Kris Killam and Black Diamond Win $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix

Ocala, Florida (February 26, 2015): Kris Killam, of Naples, Florida, won Thursday night’s $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix riding his wife Mandy Killam’s 13-year-old Selle Français gelding, Black Diamond.

Killam topped a field of 32 with several riders showing on multiple horses. Ten moved on to the jump-off. Andre Thieme, of Germany, was the first to attempt the short course and set the Great American Time to Beat at 32.102 riding Seth Vallhonrat’s Cellisto. Their performance would hold up for second place. Killam went fifth in the jump-off and cleared the course in 31.098 to take a commanding lead, while Dorothy Douglas, from Flower Mound, Texas, riding S & L Farms’ S & L Elite, went sixth with another clear in 32.285 to fit in behind Killam and Thieme for third.

Kristen VanderVeen of St. Charles, Illinois, took fourth and fifth place. VanderVeen claimed fourth on Bull Run's Faustino de Tili, who went eighth in the jump-off and finished in 32.530, and fifth on Bull Run’s Eternal, who went second in the jump-off, after Thieme, and completed the round in 32.702. Both of VanderVeen’s rides are owned by Bull Run Jumpers, LLC.

(c) ESI Photography
Kris Killam and Mandy Killam's Black Diamond win Thursday's $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix at HITS Ocala.

(c) ESI Photography
Kris Killam and Mandy Killam's Black Diamond win the blue in Thursday's $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix at HITS Ocala.

Killam said of his ride, “I was happy for my horse tonight. I had the fastest time in Sunday’s Grand Prix but I let my horse down by pulling on the reins [which perhaps led to his four faults in that jump-off]. This time I went forward. The turnback to the green oxer was hard for me but the last line rode well. The course was straight forward for the first time showing under the lights.”

Second-place winner Thieme was happy for Cellisto’s owner Vallhonrat and praised his horse, “He is a championship horse. I am so happy for my friend Seth.”

The lights Thursday night in the Ocala Horse Properties Stadium lit up Brazilian course designer Anderson Lima’s 15-effort Grand Prix. Before the class, Lima described his course, saying, “It’s a long course, but they have plenty of places they can go to cut the time. There are no tricks. I would like to have about ten clean.” He got exactly what he wanted as ten advanced to the jump-off.

“Anderson Lima is my favorite course designer,” VanderVeen said. “He’s built a little in Colorado where I’m from and I’ve always enjoyed his courses.”

Time change: Please note, the Great American American $1 Million Grand Prix is now scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. on Monday, March 23, 2015.

Tickets are on sale now! General Admission is $10, or enjoy all the benefits of Day VIP for $100. To order, go to OcalaTix.com (online service fee applies), visit the HITS Post Time Farm Horse Show Office or call the office at 352.867.0508.

$25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix

Place	Horse	Owner	Rider	Prize	Rd. 1 Faults	JO Faults	JO Time
1	Black Diamond	Mandy Killam	Kris Killam	$7,500	0	0	31.098
2	Cellisto	Seth Vallhonrat	Andre Thieme	$5,500	0	0	32.102
3	S & L Elite	S & L Farms	Dorothy Douglas	$3,250	0	0	32.285
4	Bull Run's Faustino de Tili	Bull Run Jumpers Five LLC	Kristen VanderVeen	$2,000	0	0	32.530
5	Bull Run's Eternal	Bull Run Jumpers One LLC	Kristen VanderVeen	$1,500	0	0	32.702
6	Viriato	Southern Cross Equestrian, LLC	Scott Keach	$1,250	0	0	32.973
7	Cooper	Devin Ryan	Devin Ryan	$1,000	0	4	31.207
8	My Pleasure	My Pleasure LLC	Peter Leone	$750	0	4	31.362
9	Cordovo	Gaston Family Investments LLC	Ian Silitch	$750	0	4	36.516
10	Pluto	Santa Catalina Farm	Manuel Torres	$500	0	*	*
11	Liratus	Devin Ryan	Devin Ryan	$500	4	*	*
12	Matilda	Thaisa Erwin	Thaisa Erwin	$500	4	*	*

$2,500 Brook Ledge Open Welcome

Lexi Reed and her new mount Afandina took charge in the Ocala Horse Properties Stadium on Wednesday afternoon. Anderson Lima also designed this course of 13 efforts set at 1.40 meters. Seven horses moved on to the jump-off.

Thaisa Erwin from Middleburg, Virginia, riding Wild Card, owned by Hollberg Equestrian of Ocala, was first to contest the jump-off. She completed the eight effort final course without a fault in a trim 41.490 seconds. The lead changed hands with the next rider on course, David Jennings from Franklin, Tennessee, riding Full Circle Farm’s Blue Moon, who shaved almost a full second off of Erwin’s time, finishing in 40.565 seconds. The lead changed for the final time when Afandina and Lexi Reed from Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, flew around the course in 38.185. Four more made the attempt. Only the combination of Via Dolorosa and Derek Petersen from Archer, Florida, managed to beat the time but had a rail down to finish fourth in 37.886 seconds.

Reed said of her ride, “Today was very exciting for me! This is a new horse that is just 8 this year and he has only been in America five weeks. I was double-clear but slow on him all three days last week, so today I decided to kick it up a notch and it paid off. I think we will try the Friday prix this week and try our luck there. So far it has been a great circuit and I am very much looking forward to what the last couple of weeks have in store!”

(c) ESI Photography
Lexy Reed and her Afandina win the $2,500 Brook Ledge Open Welcome Wednesday, February 25, 2015 at HITS Ocala.

$2,500 Brook Ledge Open Welcome

Place	Horse	Owner	Rider	Prize	Rd. 1 Faults	JO Faults	JO Time
1	Afandina	Lexy Reed	Lexy Reed	750	0	0	38.185
2	Blue Moon 22	Full Circle Farm	David Jennings	450	0	0	40.565
3	Wild Card	Hollberg Equestrian	Thaisa Erwin	300	0	0	41.490
4	Via Dolorosa	Derek Petersen	Derek Petersen	250	0	4	37.886
5	Liratus	Devin Ryan	Devin Ryan	225	0	4	38.727
6	Pluto	Santa Catalina Farm	Manuel Torres	200	0	4	38.761
7	Alonso	Jill Knowles	Karl Beyer	175	0	4	49.212
8	Anabella	Santa Catalina Farm	Manuel Torres	150	4	*	*
9	FVF Sailor Man	Fox View Farm	Maryann Charles	*	4	*	*
10	Butterfly Rouge	Kimberly Mulligan-Mangione	Kimberly Mulligan-Mangione	*	4	*	*
11	Quipit L.F.	Quipit Group	Ragan Roberts	*	4	*	*
12	Quitaire	Badger Hill Farm, LLC	Grace Long	*	4	*	*

About SmartPak

SmartPak Equine was created in 1999 by riders and horse owners, for riders and horse owners. With experience in Hunter/Jumper, Equitation, Dressage, Polo and Reining, SmartPak’s founders have logged many miles in horse country. SmartPak’s mission is to provide a simplified approach to administering nutritional supplements and medications to horses across America. Embraced by riders of all disciplines, SmartPak offers a broad line of horse health, products, show apparel, tack, and equine pharmaceuticals through their catalogs and website.

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

HITS Ocala Winter Circuit December 11th - March 23rd, 2025

Kris Killam and Black Diamond Win $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix

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