The first of two weeks of the 2025 HITS Hudson Valley Fall Series, Fall Classic I, on October 1-5, picked up right where Championship Week left off, delivering another round of top-tier sport to the scenic showgrounds in Saugerties, New York. The opening installment of the Fall Series welcomed a strong field of competitors from across the country and abroad, each eager to make their mark in this two-week stretch of elite competition. Among the week’s highlights was the $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby, presented by Röwer & Rüb, where Matthew Jenkins and Asanté produced a winning performance defined by style, precision, and poise.
The class featured a field of 17 horse-and-rider combinations that took on a thoughtfully designed course by Doug Russell of Ocala, Florida. Junior, amateur, and professional riders alike impressed in the first round, setting the stage for a competitive handy round, where bold choices and polished execution determined the final standings. Returning for round two, Jenkins knew he needed to put it all on the line to claim the blue.
“I told myself I had to be better in the handy than I was in the first round if I wanted to win,” he said. “I kept that mindset, but I also knew I needed to take my time and stay smooth.”
Having developed the 13-year-old Warmblood mare (Con Calm x Standschütz) from the baby greens to the high-performance hunters, Jenkins has forged a standout partnership.
“She has a big, brave stride that makes the tracks feel easy,” he shared. “At the same time, she has a sensitive, fussy mouth, so she’s taught me to jump a course with minimal contact and just float the reins.”
A professional riding alongside John Muldoon at Reinbow’s End Farm in Malvern, Pennsylvania, Jenkins is a longtime HITS supporter from Saugerties to Ocala and is using this week as a tune-up for the indoor finals.
“I’m a huge fan of HITS, especially here in Saugerties,” he noted. “Showing during the change of seasons has been beautiful, the big rings are ideal prep for indoors, and it has really let me fine-tune the details we want before the championships.”
Jenkins also earned second aboard Madagscar, a six-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Qredit Hilltop owned by Kaitlyn Haskins, while amateur rider Kristine D’Andrea rounded out the podium in third with Valeria M, her nine-year-old Westphalian mare (Vagabond de la Pomme x Landor S).
The week also featured the $20,000 HITS Grand Prix, putting the spotlight on the jumpers. Riders took to the Douglas Elliman Grand Prix Stadium to tackle the track set by the esteemed Bernardo Costa Cabral of Lisbon, Portugal. A familiar duo returned to the winner’s circle as Tori Corts piloted Semi-Automatic, her 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding (Amaretto D Arco x E Star), to top honors.
After Corts’s brother-in-law, Irish show jumper Jordan Coyle, produced Semi-Automatic as a young horse, Corts took over the ride on her homebred and has enjoyed tremendous success.
“He’s really scopey, and he’s super careful,” said Corts, an amateur based in Central Valley, New York. “I’ve formed a bond with him now, and he really tries hard for me.”
Choosing to make the inaugural HITS Hudson Valley Fall Series a key stop, she added, “HITS is such a wonderful venue close by for me. It’s been a great week—my whole family was able to come watch today, which was so nice. The weather has been perfect, and the show has been a great extension of the summer series here.”
Lautaro Peña finished second with Stena, a 12-year-old Holsteiner mare (Stakkato x Caretino 2) owned by Clover M Sporthorses LLC, and also took third aboard Max VLS, a 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding (Untouched x Thunder van de Zuuthoeve), also for Clover M Sporthorses LLC.
With the opening week of the 2025 HITS Hudson Valley Fall Series complete, momentum only builds for top-class competition as the second and final week of the series begins on October 8. For complete results, please visit www.showmanagementsystem.com.
