SAUGERTIES, NEW YORK (August 8, 2011) — Patty Stovel, of Chester Springs, Pennsylvania and Shoal Creek Stables’ Kenya scored another victory in the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix as they topped a field of 70 starters in Saturday’s featured class for hunters during the NY Horse & Pony Show at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York.
Hunter riders are down to the wire with only three qualifiers remaining for September’s Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final. Two more $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix will take place August 20 and 27 as HITS moves south to Culpeper, Virginia for the Winston National and Constitution Classic at Commonwealth Park.
In Saturday’s class, Stovel and Kenya posted a score of 85, the third highest, in the first round over Rian Beals’ course. Heritage Farm’s Patricia Griffith of New York, New York set the pace in the first round scoring an 87 aboard Lyn Pedersen’s Mahalo.
Stovel and Kenya recently won the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix during the Cavalier Classic at HITS Commonwealth Park in Culpeper, Virginia.
“This horse is really coming into his own,” said Stovel. “We did the Hunter Prix classes last year and got some ribbons, but now he is a little more mature and seems to like them!”
Stovel used an 87 in the second round to collect a total 172 points and secure the blue ribbon. Second place honors went to New Jersey’s Brian Feigus aboard his own Wonder Street, while David Connors of Colts Neck, New Jersey took third aboard Carol Stillwell’s Cooper.
“I just bought the horse from Emil Spadone on Wednesday,” said Feigus. “He is an awesome horse and has already done a couple of the Devoucoux classes – he was 12th last week with Adriane Iverson. He is really coming into his own and I hope to show him in the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final.”
In addition to the win, Stovel also picked up her fifth qualifying class and is official eligible for the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Rider Rankings. In fact, she is now in eighth place with 224 points aboard Kenya.
“I feel like a handful of horses could win the big class on any day and Kenya could certainly be considered a strong contender,” said Stovel.
Stovel wasn’t the only rider to reach the magic five Devoucoux qualifying classes this weekend at HITS as 11 other names were added to the current Rankings, including eighth-place finisher Kaitlyn Skog of West Chester, Pennsylvania, Ross Reisner of East Setauket, New York, and Amanda Starbuck of Ridgefield, Connecticut just to name a few.
Show jumping at HITS Saugerties will return with HITS-on-the-Hudson VII Wednesday, Week VII will host the final opportunity to qualify for the Hinter Prix Final with one more $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix.
$5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix
| PLACING | HORSE | OWNER | RIDER | PRIZE MONEY |
| 1 | Kenya | Shoal Creek Stables | Patty Stovel | $1,500 |
| 2 | Wonder Street | Brian Feigus | Brian Feigus | $1,000 |
| 3 | Cooper | Carol Stillwell | David Connors | $700 |
| 4 | Brunello | Valarie Primavera | Katie Milton | $500 |
| 5 | Paramount | Journeys End Farm | Amanda Forte | $400 |
| 6 | Wolfgang | Hannah Patten | Monty Kelly | $350 |
| 7 | Lucky Times | David Raposa | Schaefer Raposa | $300 |
| 8 | Wilco | Caren Seidle | Kaitlyn Skog | $250 |
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