(C) ESI PHOTOGRAPHY. Emily Williams and Fairfax.
Ocala, FL (March 15, 2016): As the HITS Ocala Winter Circuit gears up for its last few weeks, hunter exhibitors at HITS Post Time Farm in Ocala, Florida took another try at a win in the prestigious hunter prix and a chance to qualify for the HITS Championships in September in Saugerties, New York.
$10,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix
Saturday’s $10,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix, held on the new Grass Field at HITS Post Time Farm, served as a qualifying opportunity for the $500,000 Diamond Mills Hunter Prix at the HITS Championship in September.
Of the field of 32 exhibitors, the team to beat was Ocala’s own Emily Williams aboard Fairfax, owned by Liz Hudspeth. Williams was hot off a win in last week’s $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix on another mount.
The top twelve returned for the second round to contend for the title in the two round classic. Williams impressed the judge with her flawless rides as she piloted Fairfax to the top of leaderboard earning the highest score of both rounds, an 87 and 85, respectively, for a winning total of 174.
Coming in behind Williams was Flower Mound, Texas equestrian Tracey Fenney riding MTM Fashion. A well-known professional at HITS Ocala, Fenney has been winning in both the hunter and jumper rings during the HITS Ocala series. Riding MTM Fashion, she earned a second round score of 84, which, combined with a first round score of 86, gave them a total of 170 for second place.
Third in the ribbons was Hunter Holloway of Topeka, Kansas riding Any Given Sunday, owned by Hays Investment Corporation. This versatile pair earned a second round score of 84 and a first round score of 83, giving them a total of 167 for their efforts.
Robert Lee of Old Saybrook, Connecticut and Cameron, owned by Marianne Huss, finished in fourth place with scores of 84 and 82.5 for a total of 166.5. Coming in fifth place was Westminster, Maryland equestrian Samantha Schaefer and her own Classified.
Classified was a ribbon winner in the $100,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby in Ocala Week VI. This week, they earned a first round score of 85, a second round score of 81, and a total of 166.5, just behind Lee, to round out the top five.
$1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix
Emily Miller of Leeport, Pennsylvania piloted her own Bellefield to win their first $1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix of the HITS Ocala Winter Circuit. The Prix serves as a qualifying opportunity for the $250,000 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix at the HITS Championship in September. Miller and Bellefield scored consistently high, earning a first round score of 85 combined with a second round score of 85 for a total of 169.
Following Miller in the ribbons was Rochester, New York equestrian Sydney DeGrazia riding her own Extraordinary. Placing consistently in the top five in the Platinum Performance classes this circuit, DeGrazia and Extraordinary received a first round score of 83, improving to an 85 in the second round for a total of 168 for second place.
Emily Noble of Concord, Massachusetts and Claudio, owned by Volo Farm, Inc., earned third place with a first round score of 81 and a second round score of 79.25, totaling 160.25 for their efforts.
Fourth place went to Got to Be, owned and ridden by Jackie Arakelian of Winchester, Massachusetts. They were awarded a first round score of 78, which combined with a second round score of 72.5, gave them a total of 150.5 to secure the spot.
Katharine Page of Mt. Kisco, New York and her own Surreal finished in fifth place with scores of 75 and 72.25, totaling 147.25.
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