John Bragg Takes 5th Devoucoux Win at HITS Desert Circuit

Thermal, California (February 27, 2015): John Bragg — who has already won four Devoucoux Hunter Prix during the 2015 HITS Desert Circuit — claimed his fifth victory on Friday, this time riding Cindy Fox's London, with scores of 85.5 and 85 to total 170.5. To top off a sensational day for Bragg, of Woodside, California, he also took third place on Lukatoni, owned by Pamela Moellenhoff, with scores of 83 and 84 to end with 167.

Jenny Karazissis made a strong play on Tip Top, owned by Gail Haft. Karazissis of Calabasas, California, earned the highest score of the first round with an 86. Her second round score of 82 nabbed her second place, with a total score of 168.

Haft, of Corona Del Mar, California, said this is Tip Top’s week at the circuit. “Jenny Karazissis rode him beautifully,” she said. “He's in the first year-green; last year he went in the pre-greens. I imported him from France with Mary Morrison as a 3-year-old. My trainer, Mary Morrison suggested he be entered in the prix. I wasn't sure how he was going to do.”

Karazissis and Bragg have sparred for the top spots in the Devoucoux Hunter Prix at the Desert Circuit this season and last fall, at the new National Sunshine Series. In Week II of the National Sunshine Series, Bragg placed first with Karazissis in second, as was the case in Desert Circuit II and IV. During Desert Circuit III, Bragg placed second, with Karazissis in fourth.

Bragg, a top trainer of hunters when he isn't in the saddle himself, said of the course, "Being able to go up and down the banks is awesome, it's nice to have the opportunity for a challenging course and it breaks up the circuit a bit. This circuit has been special and great for me and my clients."

The talented blend of professional, junior, and amateur competitors in the class raises expectations for the upcoming Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final, for which the Devoucoux Prix is a qualifying event. All eyes will turn to the Diamond Mills showcase, when hunters will compete for the prestigious prizes of the HITS Championship in Saugerties, New York, September 2-6, 2015.

(c) ESI Photography
John Bragg takes his fifth $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix Win, this time on London, owned by Cindy Fox, Friday, February 27, 2015.

(c) ESI Photography
John Bragg and London, owned by Cindy Fox, win the blue ribbon in the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix Friday, February 27, 2015

$5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix

Place	Horse	Owner	Rider	Prize	Rd. 1/2	Total
1	London	Cindy Fox	John Bragg	$1,500	85.5/85	170.5
2	Tip Top	Gail Haft	Gail Haft	$1,000	86/82	168
3	Lukatoni	Pamela Moellenhoff	John Bragg	$700	83/84	167
4	Winston	Morgan Beyler	Morgan Beyler	$500	84/82	166
5	Nonchalant	Tylor Nowell	Tylor Nowell	$400	85/78	163
6	Corduroy	Kings Wood Farm, LLC	Gretchen Lof	$325	81/80	161
7	Caloukie	Lindsay Cobb	Carly Bechtel	$300	79/81	160
8	Zampano	Ann Russo	Victoria LaCagnina	$275	76/83	159

$1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix

Stephanie Ray won her second $1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix this year at the HITS Desert Circuit on her own Castle Hill. In a large class of 35, a strong first round score of 84 from Ray, of Bend, Oregon, coupled with 79 in the second round, was just enough to hold off second place Leila Templin, of Kelowna, British Columbia, on Bill Ulmer's Beach Drive, who earned scores of 79 and 83.

Ray's combined total of 163 gave her the top finish only one point ahead of Templin's total of 162. Gillette Brescia, of Sonoma, California, took third place, five points behind the leaders at 157, on Dorli Burke's Czolitude.

Beyond the prizes, the Platinum Performance Hunter Prix is a qualifier for the Platinum Performance $250,000 Hunter Prix Final at the HITS Championship in Saugerties, New York, in September.

(c) ESI Photography
Stephanie Ray and her Castle Hill take first place in $1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix, Friday, February 27, 2015 at HITS Thermal.

(c) ESI Photography
Stephanie Ray and her Castle Hill win the blue in the $1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix, Friday, February 27, 2015 at HITS Thermal.

$1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix

Place	Horse	Owner	Rider	Prize	Rd. 1/2	Total
1	Castle Hill	Stephanie Ray	Stephanie Ray	$450	84/79	163
2	Beach Drive	Bill Ulmer	Leila Templin	$300	79/83	162
3	Czolitude	Dorli Burke	Gillett Brescia	$200	80/77	157
4	Cascada	Anita Dawson	Justine Annandale	$150	82/73	155
5	Gideon	Estelle Harris	Amy Brubaker	$125	85/68	153
6	Maldini	Star Lane Farms, Inc.	Gail Horrigan	$100	75.5/76	151.5
7	Emma Snow	Lasorda Holdings	Emily Goldberg	$100	77/72	149
8	Landon	Kathryn Taylor	Kathryn Taylor	$75	74/73	143

About Devoucoux
Devoucoux, maker of fine French saddles, is proud to be the title sponsor of each and every qualifying Hunter Prix leading up to the phenomenal Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final. Devoucoux offers a wide range of saddles in many colors and sizes and matching accessories. Devoucoux craftsmen are devoted to creating beautiful products that reflect their obsession with quality and lovingly finished work. For more information on Devoucoux, visit devoucoux.com.

About Platinum Performance
Platinum Performance provides more than 10 supplements essential to your horse’s health and conditioning in just one scoop. Platinum Performance® Equine addresses a horse's total body health from joint and hoof care to athletic performance and coat health, and is the 2014 sponsor of the $250,000 Hunter Prix Final and all qualifiers. For more information on Platinum Performance, visit platinumperformance.com.

About HITS, Inc.
HITS, Inc. produces high quality, international-level hunter/jumper horse shows. Based in upstate New York in the Village of Saugerties, HITS has been producing shows since 1982 and is now a nationwide company with world-class circuits in California, Florida, Arizona, New York, and Virginia.

While hosting the richest weekend in show jumping at HITS-on-the-Hudson, HITS also formed the Triple Crown of Show Jumping. This includes the AIG $1 Million Grand Prix, presented by Mortgage Call, in Thermal, California, the Great American $1 Million Grand Prix in Ocala, Florida, and Saugerties $1 Million Grand Prix, presented by Wells Fargo, in Saugerties, New York.

For more information and a complete schedule of classes and events, visit www.HitsShows.com. Stay connected with HITS, join us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

Media should contact the HITS Media Team at 845.246.8833 or e-mail Media_Info@HitsShows.com.

2015 Horse Show Dates

John Bragg Takes 5th Devoucoux Win at HITS Desert Circuit

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