Crete, Ill. – June 11, 2018 – HITS Chicago is back for another three weeks of prestigious horse shows at HITS Balmoral Park. The Showplace Spring Spectacular Series kicked off Wednesday, June 6, with the $5,000 Johnson Horse Transportation Open Welcome.
Bryn Sadler would be the one to come out on top aboard her mount Quintus 66 after a fault-free jump-off time of 44.121 set her apart from the rest. Savannah Talcott was second with Espatako’s Electra R as the fastest of the four-faulters in a time of 41.562. Sadler took another top-five placing aboard Cezarro, taking third in a four-fault time of 43.310. Fourth was Liz Atkins and Undine and fifth was Lisa Goldman and Nike.
On Thursday the $10,000 KindredBio Jumper Prix came and went, with Emanuel Andrade taking first, second, and fifth place aboard Ricore Courcelle, Anastasia Du Park,and Gran Mamut in jump-off times of 35.713, 36.511 and 37.857, respectively, continuing his winning ways after a successful season at the HITS Ocala Winter Circuit. Rachel Schnurr was third aboard Prince Garbo in a jump-off time of 37.326 and Dorothy Douglas was fourth with S & L Elite in a jump-off time of 37.810. After a very close jump-off in the KindredBio Prix, excitement rose in anticipation of who would win the $50,000 Purina Animal Nutrition Grand Prix on Saturday.
As Saturday approached, preparations began for the $50,000 Purina Animal Nutrition Grand Prix and the stands filled with spectators anxiously awaiting riders to show off their skill. After another impressive jump-off, Douglas came out on top, taking the win aboard S & L Elite in a jump-off time of 38.323 and taking home $15,000 in prize money. Only a second behind, Goldman and Hindsight took second in a jump-off time of 39.432. Andrade and Ricore Courcelle took another top-five placing, riding to third in a jump-off time of 39.862. Talcott was fourth aboard Espatako’s Electra R in a jump-off time of 41.973 and Tony Font was fifth with NLF Favorite in a jump-off time of 45.495.
Wrapping up Showplace Spring Spectacular I, Andrade took the win on Sunday in the $10,000 SmartPak Jumper Classic aboard Dipssy in a jump-off time of 33.096. Andrade was also third and fourth with Cortina 186 and Boy IV in jump-off times of 33.900 and 34.305, respectively. Douglas was second aboard Chacco Lait in a jump-off time of 33.112 and Andrew Barone was fifth aboard Carica 4 in a jump-off time of 34.922.
In the hunter rings, Kim Barone took the top three placings in the $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby aboard Cyril, Dialicious and Roc-A-Fella with combined scores of 173, 171 and 163, respectively. Fourth place was awarded to Ashley Scofield and Maker’s Mark with a combined score of 157 and in fifth was Marian Sykes and Claudius with a combined score of 151.
HITS Chicago will return this week with Showplace Spring Spectacular II, featuring the $50,000 HITS Grand Prix and over $100,000 in prize money for the week.