In a thrilling conclusion to the HITS Chicago Equifest III series, Tiffany Hammack of Rockton, Illinois, and her seasoned partner, Verdi O’Merveilles, claimed victory in the $35,000 SummitMax Grand Prix on Saturday, August 10, 2024. Twenty-three elite horse-and-rider combinations contested the technical first-round track. In the middle of the starting order, Hammack guided Verdi O’Merveilles to a fault-free effort , joining 11 other riders in the jump-off.
“I found the course to be a bit challenging,” admitted Hammack of the test set by Canadian course designer Jenn Ferguson. “It required that the horse stay really attentive and in front of my leg, especially with some tricky turns, like from jump one to two near the in-gate. ‘Verdi’ tends to anticipate where he’s going, which can be a bit frustrating as he sometimes ducks left or right, so I really had to keep his focus.”
Once again returning in the middle of the order for the jump-off, Hammack and Verdi executed an impressive jump-off, clocking in with a time of 35.928 seconds. Ultimately, no one could match the blistering pace of Hammack, and she and Verdi galloped away with the victory.“Verdi is a lot of fun to ride and has a lot of personality,” said Hammack of Foxwood Farm’s 15-year-old Selle Français gelding (Verdi TN x Quick Star) that she has been partnered with for two and a half years. “He’s very opinionated but always tries his best. Sometimes, when I ask him to move forward, he feels like a racehorse charging down the homestretch. However, he performed really well today and throughout the past three weeks.”
Trapp O’Neil of Magnolia, Texas, came the closest to catching Hammack with Incredible Loma, the 11-year-old KWPN gelding (Numero Uno x Sam R.) owned by TKO Sporthorses. A pairing known for their consistency and speed, O’Neil and Incredible Loma also went double-clear, but finished with a jump-off time of 37.238 seconds for second-place honors.
Completing the top three was Avery Wegmann of Saint Rose, Louisiana, who rode her own Chacco Brown, a 15-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Chacco-Blue. Wegmann and Chacco Brown delivered a double-clear performance, finishing just behind O’Neil in 37.530 seconds.
The $35,000 SummitMax Grand Prix was not the only highlight during the action-packed week at HITS Chicago. On Thursday, August 8, the $20,000 Alliant Private Client Cup took center stage. Lisa Goldman-Smolen of Red Coat Farm skillfully guided Romeo B, her own seven-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion by Heartbreaker, to a first-place finish with a double-clear round and a jump-off time of 34.025 seconds.
On Friday, August 9, the $10,000 STX Open Speed showcased a high-octane speed class. With each fallen rail adding four seconds to the total time, horse-and-rider pairs raced across the course for the top prize. Lisa Goldman-Smolen once again demonstrated her expertise, navigating the course clear in a time of 66.343 seconds to secure another victory with Romeo B.
Concluding the show jumping action on Sunday, August 11, was the $15,000 Horseflight Jumper Classic. Irish rider Brian Murphy clinched victory aboard Glenara Chacco DP, Light Speed Equestrian LLC’s 10-year-old KWPN stallion by Chacco Blue. Murphy achieved a double-clear effort and a jump-off time of 32.683 seconds for the blue ribbon.
The excitement at HITS Chicago will continue on August 19, with the highly anticipated 2024 U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions, followed by the Lamplight Equestrian Center Fall Classic, which kicks off on September 11, 2024.
