Ronan McGuigan on Capall Zidane, a bay Dutch Warmblood gelding, narrowly edged out Quentin Judge on HH Fyloe, another bay gelding, to win Sunday’s $50,000 HITS Grand Prix. McGuigan and his Capall Zidane, one of only three to reach the jump-off, finished with a time of 40.102, eight-tenths of a second ahead of Judge’s time of 40.994. U.S. Olympian Mclain Ward, on Azibantos, finished third, with four faults and a time of 42 seconds, even. Amanda Flint on Balotan would have joined them in the short course after a clear first round, except for a time fault that kept her from a chance to jump for the blue. McGuigan was the first to go clear in Round 1, “In the first round, there was skinny oxer in the middle of the triple took a lot of people out,” he said. “For me, that was the careful jump.” He continued, “In the jump-off, it was Quentin (Judge) and Mclain (Ward), so I knew it was going to be quite fast.” As the first to go on the shortened course, McGuigan said he needed to set a fast pace without any faults, galloping between obstacles one to three, and then to the last fence. “I had to make the time up somewhere,” he said. “I just tried to be as fast as I could, and conservative on the turns – but really gallop hard. I knew I had to set a fast time with Quentin, and with Mclain in the class you always worry. Quintin also jumped clear, but fortunately didn’t get my time.” Judge’s horse, HH Fyloe, is owned by Double H Farm. Ward’s Azibantos is owned by Group C LLC, and Flint’s Balotan is owned by The Coverboy Group. McGuigan said of his two major wins at HITS-on-the-Hudson I, “It was a great week - hopefully we'll replicate it. Elizabeth Stewart and KT Eber Win The $10,000 Marshall & Sterling Tuffrider/Equine Couture Children’s/Adult Jumper Classic Elizabeth Stewart and KT Eber topped field of 31 riders and a 13-horse jump off to emerge victorious in the $10,000 Marshall & Sterling Tuffrider/Equine Couture Children’s/Adult Jumper Classic on Saturday at HITS-on-the-Hudson. During the fast-paced jump-off, the lead changed hands three times, with Stewart going ninth and ultimately resetting the Great American Time to Beat with a clear time of 35.177 that would hold until the very end. McKayla Langmeier and Highland Van't Heike Win Saturday's $10,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper High Classic, presented by Vetera® XP Vaccines
Ronan McGuigan on Capall Zidane, a bay Dutch Warmblood gelding, narrowly edged out Quentin Judge on HH Fyloe, another bay gelding, to win Sunday’s $50,000 HITS Grand Prix. McGuigan and his Capall Zidane, one of only three to reach the jump-off, finished with a time of 40.102, eight-tenths of a second ahead of Judge’s time of 40.994. U.S. Olympian Mclain Ward, on Azibantos, finished third, with four faults and a time of 42 seconds, even. Amanda Flint on Balotan would have joined them in the short course after a clear first round, except for a time fault that kept her from a chance to jump for the blue. McGuigan was the first to go clear in Round 1, “In the first round, there was skinny oxer in the middle of the triple took a lot of people out,” he said. “For me, that was the careful jump.” He continued, “In the jump-off, it was Quentin (Judge) and Mclain (Ward), so I knew it was going to be quite fast.” As the first to go on the shortened course, McGuigan said he needed to set a fast pace without any faults, galloping between obstacles one to three, and then to the last fence. “I had to make the time up somewhere,” he said. “I just tried to be as fast as I could, and conservative on the turns – but really gallop hard. I knew I had to set a fast time with Quentin, and with Mclain in the class you always worry. Quintin also jumped clear, but fortunately didn’t get my time.” Judge’s horse, HH Fyloe, is owned by Double H Farm. Ward’s Azibantos is owned by Group C LLC, and Flint’s Balotan is owned by The Coverboy Group. McGuigan said of his two major wins at HITS-on-the-Hudson I, “It was a great week - hopefully we'll replicate it. Elizabeth Stewart and KT Eber Win The $10,000 Marshall & Sterling Tuffrider/Equine Couture Children’s/Adult Jumper Classic Elizabeth Stewart and KT Eber topped field of 31 riders and a 13-horse jump off to emerge victorious in the $10,000 Marshall & Sterling Tuffrider/Equine Couture Children’s/Adult Jumper Classic on Saturday at HITS-on-the-Hudson. During the fast-paced jump-off, the lead changed hands three times, with Stewart going ninth and ultimately resetting the Great American Time to Beat with a clear time of 35.177 that would hold until the very end. McKayla Langmeier and Highland Van't Heike Win Saturday's $10,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper High Classic, presented by Vetera® XP Vaccines