The HITS Saugerties Summer Series, presented by Alliant Private Client, has concluded after three weeks of incredible competition. The exciting final week of the series featured USEF Premier Hunters and 5* Jumpers, as well as FEI CSI4* competition including the $54,600 SmartPak Welcome and $213,300 HITS Grand Prix. This week also included a $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, the USHJA National Hunter Derby Championship North, the USHJA Hunter Team Challenge East, and the HITS Children’s Hunter Pony Finals.
The first featured Jumper class of the week was the $5,000 HITS Open Welcome on Wednesday. Matthew Williams and FR YANDOO PENNSYLVANIA captured the blue ribbon with a 4-fault jump-off time of 34.563.
2nd Place: Paige Jardine & CHACCARA BLUE [8-faults, 36.033]
3rd Place: Maciek Pestka & QARDINAL DE CHANDOR Z [14-faults, 51.884]
Thursday’s $54,600 SmartPak Welcome, presented by Alliant Private Client, kicked off the week’s FEI CSI4* competition. Riding CACHEMIRE DE BRAIZE, Daniel Bluman completed a clean jump-off in 34.61 to take the win.
2nd Place: Jordan Coyle & CENTRIKO VOLO [36.66]
3rd Place: Conor Swail & COUNT ME IN [4-faults, 37.35]
Friday was host to two featured Jumper classes. Heather Caristo-Williams and MARCIANO MVF topped the field in the $10,000 HITS 1.40m Jumper Classic with a time of 32.484 in the jump-off, winning by only fractions of a second!
2nd Place: Rowan Willis & FASHION PRINCE [32.491]
3rd Place: Cassandra Kahle & PYRENES DE LOUZES [33.160]
The team of Kristen Vanderveen and BULL RUN’S PRINCE OF PEACE combined speed and accuracy to win the FEI CSI 4* $36,600 Saugerties Classic presented by Alliant Private Client. While other horse and rider combinations also went double clear, none could match the time of 38.3 laid down by this duo in the jump-off.
2nd Place: Nicky Galligan & JAVAS MISS JORDAN [39.53]
3rd Place: Daniel Bluman & COLESTINA H [40.5]
The $10,000 Saugerties Steamboat Co. Jumper Classic was held on Saturday, with Coyle and WARNIKE jumping their way to victory. The duo went double clear, putting up a time of 28.576 to win by over 2 seconds.
2nd Place: Andrew S. Ross & CORNET’S COBALT [30.709]
3rd Place: Caristo-Williams & CELTIC HERO BZ [31.447]
Also on Saturday, FEI CSI 4* competition concluded with the $213,300 FEI Grand Prix presented by Alliant Private Client. While Swail and Coyle continued to land podium finishes, it was Rowan Willis and BLUE MOVIE who took home the top prize after completing the jump-off in a fault-free time of 39.53.
2nd Place: Swail & VITAL CHANCE DE LA ROQUE [42.21]
3rd Place: Coyle & CENTRIKO VOLO [4-faults, 40.0]
Sunday’s $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix was the final featured Jumper class of the week. After taking the win in this class last week aboard COCO CHANEL M, Luis Sabino rode CAMINO IMPERIO EGIPCIO to claim top honors this week. They were the only team to complete the jump-off, doing so in 43.229 with 4 faults.
2nd Place: Coyle & WARNIKE [Retired]
3rd Place: Swail & THEO 160 [1-fault, 84.439]
Jumper Classic Winners
$250 M&S Modified Child/Adult Jumper Classic: Sarah Ryan & BATIEZA
$1,000 M&S Child/Adult Low Jumper Classic: Megan Jurain & WHIP JET 41
$2,500 NAL Jr/A-O/Am Low Jumper Classic: Sara J. Pezza & COTE D’AZUR
$5,000 Pyranha Jr/A-O/Am Medium Jumper Classic: Claudia Citrin & SILBERROSE
$2,500 M&S/NAL Child Jumper Classic: Emma Covarrubias & EMY
$2,500 M&S/NAL Adult Jumper Classic: Wendy Chapot-Nunn & CASHE’
$7,500 Jr/A-O/Am High Jumper Classic: Casey Lorusso-Smith & ICEMAN
USHJA HUNTER TEAM CHALLENGE – EAST
The USHJA Hunter Team Challenge offers a unique team experience for riders and allows participating riders to earn Zone Horse of the Year Points. Eight teams competed in the multi-phase competition that combined the efforts of Adult Hunter, Children’s Hunter Horse and Pony, and Low Children’s/Adult Hunter riders in a team format. The Podium results included:
USHJA National Hunter Derby Championship – North
The National Hunter Derby Program provides both horses and riders a place to gain experience in Derby competition. The competition was divided into two sections, for Professionals and Non-Professionals, and was held on the Outside Course at HITS Saugerties.
Cassandra Kahle & ESPRIT DE VICTOIRE took home the victory in the Professional Section with scores of 89 and 96 for a total of 185. They were followed by the teams of David Wilbur & STAKKAIR [174] and Hannah Isop & CAROUSEL [172].
In the Junior/Amateur section, the duo of Megan Knapic & MALIBLUE put forward the highest overall score, with a first-round 83 and a second-round 78 totaling 161. Alexa Bayko & GARSINO [155] and Macquarie Simon & CALL ME COOL [142] were second and third, respectfully.
More featured competition for Hunters took place on Saturday and Sunday. First up was the $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby where Hannah Isop followed up last week’s 1-3 finish in the International Derby with another 1-3 finish. Isop rode INCOGNITO to scores of 90 and 88 to best the field with an overall score of 178.
2nd Place: Meghan Knapic & MALIBLUE [176]
3rd Place: Isop & ROYAL CONSUL [174]
Also on Saturday was a $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby. With scores of 93 and 103 for a total of 196, Cassandra Kahle and GABRIEL bested the field.
2nd Place: Rowan Willis & LORD DON [189]
3rd Place: Isop & RED RYDER [188]
The team of Madison Frankel and EMISJA used scores of 84 and 87 for a total of 171 to claim top honors in Sunday’s $1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix. Frankel ended the week on a high note, with a 1-2 finish.
2nd Place: Frankel & VALENTINO [160]
3rd Place: Daniella Maurer & CUBANACHI [157]
Hunter Classic Winners
Short Stirrup Hunter Classic: Caoimhe (Keva) Cronin & EDGEWOODS WILLOW
$250 M&S Bit O’ Straw Hunter Classic: Ella Buono & CZECHMATE Z
$500 M&S/NAL Child Hunter Classic – Horse: Jordyn Scelsa & ROYAL CHANEL
$500 M&S/NAL Child Hunter Classic – Pony: Chloe Cairns & PITCH PERFECT
$500 SmartPak M&S/NAL Adult Hunter Classic: Hayden Wilkes & SPLURGE
$1,000 Voltaire Junior Hunter Classic: Samantha Kallman & CHALK HILL
$1,000 Eastern Hay A-O 3’3″ Hunter Classic: Nicole Oliynyk & CHEKANDINO
$1,000 Amateur-Owner Hunter Classic: Ellen Toon & GABRIEL
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