Ronan McGuigan Wins $50,000 HITS Grand Prix to Wrap Up Great First Week at HITS-on-the-Hudson

SAUGERTIES, New York (May 24, 2015) Ronan McGuigan on Capall Zidane, a bay Dutch Warmblood gelding, narrowly edged out Quentin Judge on HH Fyloe, another bay gelding, to win Sunday’s $50,000 HITS Grand Prix. 

McGuigan and his Capall Zidane, one of only three to reach the jump-off, finished with a time of 40.102, eight-tenths of a second ahead of Judge’s time of 40.994. U.S. Olympian Mclain Ward, on Azibantos, finished third, with four faults and a time of 42 seconds, even. Amanda Flint on Balotan would have joined them in the short course after a clear first round, except for a  time fault that kept her from a chance to jump for the blue.

“Obviously, I’m very happy with the whole thing. It was a nice course from (designer) Alan Wade,” said McGuigan, who also took first place in Wednesday’s $10,000 Brook Ledge Open Welcome. “I thought it was a good track for the $50,000 class,” he said, adding that he expects the courses will get tougher as the weeks go on. “I was happy that my horse jumped great,” he said.

McGuigan was the first to go clear in Round 1, “In the first round, there was skinny oxer in the middle of the triple took a lot of people out,” he said. “For me, that was the careful jump.”

He continued, “In the jump-off, it was Quentin (Judge) and Mclain (Ward), so I knew it was going to be quite fast.” As the first to go on the shortened course, McGuigan said he needed to set a fast pace without any faults, galloping between obstacles one to three, and then to the last fence. “I had to make the time up somewhere,” he said. “I just tried to be as fast as I could, and conservative on the turns – but really gallop hard. I knew I had to set a fast time with Quentin, and with Mclain in the class you always worry. Quintin also jumped clear, but fortunately didn’t get my time.”

Judge’s horse, HH Fyloe, is owned by Double H Farm. Ward’s Azibantos is owned by Group C LLC, and Flint’s Balotan is owned by The Coverboy Group. McGuigan said of his two major wins at HITS-on-the-Hudson I, “It was a great week - hopefully we'll replicate it.

(c) ESI Photography
Ronan McGuigan and his Capall Zidane won Sunday’s $50,000 HITS Grand Prix. 

(c) ESI Photography
Ronan McGuigan and his Capall Zidane are presented with the blue ribbon after winning the $50,000 HITS Grand Prix on Sunday, May 24, 2015. 

$50,000 HITS Grand Prix - HITS-on-the-Hudson I

Place	Horse	Owner	Rider	Prize	Round 1 Faults	JO Faults	JO Time
1	Capall Zidane	Ronan McGuigan	Ronan McGuigan	$15,000	0	0	40.102
2	HH Fyloe	Double H Farm	Quentin Judge	$11,000	0	0	40.994
3	Azibantos	Group C LLC	McLain Ward	$6,500	0	4	42.000
4	Balotan	The Coverboy Group	Amanda Flint	$4,000	1	*	*
5	My Pleasure	My Pleasure LLC	Peter Leone	$3,000	4	*	*
6	Qui Vive Des Songes Z	Mr & Mrs Ralph Caristo	Heather Caristo-Williams	$2,500	4	*	*
7	H.H. Ashley	Double H Farm	McLain Ward	$2,000	4	*	*
8	Freak Out	Mr & Mrs Ralph Caristo	Heather Caristo-Williams	$1,500	4	*	*
9	Gentille Van Spieveld	GJ Stable	Leslie Howard	$1,500	4	*	*
10	Superbad	The Coverboy Group	Amanda Flint	$1,000	4	*	*
11	HH Best Buy	Double H Farm	McLain Ward	$1,000	4	*	*
12	VDL Wittinger	Amanda Flint	Amanda Flint	$1,000	4	*	*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elizabeth Stewart and KT Eber Win The $10,000 Marshall & Sterling Tuffrider/Equine Couture Children’s/Adult Jumper Classic

Elizabeth Stewart and KT Eber topped field of 31 riders and a 13-horse jump off to emerge victorious in the $10,000 Marshall & Sterling Tuffrider/Equine Couture Children’s/Adult Jumper Classic on Saturday at HITS-on-the-Hudson.

During the fast-paced jump-off, the lead changed hands three times, with Stewart going ninth and ultimately resetting the Great American Time to Beat with a clear time of 35.177 that would hold until the very end.

Going first in the jump-off was Alexandra Barnes on her Why Not Me, riding swift and clear to master tight turns and set the Great American Time to Beat at 37.699 seconds, which seemed at first that it might hold, particularly after the next two riders had rails.  

Indeed Barnes’ time held until the fourth rider, Katherine Anne Brewer, on Pulsatilla W, owned by Martha King, completed the next clear jump-off round in a time even quicker than Barnes – an expeditious 35.494 seconds. Four of the next five riders had faults as well, and only one went double-clear, but in a time slower than Brewer.

Then, Stewart entered the ring. “I actually wasn’t sure how fast everyone had gone, and I just did what my trainer told me to do and hit the number of strides,” she said. Going fast and clean, she bested Barnes’ time,to finish the course a quarter-second faster.

“When in doubt, he’s fast across the ground,” said Stewart, of her 18 hands  gelding Belgian Warmblood. “He does anything I ask,” said Stewart, as she walked KT Eber after the awards presentation a victory lap around the course.

But Barnes was a good sport about placing third. “It’s terribly cliché – it feels great to do well but really, it just feels great to be on my horse. Having her do well is wonderful.”

(c) ESI Photography
Elizabeth Stewart and KT Eber speed through the course to win the $10,000 Marshall & Sterling Tuffrider/Equine Couture Children’s/Adult Jumper Classic at HITS-on-the-Hudson I, Saturday, May 23, 2015.

(c) ESI Photography
Elizabeth Stewart and KT Eber are presented with the blue ribbon after winning the $10,000 Marshall & Sterling Tuffrider/Equine Couture Children’s/Adult Jumper Classic at HITS-on-the-Hudson I, Saturday, May 23, 2015.
 

$10,000 M&S Tuffrider/Equine Couture Child/Adult Jumper Classic

Place	Horse	Owner	Rider	Prize	Round 1 Faults	JO Faults	JO Time
1	KT Eber	Elizabeth Stewart	Elizabeth Stewart	$2,800	0	0	35.177
2	Pulsatilla W	Martha King	Katherine Anne Brewer	$1,800	0	0	35.434
3	Why Not Me	Alexandra Barnes	Alexandra Barnes	$1,250	0	0	37.699
4	M And M	Redfield Farm	Sultana Abbar	$900	0	0	37.741
5	Davvero GLN	Rebecca Weissbard	Rebecca Weissbard	$800	0	4	33.149
6	Speedy Chicolina	Round Hill Holdings LLC	Megan Winkhaus	$700	0	4	33.576
7	Fiery	Jenny Fischer	Katherine Anne Brewer	$600	0	4	34.665
8	Aburhal	Katie Carson	Katie Carson	$400	0	4	34.970
9	Follow My Heart	Julianne Marklin	Julianne Marklin	$375	0	4	37.417
10	Wasco	Rachel S Miller	Rachel S Miller	$375	0	4	39.052
11	Belithius	Christine Reilly	Christine Reilly	*	0	4	40.409
12	Grisset	Alissa Kinsey	Alissa Kinsey	*	0	4	45.992

McKayla Langmeier and Highland Van't Heike Win Saturday's $10,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper High Classic, presented by Vetera® XP Vaccines

McKayla Langmeier and Highland Van't Heike emerged in the $10,000 Junior/A-O Jumper 1.45 Meter Classic, held in the Grand Prix ring on Sunday, after a faultless ride and a swift jump off time of 39.212, besting the second-place finisher Karen Polle on her Bottom Line, by less than half a second.

In the four-horse jump-off, Danielle Torano and Herault, owned by Jimmy & Danielle Torano, rounded out third with a double-clear ride and a time of 40.521 seconds, followed by Danny Mahon Chopper 5, owned by KW Mahon Inc., who picked up four faults in the jump-off and finished the course in 42.171 seconds.

The $10,000 Junior/A-O Jumper 1.45 Meter Classic held each week at HITS Saugerties is a qualifier for the Vetera® XP Vaccines $250,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Prix at the HITS Championship on September 5-6 in Saugerties.

$10,000 Jr/A-O Jumper High Classic

Place	Horse	Owner	Rider	Prize	Round 1 Faults	JO Faults	JO Time
1	Highland Van 't Heike	Linda Langmeier	McKayla Langmeier	$2,800	0	0	39.212
2	Bottom Line	Karen Polle	Karen Polle	$1,800	0	0	39.669
3	Herault	Jimmy & Danielle Torano	Danielle Torano	$1,250	0	0	40.521
4	Chopper 5	KW Mahon Inc.	Danny Mahon	$900	0	4	42.171
5	Nevada	Caitlin Creel	Caitlin Creel	$800	1	*	*
6	Full Monty	Kadley Holdings LLC	Addison Gierkink	$700	1	*	*
7	Phenix Royal	Joseph & Mary Tyree	Catherine Tyree	$600	4	*	*
8	Q Two	Katie Gray	Katie Gray	$400	4	*	*
9	Velin du Houssoit	Siekmann Equestrian LLC	Camilla Siekmann	$375	5	*	*
10	Cessna 13	KR Horse Sales, LLC	Kyle Regenye	$375	5	*	*

 

About Marshall & Sterling Insurance
Marshall & Sterling Insurance is among the largest privately owned insurance agencies in the United States. For more than a quarter century, the Marshall & Sterling Equisport Division has protected precious equine assets with unparalleled service and support. For more information on Marshall & Sterling Insurance, visit marshallsterling.com/horse.

About JPC
JPC, makers of Equine Couture, TuffRider, and other notable equestrian brands. JPC's story is an international story of passion for horses and determination to make a dream into reality. In 1992, an accomplished horseman was having second thoughts about the uncomfortable, expensive, synthetic clothing he-and his fellow riders-were stuck wearing. He knew he wasn't alone in his frustration. Varun "Timmy" Sharma began researching, designing and working tirelessly to build a new, forward-thinking clothing company: JPC. He took his unconventional apparel-made with comfortable, natural fibers-from his small JPC factory in New Delhi to the markets of Europe and America. Soon, the American demand for Timmy's clothing led him to set up a JPC headquarters in Pennsylvania. To shop JPC products, visit www.breeches.com.

About Boehringer Ingelheim
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. (BIVI), makers of Vetera® XP Vaccines, is the U.S. animal health division of Boehringer Ingelheim Corporation, a family-owned company founded in 1885 in Ingelheim, Germany. Over the past 25 years, BIVI has supported its growth through research and development of innovative products for the livestock, equine and companion animal markets. Innovation and research are the keys to BIVI success. Dedicated to improving the lives and well-being of animals, BIVI continues to seek ways to further research and develop optimum solutions for the animal health industry.

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About HITS, Inc.
HITS, Inc. produces high quality, international-level hunter/jumper horse shows. Based in upstate New York in the Village of Saugerties, 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 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.