Lexington, Kentucky – March 11, 2012 – The National Horse Show Association of America announced today that R. Bruce Duchossois has been named to the Board of Directors.
Duchossois, from Aiken, South Carolina, is one of the country’s leading exhibitors in the Adult Amateur Hunter division and has been deeply involved in numerous aspects of equestrian sports, as has his family. Duchossois’ mother competed on saddlebreds, and his father owned Arlington Park near Chicago, Illinois.
Competing in the hunters, Duchossois first gained national attention when riding his famed hunter Kim’s Song to AHSA Horse of the Year and to championships at the Pennsylvania National, the Washington International and the National Horse Show in New York City.
Wellington, FL and East Aurora, NY – March 11, 2012 – Charlie Jacobs of Deeridge Farm proved himself as an all-weather rider during Week IX of the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL. Thunderstorms approaching the International Ring caused Saturday’s $15,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame High Amateur-Owner Classic to be split into two days, but not before Charlie Jacobs and CMJ Sport Horse’s Flaming Star produced a clear effort and were named co-winner with two other riders.
“They cancelled the competition because of the rain, but declared all the riders who jumped clean to be co-winners,” explained Jacobs. “If the numbers had held true, it looked like it was going to be a six horse jump-off, and I was excited for that, but I understand why they had to cancel the rest of the class.”
Venezuela’s Leopoldo Palacios designed the course, which featured a number of short turns where riders had to carefully steady their mounts. Jacobs expertly maneuvered Flaming Star over each obstacle and left every rail intact before crossing the finish line. “There was also a skinny G&C vertical that was late in the course, so when I made the turn I made sure I had my horse back together,” Jacobs commented. “I think a lot of horses thought they were probably done by that point in the course, so they had it down. I was really happy with how Flaming Star jumped during the first round. It’s a four-star week and the courses are a bit more challenging; Leopoldo’s course certainly reflected that.”
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.
Martha Ingram Stays at the Top in THIS Children’s Medal 14 & Under
Wellington, FL – March 10, 2012 – Great Britain’s Scott Brash guided Sanctos Van Het Gravenhof to victory in Saturday night’s $200,000 FEI World Cup Grand Prix CSI 4* presented by The Bainbridge Companies at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). In a suspenseful jump-off, Brash beat out Richard Spooner (USA) and Cristallo, and Kent Farrington (USA) and Voyeur, who finished second and third.
Sponsored by the Bainbridge Companies, week nine will conclude with the $32,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic tomorrow.
Forty-five entries showed in tonight’s World Cup qualifier, jumping a course set by Leopoldo Palacios of Venezuela. Eleven cleared the first round course without fault and returned for an exciting jump-off. The nations of France, Ireland, Great Britain, Russia, Canada and the United States were all represented. Nine entries cleared the jump-off course.
Gulfport, MS – March 9, 2012 – The Gulf Coast Winter Classics recently showcased the hunters in the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, and Grand Bay, AL based Holly Shepherd had a “Triompf” victory for owner Sarah Patterson. However, this year’s event featured an unusual twist: the beautiful and technical Derby course was based on the design submission from 13-year-old Sarah Clifton Yandell of Memphis, TN.
Showtime Jump Company, LLC’s owner Allen Rheinheimer is best known for his intricate, often fierce course designs for hunters and jumpers alike, and he also has a big weak spot. Kids! “I find it fascinating to watch kids grow and learn from aspects of anything they are involved with and to discover what it takes to make things work,” Rheinheimer shared. By the time he arrived Gulfport for the Gulf Coast Winter Classics, Rheinheimer had developed an intriguing concept to engage and educate the younger generation of equestrians, by soliciting for course designs to be used in the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby.
Hillary Jean and D’Amour Collect Low Adult Hunter 2’6″ Championship
Wellington, FL – March 9, 2012 – California’s Richard Spooner and Billy Bianca led the victory gallop in Friday afternoon’s $32,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Classic at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). California native Ashlee Bond followed in a close second with her mount Apache, while Great Britain’s Scott Brash and Bon Ami finished third.
The ninth week of competition at the FTI WEF, sponsored by the Bainbridge Companies, will continue through Sunday, March 11. The week will feature the $200,000 FEI World Cup Qualifier Grand Prix, CSI 4*-W, presented by the Bainbridge Companies on Saturday, March 10, at 7 p.m.
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.”
Keenan, Ulrich, Jacobs, and Bausano Win $20,000 Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix Series Team Event, Scott Stewart and Tristan Score Championship in Sanctuary Green Conformation Hunters
Wellington, FL – March 8, 2012 – Top British riders David McPherson and Scott Brash each took home their winner’s share on Thursday in a split class for round nine of the $32,000 WEF Challenge Cup Series at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). Held in a ‘California Split’ due to the large number of entries, the class awarded two sets of placings, each with $32,000 distributed. McPherson and his own Silver Spring and Brash and Lady Harris and Lady Kirkham’s Sanctos Van Het Gravenhof were both awarded top honors. The team of Lillie Keenan, Lydia Ulrich, Charlotte Jacobs, and Gabrielle Bausano won the $20,000 Artisan Farms Young Riders Grand Prix Series Team Event presented by Dutta Corporation in association with Guido Klatte. Scott Stewart and Tristan were champions in the Sanctuary Green Conformation Hunters.
CULPEPER, VA (March 7, 2012) – As the countdown to HITS Championship Weekend is well underway, East Coast riders will look to HITS Culpeper for pivotal qualifying opportunities. Weekly $40,000 Grand Prix will give High-performance riders the chance to punch their ticket for the third annual Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix. In addition, HITS Culpeper will host five $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix, all of which will qualify for the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final and five $1,500 HITS Hunter Prix as qualifiers for the all-new $250,000 HITS 3’ Hunter Prix Final. All three big-ticket classes will meet at HITS Championship Weekend at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York September 7-9, 2012 to crown their champions.
The HITS Culpeper Show Series will get underway when the Commonwealth National kicks of hunter/jumper competition April 18-22. Riders return on July 6, with two consecutive weeks of competition during the Showday National, July 4-8, followed by the Cavalier Classic, July 11-15. August brings two more weeks of competition with the Winston National, August 15-19, and the Constitution Classic, August 22-26. HITS will close out the 2012 season Virginia during the Culpeper Finals September 26-30 while introducing the first qualifying opportunities for the 2013 Pfizer Million.
OCALA, FL (March 7, 2012) – Emma Sullivan of Lafayette, Louisiana rode to victory under the lights on Saturday in the $15,000 Marshall & Sterling Child/Adult Jumper classic at HITS Ocala. She and Thinkslikeahorse’s Elder were the winning pair out of 65 who showed over International Course Designer Jack Robson’s first and second round tracks.
“I was so excited when I won – it was unbelievable! I really love this horse and he has been so much fun to ride,” said Sullivan. “It was a really difficult course and I saw some really fast rounds, so I knew the last turn to fence four had to be tight enough to win. You always risk a rail, but luckily we did it. I’d really like to thank my trainer, Aaron Vale, for everything and letting me ride this great horse, and my parents for being there.”
Robson, of Coronado, California presented 12 obstacles in the first round and repeated six in the jump-off with plenty of challenges in between.