The second week of the 2024 Lamplight Spring Spectacular Series concluded on Sunday, June 16, with professionals, juniors, and amateurs competing for substantial purses on what is deemed as Classic Sunday. Held at the boutique venue, the Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, Illinois, the HITS Chicago series extends throughout the spring and summer, showcasing top-tier hunter, jumper, and equitation competitions at this iconic Midwest location.
In the venue’s Douglas Elliman Stadium, sixteen competitors vied for Sunday’s highlight event, the $15,000 Horseflight Jumper Classic. With six pairs going double-clear, it was Brian Murphy who emerged victorious aboard Light Speed Equestrian’s 10-year-old KWPN stallion, Glenara Chacco DP (Chacco Blue). The pair skillfully took all of the inside tracks and jumped carefully to cross the timers in 43.297 seconds.
“He’s a new ride for me and he actually came from Australia,” explained Murphy. “This is only my second show with him, but I think very highly of him. I believe he has the potential to become a top horse for a prominent rider. Yesterday, I entered him in the Grand Prix, but I over-faced him. That’s why I wanted to bring him back into the ring today for a calmer round.
“I want to get him more comfortable,” Murphy continued. “I’m staying in Chicago this summer to jump in more grand prix classes and give him more mileage. To be honest, I don’t think I’ll own him in six months; there’s been quite a bit of interest in him. I like to produce horses and sell them to top riders. I think he’s one of the best horses I’ve ever sat on.”
Hot on Murphy’s heels was Friday’s $10,000 STX Open Speed winning pair, Hope Meinen of Katy, Texas, and Have High Hopes’ 10-year-old Zangersheide gelding, Cameron Z (Canabis Z). Meinen clocked in just under half a second slower than Murphy at 43.717 seconds, which earned her the second prize. Rounding out the top three was Katie Leverick-Kosrow of Ingleside, Illinois, riding Madison O’Meara’s nine-year-old Hanoverian mare, Eiskönigin (Eldorado Van De Zeshoek). The pair crossed the timers in 46.145 seconds to secure third place.
Following his victory, Murphy expressed his excitement to be back at the Lamplight Equestrian Center this summer. “This is my fifth summer back at Lamplight. I sold all of my horses last year, so I didn’t have any during last summer’s season. I’m happy to be back since I love the area and the showgrounds, and my clients love it too. This week, I had new clients here for the first time from New Jersey, and they are all having such a wonderful experience!”
The $15,000 Horseflight Jumper Classic was just one of many events on the action-packed Sunday schedule. In the subsequent $5,000 Pyranha/NAL/Jr/Am 1.35m Jumper Classic, Taylor Landstrom of Excelsior, Minnesota, piloted her own 10-year-old Oldenburg mare, Elite Girl (Elvis Ter Putte), to the fastest jump-off finish with a time of 39.917 seconds.
Competition continued onward into the $5,000 Adequan/NAL/Jr/Am 1.25m Jumper Classic where Isabella Kalvenes of Glencoe, Illinois won on her 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding, Meneer V/D Gravenhoeve (Centurio 22), with a double-clear and a time of 32.865 seconds.
In the $3,000 The League/NAL/WIHS/Jr/Am 1.15m Jumper Classic, Izabelle Quadracci of Hartland, Wisconsin, emerged victorious on Stacy Nunn’s 16-year-old Zangersheide gelding, P&F Cordillo Z (Candillo Z), concluding the second week of the Lamplight Spring Spectacular Series.
