Jenny Karazissis and Polly Sweeney Earn Repeat Wins in Hunter Ring at HITS Thermal

THERMAL, CA (March 11, 2014) – Jenny Karazissis of Calabasas, California was back in the irons of longtime partner Undeniable this weekend at HITS Thermal and jumped to a win over 42 competitors in the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix. One of the final qualifiers for the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final, Karazissis led both the first and second round with scores of 90 and 88.   

“I would love to ride this horse forever,” said Karazissis of the seven-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by Kelly Straeter. “He has been home since Week II, but got right back into a rhythm today.”

 Karazissis is still deciding which horse she will ride in the final during the HITS Championship at HITS Saugerties this fall. “It’s a great concept that we can only ride one horse in the final because it evens the playing field and raises the stakes, but I am lucky enough to have several to choose from,” said Karazissis.

Buddy Brown of Menlo Park, California stepped up from third last week to finish second aboard Leah Rappaport’s Cosineval with scores of 85 and 84. Marisa Metzger of Modesto, California rode Maillisko, owned by Bailey Campbell, to third after posting a pair of 84’s. Mikayla Stuart was fourth on her own Verdana with an 81 and 80, while owner/rider Tylor Nowell rounded out the top five aboard Nonchalant after scores of 80 and 79.5.

As qualifying for the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final wraps up, hunter riders are gearing up for the return of the $50,000 East Meets West Hunter Prix Challenge this week. When the innovative class takes the stage, the top hunter riders at HITS Thermal will be pitted against the top hunter riders from HITS Ocala in Florida via simulcast.


©Flying Horse Photography
Jenny Karazissis and Undeniable jump to the top of the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix at HITS Thermal.


©Flying Horse Photography
Jenny Karazissis and Undeniable are presented with top honors, including a Horze Equestrian cooler, after the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix at HITS Thermal.

$5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix
 

PlaceHorse                           Owner                                  Rider                    Prize $Rnd. 1/2Total
1 Undeniable Kelly Straeter Jenny Karazissis $1,500 90/88 178
2 Cosineval Leah Rappaport Buddy Brown $1,000 85/84 169
3 Maillisko Bailey Campbell Marisa Metzger $700 84/84 168
4 Verdana Mikayla Stuart Mikayla Stuart $500 81/80 161
5 Nonchalant Tylor Nowell Tylor Nowell $400 80/79.5 159.5
6 Luminous Meg Farinsky Meg Farinsky $325 78/81 159
7 Balios Z Sloan Lindmann Buddy Brown $300 75.5/82 157.5
8 Sunday's Boy Karen Coyne John French $275 88/68 156
9 Rock On Carole Looke Abbygale Funk - 82/73 155
10 Go Shortly Catherine Rankin Cheryl Keith - 76/75.25 151.25
11 County Line Ann Deren-Lewis Jenny Karazissis - 75/75 150
12 Casson Ashley Strauch Kathleen Waldorf - 74.5/34 108.5

About Devoucoux
Devoucoux, maker of fine French saddles, is proud to be the title sponsor of each and every qualifying Hunter Prix leading up to the phenomenal Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final. Devoucoux offers a wide range of saddles in many colors and sizes and matching accessories. Devoucoux craftsmen are devoted to creating beautiful products that reflect their obsession with quality and lovingly finished work. For more information on Devoucoux, visit devoucoux.com.

$1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix
Polly Sweeney of Pasadena, California was a violinist for a time and named her horse Duet as a nod to her passion for music. Rhythm, she says, is what Duet does best. “In the music world, rhythm is everything and when she gets going, she gives me so much confidence,” said Sweeney.

Sweeney and the coming 10 mare, Duet, posted consistent scores of 82 and 81 to top the field in the $1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix. She trains with Archie Cox and admits that she misses the hunters of the past. “When I was a kid, we used to jump outside courses all the time and I really miss doing that,” said Sweeney. “That’s what attracted me to this class – it gives everyone a sense of what hunters are really about.”

Behind Sweeney, Polly Brown of Kamloops, British Columbia rode her own Maple Bay to second with an 80 and 78. Kimberly Narlinger of Corona del Mar, California jumped to third with her own Rendez-vous with a 76 and 80. Owner/rider Emma Townsend and CR Haribo were fourth with score of 84 and 68. Amelia Faircloth rounded out the top five with her own Toy Story and scores of 69 and 79.

With just one week remaining at the HITS Desert Circuit, West Coast hunter riders have a final opportunity to seal their fate for September’s HITS Championship.


©Flying Horse Photography
Polly Sweeney and Duet on their way to a win in the $1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix at HITS Thermal.

$1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix
 

PlaceHorse                           Owner                                  Rider                    Prize $Rnd. 1/2Total
1 Duet Polly Sweeney Polly Sweeney $450 82/81 163
2 Maple Bay Ellen Brown Ellen Brown $300 80/78 158
3 Rendez-vous Kimberly Narlinger Kimberly Narlinger $200 76/80 156
4 CR Haribo Emma Townsend Emma Townsend $150 84/68 152
5 Toy Story Amelia Faircloth Amelia Faircloth $125 69/79 148
6 Audible Hess Equine Janet Steeper $100 73/73.5 146.5
7 Diego Garcia Maya Varga Maya Varga $100 70/76 146
8 Lio Cavallo Stacy Root Stacy Root $75 72/70 142
9 Buddha Spartan Stables Pam Theodosakis - 67/74 141
10 Aria Sydney Hagenbuch Dianna Heldfond - 68/65 133
11 Sociable Abigail Friedman Abigail Friedman - 63/67 130
12 Cinematic Ayanna Frey Ayanna Frey - 64/63 127

About Platinum Performance
Platinum Performance provides more than 10 supplements essential to your horse’s health and conditioning in just one scoop. Platinum Performance® Equine addresses a horse's total body health from joint and hoof care to athletic performance and coat health, and is the 2014 sponsor of the $250,000 Hunter Prix Final and all qualifiers. For more information on Platinum Performance, visit platinumperformance.com.

$1,000 Pony Hunter Prix
Eleven-year old Amber Ayyad and her pony Wish Me Luck didn’t need any luck over the weekend as they claimed a win in the popular $1,000 Pony Hunter Prix. Ayyad and the medium pony she calls Charming took to the Outside Course at HITS Thermal like professionals to earn top honors.

“What I love about Charming is that she is fun to ride,” said Ayyad. “She gets fast sometimes, but that’s what makes her fun and it makes me smile.”

Ayyad has been in the saddle for six years and has owned Charming for the past year and half. She claims that her dream is to ride professionally at the grand prix level someday. In preparation for moving to the next level, the Pony Hunter Prix was the featured class in the Outside Course during Week VI competition. The course utilized the bank in both directions and introduced pony riders to the hunter prix format.

“I think it was so great that they get to experience a class like this at this level,” said Ayyad’s trainer Alicia Saxton. “It teaches them what a real hunter course is like.”

Mackenzie Root of Rancho Santa Fe, California is also trained by Saxton and piloted her own Dust Bunny to second.

Melissa Deryn Foster of Langley, British Columbia was third in the irons of her own Navigator, and Stella Buckingham of Lost Angeles, California was fourth with Kate Considine’s Snapshot.  Virginia Bonnie of San Francisco, California capped the top five with her own Prom Queen.


©Flying Horse Photography
Amber Ayyad and Wish Me Luck on their way to a win in the $1,000 Pony Hunter Prix at HITS Thermal.