The second World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) week of the 2025 HITS Ocala Winter Circuit delivered top-tier hunter competition from start to finish. Featuring some of the best in the sport, the week gave riders the opportunity to earn valuable points toward national WCHR standings. Friday’s action-packed schedule on March 14 included the highly anticipated $5,000 ClipMyHorse.tv Classic Qualifier and the prestigious $20,000 USHJA Junior/Amateur National Hunter Derby.
In the $5,000 ClipMyHorse.tv Classic Qualifier, Matthew Jenkins and Asanté delivered a standout performance to take the win, securing their spot in the 2025 $200,000 ClipMyHorse.tv Classic Final at HITS Hudson Valley in September.
Twelve competitors entered the Main Hunter Ring, all aiming to impress in a single classic hunter round, but only the top three finishers would punch their ticket to the Final. The beautifully designed course, crafted by Tim Hott, Brian Post, and Doug Russell, demanded elegance and precision, making every jump count. Judges Tammy Provost and Fifi Schmidt presided over the event, ensuring top-caliber standards.
Jenkins guided Asanté, Reinbow’s End Farm’s 13-year-old Warmblood mare (Con Calm x Stand Schütz), to a top score of 88, securing the lion’s share of the prize money.
“I’ve had her for her whole career,” shared Jenkins. “I brought her up from the baby greens to the high performances this year. I thought I’d try a new class with her, and she never lets me down.
“Her biggest strength is her confidence,” he continued. “She can be a little arrogant. She’s always proud of herself and doesn’t like to practice at home, but in the show ring, I know she’ll always step up and give me 100 percent.”
As a longtime supporter of HITS, Jenkins praised the management’s efforts to elevate the hunter divisions.
“As a professional hunter rider, this type of prize money is huge,” he noted. “It really promotes the sport and encourages riders, owners, and trainers to develop great hunters. HITS has been doing a phenomenal job.”
Jenkins had an exceptional day, also piloting Saundra Hendrickson’s C2C Mucho Mas, an eight-year-old KWPN gelding (Glenfiddich VDL x Quasimodo Z), to second place with a score of 87. Ryan Kenny and Outshine, Michael Britt-Leon’s 18-year-old Westphalian gelding, rounded out the podium with a score of 86.
Earlier that day, amateur rider Haley Waters Wear took the spotlight in the $20,000 USHJA Junior/Amateur National Hunter Derby, presented by Equestrian Gardens, delivering an impressive performance aboard Malcomme. Out of a competitive field of 39 entries, Waters Wear impressively qualified two horses for the handy round, where the top 12 returned for a shot at the win.
With Malcomme, an eight-year-old KWPN gelding (Comme Il Faut x Vingino) owned by Chuck Waters, she set the bar high in round one, scoring 91 plus four bonus points for taking the high options. Coming back for round two, she sealed the win with a score of 92, four more bonus points, and a total of 191.
“Malcomme is so brave and dependable,” said Waters Wear of the flashy gray she started showing in derbies last summer. “I love when there are a lot of options to be handy. Coming back last, I saw the high scores, so I tried to be as handy as possible but also stay out of Malcomme’s way.”
Waters Wear also praised the class and its rewards, highlighting how the increased prize money has been a game-changer for the junior/amateur derbies.
“The ring and course looked beautiful today,” she expressed. “I love the atmosphere, and the extra prize money in these classes has been amazing.”
The competition remained fierce until the final round. Eleanor Pieters and Tibri’s So True, Tibri LLC’s nine-year-old Holsteiner gelding (Cordess x Darco), finished second with a two-round total of 186. Mary Eufemia and Central Park, her own 14-year-old Hanoverian mare (Quaid x Sir Donnerhall I), secured third with a final score of 183.
As the Ocala Winter Celebration wraps up, the 2025 HITS Ocala Winter Circuit charges ahead into its grand finale. The action resumes Wednesday, March 19, with the start of the Ocala Championship, setting the stage for a thrilling last week of elite competition.
