SAUGERTIES,
NY (September
4, 2006)—Kitt
Ritter's trip to HITS Saugerties from Charleston,
South Carolina certainly paid off as she walked
out of the state-of-the art equestrian facility
as the Champion of the 2006 ASPCA Maclay Region
2 Finals.
The Regional Finals
was the next-to-last stop for riders on the road
to the much-coveted Maclay National Championship
that will be held in Syracuse, NY in November.
The Maclay Regional Finals represent the Pinnacle
of Junior Equitation Competition in the United
States. Junior Riders competed during the year
in the ASPCA Horsemanship Class held at hundreds
of horse shows throughout the country all with
the same goal of accumulating enough points to
qualify for the Regional Finals. Sixty riders
competed in Saugerties at the Regional Finals
with Ritter coming out on top.
Ritter and her mount
Cadeau were one of six pairs asked to come
back for additional testing. Coming into the final
test, Ritter was in fourth place. "She had
a beautiful and elegant round," said her
trainer Andre Dignelli. "I thought her performance
in the third round was good enough to win because
everyone in front of her had minor errors."
Cadeau is
leased by Ritter from Heritage Farm. The horse
is an eight year old German Breed that Ritter
has been riding for over a year.Dignelli, who
runs Heritage Farm with his brother Michael, also
trains Addison Phillips, the winner of the USHJA
Hunterdon Cup, sponsored by World Equestrian Brands
held at HITS Saugerties in July.
The event required
junior riders to compete over at least eight fences
at 3'6". Then two groups were invited back
for an under saddle where they were asked to walk,
trot and canter their horses. Finally, the top
six riders were asked to come back for additional
testing that eventually determined the champion.
The six riders asked to come back were Elizabeth
Lubrano, Alyssa Grieco, Emma Lipman, Kacey Mccann,
Maria Schaub and Ritter. Shaub, who lives in Holmdel,
NJ was named the Reserve Champion.
"I showed all
over Florida and the rest of the East Coast this
year," said Ritter. "It was a lot of
hard work but I have a great trainer and he told
me that if I put in the time I would have a great
year. All of my hard work is paying off."
"She has good
style and a good brain," said Dignelli. "When
she goes to Syracuse, I definitely think she has
a great shot at competing for for the Championship
when she is up there."
"I am going
to Syracuse to do my best," she added. "Lets
hope my best is better than everyone elses."
Another notable finish
was Phillips, who finished seventh aboard Icon.
Course Designer Jerry
Doughherty's route got high praise from several
trainers after the event. The consencous was that
the course was "just right" with pretty
much everyone getting around but enough to seperate
the best from the rest.
Show jumping at HITS
Saugerties resumes on September 14-17 when HITS
proudly hosts the 2006 Marshall & Sterling
League Finals. The
Marshall & Sterling League offers members
the opportunity to compete throughout the year
for points that will earn them a place at the
Marshall & Sterling League Finals Horse Show.
If you're intrested in becoming a member for 2007
please call a Marshall & Sterling League Representative
at 845.246.8833.
HITS wraps up its
season with the USGPL Finals at HITS Culpeper
September 27-October 1. The week of exciting show
jumping features the $10,000 Pre-Green Hunter
Classic, the $15,000 Junior/A-O Jumper Low Classic,
the $25,000 Junior/AO Jumper High Classic, the
$25,000 Wild Card Grand Prix and the $100,000
USGPL Invitational Grand Prix in its final week
in Culpeper. There is no question that this prestigious
event saves the best for last, as the lineup includes
$175,000 in prize money for special classes alone.
The USGPL Finals
will be the last HITS Horse Show before HITS switches
to International Surfaces Group (ISG) footing
at most of its locations. ISG is proudest of its
revolutionary dust-free footing that allows horses
to compete minimizing the risk of injury.
For more information
about show jumping at HITS Saugerties as well
as all other HITS venues call 845.246.8833 or
visit the HITS website
www.HitsShows.com.
2006
ASPCA Zone 2 Maclay Regional Finals, September
4, 2006
|
Placing
|
Rider
|
City/State
|
|
1
|
Kitt
Ritter
|
Charleston,
SC
|
|
2
|
Maria
Schaub
|
Holmdel,
NJ
|
|
3
|
Kacey
McCann
|
Palmyra,
PA
|
|
4
|
Emma
Lipman
|
Bedford,
NY
|
|
5
|
Alyssa
Grieco
|
Mahwah,
NJ
|
|
6
|
Elizabeth
Lubrano
|
Glenmore,
PA
|
|
