Ocala Winter Festival Paves the Way for One of the Most Memorable Winter Circuits of All Time

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© ESI Photography. Kent Farrington and Up Chiqui on course in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health.

OCALA, FL (February 23, 2011) – What do you get when you mix beautiful weather, talented horsemen, first-class facilities, exciting events and fabulous prize money? The answer is simple: HITS Ocala! The Ocala Winter Festival marked the second AA rated week of show jumping in the ‘Sunshine State’.

The two Grand Prix and weekly Devoucoux Hunter Prix saw record-breaking entries this week. In Thursday’s $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, Kent Farrington  (above right) of Chicago, Illinois, emerged as the winner out of what was then a record 48 starters, aboard Up Chiqui, owned by William Dobbs, Alex Boone and Farrington. Thursday’s track proved challenging, as only five returned for the jump-off. Sunday’s $50,000 class set a new record three days later with 50 entries, as Andre Thieme of Germany and Cesar won their first Grand Prix of the season. Despite the bigger entries and challenges on Sunday’s course, 12 talented teams advanced to the jump-off for an exciting conclusion. Thieme also picked up the third place ribbon aboard his own Uvalier, while German native Matthias Hollberg, now of Apex, North Carolina, was second aboard Apex Equestrian Center’s Wadisson. Both Farrington and Thieme are aiming to qualify for the 2011 Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix on September 11 in Saugerties, New York.

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© ESI Photography. Tracy Fenney and MTM La Costa on course in the $10,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix.

$10,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix
The Devoucoux Hunter Prix has been the premier hunter event each week throughout the circuit, and Sunday’s outstanding $10,000 event showed just how eager the hunter riders are to qualify for the Diamond Mills $500,000 3’3″ Hunter Prix Final on September 10-11 in Saugerties, New York, as 70 riders tracked the course. Standing tall at the end of the $10,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix was High-Performance rider Tracey Fenney of Flower Mound, Texas. Fenney, who is one of the all-time leading Grand Prix riders at HITS Ocala, was delighted to show her skills in the hunters aboard Mr. and Mrs. Ken MacKenzie’s MTM La Costa. Second place was awarded to standout junior Meg O’Mara aboard Walk the Line, owned by Don Stewart and O’Mara. The duo had a successful week at the Ocala Winter Festival, picking up two first place ribbons in the Large Junior Hunter 16-17 division, which helped earn them the Reserve Champion honors. Rounding out the top three was professional rider Kate Conover of Ocala, Florida aboard Doreen Toben’s Black Tie Affair.

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