HITS on the Hudson V Highlights Tracy Fenney in the Derby and Shawn Casady in the Grand Prix

Tracy Fenney Takes First and Fifth in $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby

Tracy Fenney and MTM Outbid – Photo by ESI Photography
Tracy Fenney and MTM Outbid – Photo by ESI Photography

Saugerties, NY — August 3, 2017 – On Saturday, July 29, 2017, Course Designer Rian Beals transformed the Grand Prix Stadium at HITS-on-the-Hudson into an elegant track of natural obstacles, befitting that of an open Hunt Field. An enthusiastic crowd of spectators dotted the HITS signature berms, as VIP Patrons met at their white clad tables, all gathered to witness 36 beautifully appointed riders atop their elegant mounts compete for one of the most prestigious Hunter competitions, the $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby.

Unique to the Derby format, in addition to the base score, two Judging Panels awarded an Option Bonus Score, which granted one additional point for each higher-height fence option jumped. When the top 12 Horses and Riders with the highest scores returned for the Second Round, judges awarded a Base Score, Option Bonus Score, and a Handy Bonus Score.

Texas-based Equestrian Tracy Fenney garnered the win with MTM Outbid, and also collected the Fifth-Place prize riding MTM Fashion, both horses owned by MTM Farm. Fenney’s star student, Brian Moggre who is 15 years old, earned top honors on Abigail Albrecht’s MTM Nameworthy in the Classic Round of the Derby, but in the Handy Round made a long-distance choice which resulted in a playful landing that looked fun to ride, but didn’t score well on the Judge’s Card. Ultimately, Moggre and MTM Nameworthy placed seventh in the overall standings.

In the Classic Round, Fenney and MTM Outbid, had earned a score of 175, which placed the pair in Third. Patricia Griffith and Skorekeeper scored 177, and Moggre and MTM Nameworthy received the highest score of 180.50.

Fenney opted for all of the inside turns and high options with MTM Outbid in the Classic Round, and again in the Handy Round. The Judges rewarded Fenney’s choices, and MTM Outbid’s brilliant performance with a second-round total score of 208 – the highest score of all to be awarded in all rounds, producing an overall high score of 383.

“He loves to jump, he is very natural with a good style, and he is confident in himself,” remarked Fenney. “He is a really fun horse, with a fabulous canter, and the better the canter, the easier it is to find the spots.”Fenney said she purchased her winning mount, MTM Outbid, when he was a five-year-old. “At auction, we outbid a friend to buy him, and that’s how he got his name.”

Griffith and Skorekeeper delivered a graceful performance in the Handy Round, and the stylish pair from Heritage Farm earned a score of 193.5 for an overall score of 370.5 which maintained their second position. The Exchange, ridden by Kristy Herrera, who sat in Fifth Place after the First-Round with a score of 171.000, made use of the bonus options in the Handy Round and impressed Judges enough to earn a score of 196.000, for a total overall score of 367.0 for Third Place.

Fenney’s fifth place ride, MTM Fashion, was in Fourth Place after the first round with a score of 171.5, then earned a second-round score of 186.0, for a total overall score of 384 which collected the pink ribbon.

The next stop on the HITS USHJA Hunter Derby Tour for the East Coast is Saturday, August 5, during HITS-on-the-Hudson VI.

RESULTS

$50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby | HITS-on-the-Hudson V
Place / Horse / Rider / Owner / Round 1 / Round 2 / Total 
1. MTM Outbid / Tracy Fenney / MTM Farm / 175.00 / 208.00 / 383.00
2. Skorekeeper / Patricia Griffith / Callie Seaman / 177.00 / 193.50 / 370.50
3. The Exchange / Kristy E. Herrera / Over The Top Stables / 171.00 / 196.00 / 367.00
4. Generous / David Oliynyk /Lori Gaudet / 169.00 / 194.00 / 363.00
5. MTM Fashion / Tracy Fenney / MTM Farm / 171.50 / 186.00 / 357.50
6. Galan / Amber Henter / M. Huygens Horse Sales, Inc. / 168.75 / 184.00 / 352.75
7. MTM Nameworthy / Brian Moggre / Abigail Albrecht / 180.50 / 149.00 / 329.50
8. Cymplify / Aaron Vale / Hasbrouck Donovan / 170.00 / 158.00 / 328.00
9. Cleopatras Smile / Schuyler Riley /Wolfstone Stables & Sales Inc. / 160.00 / 162.00 / 322.00
10. Capitalized / Ellie Ferrigno /Redfield Farm / 160.00 / 159.00 / 319.00
11. Early Winter / AubrienneKrysiewicz-Bell / AubrienneKrysiewicz-Bell / 161.00 / 138.00 / 299.00
12. Kori D’Oro / Cooper Dean / Heritage Farm / 160.50 / 105.00 / 265.50

Shawn Casady & Valinski S Win $50,000 EQUO Grand Prix at HITS-on-the-Hudson V

Shawn Casady and Valinski S – Photo by ESI Photography
Shawn Casady and Valinski S – Photo by ESI Photography

Shawn Casady won the $50,000 EQUO Grand Prix at HITS-on-the-Hudson V on Sunday, July 30, riding VALINSKI S, a flashy fourteen-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Wyndmont, Inc.

After 9 of 27 entries qualified for the Jump-Off with fault-free rides over the 16-effort, First-Round course which was designed by Mr. Florencio Hernandez from Mexico City, Mexico. Casady and VALINSKI S returned second in the order of go and jumped clear in the eight-effort tiebreaker, and set the mark to beat in a swift time of 40.380 seconds.

Of the nine riders who qualified for the Jump-Off, aside from VALINSKI S, only two others mastered the shortened course, fault-free, but could not catch Casady’s warp-speed. Laura Chapot and her longtime partner, QUOINTREAU UN PRINCE, succeeded with a clean round in a time of 41.682 seconds, for Second Place. And the last to go in the Jump-Off order was Debbie McCarthy Connor atop ZIM, who chose the ‘Clean and Slow’ route in a time of 50.721 seconds, which placed her Third. The remainder of the Jump-Off Challengers had four-faults or more, which dashed their chances for a piece of the top three placings.

Casady went seventh in the First-Round order, and he said it was a pretty wide-open course, with a lot of different options. “Valinski S jumped phenomenal, and really smooth,” remarked Casady. “You know I haven’t been riding him very long and it was one of our best rounds.”
Earlier this season, within two weeks of partnering, Casady and VALINSKI S claimed top honors in their debut performance – the $50,000 HORSEWARE Grand Prix at HITS-on-the-Hudson III.

Of the EQUO Jump-Off, Casady said, “Peter [Wylde] went ahead of me and fast, but had two down. So I went fast, tried to turn tighter and leave the jumps up. I just turned quick and ran and he [Valinski S] jumped with room to spare — when you have a horse like him to ride, you love every minute of it.”

RESULTS

$50,000 Equo Grand Prix, Sponsored By Equo Horse Transportation
Place / Horse / Rider / Country / Owner / R1 Faults/ R1 TA:87 / JO Faults / JO TA:57
1. Valinski S / Shawn Casady/ USA / Wyndmont / 0 / 83.848 / 0 / 40.380
2. Quointreau Un Prince / Laura Chapot / USA / L. Chapot & M. Ward / 0 / 79.068 / 0 / 41.682
3. Zim / Debbie McCarthy Connor / USA / PCF Equestrian / 0 / 86.207 / 0 / 50.721
4. Stan / Juan Manuel Luzardo / URU / Mauricio Guerra Colorado / 0 / 82.571 / 4 / 38.332
5. Condero 3 / Brian Moggre / USA / DDM Equestrian, LLC / 0 / 83.849 / 4 / 40.547
6. Double O Seven 7 / Kevin Babington / IRL / Katznelson Jumpers, LLC / 0 / 83.778 / 4 / 40.905
7. Stakko / Aaron Vale / USA / Thinkslikeahorse / 0 / 86.643 / 4 / 44.056
8. Hercule VH End House/ Nicole Meyer Robredo / USA / Michel Meyer / 0 / 85.577 / 4 / 47.229
9. Paloma / Peter Wylde / USA / Kathleen Kamine / 0 / 84.305 / 8 / 42.697
10. Aminka / Michael Desiderio / USA / Tranquillity Farm / 1 / 87.350

Press release: HITS, Inc.
Photos: ESI Photography

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