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SAUGERTIES, NY (June 8, 2007) — Hillary Dobbs and her mount Quincy B negotiated the only double-clear performance over Olaf Petersen, Jr.'s course on her way to capturing the $7,500 winner's share of the prize money in the $25,000 Ariat Grand Prix Thursday at HITS Saugerties.
The Sussex, New Jersey native is only 19 and is already making waves at HITS Saugerties. Just four short days ago she was third in Sunday's $75,000 EMO Grand Prix at HITS-on-the-Hudson I, and was one-two in the $10,000 O'Connor Signature at the Oaks Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic earlier in the day. "She has been a great student of mine for the past five years," said Missy Clark, who runs North Run with her husband John Brennan. "Her progression has been tremendous along the way."
Eight horses out of 23 went clean in the first round and advanced to the jump-off. Danielle Torano led the pack on Vancouver D' Auvrey and stopped the clock at 37.813. But with one rail down, she had to settle for four faults. Favorites Fatalis Fatum and Federico Sztyrle, winners of last Thursday's $25,000 Ariat Grand Prix, went next and joined Danielle with a four-fault score and a time of 40.580. Then it was time for Dobbs and Quincy B. The duo set the Great American Time to Beat at 37.757 with a clear round, moving into first place. "She was very controlled in the jump-off," said Clark. "She didn't look like she was going too fast, but fast enough to win. To me that is the sign of a perfect jump-off."
The next three pairs to try their luck on the course had two rails down each, leaving them out of the hunt for blue. Sztyrle then returned with his second mount, Charming Girl. A clear threat after a second-place finish in last week's Ariat Grand Prix, Charming Girl suffered four faults at the third to last fence and dashed Sztyrle's hopes for a win.
It was then all up to Jimmy Torano and Marlo. In the coveted last-to-ride position, Torano was blazing fast with a time of 36.850, but an unlucky four faults mid-way into the course moved Torano into the second place position, with Dobbs and Quincy B the clear winners. Danielle Torano and Vancouver D'Auvrey kept it in the family for a third-place finish, right behind husband Jimmy.
"I had a chance to root for him," said Danielle Torano. "I knew I couldn't win with a rail down, so I was pulling for him. We are a very competitive couple but we don't compete much against each other. We are always in each others corner."
Sztyrle rounded out the top-five finishers on Christian Wolffer's Fatalis Fatum and Charming Girl, respectively.
With the victory, Dobbs earned some valuable points for the USGPL standings. This means that she increased her chances of being on the list of the riders who will be invited to participate in the $100,000 USGPL Invitational Grand Prix at HITS Culpeper in late September. "We haven't made our plans that far ahead yet," said Clark, who resides in Vermont. "But if she is in the top 30 we certainly have to consider making the trip." Show jumping at HITS Saugerties continues all weekend and culminates on Sunday with the $75,000 Footings Unlimited Grand Prix.
HITS Saugerties officially kicked off the 2007 season on Wednesday, May 30. The spring shows continue through June 17. The $22,500 Children's/Adult Championship and the $40,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Championship will close out the spring series during Week III at HITS Saugerties. After that, HITS Saugerties takes a five-week hiatus before returning on July 25 for three more weeks of world-class show jumping. The summer series concludes with one final week of show jumping beginning on September 5, followed by the Marshall & Sterling League Finals, September 13-16 when acclaimed singer/songwriter Suzanne Vega will be performing at the Year-End High Point Awards Celebration.
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.
©2007Lili Weik Photography
Hillary Dobbs and Quincy B win the $25,000 Ariat Grand Prix.
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Placing
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Horse
|
Rider
|
Owner
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Prize
Money
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Rd
1 Faults
|
JO
Faults
|
JO
Time
|
|
1
|
Quincy B
|
Hillary Dobbs
|
The Dobbs Group
|
$7,500
|
0
|
0
|
37.75
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|
2
|
Marlo
|
Jimmy Torano
|
Torano & Sir Ruly, Inc.
|
$5,500
|
0
|
4
|
|
|
3
|
Vancouver D' Auvrey
|
Danielle Torano
|
Sir Ruly Inc.
|
$3,250
|
0
|
4
|
37.81
|
|
4
|
Fatalis Fatum |
Federico Sztyrle |
Wolffer Estates |
$2,000
|
0
|
4
|
40.58
|
|
5
|
Charming Girl |
Federico Sztyrle |
Wolffer Estates |
$1,500
|
0
|
4 |
46.86
|
|
6
|
Ralvesther
|
Brianne Goutal
|
Cloverleaf Farm
|
$1,250
|
0
|
8
|
38.87
|
|
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