Aidan Kennedy and Highlight Van Molga Lead the Way in the $5,000 Corinthian 1.25m-1.30m Open Welcome

Halifax, MA - June 12, 2025 - The $5,000 Corinthian 1.25m-1.30m Open Welcome, sponsored by Corinthian Insurance, kicked off another exciting day of competition at Fieldstone Show Park. It was Aidan Kennedy who rose to the top aboard Highlight Van Molga, producing a double-clear round in an unbeatable 37.267 seconds. Kennedy also claimed third with KBS Apple Juice in 38.664 seconds, while Ellie Ferrigno and Rayon D’or Van De Padenborre finished second with a double-clear in 37.959 seconds.

Aidan Kennedy and Highlight Van Molga

“The horse I won on, Highlight, has a very big stride,” Kennedy said. “In the jump-off, there was quite a long approach from one to two, and then a bending line through the middle. I left out a stride from one to two, and then where I think I won it was in the next line. Everyone else did seven, and I did six.”

The first round of the day’s highlight event presented riders with two bending lines, a diagonal combination, and an over bending to a second combination. Those who advanced to the jump-off faced a familiar set of bending lines, followed by a rollback to a combination and a tight turn to an oxer to finish. With few riders taking risks on tight turns, Kennedy’s efficiency and bold track proved decisive.

“There weren’t any super tight turns, so nobody was doing anything very different,” he explained. “It really came down to who could leave out a stride. I jumped in, took a very direct, straight line and did the six well. That set me up for a nice rollback, and from there everything else rode the same. That half-second I saved in the line made the difference.”

This victory was especially meaningful for Kennedy and Highlight Van Molga, who were contesting their first show together after a six-month break.

“I’ve been riding him for four years now, and he just came back from lease two weeks ago,” Kennedy shared. “I did him in the 1.10m and 1.20m yesterday and he felt good, so I figured we might as well try the Welcome today, and sure enough, he jumped super and really rose to the occasion.”

Reflecting on his return to Fieldstone, Kennedy added, “I love coming here. We were here for two weeks last month, and we’ll be back for another two this month. The weather is great, the facility is looking super, I’m just really happy to be back.”

Congratulations to all the riders who competed in Thursday’s class, and thank you to Corinthian Insurance for their generous support of high-performance sport. Look forward to more exciting classes upcoming this week including the MHJ Junior Medal on Friday.