Fifteen-year-old Lillie Keenan and Pumped Up Kicks jump to first grand prix win
SAUGERTIES, NY (June 10, 2013) – Lillie Keenan and Pumped Up Kicks were pumped up just enough Sunday afternoon to win the $125,000 Purina Animal Nutrition Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis. The 15-year-old rider and Chansonette Farm, LLC’s Pumped Up Kicks closed out three weeks of spring shows at HITS-on-the-Hudson with the only double clear of the day, cracking the code to Canadian designer Danny Foster’s track.
The pair started competing together at the start of the winter circuits in Florida this year and Sunday marked the first grand prix victory for both. “My horse does better the bigger and harder the course,” said Keenan, who hails from New York, New York. “The scope he has is unbelievable – I have yet to jump a fence where I feel like he is actually trying.”
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Lillie Keenan and Pumped Up Kicks jump their way to a win in the $125,000 Purina Animal Nutrition Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, at HITS Saugerties over the weekend.
Foster of Milton, Ontario set a 14-obstacle course with 17 jumping efforts in the first round. The first four riders picked up faults before Laura Chapot of Neshanic Station, New Jersey rode Quointreau Un Prince, owned by herself and McLain Ward, to a clear round. She was joined by four more over the course of the 26-horse order with the likes of Jimmy Torano, Margie Engle, Patty Stovel and Keenan capping a five-horse jump-off.
Not shy to give credit where credit is due, Keenan was grateful to her trainer Andre Dignelli and the crew at Heritage Farm for preparing the horse she affectionately calls “Kicks” for grand prix competition. “I bought him to show in the High Junior Jumpers, but after showing in a handful of grand prix over the last few months, he has really stepped up and hasn’t put a foot wrong yet.”
Pumped Up Kicks, a 10-year-old German-bred gelding may have been one of the younger and smaller horses in the field, standing at barely 16.1 hands, but he flexed his muscles in the jump-off. “He’s a special horse,” added Keenan. “I am new to these classes and we never thought this was where he would excel, so I kind of feel like I am growing up with him.”
In the jump-off, Chapot returned first but saw trouble at the second jump of a double combination at the sixth fence of the track and picked up four faults for a refusal and ten time faults.
Torano of SW Ranches, Florida and Marley Goodman’s Blue Sky Van de Olmenhoeve had been the second clear in the first round and returned to catch a rail at the same double combination for four faults and a final time of 45.91 seconds. Engle of Wellington, Florida and Royce, owned by Elm Rock Partners, LLC, returned third and posted the fastest jump-off round in 43.21 seconds, but collected four faults from a rail at the second fence in the course.
Stovel of Chester Springs, Pennsylvania and her own Carigor Z were on their way to a clear round and the win before a heartbreak rail at the last fence of the jump-off came down and gave her four faults in a time of 45.06 seconds.
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Lillie Keenan and Pumped Up Kicks are joined by Jamie Brockett and Kimberly James of Purina Animal Nutrition, as well as Tony Hitchcock of HITS to present winning honors. Awards included a $200 gift certificate for an Éce Equestrian Co. shirts, offering the perfect marriage of style and athletic functionality. Éce Equestrian Co. shirts provide comfort in extreme heat, elasticity without losing form, are machine washable and quick-drying, versatile for any athletic sport and for everyday life, and are made in the USA.
“I entered the ring while Patty was still jumping and she was having an effortless jump-off. I thought there was no way she was going to have any rails, but she just got unlucky at the final fence,” said Keenan who entered the ring last and erred on the side of caution, taking her time with a clear round as her top priority. “I knew that if I had a rail I was going to be one of slower times, but I had to take the chance – we had a plan for every fence and I knew that I had to stick to that plan.”
Her plan worked and she jumped to a clear effort in a time of 51.87 seconds for the win.
With one of the richest Zoetis $1 Million Grand Prix qualifiers now hers, Keenan admits that showing in September’s big-ticket event during HITS Championship Weekend is a real possibility. “It’s the ultimate goal and is always in the back of my mind, but I don’t want to get too excited about it,” she said with a smile. “He can definitely jump it, but I am just going to keep doing what I am doing and see what happens.”
The Purina Animal Nutrition Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, capped three weeks of spring horse showing at HITS Saugerties. Competition will return to HITS-on-the-Hudson July 17 – August 4 for three more weeks of exciting competition.
$125,000 Purina Animal Nutrition Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis
| Place | Horse | Owner | Rider | Prize $ | Rd 1 Faults | JO Faults | JO Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pumped Up Kicks | Chansonette Farm LLC | Lillie Keenan | $37,500 | 0 | 0 | 51.87 |
| 2 | Royce | Elm Rock Partners, LLC | Margie Engle | $27,500 | 0 | 4 | 43.21 |
| 3 | Carigor Z | Patty Stovel | Patty Stovel | $16,250 | 0 | 4 | 45.06 |
| 4 | Blue Sky Van de Olmenhoeve | Marley Goodman | Jimmy Torano | $10,000 | 0 | 4 | 45.91 |
| 5 | Quointreau Un Prince | Laura Chapot & McLain Ward | Laura Chapot | $7,500 | 0 | 14 | 61.07 |
| 6 | Quality Girl | Todd Minikus, Ltd | Todd Minikus | $6,250 | 4 | – | – |
| 7 | MacArthur | Christina Fried | Michael Hughes | $5,000 | 4 | – | – |
| 8 | Mark Q | Kevin Babington | Kevin Babington | $3,750 | 4 | – | – |
| 9 | Sil | Group C LLC | Geoffrey Case | $3,750 | 4 | – | – |
| 10 | Landini | Sharon Milchovich | Michael Desiderio | $2,500 | 4 | – | – |
| 11 | Bottom Line | Karen Polle | Karen Polle | $2,500 | 8 | – | – |
| 12 | Indigo | Garber, Griese, Hidden Creek & Gladewinds | Margie Engle | $2,500 | 8 | – | – |
Santa Maspane Wastes Little Time in the Hunter Ring
SAUGERTIES, NY (June 11, 2013) – After only one year riding hunters, Santa Maspane of Jelgava, Latvia has found her rhythm aboard Kathryn Haefner’s Columbus. Together they rode to the top in this weekend’s $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix at HITS Saugerties. After riding jumper sale horses in Germany for four years, Maspane is learning to love the hunter ring.
“It’s all so new, but it is such an elegant discipline and I really like the change that I have made,” said Maspane. “This horse [Columbus] certainly has more experience than I do and I am still learning so much after riding jumpers for years.”
Maspane and Columbus topped a field of 37 over a course designed by Rain Beals of Saugerties, New York on the popular Outside Course at HITS-on-the-Hudson. She pocketed the top score in the first round with an 88 and returned to mirror her efforts with another 88 in the second round, picking up the win.
“He is such a strong horse,” said Maspane of Columbus, a six-year-old Westphalian imported from Germany by Stewart Moran. “He can do so much in the ring, and has a huge heart. He will try so hard for you.”
Eleven more top riders joined Maspane in the second round and second place was only two points behind her. Alish Cunniffe of South Salem, New York piloted Good Times, owned by Jennifer Gates, to a pair of 87s to pick up the red ribbon. Adding an in-the-money hunter ride to her list of weekend successes, Lillie Keenan of New York, New York also sat atop an entry of Jennifer Gates and rode Parkland to third before winning the $125,000 Purina Animal Nutrition Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis. With Parkland, Keenan jumped to an 86 in round one and an 85.5 in round two.
Kristen Bumpus of Concord, Massachusetts rode Elsa Kania’s Sky’s the Limit to fourth with a first round score of 85 and a second round score of 84.5. Patricia Griffith and Madeline Placey’s Brodeur scored an 83.5 in the first round and answered in the second round with an 84 to cap the top five.
Maspane and Columbus captured the final Diamond Mills Hunter Prix Final qualifier of the spring circuit. HITS Saugerties will continue to offer Devoucoux Hunter Prix weekly before the popular Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final returns to HITS Championship Weekend this September.
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Santa Maspane and Columbus jump their way to the blue in the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix at HITS Saugerties.
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Chris Mayone of HITS presents Santa Maspane and Columbus with winner’s awards after the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix during Week III at HITS Saugerties.Awards included a $200 gift certificate for the Le Fash show shirting and polo shirting collections. Le Fash is the first-ever cross over clothing brand suitable for equestrian competition and the fashion forward. They fill the void between standardized riding attire and high end equestrian inspired sportswear by creating one product line that can cross seamlessly into both markets. For more information on Le Fash and their products, visit www.lefashny.com.
$1,500 HITS Hunter Prix
Miranda Scarpone and her own Rosso Rossini were the ones to beat in the $1,500 HITS Hunter Prix as junior and amateur riders look to qualify for the second-annual HITS $250,000 Hunter Prix Final as part of HITS Championship Weekend this fall.
Scarpone of Branchburg, New Jersey bested 27 contenders over Beals’ test on the Outside Course and was sitting with the second highest score after the first round. She topped the field in the second round with an 86 to combine it with an 84.5 and clinch the win. Corinne Milbury of Boston, Massachusetts posted the top score in round one with an 85, and then rode to an 84 to pick up second-place honors.
Third place was awarded to Jacquelyn Maggiore of Winchester, Massachusetts who piloted her own Contina to a 77 and an 84. After riding to the blue in last week’s HITS Hunter Prix, Anna Pavlov of Pound Ridge, New York was fourth, this time in the irons of Dunrobin Farm’s Zippo, with scores of 83 and 77. Rounding out the top five was Carly Corbacho of Wellesley, Massachusetts and her own Blue Highway with scores of 80 and 78.
Riders in both the Devoucoux and HITS Hunter Prix with their sights set on qualifying for the Diamond Mills and HITS Hunter Prix Finals will have weekly opportunities to earn points as HITS Horse Shows moves on to Culpeper, Virginia in July before returning to HITS-on-the-Hudson July 17. Both finals will be highlighted during HITS Championship Weekend. To stay current on all qualifying, visit HitsShows.com.
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Miranda Scarpone and Rosso Rossini on course in the $1,500 HITS Hunter Prix at HITS Saugerties.
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Chris Mayone of HITS presents top honors to Miranda Scarpone and Rosso Rossini after their win in the $1,500 HITS Hunter Prix at HITS Saugerties over the weekend. For her win, Scarpone also received a $200 gift certificate for the Le Fash show shirting and polo shirting collections.
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 WorldTM, 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.
$5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix
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$1,500 HITS Hunter Prix
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Michael Hughes and Luxina soar in high classic
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Michael Hughes and Luxina
The Strongid® C 2X Grand Prix Stadium hosted riders in the $10,000 Junior/A-O Jumper High Classic over the weekend. Michael Hughes and Luxina, owned by Christina Fried, soared over the course, topping 27 riders. Brittni Raflowitz and Chealsea Moss were close behind, taking home second and third, respectively.
Madeline Western and Lilly Higgins Shine in the Marshall & Sterling Jumper Classic
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Madeline Western and Chesterfield
The $2,500 Marshall & Sterling Insurance/NAL Adult and Children’s Jumper Classic attracted close to 30 riders apiece, setting the stage for some high-stakes competition. Madeline Western and her own Chesterfield topped the Adult Classic, while Lilly Higgins and Danny Cool took home the blue in the Children’s Classic.
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Lilly Higgins and Danny Cool
Purina Animal Nutrition Kids Day welcomes family fun to HITS-on-the-Hudson
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The horseless horse show featured an egg and spoon race.
Purina Animal Nutrition and HITS teamed up this weekend and invited local families to enjoy the festivities at HITS Saugerties. The weather was perfect, the face painting was a hit and the Horseless Horse Show showcased some fierce competition. Thank you to the following sponsors for their contributions:
- Free pony rides courtesy of Vertical Limit Stables
- Horseless Horse Show sponsored by Eastern Hay & Grain
- Face Painting presented by Family of Woodstock
- Arts and Crafts presented by Dolphin Organics, HITS Graphics Department and Akindale Thoroughbred Rescue
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A competitor in the horseless horse show clears a liverpool jump on his way to a ribbon.
Trade Winds Farm honored with Grooms Award
Paula Moverley and David Tronconette of Trade Winds Farm were honored for their hard work and vital contribution to the horse industry during week III. The Dennis Kenny Law Offices of Kingston, New York sponsors the weekly Grooms Award and presented special gift cards to both Moverley and Tronconette.
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David Tronconette and Paula Moverley receive award presented by Tony Hitchcock.
“The grooms are the people who work behind the scenes to make everything go smoothly for the riders. We all see the finished product of their work, but not many people know just how much time, sweat and sacrifice goes into the care of the horses,” said Agatha D’Ambra of Trade Winds Farm, located in Rexford NY. ”A huge thank you to Dennis Kenny Law Offices for presenting this award. It means so much to see this award given to the people who deserve it more than anyone else.”
About HITS, Inc.
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 – now the Zoetis $1 Million Grand Prix. In 2011, HITS hosted the richest weekend in show jumping with the return of the Pfizer Million and the introduction of the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final. In 2012, the historic weekend got even sweeter with the addition of the HITS $250,000 HITS Hunter Prix Final. This year, HITS will host a second $1 million class with the AIG Thermal $1 Million Grand Prixat HITS Thermal.
For more information and a complete schedule of classes and events, visit www.HitsShows.com. Stay connected with HITS, join us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter!
Media should contact the HITS Media Team at 845.246.8833 or e-mail Media_Info@HitsShows.com.
2013 Horse Show Dates
HITS Desert Circuit
Thermal, CA
January 22 – March 17, 2013
HITS Ocala Winter Circuit
Ocala, FL
January 16 – March 17, 2013
HITS Arizona Winter Circuit
Tucson, AZ
January 30 – March 10, 2013
HITS Culpeper Show Series
Culpeper, VA
April / July / August / September
HITS Saugerties Show Series
Saugerties, NY
May-June / July-August / September
HITS Championship Weekend
Saugerties, NY
September 6-8, 2013
