2006 Legacy Cup

Grace Socha Has a Good Navigator

Grace Socha rode both Final Answer (14th in the Finals and 4th in Juniors) and Navigator (4th in the Finals) in the Non Pro 3’ Finals and it was Navigator who took her to the top of the Junior division. Both horses are owned by Sherri Crawford. She also won the Non Pro 3’ Leading Junior Rider for the most money won in that division.

Surprisingly, this was the first time Socha ever competed on Navigator and she only had a brief schooling a few days earlier to get to know him just a little. “He is an absolute dream. He is very comfortable and gives you a great feeling and really nice to ride. He was on it the entire way – he was with me. I wasn’t worried about anything. I knew I was going in with a great horse and I just went for it.”

Sixteen-year-old Socha, Glenville, NY, like so many others, gave the Legacy Cup high marks. “I think it is a great event. It’s really exciting and a great pleasure to ride in.”

The last day of both the Legacy Cup and the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows is a mad dash to leave. Everyone is packing to catch planes and return cars heading either home or to their next horse show. Socha, who admitted that “horses are pretty much my life,” also was in a hurry but as she was leaving she too wanted to add one more comment. “Thanks to my farm Derbydown and Louise Serio and Amanda Lyerly for being the best support team,” she commented. “And a special thank you to Havens Schatt and Sherri for giving me the opportunity to ride such great horses.”

And with that the Legacy Cup was over with new and repeat winners. Plans are already in the works for next years Legacy Cup which will again take place as part of the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows. The day began with a Champagne Brunch, sponsored by Jenny Sutton and Wrenwood Farms, where the food was a repeat of the great recipes that those who were members of the Legacy Club had enjoyed for the two weeks. The Finals began at 3:00 and by 5:30 it was over and if you walked around the Kentucky Spring Horse Show grounds there were few people other than the workers who were onsite. The winners, losers and hopefuls were back on the road again!