Those incredible spinning, sliding, lead changing reining horses will be showing off their stuff at the 2012 Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup on April 27-28.
On April 27 the $100,000 CRI 3* Open FEI Reining takes place from 6 pm-8 pm in the Alltech Arena. Four-time Grammy Award winner and country music legend Lyle Lovett will compete on Friday on his horse Smart N Shiney. He will be joined by such notable world-class reiners as Tom McCutcheon, Craig Schmersal, Tim McQuay, and Shawn Flarida, the four riders who won the team Gold Medal for the United States at the 2010 Reining World Championships. * Also participating in the Saturday night World Freestyle Championship are renowned eventers David and Karen O'Connor, Gina Miles, as well as two time Eclipse Award winning Jockey Chris McCarron.
Lyle Lovett, besides making a name for himself in the music world, has also made a name as a horse breeder and top level reining competitor. He raises about a half dozen foals a year. Reining is one of his passions and he was present to see one of his horses emerge with a gold medal at the Reining World Championships during the 2010 Alltech World Equestrian Games held at the Kentucky Horse Park.
On April 28 is the ever popular $25,000 Reining World Freestyle Championship to be held from 5:30 pm-7:30 pm in the Alltech Arena. Horses are ridden in a choreographed pattern to music. This is an exciting event that has the crowd whooping and hollering with enthusiasm, urging the riders and horses on as they show off their moves.
Tickets for the April 27 $100,000 CRI 3* Open FEI Reining are $12. For the April 28 $25,000 Reining World Freestyle Championship tickets are $20. For more information you can go to the Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup website here.
The Kentucky Horse Park is located at 4089 Iron Works Parkway, Lexington, Kentucky.
Logo: Courtesy of the Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup
