HITS-on-the-Hudson V Proves to be the Biggest and Best Week Yet!

HITS-on-the-Hudson V has come to an end, wrapping up the biggest week of competition at HITS Saugerties thus far in 2018. With over 2,000 stalls rented and riders turned out impeccably, blue ribbons and Championship titles were claimed by the best. Beautiful weather rolled in for the weekend with Sunday being an absolutely stellar day for the featured $50,000 AIG Grand Prix.

HITS V kicked off with a line up of high performance jumper classes in the Grand Prix Stadium with the $5,000 Johnson Horse Transportation Open Welcome. Matthew Metell and EPEIOS would take home the blue ribbon in a time of 42.574, followed by Nicky Galligan riding to a second place finish in a time of 43.909 aboard JAVAS MISS JORDAN. Riding to third and fourth place finishes was Laura Chapot aboard CALAFORNIA and UMBERTO, respectively with jump-off times of 44.032 and 44.914 on her fourth place mount. Rounding out the top five was Hugo Huesca aboard SATI DE LA VIOLLE, finishing in a time of 47.276.

Thursday, riders returned to the Grand Prix Stadium for the $10,000 KindredBio Jumper Classic. Chapot would take home the win aboard CALAFORNIA in a time of 48.487. Metell would join the Winner’s Circle for a second place finish aboard WALLSTREET in a time of 48.877 and a fourth place finish ride aboard PYRENES DE LOUZES in a four-fault time of 48.114. Coco Faith would take home third place honors aboard FINEMAN in a 51.794. Rounding out the top five was Kevin Mealiff and ITILE HORTA in a four-fault time of 48.520.

KindredBio Leading Rider Award Standings

Laura Chapot – 45

Michael Hutchinson – 10

Alberto Michan – 10

Kevin Mealiff – 8

Matthew Metell – 8

The first of two Grand Prix featured each week at HITS-on-the-Hudson took place Friday afternoon. Metell would once again find himself in the Winner’s Circle, this time taking home the blue ribbon in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix aboard ERETTO in a time of 51.046. Brian Feigus would take home second place honors aboard CATOKI in a four-fault time of 47.804. Chapot would take home third and fourth aboard CHANDON BLUE and OUT OF IRELAND in respective times of 50.485 with four faults and 49.936 with eight faults. Mealiff and ITILE HORTA would round out the top five in an eight-fault time of 51.892.

A competitive field of horses joined us for the $10,000 Saugerties Steamboat Co. Jumper Classic on Saturday afternoon. Feigus would climb to the top of the standings aboard CATOKI to take home the blue ribbon in a time of 32.689. Metell and PYRENES DE LOUZES would follow in a time of 33.723. Capturing the third and fifth place ribbons was Chapot aboard UMBERTO and ZEALOUS. Chapot would cross the timers in times of 34.298 and 34.796. David Raposa and ILIONA would take home the fourth place ribbon in a time of 34.326.

In the $2,500 Milea Auto Group Marshall & Sterling/NAL Child/Adult Jumper Classic, Grace Debney would take home the blue ribbon in a time of 33.830 aboard BYOLGA.

Tess Lenihan turned in a jump-off in a time of 53.119 aboard CASPER in the $2,500 Pyranha Jr/A-O/Am 1.20m Jumper Classic to take home the blue ribbon.

Taking home top honors in the $5,000 Summit Joint Performance NAL Jr/A-O/Am 1.30m Jumper Classic and earning points toward the Leading Rider Award was Katherine Strauss and EXECUTIVE, jumping off in a time of 47.008.

The stakes would increase this week for the $15,000 Horseflight Jr/A-O/Am 1.45m Jumper Classic. Faith and FINEMAN would ride to a first place finish in a four-fault time of 49.143.

High performance horses and athletes took to a challenging course Sunday afternoon for the $50,000 AIG Grand Prix. Eight jumped clear in Round One to return for the shortened jump-off course. Capturing the blue ribbon was Chapot and CHANDON BLUE in a time of 40.620, just one of two to finish without faults in the jump-off.

Kevin Babington and SUPER CHILLED would take home the second place honors in a fault-free time of 43.227. Metell and EPEIOS took home the third place ribbon in a four-fault time of 40.018. Chapot returned to the Winner’s Circle to claim the fourth place ribbon aboard ISHD DUAL STAR. With just the last fence down, Chapot would turn in a four-fault time of 41.559. Rounding out the top five was Mealiff and AUDI’S DIMPLE who also knocked down the last fence to cross the timers with a four-fault time of 42.440.

Three featured Hunter classes took place last week including the Platinum Performance Hunter Prix, the USHJA National Hunter Derby, and the USHJA International Hunter Derby. Don’t forget to stay up to date with qualifying points for the HITS Championship which features the Diamond Mills $500,000 and Platinum Performance $100,000 Hunter Prix Finals, and the Stal Hendrix Green Futurity.

Patricia Griffith would take home top honors in the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby aboard ATLANTICO. Griffith would hold the top slot in the standings in each of the two rounds, to secure the Champion title in the Derby with an overall score of 383.5. Hannah Isop and RED RYDER would be awarded the Reserve Champion Ribbon with an overall score of 377. Isop placed second in Round 1 and third in Round 2. Rounding out the top three in the class was Harold Chopping aboard CATCHPHRASE with a fifth place finish in the first round and a fourth place finish in the second round. Chopping was awarded 366.5 points for his rides.

An extraordinary field of 125 horses turned out for the $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby on Saturday afternoon. A score of 85.25 or better in the first round would qualify riders to return for the handy round. Taking home top honors and besting the group of well turned-out of horses was Grace Debney and WISDOM. Debney scored a 91 in the first round and a high score of 94 in the handy round, for an overall score of 185. Riding to a second place finish with an overall score of 184 was Isop and CLEM BRECOURT, with the high score of 92 from the first round and a score of 92 in the handy round. Catrine Golia and ROYAL EXPECTATION would move up in the standings after the handy round to round out the top three with scores of 88 and 87.75 for a total score of 175.75.

Sunday closed with a field of 57 Junior and Amateur riders in the $1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix. Taking home top honors in the Hunter Prix was another ride from Debney, this time aboard CLASSIFIED. Debney would turn in scores of 81.5 and 89 for a two round total of 170.5. Second place was awarded to Devon Thomas and DIABLO, receiving scores of 82.5 and 85 for an overall score of 167.5. Rounding out the top three in the class with an overall score of 167.25 was Laurel Bennett and SUTON PLACE. Bennett scored a 83 in the first round and a 84.25 in the second round.

For a full listing of results, click here.

Don’t forget to tune in for another week of show jumping competition at HITS-on-the-Hudson as we jump “hoof first” into Week VI. For more information on the special events scheduled for this week, including the $50,000 ULCERGARD Grand Prix, another $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, and the Children’s Hunter Pony Finals presented by Mona’s Monograms, visit HitsShows.com.

Catch the action LIVE on ShowHorse TV! Watch live streaming each show day from the Hunter Stadium and Grand Prix Stadium!

Photos Courtesy of ESI Photography