Thermal, CA (January 25, 2017): California’s first qualifying opportunity for the Diamond Mills Hunter Final and Platinum Performance Hunter Final, which takes place at the HITS Championship each September, commenced during Week I of the HITS Coachella Desert Circuit. Riders and horses from the west coast and beyond turned out to compete in the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix and the $1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix.
$5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix
John French dominated the classes, taking home three places in the top five in last weekend’s $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix. It was a battle between French and fellow Californian hunter pro, Hope Glynn, who brought home second and fourth place.
The blue ribbon for French came aboard Bay Lane, owned by Noelle Wolf; they raked in the second-highest score of the first round, an 86, and an 84 in the second round for a winning total of 170.
Hope Glynn followed close behind in second place with Canturo T, owned by October Hill Hunters and Jumpers. Glynn earned third-place in last September’s $500,000 Diamond Mills Hunter Prix at HITS Saugerties, and has started this season off well, garnering a total of 169 after receiving a first-round score of 84 and a second-round score of 85.
French was third in the ribbons with Maritime, owned by Meadow Farms, LLC. They scored just one-half of a point behind Glynn with 168.5, thanks to their combined scores of 85 and 83.5, respectively.
Glynn and Fandango HX, owned by Karen Trione, earned fourth place with a first round score of 87, the highest in the class, and a second-round score of 80 to total 167.
French rounded out the top five with Soldier, also owned by Meadow Farms, LLC. They earned consistent scores of 83 in both rounds to total 166 and the fifth-place prize.
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John French and Bay Lane on their way to a $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix win.
(C) ESI Photography
John French and Bay Lane winning the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix.
$1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix
Violet Barnett kicked off the Coachella Desert Circuit with a bang, bringing home not only the win in the first $1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix of the season, but also the second-place prize as well.
Barnett took the victory piloting Luscious, owned by Sloan Lindemann-Barnett. They earned an 82 in the first round, improving to an 83 in the second for the winning total of 165.
Her second place mount was Venice. They earned the second-place prize with a final score of 163, combined by their scores of 81 and 82, respectively.
Third in the ribbons was Sue Takata riding A Timely Affair, owned by Stonebridge Farm. They received an 80 in the first round, followed by a 78 in the second round for a total of 158.
Elizabeth Stodden took home fourth place with Lonan Z, and the top five rounded out with Makenna Thrasher riding Ishta Devata.
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Violet Barnett and Luscious on their way to a $1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix win.
(C) ESI Photography
Violet Barnett pictured with her first-place and second-place mounts, Luscious(1) and Venice(2) after winning the $1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix.
$5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix Results:
$1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix Results:
