With summer competition heating up across all HITS venues, the Lamplight Spring Spectacular II on June 18-22, 2025, brought another thrilling week of sport to HITS Chicago. Set against the picturesque backdrop of Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, Illinois, the action-packed week drew top competitors from across the country. Among the long list of highlights was the $35,000 Core Specialty Insurance Grand Prix and the $5,000 USHJA Open National Hunter Derby.
In the jumper ring, Lisa Goldman-Smolen and Ivaro N topped a seasoned field to win the $35,000 Core Specialty Insurance Grand Prix. Riders gathered Saturday, June 22, to take on a challenging track designed by Juan Alvarez of San Jose, Costa Rica. Goldman-Smolen delivered two clear first rounds aboard her mounts Romeo B and Ivaro N, but it was the talented Ivaro N that produced the only double-clear effort of the day to claim the lion’s share of the prize money.
No stranger to the HITS Chicago winner’s circle, Goldman-Smolen celebrated back-to-back Grand Prix victories, crediting the consistency of Ivaro N for their continued success. Goldman-Smolen began working with the now 12-year-old KWPN gelding (Elvaro x Celano) as a seven-year-old, and attributes much of his development to the unwavering support of owner Barbara Disko.
“Ivaro N is a wonderful horse we’ve been able to bring along,” explained Goldman-Smolen. “I’m very, very lucky to have such a great owner. We’ve really been able to take our time and develop him the right way, which has made all the difference.”
With two horses to contest the short course, Goldman-Smolen was ready to lay it all on the line. However, after taking a bold approach with Romeo B that ended with a rail at the final fence, she opted for a more conservative ride on Ivaro N — a strategy that ultimately paid off with a win.
“I thought it was a big, hard track today,” admitted Goldman-Smolen. “Luckily, those boys Romeo B and Invaro N know what they’re doing.”
Operating just down the road from the show at Red Coat Farm in Hawthorn, Illinois, Goldman-Smolen is a familiar face at HITS Chicago and appreciates the flexibility the venue offers.
“We show a lot, but my horses only jump the Grand Prix, and they love it,” she shared. “They always show up for me and love to perform. I love the convenience of the Lamplight facility for us. Sometimes my horses stay all week, or they’ll go home for a few days for turnout. It’s so nice to have that option.”
When all was said and done, Goldman-Smolen finished in second place with Romeo B, her own eight-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion (Heartbreaker x Branco D’96), while Shannon Sullivan rounded out the top three aboard Downtown’s Main Event, her 18-year-old Polish Warmblood gelding.
The week also shone a spotlight on hunter riders with Friday’s $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby. Professional rider Jeff Gogul had another standout week and swept the top two spots, claiming the win with Treasure, Katie Schiewe’s eight-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (El Salvador x Balou du Rouet), and placing second aboard MTM Concord, a nine-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Casino Grande x San Patrignano Cassini) owned by Annika Ruh. Rounding out the podium in third was amateur rider Charlotte Harris aboard Just Imagine, a 12-year-old Warmblood gelding owned by Stephanie Harris.
As the final week of the Lamplight Spring Spectacular Series wraps up, anticipation builds for even more action with the Lamplight Summertime Series set to kick off on July 2.
