Arielle LoGiudice and Don Chocolate Win First Overall in Children's Hunter Pony Finals at HITS-on-the-Hudson VI

SAUGERTIES, New York (August 5, 2015): Arielle LoGiudice and Don Chocolate were awarded the championship ribbon for their overall win in the Children's Hunter Pony Finals, held Saturday and Sunday at HITS-on-the-Hudson VI. The Overall Reserve Champion was Baylee McKeever on Ashworth.

"Amazing," is how LoGiudice described the feeling of winning Overall Champion in the Children's Hunter Pony Finals. She said the 8-year-old pony, Don Chocolate, goes by the barn name "Fluffy." When asked her advice on winning, LoGiudice said, "Stay relaxed." LoGiudice is a 15-year-old entering sophomore at Manalapan High School in Manalapan, New Jersey.
 
LoGiudice and Don Chocolate placed first in the Large Model phase, with a score of 88, eighth in the Large Under Saddle with a score of 78.5, and first in Large Over Fences with a score of 84. In total, that put their division score at 83.15 to easily top that category, and finish first overall.  
 
Reserve Champion McKeever and Ashworth placed first in the Medium Division with a total of 79.1, just 4.05 points behind LoGiudice and Don Chocolate. McKeever scored a terrific 80 in the Model, an even better 82 in Under Saddle and a 77 Over Fences. To calculate each rider's total score, Model counted as 20 percent, Under Saddle 30 percent and Over Fences 50 percent.

The Children's Hunter Pony Final is a multi-phase competition held over two days to provide the Children's Pony rider an experience in a finals-type setting. On Saturday, Phase 1 and Phase 2 were held, Model, and Under Saddle, respectively. On Sunday, Phase 3, Over Fences, took place. Awards were given in each section, to each phase, to the Overall Small, Medium and Large Ponies, and to the Grand Champion in Overall Ponies.

 

Children's Hunter Pony Finals — Overall Order  Entry #   Horse Rider Model Score 20% of Model U/S Score 30% of U/S Score after 1st day OF Score 50% of OF Total 1 334 Don Chocolate Arielle LoGiudice 88 17.6 78.5 23.55 41.15 84 42 83.15 2 1046 Ashworth Baylee McKeever 80 16 82 24.6 40.6 77 38.5 79.1 3 1080 White Oak By Invitation Only Porter Tobin 79 15.8 78 23.4 39.2 78 39 78.2 4 438 Foxcroft Veronsky Sarah Sardella 77.5 15.5 76 22.8 38.3 79 39.5 77.8 5 794 Kiss N Tell Tiara D'Amico 73 14.6 76 22.8 37.4 80 40 77.4 6 154 Cloudy Bay Hannah Allen 70 14 81 24.3 38.3 78 39 77.3 7 1545 Cloud Nine Kelly McInerney 78 15.6 80 24 39.6 72 36 75.6 8 617 The Whole Enchilada Kelly Stensland 76 15.2 83 24.9 40.1 71 35.5 75.6 9 158 Todd Caitlyn Tomlin 73 14.6 85 25.5 40.1 70 35 75.1 10 174 Berry Addison Keyworth 76 15.2 72 21.6 36.8 76 38 74.8 Children's Hunter Pony Finals — Large Place Entry # Horse Rider Model Score 20% of Model U/S Score 30% of U/S Score after 1st day OF Score 50% of OF Total 1 334 Don Chocolate Arielle LoGiudice 88 17.6 78.5 23.55 41.15 84 42 83.15 2 1080 White Oak By Invitation Only Porter Tobin 79 15.8 78 23.4 39.2 78 39 78.2 3 438 Foxcroft Veronsky Sarah Sardella 77.5 15.5 76 22.8 38.3 79 39.5 77.8 4 1545 Cloud Nine Kelly McInerney 78 15.6 80 24 39.6 72 36 75.6 5 617 The Whole Enchilada Kelly Stensland 76 15.2 83 24.9 40.1 71 35.5 75.6 6 158 Todd Caitlyn Tomlin 73 14.6 85 25.5 40.1 70 35 75.1 7 434 Clovermeade Irresistabunny Laurel Smith 74 14.8 69 20.7 35.5 78.5 39.25 74.75 8 921 Blue Moon's Glass Slipper Kalla Kerkorian 45 9 81 24.3 33.3 77 38.5 71.8 9 517 Sir William's Top Knight Calista Fenton 85 17 82 24.6 41.6 60 30 71.6 10 1072 Rex Sophia Gianoulis 71 14.2 72 21.6 35.8 69 34.5 70.3

Children's Hunter Pony Finals — Medium Place Entry # Horse Rider Model Score 20% of Model U/S Score 30% of U/S Score after 1st day OF Score 50% of OF Total 1 1046 Ashworth Baylee McKeever 80 16 82 24.6 40.6 77 38.5 79.1 2 794 Kiss N Tell Tiara D'Amico 73 14.6 76 22.8 37.4 80 40 77.4 3 154 Cloudy Bay      Hannah Allen 70 14 81 24.3 38.3 78 39 77.3 4 174 Berry Addison Keyworth 76 15.2 72 21.6 36.8 76 38 74.8 5 1148 Ciarrai Dakota Goodwin 67 13.4 73 21.9 35.3 72 36 71.3 6 1645 Starry Night  Annika Kretschman 75 15 77 23.1 38.1 65 32.5 70.6 7 414 Treasure Chest Lilly Wolff 65 13 70 21 34 70 35 69 8 157 Firefly Isabella Padula 63 12.6 78 23.4 36 55 27.5 63.5 9 160 Harry Potter Kayla De Stephanis 69 13.8 83 24.9 38.7 38 19 57.7 10 411 Stiletto Zoe Santilli 72 14.4 50 15 29.4 39 19.5 48.9 11 1616 Sambuca Bea Kiggen 71 14.2 76.5 22.95 37.15 0 0 37.15 Children's Hunter Pony Finals — Small Place Entry # Horse Rider Model Score 20% of Model U/S Score 30% of U/S Score after 1st day OF Score 50% of OF Total 1 1376 TuTu Sarah Sardella 79 15.8 83 24.9 40.7 60 30 70.7 2 159 Tiny Tunes Robert Elwell 75 15 70 21 36 39 19.5 55.5 3 1074 Silly Rabbit Caroline Palmer 60 12 68 20.4 32.4 40 20 52.4

 

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HITS, Inc. produces high quality, international-level hunter/jumper horse shows. Based in Saugerties, New York, HITS has been producing shows since 1982 and is now a nationwide company with world-class circuits in California, Florida, Arizona, New York, and Virginia.

While hosting the Richest Weekend in Show Jumping at HITS-on-the-Hudson, HITS also formed the HITS Triple Crown of Show Jumping. This includes the AIG $1 Million Grand Prix, presented by Mortgage Call, in Thermal, California, the Great American $1 Million Grand Prix in Ocala, Florida, and Saugerties $1 Million Grand Prix, presented by Wells Fargo, in Saugerties, New York.

For more information and a complete schedule of classes and events, visit www.HitsShows.com. Stay connected with HITS, join us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. Media should contact the HITS Media Team at 845.246.8833 or e-mail Media_Info@HitsShows.com.