Total Touch Photo by Lauren Fisher/PMG

Lake St. Louis, MO - January 17, 2011 -It was a great week for top mount Total Touch, owned by Kathleen O. Hope, at the Lake St. Louis Hunter Jumper II Horse Show. Trained by Diane Carney of Telluride Farm and ridden by professional Richard Rinehart, Total Touch scored big wins in both the $25,0000 Grand Prix and the $5,000 Welcome Stake. The competition was held January 12-16, 2011 at the National Equestrian Center in Lake St. Louis, MO.

Total Touch started out the week ready to win, taking home the top prize in the $5,000 Welcome Stake with Rinehart in the irons. The competitive pair did not stop there and were ready to take on the 19-horse field during the $25,0000 Grand Prix. Following a clear first round, Total Touch and Rinehart were the last of three horse and rider combinations to show over the difficult jump-off course. After taking an extra inside turn the duo raced through the timers with all the fences intact just a fraction of a second ahead of the leader to score the winning honors.

Rinehart and Total Touch were originally paired together during Spruce Meadows in 2010 and have done consistently well ever since. "Richard and Total Touch have become such a pair, they're such a match," noted Carney. "Richard is a very competitive, accurate rider, so with a horse like Total Touch it is the ideal combination. When Caitie [Hope] is not available to ride Richard is just right for the horse."

"Total Touch continuing to become a 'made' horse and an advanced competitor at the grand prix level," added Carney "Caitie is still in high school, so the work that is being done now with Total Touch will ensure that he is ready for her when she competes with him this summer. She currently attends boarding school in Pennsylvania where she trains with Callan Solem to prepare herself for the Amateur Jumpers as well as the grand prix level."

Virginia Bartholomay also competed at the Lake St. Louis Hunter Jumper II Horse Show with her mount Pepe. The talented pair normally competes in the Low Adult Jumpers but decided to start off in the Adult Amateur Hunters this week where they scored a second place ribbon. They then moved to the jumper ring where they won the first place prize in the Low Adult Jumper class.

Telluride Farm and Diane Carney will compete again in March when they travel to Ocala, FL, to compete during HITS Week IV, V, and VI.

Carney, a USEF "r" Hunter/Equitation Licensed Official, is based out of Hampshire, IL, at her hunter/jumper show stable, Telluride Farm. She has been both an active participant and influential trainer in the hunter and jumper community for many years. Her contributions to the industry extend to the many clinics that she teaches every year, in addition to those that she hosts annually for U.S. Show Jumping Chef d'Equipe George H. Morris and top hunter/jumper trainer Don Stewart Jr. Carney was also voted Illinois Hunter/Jumper Horse Person of the Year for 2008. For more information about Diane Carney and Telluride Farm please visit www.TellurideFarm.com.

Photo Credit: Kathleen O. Hope's Total Touch (pictured with rider Caitie Hope) was ridden to top finishes at Lake St. Louis by Richard Rinehart. Photo By: Lauren Fisher/PMG. Photo may be used free of charge only in relation to this press release.