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Farrington and Up Chiqui Make Major Moves in AGA Races But Remain Far Behind Leader McLain Ward

June 22, 2007

Wellington, FL --- Kent Farrington and his new equine star Up Chiqui are having a memorable and highly successful 2007 American Grand Prix Association (AGA) tour. That’s the good news. The bad news is that Farrington’s success has come during an all-time record shattering AGA season by McLain Ward and Sapphire.

Entering its twenty-ninth year, the AGA Grand Prix Series of Show Jumping is the world’s richest and longest running series of equestrian show jumping events. The AGA series offers over $3 million dollars in prize money on a tour that encompasses thirty events and twenty different equestrian markets across the United States.

Farrington and Up Chiqui are coming off back to back AGA wins at the $50,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix on May 20 at the Kentucky Horse Park, and the $100,000 Budweiser Upperville Jumper Classic, CSI 3* on June 10 at the Upperville Show Grounds in Upperville, VA. These two victories follow a second place finish in the $200,000 Grand Prix of Charlotte, CSI 4* on April 15 at the Charlotte Bobcats Arena in Charlotte, NC.

With these three top finishes added to his successful campaign during the Winter Equestrian Festival, Farrington surged into third place in the AGA Rider of the Year standings with 100 points and five clear rounds. This puts him just 12 points back of Beezie Madden, who sits second with 112 points and six clear rides. Both Madden and Farrington trail the front runner McLain Ward, however, by enormous margins. Ward sits atop the AGA leaderboard with 303 points, the most points ever achieved in a single season - and there are still fourteen events remaining.

In the race for AGA Horse of the Year, Sapphire, owned by Ward and Blue Chip Bloodstock, has a similar huge lead. Ward and Sapphire have bankrolled $224,427 by posting wins in the $395,781 CN Worldwide Florida Open Grand Prix, America’s richest show jumping event, the $75,000 Budweiser Grand Prix of Devon and a second place finish in the $200,000 Budweiser American Invitational.

Up Chiqui, owned by Alex Boone, Richard Bass and James Mcnerney, has moved ahead of Picolien Zeldenrust ($89,052) from the Sher-Al Farm into second place in the AGA Horse of the Year standings. Up Chiqui’s money total has reached $94,100. Abigail Wexner’s Authentic is fourth with $82,500.

The East coast AGA tour makes two stops in Lake Placid, NY next, for the $75,000 Budweiser Grand Prix of Lake Placid on July 1 and the $75,000 I Love NY Grand Prix on July 7. Then it’s on to Moreland Hills, Ohio for the $65,000 Cleveland Grand Prix on July 22, 2007. Out west, the Rocky Mountain Grand Prix at the Colorado Horse Park on July 21, and the $25,000 Oregon High Desert Classic on July 28, take center stage.

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