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OCALA, FL (February 6, 2012) – Tracy Fenney couldn’t have had a better week in Ocala to kick-off the rated circuit. After an impressive victory in Thursday’s $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, aboard MTM Farm’s MTM Timon, she celebrated her birthday on Sunday with a first and second place finish in the $50,000 EMO Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, on MTM Farm’s MTM Centano and MTM Timon, respectively.
“What a great week,” said Fenney of Flower Mound, Texas. “This is our first week back and I couldn’t have asked for a better start. Today’s weather was gorgeous, the horses are happy and winning on your birthday is always fun.”
Fenney’s husband and Grand Prix veteran Mike McCormick was all smiles as he led MTM Timon in for a group photo.
“We’re always happy to be back in Ocala for the winter and this is one of the best starts we’ve ever had,” he said. “I’m looking forward to the rest of the year.”
Sunday’s course was designed by Tim Hott of Cumming, Iowa and featured 28 competitors. After the first round, only four clear rounds returned for a jump-off as Erynn Ballard of Tottenham, Ontario aboard Looking Back Farm’s Robin Van Roosendael and Taylor McMurtry of Barrington Hills, Illinois in the irons of her own Just An Illusion joined Fenney’s two mounts.
Ballard and Robin Van Roosendael were the first to challenge the jump-off course and set the pace at 52.406 seconds but had four faults.
Fenney and MTM Timon were next and were en route to a clear effort until a rail at the last fence came down. The pair finished the course in 48.176 seconds to take over the lead.
McMurtry, now a professional at Thinkslikeahorse with head trainer Aaron Vale, was the next to return aboard Just An Illusion. Last year, the duo won their very first Grand Prix ever together in the $50,000 EMO Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, and hoped that history would repeat itself again this year. Coming off a fifth place finish in Thursday’s Grand Prix, the duo took the field and had an impressive outing. Unfortunately, the second to last fence came down and McMurtry finished in fourth with a time of 53.488 seconds.
“This was a great week,” said McMurtry, 19, one of the youngest professionals in the field. “My horse loves to show here and he’s usually just as excited as I am when we do well. I won the first week last year so I was hoping this would become my tradition, but two ribbons in the same week is a great start! I’m glad Tracy [Fenney] got to win on her birthday – she’s one of the best.”
As Fenney already had the win secured, she returned for her second ride aboard MTM Centano and the crowd cheered as she posted the only double-clear effort of the group in 45.927 seconds for the win.
“Today’s class was pretty hard,” Fenney admitted. “There were a lot clear and I thought Thursday’s class was a technical course, but Tim [Hott] certainly built a big, technical course today. There were a lot of tight, inside turns to some big verticals. I think we ended up with a good jump-off though.”
Fenney remains a crowd favorite at HITS Ocala. “I’m a big fan of Tracy [Fenney],” said E. Sue Bopp of EMO. “I was telling her as we took our presentation photo, aside from last year, I can’t remember a time when she hasn’t been standing there with me as the winner. This is some of the best weather we ever have here and we’re always thrilled to be a part of this show.”
Fenney, a Pfizer Million alumnus, plans to make her third appearance in the annual event.
“I’ve finished up well the last two years in the [Pfizer] Million and I even competed in the [Diamond Mills] $500,000 Hunter Prix [Final] last year, so it’s safe to say we’ll be trying again this year,” Fenney added.
Ballard finished the class in third place, while Hugh Graham of Reddick, Florida and Distant Star 3E finished fifth with the fastest four fault score from the first round.
The Ocala Winter Classic begins on Tuesday and will feature a full lineup of classes from grassroots to High-Performance competition. The road to the America’s richest weekend of show jumping – the HITS Championship Weekend, which will take place September 7-9 at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York – continues this week in Ocala with two more qualifiers for the Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix, one more for the $250,000 HITS 3’ Hunter Prix Final and one more for the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final.
© ESI Photography.
Tracy Fenney and MTM Centano cruise through the course in Sunday's $50,000 EMO Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, at HITS Post Time Farm in Ocala.
© ESI Photography.
Mike McCormick stands with MTM Timon to join Tracy Fenney aboard MTM Centano for the first and second place awards, which were presented by Caitlyn Howley of HITS, E. Sue Bopp of EMO and Kathy Stringer of Great American Insurance Group.
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