We’re officially half-way through the HITS Ocala Winter Circuit! Week V was full of featured hunter and jumper competition, Champion titles and the presentation of the ACE Equestrian Mid-Circuit Champion Awards.
Stalls sold out Week V and future weeks appear to continue on that same trend! From Derby stars to Olympic hopefuls, riders came at the ‘Top of their Game’ to claim blue ribbons in over two dozen featured classes and more than 100 divisions. Prize money has been doubled and even tripled in the Grand Prix and Hunter Prix each week, as riders gear up for a $10,000 National Hunter Derby (Week VIII) and a $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby (Week X), as well as another $200,000 Grand Prix (Week IX) and of course the Seventh Annual Great American $1 Million Grand Prix (Week X).
Claiming another first place finish at the HITS Ocala Winter Circuit was Aaron Vale aboard EYE CATCHER in the $5,000 Open Welcome on Wednesday Afternoon. Untouchable, this team crossed the timers with a clear round in 38.614.
2nd Place: Lisa Goldman-Smolen & AS DI SOGRAND [39.900]
3rd Place: Cady Klimas & CELTIC LADY M2S [40.119]
Kylie Jo Perkins and FOR SECRET PLEASURE went early in the order and were first to jump-off in the $10,000 HITS Open Prix on Thursday. Their time of 32.270 held strong through the rest of the class to secure the blue ribbon.
2nd Place: Kama Godek & CONTINUITY [33.344]
3rd Place: David Raposa & MIC JAGGER [34.031]
Tracy Fenney and MTM APPLE added another Grand Prix title to their record when they took top honors on Friday in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix. The eight-year-old mare continues to prove herself among a field of Grand Prix veterans, crossing the timers in 36.838.
2nd Place: Hunter Holloway & LUCKY STRIKE [37.852]
3rd Place: Jens Baackmann & AGLAIA 3 [39.017]
Fenney continued her winning streak aboard MTM DOLCE VITA in the $15,000 1.40m Jumper Classic on Saturday afternoon in a time of 34.486 and claimed third place aboard MTM LOLAH LOL.
2nd Place: Godek & STONEHENGE 5 [35.574]
3rd Place: Fenney & MTM LOLAH LOL [35.712]
Jumper Classic Winners
$1,000 M&S Child/Adult Jumper Classic – Low: Zoe Powell & DALILA
$1,500 M&S Child/Adult Jumper Classic – Medium: Allison Orth & NABUCO
$2,000 M&S Child Jumper Classic – High: Isabel Arroyo & CATANIA SAFLO Z
$2,000 M&S Adult Jumper Classic – High: Mercy Paine & CHAMBRINUS
$2,500 Pyranha Jr 1.25m Jumper Classic: Wyatt Morris & GIZMO
$2,500 Pyranha A-O/AM 1.25m Jumper Classic: Laura Linback & CARMINA
$5,000 Summit Joint Performance Jr/A-O/Am 1.35m Jumper Classic: Elizabeth Phillips & SYVHOEJEGAARDS HURRYCANE DICE
$7,500 U-Dump Jr/A-O/AM 1.45m Jumper Classic: Dr. Fernando Cardenas & QUEENIE
A great crowd turned out for the $200,000 Ocala Electric Utility Grand Prix, and a thrilling 9 -horse jump-off did not disappoint. Fenney hoped to make it two-for-two in the week and three straight Grand Prix wins in a row aboard MTM APPLE, but it would be Kristen VanderVeen and her long-time partner, BULL RUN’S FAUSTINO DE TILI, to take the blue.
After three second place finishes in the Sunday Grand Prix,, Weeks I, II and III, VanderVeen was itching for the win, and she got it in one of the most hotly contested Grand Prix of the Circuit.
With a little luck from fence one to two, this naturally fast team soared through the timers in 40.451 to take home the lion’s share of the prize money in the featured class at the half-way point of the circuit.
2nd Place: Fenney & MTM APPLE [40.816]
3rd Place: Andre Thieme & CELLISTO [41.916]
Top notch hunter competition continues at the HITS Ocala Winter Circuit with qualifiers for the HITS Championship that takes place annually in Saugerties, New York. HITS is proud to host some of the riches hunter classes in the world including the Diamond Mills and Platinum Performance Hunter Prix Finals, as well as some of the richest USHJA International Hunter Derbies across the nation.
Nashea Powell made her way in the $10,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix during Week V aboard DESSERT FIRST. It was a score of 87 in the first round and a match to that in the second round that would push Powell right to the top with a total score of 174.
2nd Place: Megan Wexler & AMARA [172]
3rd Place: Dorothy Douglas & MTM CHECK IN [171.5]
Taking top honors in the $1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix was Madeline Jordan and COBELLINI ‘F’ Z. To secure the win, Jordan scored an 85 in the first round and an 88 in the second round for an overall score of 173.
2nd Place: Schuyler Dayner & LONDON T [170]
3rd Place: Ava Carbone & MTM TURNING POINT [169]
Hunter Classic Winners
$1,000 USHJA Green Hunter Incentive: Hillary Johnson & SUEDE
$1,000 A-O 3’6″ Hunter Classic: Linback & ATTENTION PLEASE
$1,000 ALL-IN Removal A-O 3’3″ Hunter Classic: Lee Cesery & SHAKESPEARE
$1,000 CWD Jr 3’6″ Hunter Classic – Small: Claire Campbell & STALLONE
$1,000 Antares Jr 3’6″ Hunter Classic – Large: Morgan Von Nortwick & WINTERFELL
$1,000 Jr 3’3″ Hunter Classic: Maddie Tosh & GOTHAM
$500 M&S SmartPak Adult Hunter Classic: Sandra Bierman & KALVERT
$500 M&S Child Hunter Classic – Horse: Ava Berman & SKOREKEEPER
$500 M&S Child Hunter Classic – Pony: Aundrea Hillyard & CHERRYBROOK BLUE DAHLIA
M&S Bit O’Straw Hunter Classic: Beth A. Ford Estey & BONTREAL
$1,000 Perfect Products Pony Hunter Classic: Lauren Gee & EASTSIDE
Click here for the full listing of results from the HITS Ocala Winter Festival.
More from News:
