IRISH Junior rider Christina Kelly has been named the Show Jumping Hall of Fame Rider of the Month for March in Lexington, Kentucky.

Kelly, whose father Sean comes from Navan in Co. Meath, competes in the USA East Conference Junior division of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series aboard Camirage.

The month of March was a huge success for the pair, as they earned first place honors in Series classes held during weeks nine and eleven of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington, Florida, as well as fourth place during WEF's tenth week, earning 340 points.

The Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series honours one rider each month as the Rider of the Month. The honor goes to the one rider who earns the most points on one horse in Series competition that month.

“We are thrilled to present Christina with our March Rider of the Month Award,” said George Morris, President of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame. “Her success in Series classes during the Winter Equestrian Festival is a true testament to her talent, and we wish her continued success throughout the remainder of the Series.”

The Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series saw competition at five events during the month of March, and will see classes at more than 100 horse shows before the Series culminates in the Year-End Championships at the National Horse Show in November.

The Series hosts separate divisions for junior and amateur-owner riders in two Conferences—the East Conference and the West Conference.  Series standings are used to help determine junior and amateur-owner entries for the National Horse Show.

In the overall standings through March, Charlie Jacobs and Leap of Joy maintained their lead in the amateur-owner standings in the East Conference while Christina Kelly and Camirage continued their lead in the junior division. Classes for the West Conference are scheduled to begin this month.

Kentucky-based Kelly, who will be 18 later this year, was a member of the Irish Junior European Show Jumping team last year, and finished seventh individually at the championships.

Christina Kelly