Category Archives: HITS

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, HITS, HITS, Show Jumping

London Bound Margie Engle Wins the $50,000 EMO Grand Prix to Finish Out Opening Week at HITS-on-the-Hudson

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©ESI Photography. Margie Engle and Royce on course in the $50,000 EMO Grand Prix

SAUGERTIES, NY (May 29, 2012) – U.S. Olympic hopeful Margie Engle didn’t waste any time settling in at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York this year. On Sunday, riding Elm Rock Partners LLC’s Royce, she captured the victory in the $50,000 EMO Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health.

Engle, of West Palm Beach, Florida, piloted Royce to the win over a course designed by Marina Azevedo of Campinas, Brazil. Engle was one of seven who advanced to the jump-off where, as one of the most winning riders in the history of the sport, she is known to capitalize.

“This is the first time this horse has ever won a Grand Prix,” said Engle. “I just got him at the beginning of the season and he’s still young, only eight years old and he has all the raw talent in the world. This was a lot of fun today for this horse and I think he could become a really great horse in the years to come.”

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Competitions, Events, HITS, HITS, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

HITS-on-the-Hudson Announces GRAMMY-Winning Artist Michael McDonald as Championship Weekend Headliner

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SAUGERTIES, NY (May 17, 2012) — HITS and The Bardavon have teamed up again, bringing music legend Michael McDonald to the summer stage at HITS-on-the-Hudson as the conclusion to the richest weekend in show jumping.  McDonald, a five time GRAMMY award winner will perform a live concert directly following the Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix on Sunday, September 9, 2012 to conclude HITS Championship Weekend.

HITS President and CEO Tom Struzzieri proudly welcomes rock royalty Michael McDonald to center stage with excitement, noting no better way to thank exhibitors for their continued support.

“The three classes that will take place on that Sunday have always been about giving back to the customers who support the HITS product throughout the year. Pairing those with a concert of this caliber is another demonstration of our appreciation and a great tool for drawing spectators beyond the equine set to the show grounds for the competitions,” he said. “It adds a great family-friendly flavor to the weekend and helps to put folks in the bleachers, so it’s a true win-win.”

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*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Events, HITS, HITS, Hunter/Equitation, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Jeanne Hobbs Sails Southern River to Championship of Farm Vet Level Five Jumpers and Places Third in Grand Prix at HITS Culpeper

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Jeanne Hobbs and Southern River in Wellington earlier this year. Photo by SportFot

Wellington, FL – April 24, 2012 – Jeanne Hobbs found her groove at HITS Culpeper winning the Farm Vet Level Five Championship with her own mount, Southern River. In the $40,000 Grand Prix, Hobbs piloted Nielsen B to third place honors.

The conditions were not ideal, with fifty-degree weather and rain. But Danny Foster’s courses rode well for Hobbs and her two horses and, despite the cold and rain, they delivered outstanding performances.

“Southern River is 100% Thoroughbred,” shared Hobbs about her twelve-year-old partner. “I’ve had him since he was about three and a half years old, and he’s a super-fast, careful and brave horse. He won the first day at Culpeper, and he went in and won the second day as well. That’s him. He’s a winner. He enjoys winning. The faster you go, the better he jumps.”

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, HITS, HITS, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Jill Henselwood and George Kick Off HITS Culpeper with a Triple Threat

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©ESI Photography. Capping a successful week, Jill Henselwood and George on their way to winning the $40,000 HITS Grand Prix.

CULPEPER, VA (April 24, 2012) – Canadian Olympian Jill Henselwood aboard Juniper Farm’s George continued her journey towards the Pfizer Million and the 2012 Olympics with a big win at Commonwealth Park in Sunday’s $40,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health. As she prepares for the Nations Cup Series in Belgium and Austria, Henselwood spent last week in Culpeper, Virginia where she also picked up wins in Friday’s $15,000 Brook Ledge Open Jumper Prix and Thursday’s $2,000 Level 7 Jumper.

“I came to Virginia to make sure [George] is on his game and I knew we would be guaranteed good weather since there is snow at home,” said Henselwood. “The venue and the competition were super. These Virginia riders are always quick, so it was great preparation.”

Fellow Canadian Danny Foster of Milton, Ontario designed the course and presented riders an immediate jump-off option. Foster crafted a 14-obstacle track, which included three double combinations. Faults were scattered as his course proved to be challenging, but attainable. Ten were clear over the first round course, but only two managed to produce double clear efforts – Henselwood and Laura Linback of Mundelin, Illinois in the irons of Woodrun’s HH Dauphin.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, HITS, HITS, Hunter/Equitation

Jane Gaston and Lumiere Win the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix at HITS Culpeper

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©ESI Photography. Jane Gaston and her own Lumiere on their way to victory in the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix as they set their sights on the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final

CULPEPER, VA (April 23, 2012) – Accomplished duo Jane Gaston and her own Lumiere  came out on top in Saturday’s $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix to highlight the Commonwealth National at HITS Commonwealth Park in Culpeper, Virginia.

Gaston, who was a ribbon winner in last year’s inaugural Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final at HITS-on-the-Hudson, is on track for a return visit to the year-end spectacular for hunter riders this September. After competing in three Devoucoux classes this winter at HITS Ocala, Gaston now has banked four qualifying classes and will look to the July shows at HITS Culpeper to seal her position in the starting field for the return of the Diamond Mills Hunter Prix Final.

“I got a good start on qualifying at Ocala,” said Gaston of The Plains, Virginia. “My only regret is that I didn’t spend more time there. We were there for three weeks and it was such a pleasant place to show. Next winter, I plan on spending a lot more time there.”

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Competitions, Events, HITS, HITS, Hunter/Equitation

Kate Conover and Peron Win the $10,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix at HITS Ocala

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©ESI Photography. Kate Conover and Peron on course in Sunday's $10,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix

OCALA, FL (March 21, 2012) – Kate Conover of Ocala, Florida and Redfield Farm’s Peron captured the grand finale for hunter riders at HITS Ocala when they scored the top prize in the $10,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix to put a bow on the 2012 HITS Ocala Winter Circuit.

“It was a challenging course that was set in the grand hunter ring,” said Conover. “There were lots of new jumps out there that we had not seen throughout the circuit and they were a nice touch.”

The two-round classic featured 51 horse-and-rider pairs on a course designed by Doug Russell of Ocala, Florida. At the end of the first round, it was Megan Edrick of Ocala, Florida and Liz Hudspeth’s Fairfax in the lead with a first round score of 87. In the second round, Edrick received a 76 for a total of 167 points, which would eventually finish in ninth place.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, HITS, HITS, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Sponsored Purina Mills Rider Aaron Vale Wins the $50,000 Purina Mills Grand Prix

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©ESI Photography. Aaron Vale and Tibor sail over the Purina Mills sponsored fence on their way to winning the Purina Mills Grand Prix

OCALA, FL (March 12, 2012) – Purina Mills was on hand this weekend at HITS Ocala as the title sponsor of the $50,000 Purina Mills Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health. The weekend was full of Purina Mills sponsored festivities and Purina sponsored rider Aaron Vale, of Morriston, Florida, put the exclamation point on the weekend when he captured the coveted first place prize in the Grand Prix aboard Bonnie Smith’s Tibor. To put the icing on the cake, he also won a ton of Purina Mills feed through the Purina Mills Rider’s Bonus.

Canada’s Danny Foster of Milton, Ontario designed the course, and saw 33 competitors attempt to conquer it.

“It’s been awhile since I’ve won a big Sunday Grand Prix and I was hoping to do it this circuit, so I was pretty thrilled,” said Vale, who showed two mounts on Sunday and finished in tenth place aboard Honeyland’s Douglason, owned by Doug’s Crew. “I think Danny [Foster] did a fantastic job today giving us a big course to jump. The line to the triple combination gave a lot of difficulties today and the six strides made the horses kind of dive at the jump and take a down. I was able to do seven strides with both of my horses and was able to sneak them through it. The jumps came up quick and there was a lot of riding to do in 88 seconds. There were 14 fences and it was about the same time allowed for a 12 jump course, so it kept you busy.”

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, HITS, Hunter/Equitation, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Jennifer Alfano and Jersey Boy Win $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at HITS Ocala

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Jennifer Alfano and Jersey Boy took the top honors Saturday night at HITS VI Ocala Winter Finals. Photo By: Hunter Messineo

Ocala, FL – March 12, 2012 – It was an incredible night for the 2012 $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at the HITS VI Ocala Winter Finals. Spectators gathered together as the anticipation continued to rise, waiting to see who would take home the victory. In the end, it was SBS Farms’ Jennifer Alfano who executed brilliant rides throughout the two-round event, rising to the top of the leaderboard with four horses. She and her veteran mount Jersey Boy took the top honors and led the victory gallop, proving unbeatable throughout the competition. Alfano also guided Miss Lucy to the second place finish, completing flawless rounds and earning top scores from the judges.

The evening began as riders were tested over a classic hunter course, with the top 12 horse and rider combinations advancing to the handy hunter course. The scores earned in the classic hunter round were combined with the handy hunter round, combining the two round totals for the event’s overall results. The course definitely proved to be no easy feat. It mimicked a picturesque hunt field, testing horse and rider alike as they navigated the course and vied for the top honors and the chance to make it into the esteemed top 12. Jersey Boy took an early lead with the high scores in the first round totaling 187 points from the panel of judges, and Miss Lucy did not fall far behind with her first-round score of 170 points.

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Competitions, Events, HITS, HITS, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Chris Pratt Cruises to Victory in Friday’s $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix at HITS Thermal to Kick Off Horsepower Weekend

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©Flying Horse Photography. Chris Pratt and Indigo Farms LLC's Cruise captured their first Grand Prix win of the season at HITS Thermal

THERMAL, CA (March 10, 2012) – As the final days of the 2012 HITS Desert Circuit approach, Chris Pratt of Lake View Terrace, California shifted things into high gear when he and Indigo Farms, LLC’s Cruise beat out 54 other starters to take the top prize in Friday’s $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health. Pratt’s victory is his first of the season after he and Cruise finished fourth in the $53,000 Chartis Grand Prix CSI2*-W, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, last week. Friday’s win was the launch for the season finale at the HITS Desert Horse Park in Thermal, California with the festivities for Horsepower Weekend officially underway.

For the third year in a row, the show grounds in Thermal have been invaded by luxury speed-machines courtesy of sponsor Lamborghini of Newport Beach. Lining the berms of the Strongid C 2X Grand Prix arena are the very best in sports car technology and design. This year’s line-up includes a couple of very sleek McLarens, the Fiskar, which pairs electric technology with the power of a sports car, and a reproduction of a late 1950s Porsche that has the eye of several exhibitors and even members of the HITS Staff.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, HITS, HITS, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Michael Hughes Pockets His First Grand Prix Victory in Thursday’s SmartPak Grand Prix at HITS Ocala

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©ESI Photography. Michael Hughes and Drumnacross Farm Ltd.’s Mac Arthur sailed to victory in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix

OCALA, FL (March 9, 2012) – Michael Hughes was all smiles at the conclusion of Thursday’s $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, at HITS Ocala. The sixteen-year-old from Allendale, New Jersey posted the only double clear round of the day to win his first-ever Grand Prix aboard Drumnacross Farm Ltd.’s Mac Arthur.

“My dad [Eammon Hughes] and I picked this horse to be my first Grand Prix horse because of his speed and scope,” said Hughes. The decision paid off this week as Hughes cashed a $7,500 first-place check.

Course Designer Danny Foster of Milton, Ontario challenged 30 horses and riders to 13 obstacles in Thursday’s class, which included a triple combination at fence six, a double at fence nine and a sizable final effort at fence 13.

“I designed the course to make it challenging, but not so big,” said Foster. “It was long, so the horses got a little tired.”

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