PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
September 11, 2007

SAUGERTIES, NY (September 11, 2007)—Darragh Kerins (Ridgefield, CT) and Night Train won their third Grand Prix of the summer at HITS Saugerties, but this time it was the big one. The pair took home the blue ribbon in the $75,000 Footings Unlimited Grand Prix to conclude the summer series of horse shows at HITS' state-of-the-art equestrian facility in Saugerties, New York.

The combination already had wins in two of the $25,000 Ariat Grand Prix classes that occurred each Thursday during the circuit at HITS Saugerties. On Sunday, Kerins took home $22,500 in prize money for Double H Farm. Night Train, eight years old, is owned by Double H Farm and Kerins has been showing him for just over a year.

Eleven pairs came back for course designer Jerry Dougherty's jump-off route. Four of the eleven went double clear, including Todd Minikus (Loxahatchee, FL) and his new mount Ultimo Rouge. The combination was third to go in the jump-off and set the Great American Time to Beat at 43.370. Minikus and Ultimo Rouge secured second place when the class was complete to earn $16,500 in prize money. In last Thursday's $25,000 Ariat Grand Prix they were also second.

The next double-clear effort belonged to Sharn Wordley (Morriston, FL) and his mount Rockville, who were sixth to go in the jump-off. They made it all the way home without dropping a rail in 48.928 to capture fourth place. Wordley and Rockville were also fourth in last Thursday's featured class.

Kerins and Night Train made it back-to-back clear rounds when they established the new Great American Time to Beat at 42.269. This time proved to be fast enough to win the class.

Minikus and Pavarotti had the final double-clear effort when they stopped the clocks in 44.269 to secure third place and $9,750 in prize money. Minikus and Pavarotti were also third in last Thursday's featured class. In all, the Olympic Grand Prix veteran secured $35,000 in prize money while competing in both Grand Prix classes this past week at HITS Saugerties.

With the win, Kerins moves into third place in the USGPL Standings. The $75,000 Footings Unlimited Grand Prix was the final chance during the regular show season to earn points for the $100,000 USGPL Invitational Grand Prix at HITS Culpeper. The top-30 horse/rider combinations based on prize money won will be invited back to HITS Culpeper for the USGPL Finals where they will compete for the top prize in the $100,000 USGPL Invitational Grand Prix on Sunday, September 30. Competitors will have one final chance to earn a spot in the field during the $25,000 HITS Wild Card Grand Prix at HITS Culpeper on Friday, September 28. The pair that finishes the highest and is not already qualified for the Invitational will be invited to compete in the class.

The $75,000 Footings Unlimited Grand Prix wrapped up an exciting summer series of horse shows that included Grand Prix triumphs earlier this year from former Olympians Mclain Ward, Margie Engle and Anne Kursinski, as well as Candice King, Laura Chapot and Kerins.


HITS, Inc. is a special events management company primarily focused on producing hunter/jumper horse shows. Based in upstate New York in the village of Saugerties, HITS produced its first horse show circuit in Gainesville, Florida in 1982. Since that time, HITS has grown into a nationwide company with world-class hunter/jumper circuits in California, Florida, Arizona, New York and Virginia.

For more information and a complete schedule of classes and events, visit www.HitsShows.com.

Media should contact Chris Mayone at 845.246.8833 or e-mail Media_Info@HitsShows.com

©Lili Weik Photography 07
Darragh Kerins and Night Train seized the $75,000 Footings Unlimited Grand Prix at HITS Saugerties

Darragh Kerins and Night Train are congratulated by HITS' Senior Vice President Tony Hitchcock and Wendy Metzger of HITS, after securing the top prize in Sunday's $75,000 Footings Unlimited Grand Prix

Adequan Open Hunter - Steal the Show, ridden by Jenny Fischer and owned by Hillcrest, Inc., Montgomery, NY
Farnam Adult Hunter 18-35 - Aloha, ridden by Christina Serio and owned by Brad Wolf, Kennett Square, PA
Farnam Adult Hunter 36-45 - King of Scouts, ridden by Valerie Primavera and owned by Briana Tetrault, New York, NY
Farnam Adult Hunter 46 & Over - Hold that Thought, ridden and owned by Coco Swartchild, Tenafly, NJ
M&S Children's/Adult Jumper Wildcard - Lady Grey, ridden and owned by Christina Fried, New York, NY
M&S Adult Hunter Wild Card - Instant Replay, ridden and owned by Kim Gumble, Beach Lake, PA
M&S Children's Hunter Horse Wild Card - Daimler, ridden by Nathaniel Estes and owned by Amara Chanelle, McLean, VA
$5,000 Brook Ledge Friday Class - Sea Coast Cabtuna Z, ridden by Danielle Torano and owned by Jimmy and Danielle Torano, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
$10,000 O'Conner Signature at the Oaks Jr/A-O Jumper High Classic - R Marble KZ, ridden by Michelle Spadone and owned by Redfield Farm, Califon, NJ

HITS CORPORATE OFFICE: HITS, Inc., 319 Main Street, Saugerties, NY 12477-1330
phone 845.246.8833  fax 845.246.6371  www.HitsShows.com