Ocala, FL (February 10, 2016): Jumpers descended upon HITS Post Time Farm during Week III of the Ocala Winter Circuit on Sunday to compete for the blue-ribbon titles and a shot at the money.
$7,500 Marshall & Sterling/Tuffrider Equine Couture Child Jumper Classic
Robyn Hannigan and Capacabana on their way to a $7,500 Marshall & Sterling/Tuffrider Equine Couture Child Jumper Classic win. Photo: ESI Photography.
The Ocala Horse Properties Stadium was the place to be on Saturday night, as HITS featured two $7,500 classes for Children’s and Adult jumper riders, sponsored by Marshall &Sterling/Tuffrider Equine Couture. Both exhibitors and spectators enjoyed a buffet in the VIP tent, and watched the excitement from the comfort of the tables on the hill.
Juniors were first to take to the 1.10-meter course, designed by Martin Otto of Germany. Robyn Hannigan of Kissimmee, Florida, riding her own Capacabana, took home the blue-ribbon. Caroline Ellis of Weston, Massachusetts, riding Starlight Farms’ Catalyst took second and Logan Taylor of Milford, Ohio, and Secretive, owned by Judith Habeeb, earned third.
The 13-effort first round course proved a chellenge, producing only three clear rounds to move on to the jump-off. Kristin Latimer from Riverton, New Jersey, riding Corelli would have made it four for the jump-off, but a single time fault kept them from contending the short course. Ellis and Catalyst were the first to return for the jump-off. They turned in a neat and careful round with a time of 38.364 seconds. Next up was Hannigan, who rode for the win by carving the turns; they blazed through the timers in a fault-free 34.085 seconds. Taylor and Secretive were the last to attempt the short course but had a rail for four faults to finish third in 33.000.
“My mare is really great. You have to be forward all the time to make her jump the best,” said sixteen-year-old Hannigan. “I got her from Germany about a year ago, and she can take any turn—we have won a few Marshall & Sterling Classics together this year.”
| Place | Horse | Owner | Rider | Prize | R.1 Faults | JO Faults | JO Time |
| 1 | Capacabana | Robyn Hannigan | Robyn Hannigan | $2,200 | – | – | 34.085 |
| 2 | Catalyst | Starlight Farms LLC | Caroline Ellis | $1,550 | – | – | 38.364 |
| 3 | Secretive | Judith Habeeb | Logan Taylor | $1,050 | – | ||
| 4 | Corelli | Kristin Latimer | Kristin Latimer | $700 | 1 | – | – |
| 5 | Ladonna | Kathleen Kamine | Abigail Hopkins | $600 | 4 | – | – |
| 6 | FVF Brulee | John/Stephanie Ingram LLC | Hannah Loeffelbeln | $500 | 4 | – | – |
| 7 | Juliet | KW Mahon Inc | Tyler Benton | $450 | 4 | – | – |
| 8 | Cypress | Kristen Franz | Kristen Franz | $450 | 4 | – | – |
| 9 | Stella Cadente | Kaleidescape LLC | Elizabeth Traband | – | 8 | – | – |
| 10 | Sochi | Donald Stewart | Mackenzie Elam | – | 8 | – | – |
| 11 | Central Park | Madeline IIcken | Madeline IIcken | – | 8 | – | – |
| 12 | North Pole | Hillary Gerhardt | Addison Reed | – | 12 | – |
$7500 Marshall & Sterling/Tuffrider-Equine Couture Adult Jumper Classic
Jedi and Juri Ito winning the $7,500 Marshall & Sterling/Tuffrider-Equine Couture Adult Jumper Classic. Photo: ESI Photography.
Juri Ito, from Dallas, Pennsylvania, riding Jedi, owned by Shangri-La Stables, topped the jump-off field to take the win in Saturday’s $7,500 Adult Marshall &Sterling Tuffrider/Equine Couture Classic, with a time of 32.366 seconds. Maisie McSwain of Gainesville, Georgia, was second on her own Horseflight.com Remiville in 33.193, and Chantal Masselin, of Creemore, Ontario, and her own Tout Court Z, were third in a time of 34.116 seconds.
Experience was the key as adult riders took to the field in the $7500 Marshall &Sterling Tuffrider/Equine Couture Classic. Nineteen of thirty-four riders cleared the first round without a fault, then it was a race to for a piece of the prize money. Ten riders who went double clear, pulled out all the stops, with time being the only thing as the only factor for the top prize.
Masselin and Tout Court Z cut a full two seconds off the earlier jump-off times by turning inside to the double combination, holding the lead for most of the class, but ultimately finishing in third- place with a time of 34.116 seconds.
Joy Slater, of Unionville, Pennsylvania, and Oilean Uno, owned by Fat Chance Farms, took the outside approach to the double to finish fourth-place in 34.606 seconds. Slater took the inside turn on her second ride, Splash, also owned by Fat Chance Farm, but wasn’t able to capitalize on the ground-saving tactic, finishing sixth in a slightly slower 35.952. Eileen O’Leary and Bahama Boy, owned by Bre Pickens put in a time of 34.875 to finish fifth between Slater’s two rides.
The final two riders were chasing the Great American Time to Beat of 34.116 seconds, held by Masselin. Juri Ito knew what she had to do for the win—she and Jedi finished clear in 32.366 seconds, with just one rider to go. McSwain was the final rider in the 19-horse jump-off field, turning in a second-place time of 33.193 seconds.
Ito was ecstatic about her win. “I didn’t know if I had the time, so I just kept going, I’ve had a few really great classes with Jedi. He’s eleven years old and a Thoroughbred-Holsteiner cross—and he’s feisty!”
Ito’s trainer, David Tromp, had praise for Ito and her horse. ”[Jedi] is aggressive, he’s got a lot of heart,” said Ito’s trainer David Tromp. “She’s had him for about three years. She was good through the first line, had a great turn to the second line, good turn off the white vertical and just kept going to the finish.”
| Place | Horse | Owner | Rider | Prize | R.1 Faults | JO Faults | JO Time |
| 1 | Jedi | Shangri-La Stables | Juri Ito | $2,200 | – | – | 32.366 |
| 2 | Horseflight.com Remiville | Maisie McSwain | Maisie McSwain | $1,550 | – | – | 33.193 |
| 3 | Tout Court Z | Chantal Masselin | Chantal Masselin | $1,050 | – | – | 34.116 |
| 4 | Oilean Uno | Fat Chance Farm | Joy Slater | $700 | – | – | 34.606 |
| 5 | Bahama Boy | Bre Pickens | Eileen O’Leary | $600 | – | – | 34.875 |
| 6 | Splash | Fat Chance Farm | Joy Slater | $500 | – | – | 35.952 |
| 7 | May’s News | Sherri Jamison | Sherri Jamison | $450 | – | – | 36.359 |
| 8 | Amyra V | Sonja Reichelt | Sonja Reichelt | $450 | – | – | 36.516 |
| 9 | Camilla | Sadie Leon | Sadie Leon | – | – | – | 36.527 |
| 10 | Nino du Paradis Z | Chiara Marton | Chiara Marton | – | – | – | 38.884 |
| 11 | Cliff II | Meadowood Farm, LLC | Robin Swinderman | – | – | 4 | 33.292 |
| 12 | Cardiograaf | Alexandra Carlton | Alexandra Carlton | – | – | 4 | 33.745 |
$7500 U-Dump Jr/A-O Jumper Classic
Melissa Rudershausen and Charmeur Ask winning the $7,500 U-Dump Jr/A-O Jumper Classic. Photo: ESI Photography.
“I think going first was an advantage—I didn’t see where the problems were on the course so I just stuck to my plan” said Ruderhsausen. “I’ve had this horse for two years and this couldn’t have happened at a better time because I plan to move him up to the grand prix next week. This was a great set up.”
| Place | Horse | Owner | Rider | Prize | R.1 Faults | JO Faults | JO Time |
| 1 | Charmeur Ask | Melissa Rudershausen | Melissa Rudershausen | $2,200 | – | – | N/A |
| 2 | Mi Phone | Thinkslikeahorse | Mallory Vale | $1,550 | 1 | – | – |
| 3 | Zoran de Saulieu Z | Carolina Ramelli Barrera | Carolina Ramelli Barrera | $1,050 | 4 | – | – |
| 4 | Ugolin Du Mont | Mellissa Rudershausen | Melissa Rudershausen | $700 | 4 | – | – |
| 5 | No Doubt | Chuck & Dana Waters | Hayley Waters | $600 | 8 | – | – |
| 6 | Cornerstone | Derek Petersen | Jared Petersen | $500 | 8 | – | – |
| 7 | Glorix Van De Mispelaere | Jenna Friedman | Jenna Friedman | $450 | 12 | – | – |
| 8 | Chopper 5 | KW Mahon Inc | Danny Mahon | $450 | 13 | – | – |
| 9 | Zilano M | Hardford Farm M&M Stopford | Michelle Stopford | – | 16 | – | – |
| 10 | D’Artagnan | Doreen Toben | Darby Toben | – | 23 | – | – |
| 11 | Caprisio | Katherine/Carolin McLeese | Caroline McLeese | – | 36 | – | – |
$1,000 S.A. Comunale Adult Jumper Classic .90m
“My trainer Allen Nabors just told me yesterday that he wanted me to show today,” said Anderson. “This is my first class in three years. My whole family, three generations, is here to watch – and my horse is a member of the family too!”