Zaza Z Zips to Victory in $5,000 Welcome Stake at Lexington National
Lexington, VA – August 7, 2025 – The $5,000 Open Jumper Welcome Stake at the Lexington National Horse Show, presented by Attwood Equestrian Surfaces, kicked off the week’s featured hunter jumper competition with thrilling double-clear performances from the top three finishers. Blazing around the jump-off track in 30.88 seconds, Mary Lisa Leffler and her seasoned partner Zaza Z claimed the win with authority. Lizzy Traband and Rokeechobee STB earned second with a smooth time of 33.027 seconds, while Lindsay Kelley piloted Cooley Carrera to a clean third in 36.66 seconds.
Leffler and Zaza Z, a fiery and scopey mare who “knows her job,” delivered one of the most polished and efficient rounds of the day. An impressively tidy inside turn in the jump-off helped shave valuable seconds off the clock. “I was just trying to stay steady-Eddie,” Leffler said of her approach. “She’s a pretty fast horse anyway, so I knew if I kept a rhythm and stayed out of her way, she’d take care of the rest.”
Held in a Table II.2b format, riders who navigated the first round cleanly and within the time allowed of 79 seconds were immediately sent on to the jump-off track, demanding quick thinking and even quicker turns.
The opening round began with a welcoming bending line near the in-gate, starting at a vertical and flowing to a wide oxer. From there, competitors tackled another bending line across the diagonal made up of two oxers, the second of which concluded a technical combination. Next came a careful in-and-out followed by a bold liver pool oxer, a test of straightness and adjustability. A final set of bending questions included an oxer to an in-and-out, finishing with a wide final oxer that called for precision and power from both horse and rider.
The jump-off reused familiar elements, but required clever lines and speed to shine. After navigating the opening two jumps from round one, riders galloped into a key bending line that incorporated the previous in-and-out to oxer combination. A tight rollback option across the diagonal set up the final question: a strong gallop to the imposing liverpool oxer, where the win could be sealed or lost.
Zaza Z, who now primarily contests the Saturday Grand Prix classes, is a familiar winner in the Virginia Horse Center rings. Her experienced, workmanlike style paired with Leffler’s precision riding continues to make them a competitive force at the top level. Both Leffler and Zaza Z are no strangers to the Virginia Horse Center. “This is one of my favorite shows,” Leffler added. “The footing, the atmosphere, it’s always a great week here at the Horse Center.”
With the Welcome Stake setting the tone, the Lexington National Horse Show is just getting started. The week ahead promises even more excitement with Friday’s full slate of hunter derbies, Saturday night’s highly anticipated $25,000 Grand Prix, and the 2025 AYR Equitation Challenge wrapping up the show on Sunday.