CULPEPER, VIRGINIA — Jeff Gogul of Chagrin Falls, Ohio and Ruth Kanner’s By the Way finished on top in Saturday's $10,000 Pre-Green Hunter Classic during the Culpeper Finals at HITS Commonwealth Park in Culpeper, Virginia.
“I am really pleased with [By the Way’s] performance and it was a great way to end our year,” said Gogul. “I think he is quite a special horse and I will probably show him in the Pre-Green Division again next year since we don’t want to hurry him along.”
After Gogul’s win, he is excited to look ahead to an appearance in next year’s second-ever Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final with By the Way at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York.
“I think it will be a lot of fun to do the $500,000 class with him next year in Saugerties, so I might look to get qualified for that. It would be a great way to finish 2012,” he added.
Kate Conover rode Redfield Farm’s Peron to a second-place finish in the feature event for hunter riders during the Culpeper Finals.
“[Peron] is a special horse,” said Conover. “Emil Spadone imported him a few years ago and he is so much fun to ride.”
Conover was Grand Circuit Champion in the Baby Green division with Peron last year at HITS Saugerties and picked up Reserve Circuit Champion honors in the Pre-Green division this year.
The winner’s circle is certainly a place where Conover has become accustomed to being. The Ocala, Florida native not only captured the $10,000 Pre-Green Hunter Classic at HITS Culpeper last year, but she was also third in the inaugural Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final at HITS Saugerties in the irons of Redfield Farm’s Balios Z.
“Kate rides as good as anybody, anywhere,” said Spadone, her trainer. “We are fortunate to have her at Redfield Farm.”
The yellow ribbon in the Pre-Green Hunter Classic went to Tracey Fenney of Flower Mound, Texas aboard Cammy Turgon’s Scoop. Her performance in Thursday’s Classic kicked off a tremendous weekend for the decorated equestrian as she took top honors in Sunday’s $40,000 HITS Grand Prix.
“HITS has certainly been good to us over the last few years,” said Fenney. “We love going to Ocala, Culpeper and Saugerties and can’t wait to support all of those shows down the road.”
Closing out the top five was Sue Lyman of Middleburg, Virginia on Dale Crittenberger’s Townsend in fourth and Peg Seals of Carrollton, Virginia in the irons of Reminton Brandl’s Phantom Fury in fifth.
For complete results from the Culpeper Finals and the $10,000 Pre-Green Hunter Classic, click here.
HITS is now looking forward to the upcoming 2012 season, which will once again continue to produce some of the premier horse shows in the country with classes and special events for everyone. Qualifiers for the $1 Million Grand Prix and the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final will resume this winter as well as opportunities to compete in the all-new $250,000 HITS 3' Hunter Prix Final. The trio will make up an unparalleled finale come September 8-9, 2012 at HITS-on-the-Hudson.
HITS, Inc. produces high-quality, international-level hunter/jumper horse shows. Based in upstate New York in the village of Saugerties, HITS has been producing shows since 1982 and is now a nationwide company with world-class circuits in California, Florida, Arizona, New York and Virginia. In 2010, HITS took the industry to new heights when it hosted the first-ever Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix. HITS once again offered the most innovative weekend in show jumping history in 2011 when it hosted the second annual Pfizer Million and the inaugural Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final, this fall at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York.
For more information and a complete schedule of classes and events, visit HitsShows.com. Stay connected with HITS, join us on Facebook orfollow us on Twitter!
|
