Ocala, FL (February 23, 2016): Riders at HITS Post Time Farm in Ocala, Florida, had another opportunity to garner a distinguished hunter victory in the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix and the $1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix. Many riders are preparing for the biggest hunter week of the season, the Ocala Masters, February 23-28, which features the $100,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, the World Championship Hunter Rider Week and the return of the United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) Zone 4 Handy Hunter Classics. $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix Thirty-eight took to the ring to show off their talent and contend for the glory in Saturday’s $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix, a qualifying opportunity for the prestigious $500,000 Diamond Mills Hunter Prix at the HITS Championship in September 2016. Hot off a $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix win in Week III and a second-place finish in Week IV, Daniel Geitner of Aiken, South Carolina, swooped in yet again to capture the first-place title, as well as a third-place finish. Gietner and Sky Pilot, owned by Allison Mills, earned the highest score of the first round, an impressive 92, which combined with their second-round score of 86, totaled 178 for the win. Geitner’s other mount, Damocles, owned by Janet Petersen, earned a first-round score of 88 and second-round score of 85, which awarded them third-place for their efforts with a total of 173. In between Geitner’s two finishes was second-place Notorious, owned and ridden by Devon MacLeod. The equestrian from East Kingston, New Hampshire, piloted Notorious to earn scores of 90 and 84, respectively, for a total of 174. Fourth-place went to Liz Hudspeth of Milton, Georgia, and her own Fairfax, and Tricia O’Connor of Williston, Florida, and Inferno, owned by Marita Zuraitis finished in fifth.
Place |
Horse |
Owner |
Rider |
Prize |
R.1 Score |
R.2 Score |
Total |
1 |
Sky Pilot |
Allison Mills |
Daniel Geitner |
$1,500 |
92 |
86 |
178 |
2 |
Notorious |
Devon Mac Leod |
Devon Mac Leod |
$1,000 |
90 |
84 |
174 |
3 |
Damocles |
Janet Peterson |
Daniel Geitner |
$700 |
88 |
85 |
173 |
4 |
Fairfax |
Liz Hudspeth |
Liz Hudspeth |
$500 |
86.5 |
83 |
169.5 |
5 |
Inferno |
Marita Zuraitis |
Tricia O'Connor |
$400 |
86 |
80 |
166 |
6 |
Chances R |
Artillery Lane, LLC |
Greg Prince |
$350 |
85 |
78.5 |
163.5 |
7 |
Silverstone |
Tricia Flood |
Rob Burroughs |
$300 |
84 |
79 |
163 |
8 |
Spektacular |
Sara Setian |
Sara Seitian |
$250 |
80 |
82 |
162 |
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(C) ESI PHOTOGRAPHY Daniel Geitner and Sky Pilot on their way to a $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix win.
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$1,500 Platinum Performance Only one horse and rider could claim the top spot in HITS Ocala V’s $1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix, a qualifying opportunity for the $250,000 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix Final at the HITS Championship in September 2016. Out of the field of thirty-six, the team to beat was Emily Noble of Concord, Massachusetts, and Claudio, owned by Volo Farm, Inc. Last but certainly not least in the order, Noble and Claudio earned a first-round score of 81, improving to an 83 for a total of 164 to garner the win. Second-place was awarded to Extraordinary, owned and ridden by Sydney DeGrazia of Rochester, New York. They put in consistent rounds in the two-round classic, but came in just behind Noble with a first-round score of 80 and second-round score of 82 for a total of 162. Jess Lusty, of York, Maine, aboard her own Anucci, earned the third-place title with an 80.5 in the first-round combined with a second-round score of 76 to total 156.5. In fourth-place was Paramount, owned and ridden by Amy Lloyd Thompson of Chester Springs, Pennsylvania. New York, New York, equestrian Jillian Rosenwasser navigated Summer Vay-K, owned by Donna Rosenwasser, to finish out the top five. The Ocala Masters, Week VI’s hunter extravaganza, will feature a Platinum Performance Hunter Prix with an increased $5,000 prize purse. The World Championship Hunter Rider Week will also allow for feature hunter classes and classics to be held in the Ocala Horse Properties Stadium.
Place |
Horse |
Owner |
Rider |
Prize |
R.1 Score |
R.2 Score |
Total |
1 |
Claudio |
Volo Farm, Inc |
Emily Noble |
$450 |
81 |
83 |
164 |
2 |
Extraordinary |
Sydney DeGrazia |
Sydney DeGrazia |
$300 |
80 |
82 |
162 |
3 |
Anucci |
Jess Lusty |
Jess Lusty |
$200 |
80.5 |
76 |
156.5 |
4 |
Paramount |
Amy Lloyd Thompson |
Amy Lloyd Thompson |
$150 |
76 |
79 |
155 |
5 |
Summer Vay-K |
Donna Rosenwasser |
Jillian Rosenwasser |
$125 |
77 |
77 |
154 |
6 |
Bellefield |
Emily Miller |
Emily Miller |
$100 |
76.5 |
77 |
153.5 |
7 |
Fortunate |
Mary Stavola |
Mary Stavola |
$100 |
75 |
78 |
153 |
8 |
Adagio |
Hope Caton |
Hope Caton |
$75 |
72 |
76 |
148 |
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(C) ESI Photography Emily Noble and Claudio on their way to a $1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix win.
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Don't miss the $100,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby LIVE on HITS TV on Saturday, February 27 at 3pm.
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