History repeated itself during the Lexington Spring Encore when Addison Reed rode Reed Training & Sales’ Goliath to the win in the $15,000 Welcome, just beating out Marylisa Leffler and Rolling Acres’ ZaZa Z. 

The course was designed by Ken Krome and the second-round time was set at 48 seconds. Of the eighteen horse and rider teams, eleven advanced to a second-round opportunity.

David Matisz and his own Nero Uno were first in the order of go and posted a clear second round in 40.015 seconds, which set the new time to beat.

Leffler and Zaza Z were the next horse and rider to post a clear second round in a time of 35.583 seconds and took the lead.

That lead was short lived when Reed and Goliath followed in the order, posting a clear second round in 34.173 seconds.

“It was close!” said Reed. “Marylisa and ZaZa Z are lightning fast and they’re quick across the ground and in the air. I tried to be just as tight as she was back to the combination and I only beat them because I did an inside turn. But seriously, I didn’t even know if the inside turn would let me be faster than them,” said Reed.

Kama Godek rode her own Chelsy 25 to a third place finish with a second round time of 36.164 seconds and Grace Long aboard Nita Crowley’s Oaks Cossack Dancer finished in fourth with a second round time of 38.134 seconds.

Gene Frank rode his own Isaak VDL to a sixth place finish with a time of 39.128 seconds and Tiffany Cambria took seventh place with Sabrina Hellman’s Independence for their second round time of 39.165 seconds.

Matisz and Nero Uno finished in eighth place and Laura Gaither earned a ninth place with Savannah Welch’s Carnlea Premier. Jackson Schurtz rode Jeanne McCusker’s Imago Z to a tenth placing and Ashley Foster and Rolling Acres’ Diadarco Van Evendael Z placed eleventh. Sulu Rose Reed wrapped up the class with a twelfth place finish in the irons of Reed Training & Sales, LLC’s Rich Girl.

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Congratulations to Dorli Burke’s Chime, ridden by Ashley Foster Worthington. The pair won 4 out of the 5 classes in the 3’6 Green Hunters to claim The Galloping Way Perpetual Trophy!

This new trophy is presented by Karyn Zambrano-Clifton and Theresa McDermott in memory of Lynn Nelms and is awarded to the Grand Hunter Champion.

Karyn commented on this award, “My friend Lynn died ten years ago. Growing up she was my 'tack guru' and somewhat of a mentor. I met her when she worked at Dominion Saddlery. She kept her horses at home as I did and understood that straddling the lines between competing in this world while living with your horses in your backyard was not an easy chasm to cross and it was hard to straddle that line."  

“Lynn was the nicest and most generous person, offering me tack and bit suggestions and always tried to help me,” said Karyn. “She knew what it took to succeed in the rated world and tried to level the playing field as much as she could.”

"Her friend Theresa McDermott and I wanted to do something special for her. Lynn just loved the Virginia Horse Center. She loved that it was in our backyard, and you could let a horse be a horse here either in the fields or show rings. She was a tack guru, a photographer, a poet and a friend,” she said. 

The award is named the Galloping Way Perpetual Trophy since it captures the essence of a poem written by Lynn [Untitled by Lynn Nelms]:

Some shuffle through days bound in ropes of routine. I choose life by extravagant stride. As long as I can climb on top, I mend each day a galloping way. Look deep in their eyes look into the face, then gather the reins and pick up the pace. They can’t touch me now in this safe piece of time I celebrate stride, and the moment is mine.

Mark your calendar for the final installment of the Festival of Champions, the Lexington National August 9-13.

The Festival of Champions benefits the Virginia Horse Center Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Sponsorship opportunities and vendor applications are available.