Competition Continues at HITS Saugerties! :: HITS

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Competition Continues at HITS Saugerties!

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From Leadline to Grand Prix - HITS Has it All!
The HITS Saugerties Spring Series Continues

The HITS-on-the-Hudson Spring Series continues full of excitement for all levels of riders, from Leadline to International Grand Prix. Beautiful spring weather, trees and flowers in bloom, and a mountainous backdrop accompanied a great turnout for the second week of HITS Saugerties.
International competition was “hooves up” on Friday afternoon for the $35,700 SmartPak FEI CSI2* Welcome where international horse and rider combinations went head-to-head for the lion’s share of the purse and the blue ribbon. Taking home top honors in the Welcome was Peter Lutz and EXCELLENT, clearing the jump-off course in a time of 42.55.
“EXCELLENT is 10 years-old, and we have had him since he was three and a half so we’re very proud of him today," Lutz said after the win. "We have been developing him for the past six years. He is a really talented horse and was great today. He is naturally fast so I was able to let him open up his stride and gallop up a bit in the jump-off.

“He is here for two weeks so we want to move him up each week and keep him in the FEI division throughout this summer," Lutz continued. "I think he has a lot of promise and is very talented and there is no telling how much he can do.”
2nd Place: Kevin Mealiff & EVER D’HOOGPOORT (44.74)
3rd Place: Paul O’Shea & SKARA GLEN’S FLORENCIA (45.36)
Peter Lutz on his win in the $35,700 SmartPak Welcome and the FEI CSI2* Grand Prix:  “HITS is a really great place to bring along a horse like EXCELLENT. He is able to move up to the Grand Prix and FEI divisions here. It’s a big beautiful ring with room to gallop and the footing was excellent today, so I really love riding here."
FEI competition continued Sunday with the $50,000 Boehringer Ingelheim FEI CSI2* Grand Prix. Looking to improve upon his second place finish on Friday, Mealiff would qualify both of his mounts for the jump-off on Sunday, and used the experience to his advantage. On his second mount, VIPER VROMBAUTSHOEVE Z, Mealiff would secure the blue ribbon by a margin of over four seconds, with the second clear round in the jump-off, and a commanding time of 46.55.
2nd Place: Diego Perez Bilbao & HELIOS (50.86)
3rd Place: Perez Bilbao & ORSO DEL TERRICCIO (43.84, 4-Faults)
"EVER, is a nine year-old grey mare, and is a little bit inexperienced, but I stuck to my plan going in and tried to lay down a fast enough time that the others would have to chase me," Mealiff explained of his ride aboard his first mount in the jump-off. "Unfortunately I had the last fence down,” said Mealiff.  “VIPER is very experienced, and I knew going near the end of the class was going to work in my favor,” he continued,  “It turned out there were not may clear so I only had to be sort of quick and clear – and it worked out good!"
Mealiff on his win in the $50,000 Boehringer Ingelheim FEI CSI2* Grand Prix with VIPER: “This is our first big win. We have placings in Grand Prix, but this is our biggest win to date. There are so many rings here for you to step the horses up and down. For horses that are jumping big, you have the option to jump a smaller class before you go into the big class, which is good for the inexperienced ones. The atmosphere is great and the footing is very, very good."
 
The National Jumper classes started with the $5,000 Johnson Horse Transportation Open Welcome on Wednesday, where Ilan Bluman would take the blue ribbon for his ride aboard J-BOSTON S.E in a time of 42.953.

2nd Place: Michael Hutchinson & NUCA 2 (43.946)
3rd Place: James Fairclough II & S&L SAGE (43.956)

Carolina Villanueva Suarez and UNA DU KESKE Z would take home the blue ribbon in the $10,000 HITS 1.40m Jumper Classic as she crossed the timers in 37.087.

2nd Place: Bluman & J-BOSTON S.E (37.444)
3rd Place: Peter Leone & CAPITO Z (37.698)

Mealiff would carry his success through to the National Jumper classes as well, taking home top honors in the $10,000 Saugerties Steamboat Co. Jumper Classic aboard LENTE VAN T NIEF GEEL. This pair would bring home the blue as the last contestant to see, completing the jump-off in a time of 38.636.

2nd Place: Carly Campbell-Cooper & CASCAYA I (39.959)
3rd Place: Lucy Davis & TUCADA DELLA CACCIA (40.890)
National Open Jumper Competition rounded out on Saturday with the $25,000 HITS Grand Prix. Bluman would continue his success aboard J-BOSTON S.E taking home the blue ribbon in a time of 48.821.

2nd Place: Julia Madigan & DEE JEE (45.632, 4-Faults)
3rd Place: Mealiff & ILIANO VAN D’ABELENDREEF
 
The Devoucoux hunter Prix and Platinum Performance Prix, both qualifiers for the HITS Championship, were featured on the expansive Outside Course at HITS Saugerties, as riders continue to earn qualifying points in these classes at all HITS Shows.
Taking home the blue ribbon in the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix for the second consecutive week was Morgan Ward and CARPEDI. Ward would score an 86 in the first round and return to lay down a trip worthy of an 84.25, to secure top honors with an overall score of 170.25.

2nd Place: Lia Chafee & HEFFNER (169.5)
3rd Place: Cooper Dean & HOLLYWOOD (164)

Junior and Amateur riders joined us for the $1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix. The highest scoring rider was Mariel Saccucci and SNOW PATROL TIBRI with scores of 84 and 82, totaling 166 earning them the blue ribbon.

2nd Place: Bonnie Ascher & DENVER HTF (164)
3rd Place: Lena Reeb & CALL ME (158)
Taking home the blue ribbon in the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix for the second consecutive week was Morgan Ward and CARPEDI. Ward would score an 86 in the first round and return to lay down a trip worthy of an 84.25, to secure top honors with an overall score of 170.25.

2nd Place: Lia Chafee & HEFFNER (169.5)
3rd Place: Cooper Dean & HOLLYWOOD (164)

Junior and Amateur riders joined us for the $1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix. The highest scoring rider was Mariel Saccucci and SNOW PATROL TIBRI with scores of 84 and 82, totaling 166 earning them the blue ribbon.

2nd Place: Bonnie Ascher & DENVER HTF (164)
3rd Place: Lena Reeb & CALL ME (158)
 
The HITS Saugerties Spring Series continues through June 9 with FEI CSI2* competition, the USHJA Platinum Jumper Championships and a $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby. Be sure to make your plans to join us at HITS Saugerties this season with even more special events to come.

Stay up to date with all the HITS Happenings on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and at HitsShows.com or watch live at Showhorse TV for free!
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HITS Tuesday I 
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 June 5-9

 July 17-21
 July 23
 July 24-28
 July 30
 July 31-August 4

 August 28-September 1
 September 4-8
 
Photographs Courtesy of ESI Photography