Caroline Lloyd Wins Open Jumper Speed Class at Vermont Summer Festival

East Dorset, VT—July 12, 2002—Caroline Lloyd of New York, NY took top honors in the crowd pleasing $3,000 Open Jumper Speed Class at the Manchester Summer Festival, which is part of the 2002 Vermont Summer Festival Horse Show, held at Harold Beebe Farm in East Dorset, VT.

One second separated the top four finishers but it was Lloyd, aboard her horse Gordon Boy, who jumped to victory in the field of fifteen with an impressive time of 58.434 seconds. Debbie McCarthy of Patterson, NY came in second with 58.649 riding Zaharius, owned by McCarthy and Peter Connor. Leann Flavin of Wellington, FL was third with Julius, owned by Gotham Enerprises, in a time of 58.988 and Vanessa Stevenson of Southampton, NY finished fourth in a time of 59.067 riding Galiana, owned by Robert Ross.

In the Open Speed Class, jumping faults are converted to time faults adding to the final time. The horse-and-rider combination with the fastest final time determines the winner. Seconds were precious as the riders negotiated the tight turns trying not to incur any time or jumping penalties.

Open Jumper and Grand Prix classes are the most popular at the horse show. The Vermont Summer Festival will highlight a $35,000 Grand Prix class each Sunday as part of the Series, sponsored by the Stratton Mountain Inn, Hand Motors and the Equinox Resort. Top riders and horses both nationally and internationally will be showcased in the USET-recognized event.

The Vermont Summer Festival, which is New England’s largest “AA” rated hunter-jumper horse show circuit, continues with the Manchester Classic, July 17-21, The Valley Classic, July 24-28, and the Manchester and the Mountains Horse Show, July 31-August 4. The action culminates with the Vermont Summer Celebration, August 7-11.

For further information, please visit the Vermont Summer Festival website at www.vt-summerfestival.com or call 802-496-4878.

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