Brian Moggre and MTM Flutterby on their way to a $7,500 U-Dump Jr/A-O Jumper Classic win. Photo: ESI Photography
Ocala, FL – February 3, 2016 – Spectators were on the edge of their seats as juniors and amateurs jumped for the top prize in the $7500 U Dump Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic in the Ocala Horse Properties Stadium at HITS, Ocala. Brian Moggre of Flower Mound, Texas, riding MTM Flutterby, owned by Major Wager LLC, won by a whisker.
The fourteen-year-old equestrian clocked in with a time of 37.561 seconds over Haley Gassel’s time of 37.940 seconds in a head-to-head jump-off for the win. Melissa Ruderhausen of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, and Charmeur Ask, was the fastest with four faults in a time of 74.526 for third-place.
Juniors and Amateurs tried their best to defeat Dallas, Texas course designer, Oscar Soberon’s 1.45-meter course. It proved to be a difficult task as rider after rider collected four faults, many of which were at the oxer-vertical combination at 9A and 9B.
Third in the order was Gassel, of Lenoir City, Tenessee, on Quite Dark 2, owned by Westwind Equine Training Center. Their clear round looked like it might be the only one, until the last rider of the first-round, Moggre, came in on the diminutive MTM Flutterby. The striking chestnut with the flaxen mane never touched a rail, insuring a two horse jump-off.
Gassel returned for the jump-off and pulled out all the stops with a tight roll-back to Fence 8, where Quite Dark 2 made an extra effort to be clear before galloping home in the Great American Time to Beat of 37.940 seconds.
Only one rider stood between Gassel and the win. Moggre and MTM Flutterby kicked out in exuberance between the first two fences in the jump-off, losing some time to the clock, but after the combination, they kicked into turbo drive to stop the clock just a fraction faster for the win.
“He who touches the reins the least wins! My horse is the bomb,” said Moggre. “I’ve been riding her for almost a year. She was a sale horse and super green and young but when she started to do so well I took her over and we decided to keep her.”
It was certainly a good day for riders of MTM Farms and trainer Mike McCormick of Flower Mound, Texas. Both Moggre and Dorothy Douglas, winner of the $50,000 Equioxx Grand Prix, ride and train with McCormick.
| 1 | MTM Flutterby | Major Wager LLC | Brian Moggre | $2,200 | – | – | 37.561 |
| 2 | Quite Dark 2 | Westwind Equine Training Center | Haley Gassel | $1,550 | – | – | 37.940 |
| 3 | Charmeur Ask | Melissa Rudershausen | Melissa Rudershausen | $1,050 | 4 | – | – |
| 4 | Vougeot de Septon | Abbey Slaven | Abbey Slaven | $700 | 4 | – | – |
| 5 | No Doubt | Chuck / Dana Waters | Hayley Waters | $600 | 4 | – | – |
| 6 | Glorix Van De Mispelaere | Jenna Friedman | Jenna Friedman | $500 | 4 | – | – |
| 7 | MTM Ace of Spades | Major Wager LLC | Brian Moggre | $450 | 4 | – | – |
| 8 | Acanto 7 | Kate Mulligan | Kate Mulligan | $450 | 4 | – | – |
| 9 | Zoran de Saulieu Z | Carolina Ramelli Barrera | Carolina Ramelli Barrera | – | 4 | – | – |
| 10 | Havana De La Lande | Elisa Uribe Gutlerrez | Elisa Uribe Gutlerrez | – | 5 | – | – |
| 11 | Cornerstone | Derek Petersen | Jared Petersen | – | 6 | – | – |
| 12 | Wild Card | Katie Tyler | Katie Tyler | – | 8 | – | – |
About HITS, Inc.
While hosting the richest weekend in show jumping at HITS-on-the-Hudson, HITS also formed the Triple Crown of Show Jumping. This includes the AIG $1 Million Grand Prix, presented by MortgageCall, in Thermal, California, the Great American $1 Million Grand Prix in Ocala, Florida and Canadian Pacific $1 Million Grand Prix FEI CSI-5*, presented by Wells Fargo, in Saugerties, New York.
For more information and a complete schedule of classes and events, visit www.HitsShows.com. Stay connected with HITS! Join us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Media should contact the HITS Media Team at 845.246.8833 or e-mail media_info@HitsShows.com.