Feb. 5, 2024 – Ocala, FL – The 2024 HITS Ocala Winter Circuit wrapped up its third week of competition on Sunday as jumper riders launched into a day full of classic competition. The show celebrated a wide variety of jumper classic competition throughout the day from the .90cm to the 1.40m height as athletes settled into the final day. Sunday’s highlight event consisted of the $24,500 Horseflight Jumper Prix where Tracy Fenney and S & L Cesam were the celebrated pair. Fenney was one of nine first-round contenders that qualified for the jumpoff designed by Mark McGowan (GBR) in HITS Post Time Farm’s Grand Prix Ring. A tidy time-allowed kept two candidates from advancing while the remaining 10 combinations suffered from downed rails throughout the track.
“The class was amazing even though it started out kind of dreary,” Fenney admitted. “I was kind of ho-hum about it at first, but the weather ended up perfect and it worked out great.
“I think this is the most fun class to bring these horses along and it’s a great reward for the green horses that can’t really do the big grand prix yet,” she continued. “The first one I rode I had time faults so then I got to feel my way around, but this horse is super fast and can usually leave out strides in the jump off because he’s huge.”
Fenney was joined in the victory gallop by Will Simpson who piloted High Rise Holdings, LLC’s 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding (Quarz), Quentin VA, to a second place time of 36.03 seconds, and Tiffany Hammack as she and Foxwood Farm’s 11-year-old Zangersheide mare (Glasgow W VH Merelsnest), Ghana FS Z, made their way to third with a time of 36.53 seconds.
For yet another week, Ria Ohtsu and Jimmy Jumper rose to the top of the leaderboard in the $2,500 Pyranha Junior/Amateur 1.25m Classic, while Madison Kondracki and Shutterfly earned the winning honors in the $2,000 Great American 1.15m Junior Jumper Classic. De L’isle Apollo produced the winning round in the $5,000 Signature Brands 1.35m Junior/Amatuer Classic, and classic competition concluded with victory for Ella Whitt and SVS Sensation in the $5,000 Ames Co 1.45m Junior/Amateur Classic.
HITS Ocala will return for week four on Wednesday February 7, 2024. For a full list of results please visit www.showmanagementsystem.com.
