A cool breeze misted over the Grand Prix Ring at HITS Post Time Farm on the morning of Saturday, February 28, as top show jumping competitors took to the warm-up to prepare for the day’s premier event. As the highlight of the Ocala Tournament during the 2026 HITS Ocala Winter Series, the $60,000 Ocala Marion County Grand Prix brought out the venue’s best in show jumping as well as a packed house in the exhibitor tent for the weekly complimentary brunch party. As the pair has done in the majority of the Saturday grand prix events this season, Tracy Fenney (USA) and MTM Apple stole the show in winning fashion with a time of 38.196 seconds.
Course designer Meghan Rawlins (CAN) carefully crafted a track that would fairly test the 25 horse-and-rider combinations entered for the first round. Early on in round one, Lisa Goldman-Smolen (USA) put forward the first clear effort with her own Romeo B, but the promise of a jump-off wouldn’t come until Laura Gaither (USA) piloted Dalastar LLC’s Hop Mouche successfully through the timers. In total, eight pairings punched their ticket to the short course, with Fenney earning two of those spots aboard MTM Apple and MTM Myrbalia O, respectively.
As the first to return, Goldman-Smolen gave it her all aboard the nine-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion (Heartbreaker x Branco) and posted a double-clear performance to set the pace in 40.557 seconds. As the class continued, however, the rails continued to fall. When Fenney returned on the first of her two mounts, MTM Apple, the pair’s fame preceded them, and the audience waited with baited breath to see if they would once again clock in a clear round. In a well-practiced dance, the dynamic duo cut corners and raced across the gaps to shave valuable milliseconds off their time and stop the clock nearly two seconds faster than Goldman-Smolen’s previously posted leading time.
“She legitimately has a fan club, especially around here in Ocala,” said Fenney’s partner and MTM Farm co-owner Mike McCormick of MTM Farm’s 15-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare (Favorit Ask x Willemoes). “Everywhere I go people will be like ‘Oh you’re with MTM Apple!’”
The proof of MTM Apple’s fame was present at the finale of the day’s grand prix as excited young and older fans cheered from the sidelines for Fenney’s return to the winner’s circle.
“It’s absolutely incredible to be able to be here year-round and to have such a big support system that comes out and cheers for us each week,” expressed Fenney.
Germany’s Andre Thieme added his name to the leaderboard as the only other double-clear effort of the afternoon aboard Wiebke Schmitt’s Last Gentleman 2. He and the 11-year-old Dutch Sport Horse stallion (Latour VDM x Nissan Caretano Z) comfortably left all jumps in the cups in a more measured pace of 42.535 seconds to take third behind Goldman-Smolen.
The HITS Ocala Winter Tournament will conclude Sunday, March 1 following a stacked day of junior and amateur classic competition. For a full list of results, please visit showmanagementsystem.com.
