February 14, 2007

Leslie Howard and Lennox Lewis 2 Knock Out the Competition in 1.45m Jumpers at Winter Equestrian Festival

Wellington, FL – February 14, 2007 – The fourth week of the Winter Equestrian Festival, the Kilkenny Internationale, CSI 3*, started competition today. In the main Internationale Arena, the 1.45m jumpers took to the field in the morning. In a class of 32 entries, Leslie Howard and Lennox Lewis 2, owned by Peter Howard, raced for the win.

Howard blazed around the course set by Olaf Petersen of Germany and finished in a time of 66.579 seconds. “Everything came up easily,” Howard commented. “This first course was very pleasant to ride; everything rode off a nice stride, and it was very inviting for the horse.”

She had tough competition from Laura Kraut, who rode Love Z for Kinloch Enterprises to a time of 67.990 seconds. Seventeen-year-old Aimee Aron finished right behind her in third place on Ria 56, who crossed the timers in 69.758 seconds. Aron also picked up fifth place on Killigrew’s Attraction. In fourth was Beezie Madden with Onlight. Howard finished sixth with Lady in Red 4.

Howard has high expectations for her up-and-coming mount. “Lennox is a horse that I think will end up as a top horse in this sport,” she remarked. “He’s young; he’s eight this year. He did some very impressive things last year as a seven year old.”

For this winter season, Howard felt that Lennox Lewis 2 is still growing. “He started out this year a little bit slow. I think I sort of expected him to pick up where he ended last year, which was doing a few grand prix,” she explained, “but he is still a baby. He was okay, but not as good as he should have been. He really started to pick up and be in form last week, and today he was super.”

Today’s 1.40m Jumper class on the big field was split into two divisions. In the first section, Lauren Hough and Rodos moved into first place with a clear round in a time of 64.689 seconds to beat Joe Fargis and Diams III, who finished in 65.834 seconds.

Hough has ridden the nine-year-old gelding for over a year. “In the fall, he started to step up and do some bigger classes. I did him in the grand prix the second week here, and he did not like the footing. I gave him last week off,” she mentioned.

Hough planned on letting Rodos become accustomed to the grass field again for today’s class. “It wasn’t my intention to go and win today, but he felt a little fresh,” she explained. “I made a couple short turns and just stayed in a nice rhythm the whole way. It worked out for him.”

Although Hough was not going all-out for the win, she thought her time would be competitive. She commented, “I thought it was beatable, for sure, but he has a very big stride. He covers the ground really well. I thought I’d get a good piece of it, but I didn’t know if I’d end up first. But, I like winning, so I can’t complain.”

After today’s win, Hough is feels that Rodos is more comfortable on the field and will move up to bigger classes. “He was much happier today. He’ll move up to the 1.45m tomorrow and maybe the 1.50m on Saturday,” she said.

Hough rides Rodos for Victoria d’Agostino, who could not be here to see her horse win. “She just had a baby a week ago,” Hough said. “I’m sort of preparing him for Victoria. She’s headed down in a week or so, and she’ll start riding him in the next couple of months. He’s a wonderful, sweet animal.”

Section B of the 1.40m Jumpers had 63 entries. First place in the class went to Acertijo and Norman Dello Joio, who rode for J. Adalberto Roig Jr. They sped through the course to finish in 72.220 seconds over Gilmore and Mario Deslauriers.

Jumper action during the Kilkenny Internationale week continues tomorrow with the $25,000 WEF Challenge Series Round IV, which starts at 1 p.m. in the Internationale Arena.

Results of Class 1002 - 1.45m II, SEC 1 T/A: 84.00

• 1 1720 LENNOX LEWIS 2 LESLIE HOWARD 0.00 66.579 $2375 PETER HOWARD
• 2 3519 LOVE Z LAURA KRAUT 0.00 67.997 $1350 KINLOCH ENT.
• 3 1944 RIA 56 AIMEE ARON 0.00 69.758 $800 JANICE COOK ARON
• 4 70 ONLIGHT BEEZIE MADDEN 0.00 70.266 $650 TEAM ONLIGHT
• 5 1947 KILLIGREWS ATTRACTION AIMEE ARON 0.00 70.298 $550 KINLOCH ENT.
• 6 1721 LADY IN RED 4 LESLIE HOWARD 0.00 70.707 $450 PETER HOWARD
• 7 774 ALASKA TODD MINIKUS 0.00 71.417 $400 CALLIE SEAMAN
• 8 503 NIGHT TRAIN DARRAGH KERINS 0.00 74.752 $350 DOUBLE H FARM
• 9 1652 NOBLE 1 JONATHAN MILLAR 0.00 75.562 $300 KELLY SOLEAU
• 10 64 AUTHENTIC BEEZIE MADDEN 0.00 76.420 $275 ABIGAIL S. WEXNER
• 11 2471 ROCKFORD I KERI POTTER 0.00 78.991 $250 KERI POTTER
• 12 386 GLASGOW NORMAN DELLO JOIO 0.00 79.637 $250 GLASGOW GROUP

Results of Class 1004- sec a $6,000 1.40mTIME FIRST ROUND TABLE II, SEC 1

• 1 159, RODOS, LAUREN HOUGH 0 64.689 VICTORIA D'AGOSTINO
• 2 1466, DIAMS III, JOE FARGIS 0 65.834 MARY B. SCHWAB O.E.J.I
• 3 740, CANDIDE, PETER LEONE 0 67.741 HAPHCO, INC.
• 4 2818, SIENNA, SHANE SWEETNAM 0 67.946 SPY COAST FARM LLC
• 5 2713, QUARNAK DE LONGPRE, ROBERT KRAUT 0 71.655 MEGHAN MORAN
• 6 598, TIGGER, MOLLY ASHE 0 73.080 JANE F. CLARK
• 7 1874, B.C.O. OLYMP, ELIZA SHUFORD 0 74.617 ELIZA SHUFORD
• 8 2589, VANCOUVER D'AUVREY, DANIELLE TORANO 0 74.989 SIR RULY
• 9 921, MIDNIGHTLADY, BEEZIE MADDEN 0 75.931 DEERIDGE FARM
• 10 3092, ROCKEFELLER, ELIZABETH TOWELL BOYD 0 76.276 ELIZABETH TOWELL BOYD
• 11 3789, SHOWTIME, STEPHEN PACK 0 76.654 STEPHEN PACK
• 12 3178, SIR, RAMIRO QUINTANA 0 76.980 JIMMY TORANO and DANIELLE TORANO

Results of Class 1004B - 1.40M II, SEC 1 T/A: 81.00

• 1 399 ACERTIJO NORMAN DELLO JOIO 0.00 72.220 $1850 J ADALBERTO ROIG JR
• 2 1515 GILMORE MARIO DESLAURIERS 0.00 73.332 $1200 AVAILABLE JPRS.COM
• 3 1835 INTREPIDE DU VALON ALISON ROBITAILLE 0.00 73.944 $635 BERTRAM FIRESTONE
• 4 972 MAZELLE ERIC FLAMENG 0.00 75.873 $400 FLORIAC LLC
• 5 1017 LORENA 90 FEDERICO SZTYRLE 0.00 77.557 $325 CHRISTIAN WOLFFER
• 6 1457 CHARDO MEGAN JOHNSTONE LAMA 0.00 78.510 $275 STONEY HILL
• 7 2625 EUROCOMMERCE ROME DONALD CHESKA 0.00 79.040 $275 CHLOE WORMSER
• 8 1729 OKIDO LESLIE HOWARD 0.00 79.673 $250 CODY AUER
• 9 892 SASSICAIA 11 KATIE PRUDENT 0.00 79.707 $250 PLAIN BAY FARM
• 10 1238 LINDBERG DES HAYETTES ERIC LAMAZE 4.00 65.270 $180 STEVEN COHEN
• 11 1366 SPRITE LAURA CHAPOT 4.00 65.303 $180 LAURA CHAPOT
• 12 652 HOLIDAY DARLENE SANDLIN 4.00 65.619 $180 DARLENE SANDLIN

Photo Credit: Leslie Howard and Lennox Lewis 2, winners of the 1.45m Jumpers at the Winter Equestrian Festival. Photo © 2007 Kenneth Kraus/PhelpsSports.com.