International show jumping competition during HITS Championship week at HITS Hudson Valley in Saugerties, New York, heated up on Thursday, September 5, 2024. The four-star division highlights an action-packed schedule of hunter and jumper classes, featuring sizeable prize money purses. All eyes were on the Douglas Elliman Grand Prix Stadium for the day’s main event, the $116,050 Core Specialty Insurance CSI4* Welcome, where Alex Matz (USA) and his veteran partner Cashew CR reigned supreme.

In the star-studded field of 41 horse-and-rider combinations, an even 10 countries were represented including the United States, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Ireland, Israel, Germany, Great Britain, New Zealand, and Sweden. A tight time allowed of 84 seconds proved to be a challenge in Olaf Petersen Jr.’s (GER) first-round track, as three pairs picked up two time penalties each. Fourteen duos, however, did manage to find the clear path to advance to the jump-off. With Germany’s Rene Dittmer electing to save his formidable partner Corsica X for later in the week, that left 13 to race through the short course for the top prize.

Belgian rider Abdel Said started the jump-off with a lightning quick performance, crossing the timers in 35.52 seconds aboard Bonne Amie, an 11-year-old Estonian Sport Horse mare (A Big Boy x Landfriese) owned by AS Trading, Samuel Hutton, and Antonia Pettersson Häggström. That left the remaining 12 challengers to chase his time. Five riders later, it was Daniel Bluman (ISR), fresh off his trip to the Paris Olympic Games, that came dangerously close to catching Said. He stopped the clock just fractions of a second off the pace in 35.65 seconds with Hummer Z, a 10-year-old KWPN gelding (Harley x Hemmingway) owned by Abigail S Wexner. Matz immediately followed, and knowing what he had to do, he put the pedal to the metal with Cashew CR to finish in 34.41 seconds. Their time held up through the remaining five contenders, giving Matz the victory. Said would have to settle for the runner-up spot, while Bluman completed the top three.

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