The season at HITS Commonwealth Park came to a close with the Culpeper Finals featuring top hunter and jumper competition, along with the crowning of the HITS Culpeper Grand Circuit Champions. Each week of the HITS Culpeper Circuit features a $35,000 Open Jumper Division, Hunter Prix, and Marshall & Sterling classes and classics. From walk-trot to the Open Prix, HITS Culpeper offers a division for every level of rider.
Striking the first win in featured jumper competition was Tracy Magness aboard INTENZ VAN HD. Their 4-fault jump-off time of 37.463 would be good for the blue ribbon in the $5,000 Open Welcome on Wednesday.
2nd Place: Michael Kocher & COLDPLAY 31 [4-Faults, 37.750]
3rd Place: Winn Alden & MUSICA VAN’T EIGENLO [12-Faults, 37.900]
Faults were spread around the course in Friday’s $10,000 HITS Prix, but Magness continued her winning streak on INTENZ VAN HD as she crossed the timers in 33.822 to be the only double clear ride taking home first place.
2nd Place: Danny Mahon & HOLLY DERMUS PP [8-Faults, 33.082]
3rd Place: Kocher & COLDPLAY 31
“I have come to [HITS] Culpeper since I was seven or eight years old, showing small ponies. While I’m from Maryland, this is ‘hometown’ for me,” said Magness. “It’s nice, especially under the current conditions, for myself and my clients that we are so close to home.”
Magness has had a successful summer showing at HITS Culpeper and is already making her plans to show at HITS Ocala this winter. “I love showing at Ocala because it is quite literally a ‘home away from home’,” Magness continued. “Not only do I get to see all my friends that I don’t usually see, but my horses love it there [in Ocala].”
Saturday afternoon featured the HITS Culpeper Equitation Classic in the Grand Prix Ring, a unique class designed for Junior, Amateur, Children’s, and Adult riders showing at 3’ or 3’6”. It offers a chance for these riders, who normally compete separately, to measure their skills against each other in the featured ring. This week’s Classic was hotly contested with top scores taking the podium positions. Luke Sassi scored an 83 to take first place in the class.
2nd Place: Isabella Bertozzi [82]
3rd Place: Emilia Cayelli [80]
Matthias Hollberg clinched the win in the final HITS Culpeper $20,000 Open Prix of the season for his ride aboard D.A. DURAS. Hollberg was one of four riders who jumped clean in the first round and would return first in the jump-off. A clear round in an unbeatable time of 34.816, is exactly what Hollberg needed to secure victory in Sunday’s featured competition.
2nd Place: Andrew Kocher & CONNOR 69 [35.733]
3rd Place: Tamara Morse & RAVENNA ADELHEID Z [4-Faults, 36.290]
Jumper Classic Winners
$2,000 M&S WIHS/NAL Children’s Jumper Classic: Telina Tibbs & STANLEY 151
$2,000 M&S WIHS/NAL Adult Jumper Classic: Rachael L Kealey & ELECTRA
$1,000 Dever Golf Cars Children’s/Adult Low Jumper Classic: Erin Brodie & FERROSSO BLUE DLS
$2,500 Jr/A-O/Am 1.20m Jumper Classic: Hugh Turner & RUFFINO
$4,000 Pyranha NAL Jr/A-O/Am 1.30m Jumper Classic: Anne Berg & GOMARUS
$5,000 Jr/A-O/Am 1.40m Jumper Classic: Ginny Gale & TRINITY
The Culpeper Finals show was also host to the $1,500 Devoucoux Hunter Prix and $1,000 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix, along with Marshall & Sterling Insurance League classes and classics.
Amy Zettler piloted RUTLEDGE to a first place finish in the $1,500 Devoucoux Hunter Prix. A score of 79 in first round and a matching 79 in the second round totaled a 158 and the win for Zettler.
2nd Place: Sophia Deel & THOMAS O’MALLEY [146]
3rd Place: Kelsi Peterson & SOUTHERN AVENUE [133]
Junior and Amateur riders were up next in the Main Hunter Ring for the $1,000 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix. First place was awarded to Lindsey Welsh, scoring matching scores of 77 in each round for a 154 total, aboard KINGSLAND.
2nd Place: Ava Goodman & CRISTIANO [144]
3rd Place: Nina Fox & DILLON [131]
Hunter Classic Winners
$1,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Hunter Classic: Norah Crowley & OBSESSION
$500 Pony Hunter Classic: Kelsey Lambert & ONTARIO
$500 SmartPak M&S Adult Hunter Classic: Betty Oare & SIDENOTE
$500 M&S Children’s Hunter Classic: Sasha Deringer & DELAPHINE
Novice Children’s/Adult Hunter Classic: Lydia Kikolski & MISTAH RIGHT
$250 Bit O’ Straw Hunter Classic: Kikolski & MISTAH RIGHT
For a complete listing of results from the Culpeper Finals, click here.
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