Lexington, KY – August 14, 2025 – Show jumping action took center stage in the Walnut Ring on Thursday afternoon during the Bluegrass Classic at the Kentucky Horse Park. Leading horse and rider combinations gathered to take aim at the top spot in the $25,000 Bluegrass Classic. At the end of the day, Summer Justus bested a seven-horse jump-off with her long-time partner Lausbub 458 to gallop home with the winning honors. Mia Albelo was hot on Justus’ heels with MHS Cardenta for second place, while Rosalie Midyette and Luigi Van De Kornelishoeve took home the third-place prize.
“It’s always a nice feeling to come back and start showing when both of your horses have been in really good form and having good results,” smiled Justus.”It gives you a good, confident feeling being back in the ring. We love it here – you can’t be showing in Kentucky for us!”
Course designer Kevin Holowack asked questions throughout the 12-obstacle track, which included an oxer-vertical double combination and a vertical-vertical-oxer triple combination, a liverpool vertical, and a precise final line at the end of the ring. Seven combinations had all the answers in the first round and advanced to the jump-off, where they had to begin with a bending line before a tight rollback to the second part of the triple combination. They then galloped past the gate to another bending line before galloping home over the final line.
Mia Albelo & MHS Cardenta
Justus was the second to return with Lausbub 458, her winning mount from the $50,000 Rood and Riddle Kentucky Grand Prix during the Kentucky Summer Horse Show. She knew she would need to be quick to leave the others chasing her, but trusted Lausbub 458’s speedy stride. They left out a stride in the final line with all the rails intact and set the time to beat at 40.946 seconds. Albelo came the closest to catching her with MHS Cardenta, but an extra stride before the final line was just enough to throw them off the winning pace as they stopped the clock at 41.147 seconds to move into second. Midyette was the last to tackle the short track with Luigi Van De Kornelishoeve, and while they also came very close, their clear effort in 41.513 seconds would take home third place, as Justus returned to accept the winning prize.
Rosalie Midyette & Luigi Van De Kornelishoeve
“It was a really nice course for him. He’s got a big step. He covers a lot of ground with him,” explained Justus after her win. “In the jump-off, I planned to do one less in the first line. I didn’t quite see what I wanted to see, but he’s quick across the ground, and I never really have to slow down, which is his strong suit. I did one last to the left or one less to the last on him.”
Lausbub 458 is a 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding owned by Simpson-Justus Show Jumping that Justus began riding four years ago, and she has developed a close bond with him. He has stayed fit and happy over the last three weeks, with Justus saying, “It’s a lot about just keeping him happy, keeping him entertained. He has to come out and want to do this for us. They all do. We focus on keeping him fit enough without making him feel like he’s being drilled and worked too hard. I think the best way to describe him is a little boy with a little boy brain. He’ll have meltdowns like a little child, but he is really sweet. He’s got a really good heart and he does love this job. He’s like family to us!”
The next highlight event in the Rolex Stadium will be Sunday morning’s $40,000 Bluegrass Festival Grand Prix, sponsored by Sterling Equestrian / Forest Hill. “Lausbub 458 is pretty rock solid in the Rolex, so it’ll be a nice change of scenery,” noted Justus, who will be aiming for the top prize once again. “I like that this week we get to jump in two different rings. They’ll come out and be a little brighter and a little sharper, and it’s a good atmosphere for them.”
Hunter highlights for the rest of the week include the 2025 Platinum Performance/USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Championship, which will conclude on Friday with the final championship round of the 3’/3’3” Championship. The week continues with the 2025 Platinum Performance/USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship, which will also get underway on Friday in the Rolex Stadium.
For more information about Kentucky Horse Shows LLC please visit www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.