The Fourth Week of the HITS Ocala Winter Circuit has Concluded! :: HITS

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The Fourth Week of the HITS Ocala Winter Circuit has Concluded!

Aaron Vale sweeps FEI; Katherine Anne Brewer wins National Grand Prix;
Dorothy Douglas wins USHJA International Hunter Derby during World Championship Hunter Rider Week
The fourth week of the 2022 HITS Ocala Winter Circuit has come to a close! The Ocala Winter Classic featured FEI CSI2* competition, a $75,000 USEF Grand Prix, a $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, a USHJA Pony Hunter Derby and the first of two World Championship Hunter Rider Weeks! Read on for the winners of Week IV's featured competition.
 
Lisa Goldman-Smolen kicked off the week by landing twice on the podium in Wednesday's $2,500 Open Welcome, taking first and third. Goldman-Smolen guided SOVEREIGN to a jump-off time of 34.983, the fastest of seven double-clear runs.

  • 2nd Place: Doug Payne & QUINTESSENCE [35.806]
  • 3rd Place: Goldman-Smolen & NIKE [36.024]
In the $7,500 HITS Open Prix on Thursday, Daniel Geitner bumped Lisa Goldman-Smolen from the top spot when he and LOTUS VAN HET HAGEHOF posted the fastest time of the jump-off, crossing the timers in a fault-free time of 36.373. 

  • 2nd Place: Goldman-Smolen & BENGTSSON [37.223]
  • 3rd Place: Andre Thieme & DSP CALLAS [43.652]
Thinkslikeahorse's COOPER Z got his first big win in Thursday's FEI CSI2* $25,000 SmartPak Welcome. Aaron Vale rode two into the jump-off round and made his first attempt at the short course with CONDARCO, putting up the Great American Time to Beat of 40.612. No pair could match that time until the penultimate run by Hunter Holloway and DANA DE KERGLENN took over the top spot. That left Vale knowing just what he would have to do to claim the win, and his time of 39.578 got it done.

  • 2nd Place: Holloway & DANA DE KERGLENN [40.295]
  • 3rd Place: Vale & CONDARCO [40.612]
Lisa Goldman-Smolen returned to the winner's circle in Saturday's $10,000 Post Time Classic. Goldman-Smolen was joined by NIKE and navigated the short course in 41.927, almost a full two seconds faster than second place. 

  • 2nd Place:  David Cameron & ALAN 111 Z [43.901]
  • 3rd Place:  Kaitlyn Williams & CASSIO MELLONI [4-faults, 40.371]
Aaron Vale swept the week's FEI competition by saving the best for last in Saturday's $50,000 FEI Grand Prix which concluded the week's FEI competition. Vale took advantage of being the final competitor to take to Oscar Soberon's jump-off course, following Santiago LambreSharn WordleyDiego Perez Bilbao, and Sean Jobin. Perez Bilbao held the top spot until Vale and PRESCOTT crossed the timers almost two seconds faster, in 41.070. 

  • 2nd Place:  Perez Bilbao & ENJA 21 [43.050]
  • 3rd Place:  Wordley & MICK JAGGER [45.545]
Saturday night was more than alright for Gabby Adams, as she claimed the win in the $7,500 M&S/NAL Child/Adult High Jumper Classic. Riding GARINCO VAN DE LIJNSAERD under the bright lights of the Grand Prix Stadium, Adams handily bested the field with her jump-off time of 35.154. The crowd of partygoers watching from the VIP Tent was delighted by the competition.

  • 2nd Place:  Maude Filiatrault & VAIL W [37.428]
  • 3rd Place:  Kaylin Dines & URREM [37.682]
The $75,000 HITS Grand Prix wrapped up the week's featured Jumper competition on Sunday afternoon. Katherine Anne Brewer topped a field of veteran Grand Prix riders to claim the win with Brewport Stables LLC's CASIDO 2. Under the guidance of Redfield Farm's Emil Spadone, Brewer was the first to attempt the second round and posted a quick Great American Time to Beat of 38.327. She then had to wait through attempts by heavyweights Aaron ValeTracy FenneyHunter HollowayDavid JenningsDorothy DouglasFrancois Lamontagne, and Rowan Willis, before she could celebrate the win.

  • 2nd Place:  Vale & CRISTO BEECH [39.027]
  • 3rd Place:  Holloway & PEPITA CON SPITA [39.211]
Jumper Classic Winners
$1,000 M&S Child/Adult Jumper Classic - Low: Claire Gestes & CIRO
$1,500 M&S Child/Adult Jumper Classic - Medium: Olivia Brown & ALANIA
$2,500 Pyranha/NAL Junior/Amateur 1.25m Jumper Classic: Madison Kondracki & STAKKO
$5,000 Junior/Amateur 1.35m Jumper Classic: Hayley Waters & CALVADOS
$7,500 Junior/Amateur 1.45m Jumper Classic: Catherine Kubiak & DIALUNA
 
The Adeptus Leading Jumper Rider Award is presented each week to the rider accumulating the most points in one of the Open 0.65m to 1.40m divisions.

Congratulations to this week's winner: Shauna Alexander

Medal Winners - 
Pyranha Children's Medal: Kaitlyn Linck
World Champion Hunter Rider Week was highlighted by a big day of Derbies on Saturday in the Grand Prix Ring. Up first was the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby. Dorothy Douglas coupled a first round score of 178 with the highest second round score of 199.5 to take the win. She and MTM LOLAH LOL, decked out in Valentine's Day themed braids, earned a total score of 377.5.

  • 2nd Place:  David Jennings & JORDANTINUS [369]
  • 3rd Place:  Hunt Tosh & CANNON CREEK [368]
Christina Kourgelis and CASANOVA II won the tightly contested $1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix. They earned the highest score of the first round, an 82, along with a 78 in the second round for a blue ribbon total of 160. The top three finishers were only separated by one point!

  • 2nd Place: Sophine Lenihan & WAYFARER [159.5]
  • 3rd Place:  Kaitlyn Linck & REVITA BELU [159]
Hondo the Magnificent lived up to his name in the $1,500 USHJA Pony Derby. Piloted by Kaitlyn Linck, the pair led the entire way with matching scores of 85 in each round for a winning total of 170.

  • 2nd Place: Reagan Jarrett & DREAM BIG [153]
  • 3rd Place:  Lilyana Spafford & CHERRYBROOK JUST BLUE IN [148]

Hunter Classic Winners
M&S Bit O' Straw Hunter Classic: Caitlyn Halsnik & SNOWLAND
$500 M&S/NAL/WIHS Child Hunter Classic - Horse:  Evana Somareddy & CAMBASTIAN
$500 M&S Child Hunter Classic - Pony: Alexandra Sawinski & JUST MY STYLE
$500 SmartPak M&S/NAL/WIHS Adult Hunter Classic: Megan Temme & L COLANTOS
$1,000 CWD Junior Hunter Classic 3'6": Maddie Tosh & LUCADOR
$1,000 Antares Junior Hunter Classic 3'3": Ava Berman & EMILIO
$1,000 Amateur-Owner Hunter Classic 3'6": Alexa Bayko & ALL OF ME
$1,000 Amateur-Owner Hunter Classic 3'3": Jaime Auletto & PRIMROSE
$1,000 Perfect Products Pony Hunter Classic: Reagan Jarrett & DREAM BIG

Click here for the full listing of results from the HITS Ocala Winter Classic.
Click here for the HITS Ocala Winter Classic photo galleries.