Ocala, FL (March 15, 2016): As the HITS Ocala Winter Circuit gears up for its last few weeks, hunter exhibitors at HITS Post Time Farm in Ocala, Florida, took another try at a win in the prestigious hunter prix and a chance to qualify for the HITS Championships in September in Saugerties, New York.
$10,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix
Emily Williams and Fairfax on their way to a $10,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix win. ESI Photography
Saturday’s $10,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix, held on the new Grass Field at HITS Post Time Farm, served as a qualifying opportunity for the $500,000 Diamond Mills Hunter Prix at the HITS Championship in September.
Of the field of 32 exhibitors, the team to beat was Ocala’s own Emily Williams aboard Fairfax, owned by Liz Hudspeth. Williams was hot off a win in last week’s $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix on another mount.
The top twelve returned for the second-round to contend for the title in the two-round classic. Williams impressed the judge with her flawless rides as she piloted Fairfax to the top of leaderboard earning the highest score of both rounds, an 87 and 85, respectively for a winning total of 174.
Coming in behind Williams was Flower Mound, Texas, equestrian Tracey Fenney riding MTM Fashion. A well-known professional at HITS Ocala, Fenney has been winning in both the hunter and jumper rings during the HITS Ocala series. Riding MTM Fashion, she earned a second-round score of 84, which combined with a first-round score of 86, gave them a total of 170 for second-place.
Third in the ribbons was Hunter Holloway of Topeka, Kansas, riding Any Given Sunday, owned by Hays Investment Corporation. This versatile pair earned a second-round score of 84 and a first-round score of 83, giving them a total of 167 for their efforts.
Robert Lee of Old Saybrook, Connecticut, and Cameron, owned by Marianne Huss, finished in fourth-place with scores of 84 and 82.5 for a total of 166.5. Coming in fifth-place was Westminster, Maryland, equestrian Samantha Schaefer and her own Classified.
Classified was a ribbon winner in the $100,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby in Ocala Week VI. This week, they earned a first-round score of 85, a second-round score of 81, and a total of 166.5, just behind Lee to round out the top five.
| Place | Horse | Owner | Rider | Prize | R.1 Score | R.2 Score | Total |
| 1 | Fairfax | Liz Hudspeth | Emily Williams | $2,800 | 87 | 85 | 172 |
| 2 | MTM Fashion | MTM Farm | Tracy Fenney | $1,800 | 86 | 84 | 170 |
| 3 | Any Given Sunday | Hays Investment Corp | Hunter Holloway | $1,250 | 83 | 84 | 167 |
| 4 | Cameron | Marianne Huss | Robert Lee | $900 | 84 | 82.5 | 166.5 |
| 5 | Classified | Samantha Schaefer | Samantha Schaefer | $800 | 85 | 81 | 166 |
| 6 | Monopoly | Four Winds Farm | Bill Ellis | $700 | 81.5 | 83 | 164.5 |
| 7 | Caramo | Caroline Russell Howe | Harold Chopping | $600 | 82 | 81.5 | 163.5 |
| 8 | UpCountry Charmer | Jamie Stryker | Emily Williams | $450 | 81 | 80 | 161 |
$1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix
Emily Miller and Bellefield winning the $1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix. ESI Photography
Emily Miller of Leeport, Pennsylvania, piloted her own Bellefield to win their first $1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix of the HITS Ocala Winter Circuit. The Prix serves as a qualifying opportunity for the $250,000 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix at the HITS Championship in September. Miller and Bellefield scored consistently high, earning a first-round score of 85 combined with a second-round score of 85 for a total of 169.
Following Miller in the ribbons was Rochester, New York, equestrian Sydney DeGrazia riding her own Extraordinary. Placing consistently in the top five in the Platinum Performance classes this circuit, DeGrazia and Extraordinary received a first-round score of 83, improving to an 85 in the second-round for a total of 168 for second-place.
Emily Noble of Concord, Massachusetts, and Claudio, owned by Volo Farm, Inc., earned third-place with a first-round score of 81 and a second-round score of 79.25, totaling 160.25 for their efforts.
Fourth-place went to Got To Be, owned and ridden by Jackie Arakelian of Winchester, Massachusetts. They were awarded a first-round score of 78, which combined with a second-round score of 72.5, gave them a total of 150.5 to secure the spot.
Katharine Page of Mt. Kisco, New York, and her own Surreal finished in fifth-place with scores of 75 and 72.25, totaling 147.25.
| Place | Horse | Owner | Rider | Prize | R.1 Score | R.2 Score | Total |
| 1 | Bellefield | Emily Miller | Emily Miller | $450 | 84 | 85 | 169 |
| 2 | Extraordinary | Sydney DeGrazia | Sydney DeGrazia | $300 | 85 | 83 | 168 |
| 3 | Claudio | Volo Farm, Inc | Emily Noble | $200 | 79.25 | 81 | 151.25 |
| 4 | Got To Be | Jackie Arakelian | Jackie Arakelian | $150 | 72.5 | 78 | 150.5 |
| 5 | Surreal | Katharine Page | Katharine Page | $125 | 72.25 | 75 | 147.25 |
| 6 | Anucci | Jess Lusty | Jess Lusty | $100 | 71 | 75.25 | 146.25 |
| 7 | Custom Made | Katie Strandberg | Tricia O’Connor | $100 | 74 | 71 | 145 |
| 8 | Reveille | Cambridge Meadow Farms | Patti Hooker | $100 | 76 | 68.5 | 144.5 |