Ocala Week VIII Weekend Jumper Round-Up Featuring the $50,000 Purina Animal Nutrition Grand Prix

$7,500 M&S/Tuffrider-Equine Couture Adult Jumper 
A huge class of fifty-four competitors vied for the top prize in the $7,500 M&S/Tuffrider Equine Couture Adult Jumper Classic in the Ocala Horse Properties Stadium in Week VIII of the HITS Ocala Winter Circuit. Kimberly Leslie of Palm Harbor, Florida, riding El Fernantez Zet, and trained by Aaron Vale of Williston, Florida, topped a group of fifteen in the jump-off, where only four would go clear.

“I can’t believe it—I am very, very excited,” said an ecstatic Leslie. “Thank you very much to Aaron and the whole village that put me in the ring, my plan was to just do what Aaron told me. This is my third season with Teddy and I am just thrilled with this win, having Aaron by my side is my secret weapon.”

Leslie and El Fernantez Zet were the first to return to the ring to contest the shortened course.  Her trainer, Aaron Vale, an accomplished Grand Prix rider known for his tactful jump-off strategies, gave her the speedy track to follow.  Leslie put down a clean and fast trip, setting the Great American Time to Beat in 30.732, which held on through 14 other riders for the win.

“Kimberly is a great direction-follower, she has a background in Western and reining and she knows how to sit back and turn,” said Vale. “I told her to jump the first jump, kick for two strides and then turn. A lot of [riders] turned too quickly, and then they either didn’t have a spot, or didn’t have the momentum to clear the combination. Kimberly followed directions perfectly, and that turn, and then a gallop holding the buckle to the final jump got them the win.”

The next six riders in the jump-off had faults with Robin Swinderman of Morriston, Florida, riding Cliff II for Meadowwood Farm, LLC., clocking in at 29.444 as the fastest of the four-faulters to take fifth-place.

Next to jump clear was Gabrielle Calvert of Doyleston, Pennsylvania, aboard Cat Woman, owned by Daniel White. Having the opportunity to watch others, Calvert made an inside cut to the homestretch line, opting to zig away from the jump then back in to give her horse the opportunity to see it clearly, resulting in a split-second of additional time as they crossed the timers in 31.199 to step into and hold onto second-place.

Following Calvert was Monica Hanks riding Finnley 5. They galloped through the timers clear, but in a time of 33.314 to finish in third-place. Anna Whitman on Calino-GZ, owned by Mindy Whitman, used the same route and finished with a clear round in 33.529 for fourth.
 

$1,000 S.A. Comunale Adult Jumper Classic
HITS Ocala Week VIII riders battled for the blue in the S.A. Comunale Low Adult Jumper Classic, which took place in the Grand Prix Ring at HITS Post Time Farm on Sunday. As the trips went by, each round proved faster and faster but it was Amber Moss of Williston, Florida, riding Adonis for Traudi Miller-Moss, who topped the field to take home the win.

Bernardo Cabral from Portugal designed a course of 13 efforts set from .90 to 1.0 meters including two combinations. Ten riders jumped first round clears to advance to an immediate jump-off, where six jumped clear again.

First to contend for the jump-off was Marissa Kinally from Hull, Massachusetts, riding Silko for Mindy Whitman. They clocked in with a cool, clear round in 34.964 to take the lead and the eventual fifth-place.

Following was Texas Tea, owned by Michael Kirby and ridden by Tallulah Kassell of New York, New York. Texas Tea was Mid-Circuit .90 meter Champion at HITS Ocala, and it showed when he galloped, turned and angled across fence five to the finish, clocking in at 30.538 to take the short-lived lead from Kinally and the eventual second-place prize.

Amy Frailey of Salem, New Hampshire, was the next clear in a time of 34.391 on her own Kilkenny Aragorn.  That trip would be good enough for a final third-place finish.  Adonis and Moss followed, squeaking out Texas Tea with a fault-free 30.481, topping the leaderboard by a tenth of a second.  Adonis would hold onto the lead for the win.

Jackie Arakelian of Winchester, Massachusetts, and Fleetwood Mac, owned by Ann Dotoli were the final  clear jump-off round in a time of 34.951 to slide into fourth-place.