Wayne, Illinois, USA – July 20, 2024 – On a bright and sunny Saturday afternoon, on July 21, 2024, the Lamplight Summertime III Series culminated in the $35,000 Finish Line Grand Prix. Once again, Lisa Goldman-Smolen (USA) and her veteran partner Sovereign could not be beaten, and they ran away with the win.

The course, designed by Rosa Cordero from Mexico, featured a winding track comprised of 12 obstacles and 15 elements, including an in-and-out on the rail toward the in-gate at obstacle 4ab, a liverpool at fence 7, and a triple combination at obstacle 9abc, before finishing with a large oxer on the rail away from the in-gate.Out of a competitive field of 17 horse-and-rider combinations, eight returned for the jump-off, adding to the palpable excitement in the air.

Lisa Goldman-Smolen, a seasoned competitor from Hawthorn Woods, Illinois, showcased her outstanding skills by advancing all three of her mounts to the jump-off. However, it was her ride on the superstar Sovereign, an 18-year-old Selle Français stallion owned by Barbra Disko that gave her the best result. The experienced duo navigated the course seamlessly, completing it in an incredible 34.88 seconds to take the victory.

Their performance outpaced Thursday’s $10,000 STX Open Speed winner, Daniel Bedoya (BOL), by nearly a whole second. Bedoya, aboard NRG Farm’s nine-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Eldorado van de Zeshoek x Otangelo), Heritage MBF, delivered a double-clear round with a time of 35.83 seconds, securing second place.

Rounding out the top three was Brian Murphy (USA) on his own 10-year-old KWPN stallion by Chacco Blue, Glenara Chacco DP, who also went double-clear with a jump-off time of 36.53 seconds.

“I’ve had Sovereign for eight years now with Barbra Disko, and he has become my cornerstone,” said Goldman-Smolen. “He is the most beloved horse in the barn and my favorite to ride. He truly loves his work. If I can just get out of his way, I know I have a chance to win almost any class I put in front of him.

“For the jump-off, Sovereign is such a naturally fast horse, so I was just thinking about leaving the double up since I had that down with my other horses. I actually warmed up better on Sovereign than on the other two. I found things off the turn a little bit better,o I didn’t want to change too much from what I did with the other two.”

After a great day, Goldman-Smolen was appreciative of her sponsors and owner, and expressed gratitude to the HITS Chicago organizers for putting on such a spectacular show.

“I spend the entire summer here,” she said “I love it. I get to go home every night since it’s close to my house and holds many cherished memories for me. It truly is one of the most beautiful venues in the country.

“I would like to thank my sponsors, especially Finish Line,” added Goldman-Smolen. “Finish Line products have made my horses perform better than ever over the last few years since I’ve been using them. I use so many of their products: Total Control, Performance Builder, Stretch Run Plus, and Apple-A-Day. We also use their poultice. Our horses thrive on their products, and we use just about every one of them. I also want to say a special ‘thanks’ to Barbra Disko and Stephanie St. John for allowing me to be a part of their horses’ stories.” 

Final Results – $35,000 Finish Line Grand Prix

1) Lisa Goldman-Smolen (USA) & Sovereign – 0 / 0 – 34.88

2) Daniel Bedoya (BOL) & Heritage MBF – 0 / 0 – 35.83

3) Brian Murphy (USA) & Glenara Chacco DP – 0 / 0 – 36.53

Source: Press Release from Hits Horse Shows

Photos: © Hits Shows / Phoenix Jeannides

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Link