HITS Hudson Valley Hosts the 2025 GAIG/USDF Region 8 Championships & HITS Open
Christina Morin-Graham and DSP Dauphin won the GAIG/USDF Grand Prix Freestyle Championship Adult Amateur. Q2 Photography
Top-level dressage competition returned in style to HITS Hudson Valley in Saugerties, New York on September 18-21, 2025, with the Great American Insurance Group (GAIG)/United States Dressage Federation (USDF) Region 8 Championships and the HITS Open. The Regional Championships brought together some of the East Coast’s finest horses and riders, filling nine arenas with competition ranging from Training Level to Grand Prix. On Friday, September 19, the crowd erupted as Christina Morin-Graham (USA) and DSP Dauphin stole the spotlight, capturing the GAIG/USDF Grand Prix Freestyle Championship Adult Amateur title.
Set to the powerful soundtrack from Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” album, Morin-Graham and Dauphin’s freestyle left a lasting impression on judges and spectators alike. The pair’s blue-ribbon performance finished with a final overall score of 75.113%. A mare known for her kind demeanor yet simultaneous ability to electrify the arena with energy, Dauphin earned consistent scores of 7.0 and 7.5 throughout their test from Judge at C Lilo Fore (GER) and Judge at B Cesar Torrente (COL).
“It’s got a lot of punch to it!” said Morin-Graham of her freestyle. “This floorplan and music really suit this horse. She’s a big and powerful horse with a lot of expression.”
From one thrilling performance to the next, the world-class HITS Hudson Valley facility showcased more of the sport’s notable riders and their talents. Renowned dressage athlete Benjamin Ebeling (USA), son of Olympic dressage rider Jan Ebeling, captured winning honors in the FEI Test of Choice I2/IA. Riding Frank Jacques, an eight-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Franklin x Blue Hors Don Schufro) owned by ACR Enterprises Inc., Ebeling secured the win with a final score of 66.765%.
“He’s always been a horse that I knew would make it to top sport,” shared Ebeling. “This was a really big weekend for him. It was his Intermediate II debut, and I had such a great feeling.”
For more information, visit HitsShows.com.
