New Split Rock Jumping Tour to bring international flair to Bluegrass Country

By Nicky Graf Ussher
Special to NKyTribune

The Split Rock Jumping Tour, a new international show jumping show series modeled after successful European shows, is debuting in the U.S. this spring with a premiere event, the Lexington International CSI 3* May 22-24 at Split Rock Farm in Lexington.

The May event will be followed by the Bourbon International CSI 3# Oct. 9-11, also at Split Rock Farm, located at 4845 Bryan Station Road.

The tour is the brainchild of international show jumping rider Derek Braun, who also owns Split Rock Farm. The shows are sanctioned by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) as a 3* international competition that will allow riders to earn FEI points without having to travel to Europe. 

Braun has spent most of his life around horses and the sport of show jumping. His competitive career began at the age of 7 and he became one of the nation’s top junior riders. He then spent the summer of 2003 competing in Europe, where he gained valuable education as a competitor and also learned the inner workings of the successful European shows. Braun’s dream of bringing European-style show jumping competitions to the U.S. was born, and he is now turning that dream into a reality with the Split Rock Jumping Tour.

After graduating from Rollins College in 2007, Braun turned professional and competed at some of the nation’s most prestigious horse shows, including the Hampton Classic, Winter Equestrian Festival, American Gold Cup, Pennsylvania National Horse Show, HITS Ocala, National Horse Show and New Albany Classic. He has also represented the United States internationally, riding on the U.S. Nations Cup Team at the Porto Alegre CSIO4* in Brazil in 2013.

Braun moved his business, Split Rock Farm Inc., to Lexington in 2007 after falling in love with the “Horse Capital of the World.” He purchased additional property with the plan of developing an international show facility.

Split Rock offers a grass jumping field, top prize money, awards and numerous amenities for riders, horses, sponsors and spectators. All riders are required to dress in formal attire, and riders receiving ribbons will be required to ride their horses into the arena for the award ceremonies.

Braun has chosen top officials for the event. Guilherme Jorge of Brazil, the course designer for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, will be the official course designer for the Lexington International CSI 3* in May. Guilherme has been designing courses around the world for more than 20 years.

Featured classes include the $100,000 Split Rock Farm CSI 3* Grand Prix, $40,000 Hollow Creek Farm CSI 3* Grand Prix, $35,000 Amalaya Investments CSI 3* Speed Cup, and $15,000 Hagyard Equine Medical Institute Under 25 Young Rider Cup, all of which will all take place on grass in the Rock Jumping Field. The Limestone Jumping Arena will host 1.10m, 1.20m and 1.30m Jumper Classes. High Junior/Amateur-Owner, Low Junior/Amateur-Owner and 1.40m Jumper classes will also be held in the Rock Jumping Field.

In an effort to support and work with local businesses, the Split Rock Jumping Tour has partnered with Dan Cummins Chevrolet of Paris to provide the rider who accumulates the most points in the CSI 3* classes with the Leading Athlete Award and a new 2015 Chevrolet Equinox.

Additionally, the Split Rock rider hospitality experience will feature a number of all-inclusive packages that are “all about the details,” Braun said.