Category Archives: Hunter/Equitation

Championships, Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Kentucky Horse Shows, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Cece Williamson and Northstar Win Tricolor in Amateur-Owner 3’3″ Hunters at the Kentucky Summer Classic

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Cece Williamson and Northstar won the Amateur-Owner 3'3" Hunter Championship at the Kentucky Summer Classic. Photo By: Kendall Bierer/PMG.

Lexington, KY – August 6, 2011 – A light breeze helped keep competitors cool as the sun shone brightly over the Stonelea Ring at the Kentucky Horse Park during the Kentucky Summer Classic. Today, the Amateur-Owner Hunter classes came to a close, presenting their championship and reserve championship awards after riders competed for top honors in their respective divisions.

In the Amateur-Owner 18-35 Hunters, Pure Abundance, ridden by Wesley Newlands of Toronto, Canada, made a strong comeback and eventually took home the top honors. Yesterday, the pair won the fourth place ribbon over fences as well as the second place ribbon in the under saddle. Combined with the duo’s third place ribbon in the over fences class and the first place ribbon in the handy today, the talented combination garnered enough points to bring home the championship tricolor.

Newlands has owned Pure Abundance for four years, and believes that a large part of their success is based on the fact that they are finally very solid together as a horse and rider combination. “My rounds today were very solid, and honestly, my horse couldn’t have been any better,” smiled Newlands as she gave her horse a pat. “I can always depend on him when I go into the ring, and he is always trying to win.”

The talented rider and Pure Abundance have had a very successful season. The duo was just named champion at Devon this past year, and Newlands is hoping to continue their success during Indoors. If her rounds today were any sign, then there may not be much hoping involved. “I went for a solid round today in the handy,” she described. “Most people attempted to go through the gap of the white and brown jumps, but I know my horse gets a little spooky, so I went around and it gave me a nice smooth trot jump and led to a solid finish.”

Continue reading Cece Williamson and Northstar Win Tricolor in Amateur-Owner 3’3″ Hunters at the Kentucky Summer Classic →

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

McLain Ward Wins His Fourth Grand Prix of the Season at HITS-on-the-Hudson and Inches Closer to Pfizer Million Rider Rankings

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© ESI Photography. Two-time Olympic Gold Medalist McLain Ward captures his fourth victory of the season at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Friday's $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix aboard Antares F.

SAUGERTIES, NEW YORK (August 6, 2011) — For the fourth time this year, McLain Ward led the victory gallop in the Strongid C 2X Stadium beating out 51 starters to take home the blue in Friday’s $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York. This time around, Ward’s win came aboard Grant Road Partners LLC’s Antares F.

Ward, of Brewster, New York, is no stranger to winning at HITS-on-the-Hudson. In addition to being the reigning Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix champion, he won the first $50,000 Grand Prix of the season during opening week aboard his own Oh’ D Eole. He followed that with two more wins during Week II, in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix aboard Blue Chip Bloodstock’s Domino, and again two days later aboard Oh’ D Eole in the $75,000 HITS Grand Prix, both presented by Pfizer Animal Health.

International Course Designer Bernardo Cabral of Portugal is in charge of putting riders to the test this week and preparing them for Sunday’s $100,000 Strongid C 2X Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health. Sunday’s summer finale promises to be a real game changer for many riders, including Ward, looking to break into the Top 40 Pfizer Million Rider Rankings.

Friday’s line up was packed with High-Performance heavy weights, so it was no surprise to see 15 riders advance to the jump-off. Laura Chapot of Neshanic Station, New Jersey was second to show in the jump-off and quickly went to work making it all the way around the course without any faults in a time of 39.040 seconds to set the Great American Time to Beat aboard Mary Chapot’s Umberto. In the end, Chapot finished the class in third place.

Continue reading McLain Ward Wins His Fourth Grand Prix of the Season at HITS-on-the-Hudson and Inches Closer to Pfizer Million Rider Rankings →

Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Kentucky Horse Shows, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Christina Kelly and Creata Van Ten Biesen Win High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers at Kentucky Summer Classic

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Christina Kelly and Creata Van Ten Biesen won the High Junior/ Amateur-Owner Jumper class at the Kentucky Summer Classic. Photo By: Kendall Bierer/PMG.

Lexington, KY – August 5, 2011 – There was nothing but sunshine at the Kentucky Horse Park for the third day of the Kentucky Summer Classic. Today, talented horse and rider combinations competed at the Rolex Stadium during the High and Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper classes. Taking home the blue ribbon in the High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper class was Christina Kelly aboard Creata Van Ten Biesen, posting the target time for the jump-off as the first duo to compete in the class. Michael Murphy mirrored her success aboard Ultrafox in the Low Junior Jumper class, claiming the blue with no pair coming near his jump-off time.

Leopoldo Palacios of Venezuela used the many of the same obstacles from last night’s $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic in the High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper class today in the Rolex Stadium. The obstacles included a liverpool, two vertical-oxer double combinations, and a vertical-vertical double combination. For the jump-off, riders began with a single vertical bending to a single oxer bending to the vertical with a turn to a single oxer. Riders then faced the vertical-oxer combination with a left rollback to the single oxer finishing the jump-off with the yellow-and-white-striped vertical.

Twenty-four horse and rider combinations attempted the first round in the High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers; however, sixteen succeeded into the jump-off with an amazing eleven riders going double clean. Christina Kelly was the first to do so with Creata Van Ten Biesen, owned by Diamond Edge Farm of Nicholasville, KY, setting the jump-off target time from the start at 36.864 seconds.

“It felt great to be the first one in, I was hoping she would get into the jump-off, and once she did, we just went fast and clear,” described Kelly. “It was intense watching everyone try and get our time; one girl was really close and I was a little bit nervous, but it worked out and I was so happy to win!”

Continue reading Christina Kelly and Creata Van Ten Biesen Win High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers at Kentucky Summer Classic →

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

HITS-on-the-Hudson V Week in Review

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HITS Saugerties sells out as exhibitors flock to the Hudson Valley for the very best in summer showing, Pfizer Million and Diamond Mills Hunter Prix Qualifiers produce new riders for the Rankings, and a fun filled weekend awaits for Week VI

© ESI Photography. Ellen Toon and Invincible on course in the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix.

SAUGERTIES, NEW YORK (August 5, 2011) — Barns were full, rings hosted non-stop action and entries were sold out for Week V at HITS-on-the-Hudson as almost 2,000 horses docked at the show grounds, making HITS Saugerties their summer home. Week V featured two more chances to qualify for the Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix and one opportunity for riders to gain points toward the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final, both scheduled for the weekend of September 10-11, 2011 at HITS-on-the-Hudson.

Riders race to qualify
Ellen Toon picked up her fifth $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix and sealed her place at the top of the current Diamond Mills Rider Rankings with a victory in Saturday’s class aboard her own Invincible. The win gave Toon the hat trick, marking her third Devoucoux blue of the season. Six new riders, including Toon, made their way onto the eligible Diamond Mills Rider Rankings during Week V in Saugerties as only three qualifiers remain before the inaugural Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final highlights Pfizer Million weekend September 10-11 in Saugerties, New York.

Also winning big this week was High-Performance rider Todd Minikus and Candy Tribble & Windsor Stables’ Sweetheart. They captured their first win together in Friday’s $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, and went on to sweep the weekend, riding to victory in Sunday’s $75,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health.

Continue reading HITS-on-the-Hudson V Week in Review →

Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Kentucky Horse Shows, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Angel Karolyi and James T Kirk Go Double Clear to Win $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic at Kentucky Summer Classic

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Angel Karolyi and James T Kirk won the $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic at the Kentucky Summer Classic. Photo By: Kenneth Kraus/ PhelpsSports.com.

Lexington, KY – August 4, 2011 – It was a beautiful night at the Kentucky Horse Park as the nation’s top horses and riders gathered at the Rolex Stadium to compete in the $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic during the Kentucky Summer Classic. Venezuela’s Angel Karolyi and James T Kirk proved to be the best of the best, topping the two-horse jump-off with the only double clear effort. Lauren Tisbo was the first to tackle the short course with Coco 135, and their four-fault round netted them the second place prize.

Tonight’s class was the fourth of seven grand prix events that make up the Hagyard Challenge Series, sponsored by Hagyard Medical Institute and presented by Pfizer Animal Health. Following the final event in the series, a cash prize of $45,000 will be awarded to the rider accumulating the most points throughout the series for the Leading Rider Bonus.

Twenty-eight riders challenged tonight’s opening track, which was designed by Leopoldo Palacios of Venezuela. For the first round, the competitors had to show over a triple bar, a liverpool, two vertical-oxer double combinations, and a vertical-vertical double combination. The end of the course proved to be the most difficult, causing many riders to incur costly penalties and elimination from the jump-off. Fence ten was a liverpool oxer off of a sharp right turn, followed by a steady five strides to the vertical-vertical double combination, and the course ended with a wide oxer just past the gate. Twelve horses had rails at fence 10, while 14 horses lowered the height of a fence in the double combination, and six then went on to add four faults to their score at fence 12.

“I walked the course and I talked to Leopoldo, and it walked quite technical and careful, not huge, but a careful course,” explained tonight’s winner Angel Karolyi. “I took my time. The time allowed wasn’t super tight, so I just made sure that I did a nice track. James T Kirk knows his job and is getting experienced; he jumped very well here in May.”

Continue reading Angel Karolyi and James T Kirk Go Double Clear to Win $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic at Kentucky Summer Classic →

Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Kentucky Horse Shows, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Evan Coluccio Pilots Batman to the Win in Medium Performance Hunters at Kentucky Summer Classic

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Evan Coluccio and Batman at the Kentucky Summer Classic. Photo By: Kendall Bierer/PMG.

Lexington, KY – August 4, 2011 – The skies stayed blue with sunshine shining down on the Kentucky Horse Park for the second day of the Kentucky Summer Classic. The best horse and rider combinations competed for top honors during their respective divisions in the Stonelea Ring for the First Year Green Working Hunters, Second Year Green Working Hunters, High Performance Hunters and Medium Performance Hunters.

Today in the First Year Green Working Hunters division, Havens Schatt, did not disappoint aboard Macallan, owned by Tracy Scheriff-Muser of Wellington, FL, as they claimed the championship prize. The duo earned a first place ribbon and a third place ribbon during yesterday’s classes as well as a second place ribbon and a fourth place ribbon today. “Macallan was really good today, I was a little nervous when I was schooling him because he felt lazy,” explained Schatt. “He has such a great time doing the handy, he came through today for me, especially since he is so scopey and easy to get to the jumps.”

Bel Canto, piloted by Sarah Young and owned by Sarah Rubenstein of St. Louis, MO, took home the reserve championship award during the First Year Green Working Hunter. Yesterday the pair earned a second place ribbon and a fourth place ribbon. Today they followed with a strong conclusion earning them a first place ribbon and a fourth place ribbon, garnering the reserve champion tricolor.

Holly Orlando and Sailor’s Valentine, owned by Westerly Farm of Unionville, PA, won the Second Year Green Working Hunters championship award. The consistent duo took home the blue ribbon prize in all four of the classes, as well as the under saddle. “Normally the handy is one of our better rounds because he definitely is a handy horse with how easily he will turn inside and slice jumps,” described Orlando. “My plan for the handy ended up giving me a little bit more horse than I needed, but he pulled through, and we are taking everything as a learning experience.”

Continue reading Evan Coluccio Pilots Batman to the Win in Medium Performance Hunters at Kentucky Summer Classic →

Community/Charity, Diana de Rosa, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping, Washington Int'l Horse Show

Elite Dining and Hospitality Club to Debut at 53rd Annual Washington International Horse Show

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Washington, D.C., August 3, 2011 – The Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) is offering an elegant new way to experience the most exciting indoor equestrian sporting event in the country, which will be held October 25-30, 2011, at Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.

The Fidelity Investments Club, a new VIP dining platform created expressly for the horse show, will offer the best vantage point to watch the top horses and riders in the country, including Olympic veterans, in breathtaking jumping competition.

“Dining facilities close to the action are a mainstay of big European horse shows and we are very proud to bring this concept to the Washington International at Verizon Center here in the nation’s capital,” said Juliet W. Reid, WIHS President.

Sponsored by Fidelity Investments, the new hospitality space will be built at the west end of Verizon Center, easily accessible from the arena concourse.

“We are very pleased to welcome Fidelity Investments as the title sponsor of this elegant VIP dining facility,” said Bridget Love Meehan, WIHS Executive Director. “The Fidelity Investments Club will be the perfect place to enjoy the show and entertain business associates, clients, family and friends.”

“After scouting all possible locations at Verizon Center to create something new and very special for sponsors and friends to enjoy the show, we selected a position near the in-gate, where patrons of the Fidelity Investments Club will have a unique view of the horses and riders as they enter and exit the ring, and get a real sense of the size and scope of the jumps,” added Meehan.

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Championships, Competitions, Events, HITS, HITS, Hunter/Equitation, USEF

USEF National Junior Hunter Championship Continues

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©ESI Photography. Lillie Keenan rode to victory for the second time in Tuesday's $4,000 Large Junior Hunter 15 & Under Classic Round aboard Madison.

SAUGERTIES, NEW YORK (August 3, 2011) – On Tuesday, the USEF National Junior Hunter Championship – East Coast at HITS-on-the-Hudson welcomed Junior equestrians to the Strongid C 2X Grand Prix Stadium for the first phase of competition. Riders vied for individual Champion awards as well as Wild Card Berths in September’s Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final.

Riders in Small Junior 15 and Under, Large Junior 15 and Under, Small Junior 16-17, and Large Junior 16-17 completed the first two phases of the three-phase format on Tuesday. The initial standings were established after the scores from a $4,000 Classic Hunter Round, worth 40% of the overall score, were then coupled with the scores of the $2,000 Under Saddle Phase, worth 20% of the overall score. After the third and final phase, the top ten overall in each section will be pinned, and the champion rider of each section will receive a Wild Card Berths for September’s Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final.

Small Junior Hunter 15 & Under

Lillie Keenan of New York, New York aboard Don Stewart’s Confidential established a strong hold on the top spot of the overall rankings in the Small Juniors 15 and Under, winning both the Classic Round with a score of 88 and the Under Saddle with an impressive 92.

“My goal is to qualify for the [Diamond Mills] $500,000 [Hunter Prix] Final and winning the Wild Card would be great,” said Keenan, who trains with Andre Dignelli at Heritage Farm. “I would love to show Confidential in the Hunter Prix Final. He is so much fun to ride and the class will be a great match for us.”

Continue reading USEF National Junior Hunter Championship Continues →

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

Opening Day of USEF National Junior Hunter Championships – East Coast Crowns Winners in ASPCA Maclay, WIHS Equitation Classic and USEF/Pessoa Medals

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©ESI Photography. Kendell Adelberger and Redfield Farm’s Werner took home the top honors in Monday's ASPCA Maclay Horsemanship Medal.

SAUGERTIES, NEW YORK (August 2, 2011) — This week, HITS-on-the-Hudson is host to some of the best junior riders in the country as it welcomes the USEF National Junior Hunter Championship – East Coast to the Saugerties show grounds.

Action got underway yesterday with four equitation classes and will continue through Wednesday as Small Juniors 15 and Under, Large Juniors 15 and Under, Small Juniors 16-17, and Large Juniors 16-17 will compete for the National Championship as well as a Wild Card berth in the inaugural Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final at HITS-on-the-Hudson VIII this September.

“The Junior Hunter National Championships have been a highlight of the HITS-on-the-Hudson Summer Series and we are pleased to welcome the event back to Saugerties,” said HITS President and CEO Tom Struzzieri. “We felt strongly that this year’s Champions deserve a spot in the Hunter Prix Final and we hope this will help to contribute some additional excitement and attention to the Junior Hunter Finals.”

ASPCA Maclay Horsemanship Medal
Kendell Adelberger of Chester Springs, Pennsylvania kicked off three days of Hunter competition with a win in the ASPCA Maclay Horsemanship Medal, aboard Redfield Farm’s Werner. Adelberger is trained by Emil Spadone and topped a field of 15 to capture the blue. The group faced a technical course in HITS’ Hunter Stadium and then their equitation was put to the test on the flat.

Continue reading Opening Day of USEF National Junior Hunter Championships – East Coast Crowns Winners in ASPCA Maclay, WIHS Equitation Classic and USEF/Pessoa Medals →

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

Sarah Milliren Captures the USHJA/Essex Classics Hunterdon Cup at HITS-on-the-Hudson

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©ESI Photography. Sarah Milliren captured this year's prestigious USHJA/Essex Classic Hunterdon Cup at the 2011 USEF National Junior Hunter Championships - East Coast aboard Don Stewart's War Eagle.

SAUGERTIES, NEW YORK (August 3, 2011) — Sarah Milliren of Sapula, Oklahoma was all smiles when the number 515 – her number – was announced as the winner of Tuesday’s USHJA/Essex Classics Hunterdon Cup, the jewel of the equitation competition at the USEF National Junior Hunter Championship – East Coast at HITS Saugerties.

Milliren, trained by Bibby Hill and Don Stewart, rode to victory in the three-round class aboard Stewart’s War Eagle. According to Milliren, her smiles were both of joy and a little bit of shock as Lillie Keenan of New York, New York was pinned second aboard Catherine Cowie’s Vidarco.

“I was so surprised when we won the class – I thought Lillie had it,” said Milliren. “I have never won anything like this before, so it is really exciting.”

She finished the first round with a score of 85 to sit sixth, and then scored an impressive 90 points in the second round, which placed her in third with a total of 175 points going in for the final test.

Milliren posted a score of 89 points in the third-round test of eight fences. Per the specifications of the class, judges Hap Hansen and Russell Frey had riders switch horses, to serve as the deciding factor for the class. Milliren, therefore, rode Scott Stewart’s Vip Z to the blue, originally ridden in the class by Victoria Colvin of Loxchatchee, Florida. Milliren, however, couldn’t deny her original mount the credit he was due.

“[War Eagle] made the course seem simple,” she added. “He was amazing and I could not have asked for a better performance from him.”

Continue reading Sarah Milliren Captures the USHJA/Essex Classics Hunterdon Cup at HITS-on-the-Hudson →