Source:  News Release

Sonoma Valley Stables Riders Win $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix and
$1,500 HITS Hunter Prix at HITS Desert Circuit II

THERMAL, CA  — Make hers a double! Sonoma Valley Stables’ Hope Glynn won her second $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix in a row at the Desert Circuit, taking the blue yesterday on Sloan Lindemann-Barnett’s Balios Z.

The Penngrove, California-based rider triumphed over a field of 41, scoring an 86 in round one and an 83 in round two, for a total of 169. Far West Farm’s Jenny Karazissis of Calabasas, California, came in second on Noelle Wolf’s Bay Lane, scoring an 81 and 83.5, tallying out at 164.5. Karazissis stepped in to ride Bay Lane for an injured John French. “I rode the horse for the first time yesterday,” Karazissis said. And the two improved as they went along today, sitting fifth after the first round and moving up to second after round two. “I was really happy with the performance, and John was sitting there watching, so that was added pressure to do well.”

Bridgeport Farm’s John Bragg of Rancho Santa Fe placed third on Riesling, owned by Lucy Anderson. That pair had an 82.5 and 81.5, which combined for a total of 164.

Glynn also rocked fourth on Emma Townsend’s CR Haribo. “To top it off, it’s my daughter Avery’s birthday today, and my father’s too, so it was a nice win,” said Glynn, who won the Desert Circuit’s first $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix last week, riding Campari.

Every Devoucoux Hunter Prix is a qualifier for the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final at HITS Championship Weekend in Saugerties, New York September 6-8. Both Glynn and Karazissis are trying to qualify and intend to make the trip east this fall.

This week’s Devoucoux Hunter prix was also held in the Outside Course – newly configured with an elevated galloping track around the outside of Hunter Rings 3 and 4. The riders have embraced the Outside Course concept, and management is making sure as many exhibitors as possible get a turn in the special ring. “Last week, they had the juniors in there, and this week it was the open classes, so it’s really been nice the way they’ve utilized it,” said Karazissis, who also placed ninth on Amanda Sadowski’s Kiss and Tell.

Course designer Rian Beals of Saugerties, New York took care to ensure the Desert Circuit II course offered new challenges. “They brought in hay bales and logs, and we had the option to actually jump off the bank, which was kind of fun,” Glynn said, noting that she didn’t choose that option in this class, but tried it earlier in the week. “It’s such a big ring, there are so many different options and this course was very different from last week’s. The thing that’s most interesting to me is it takes the horses a little by surprise because they’re looking for a fence, they’re not looking for the long gallop.

“The fact that they brought in new elements was nice, because the horses that have shown all week had something to look at,” added Glynn. “Sometimes at 3’3” the horse aren’t as impressed, but because of the different types of jumps and the long gallops, it impresses them.”

©Flying Horse Photography
Hope Glynn is on a roll at HITS Thermal. After a win in the Devoucoux Hunter Prix last week, she rode to the blue again this week with Balios Z in the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix, a qualifier for the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final.

©Flying Horse Photography
Hope Glynn is presented with top honors after she and Balios Z rode a win in the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix at HITS Thermal.

$1,500 HITS Hunter Prix
Sonoma Valley Stables also had riders find their way to the top at the 3’ level. Fourteen-year-old student of Glynn and husband Ned, Sarah Ryan won the $1,500 HITS Hunter Prix on her horse Gabriel. Ryan boasted scores of 82 and 83 for a total of 165 and the win. “It was very exciting for me,” said Ryan, of Napa, California. “Last year was my first year with Gabriel. We were just figuring each other out, but this year I felt he was ready to move up, and today he was very brave.”

“She rode great,” said Glynn.  “It was the exact same course as the Devoucoux - they just lowered the jumps. It was a tough course for the kids, but they got some very high scores and did really well.”

Erika Scherer was second with Kendra Arnold’s Godspeed and Yvette Lang-Einczig was third aboard her own Rio Negro. Rounding out the Top five was Brook Sassa in fourth with Tracy Baer’s Widget, and Marta Mazess in the irons of Erica Ancier’s Bellagio in fifth.

Riders at the 3’ level will continue to have weekly opportunities to qualify for the HITS $250,000 Hunter Prix Final, which will join the Diamond Mills Hunter Prix Final during HITS Championship Weekend for the second year this September.

©Flying Horse Photography
Sarah Ryan and her own Gabriel of Sonoma Valley Stables on their way to a win in the $1,500 HITS Hunter Prix, a qualifier for the HITS $250,000 Hunter Prix Final as part of HITS Championship Weekend in Saugerties, New York.

©Flying Horse Photography
Sarah Ryan and Gabriel accept first-place honors after winning the $1,500 Hunter Prix at HITS Thermal.

About Devoucoux
Devoucoux, makers of fine French saddles, is proud to be the title sponsor of each and every qualifying Hunter Prix leading up to the phenomenal Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final. The Devoucoux Hunter Prix will be a featured event at all HITS horse shows this season as riders from around the country set out to qualify for the third-annual Diamond Mills Hunter Prix Final, which will take place September 7-8 at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York.

About Diamond Mills Hotel & Tavern
Just 100 miles outside of New York City, nestled in the Village of Saugerties, Diamond Mills is a 30-room luxury hotel featuring stellar accommodations, fine-dining at The Tavern and full-service events at a state-of-the art Special Events Center. Diamond Mills is a proud member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World^TM, an unsurpassed collection of over 520 luxury hotels around the world. Saugerties' newest luxury hotel is also the proud sponsor of the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final, which will take place at HITS-on-the-Hudson as part of the HITS Championship Weekend. For more information about Diamond Mills or the special VIP packages available to HITS-on-the-Hudson exhibitors, please visit DiamondMillsHotel.com or call 845.247.0700.

© Michael Nelson Photography.
One of 30 luxury rooms at the all-new Diamond Mills Hotel.

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