena at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center, with the top 12 returning for a second round.
At the end of the first round – jumped at either 3’6”, 3’9” or 4’ based on the horse’s division – Lorek and MTM Campedu sat in a close second place with a score of 175. Holding the lead with a score of 176 were Courtney Lenkart and Glorieus, owned by La Primera Hacienda, LP.
As the second-to-last to return, Lorek and MTM Campedu turned in the high-score round of the night, earning scores of 88 and 89 from the two judging panels for a second-round total of 177 and an overall score of 352. While Lenkart and Glorieus also delivered a seamless second round as the final entry in the ring, it was not quite enough to hold onto their lead. Scores of 84 and 85 helped earn them an overall score of 345 for the second-place finish. Rounding out the top three with a score of 333 were Jennifer Alfano and Southside of Heaven, owned by Kathy Chiaf.
“He was awesome!” said Lorek of MTM Campedu, a 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding owned by Emersales LLC that she has been partnered with for the past year. “He was ready to walk in there and do the job that he came to do. I loved it. It was a long canter everywhere which is my favorite. It was a true classic hunter round with a lot of independent fences that you were able to ride as you saw best demonstrated your horse’s ability.”
Lorek continued, “We want to thank MTM Farm – Mike [McCormick] and Tracy [Fenney] for finding the best stock that we can ever have. [MTM Campedu] has just been a true team player ever since the start. He’s just got amazing talent. We can’t honestly thank the horse enough. He’s got so much heart. He tries every time.”
For full results of the $25,000 Olde Oaks Farm Hunter Classic, visit HorseShowsOnline.com.
Also earning major hunter victories on Thursday, April 6, were Katie Kantrovitz and Emily Williams. Kantrovitz and her own Opportunity Mars topped a field of 40 entries to win the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby – Junior/Amateur, while Williams and MTM Incanto, owned by Skylar Sneathern, bested a field of 18 to win the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby – Open.
Running through April 16 at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, TX, the 77th Pin Oak Charity Horse Show features top hunter, jumper and equitation competition while benefitting the Texas Children’s Hospital. To learn more, visit www.PinOak.org.