HITS Chicago Wraps Up After Its Second Successful Season

Showplace Fall Classic I was a busy week at HITS Balmoral Park, with several Finals and Championships highlighting the end of the circuit. The IHJA Medal Finals, Marshall & Sterling League Mid-West Finals, NCEA Mid-West Junior Medal Finals, and the Zone 5 Horse of the Year Championships each took their turns in the spotlight, and the week concluded with the presenation of the the Back on Track Grand Circuit Champions.

Kicking off the week, Annabella Sanchez took the win in the $5,000 Johnson Horse Transportation Welcome aboard INCITATUS with a jump-off time of 43.048. Savannah Talcott was second with her mount ESPATAKO'S ELECTRA R in a four-fault jump-off time of 40.797. Third was NIKE and Lisa Goldman, fourth was Stephen Foran and CASSIUS 74, and fifth was Taylor Flury and CALANO Z.

Thursday, Goldman took first place in the $5,000 Kindred Bio 1.40m Open Jumper Prix aboard SOVEREIGN in a jump-off time of 35.251. Second place was Steve Schaefer and ZARKAVA in a jump-off time of 37.650. Goldman also received the third and fourth place honors aboard AS DI SOGRAND and NIKE.

Lisa Goldman takes her seventh Grand Prix win of the summer at HITS Chicago.

Goldman took another win on Friday in the $5,000 1.30m M&S Jumper Classic aboard HINDSIGHT in a jump-off time of 37.443, and she also was awarded second place aboard BENGTSSON VDL in a jump-off time of 37.914. Foran was third with NAKISKA, Shannon Sullivan was fourth aboard DOWNTOWN'S MAIN EVENT, and Caelinn Leahy was fifth aboard ZARKAVA.

On Saturday, Goldman took the final Grand Prix win of the summer aboard HINDSIGHT in the $25,000 HITS Grand Prix in a jump-off time of 37.959, making it her seventh Grand Prix win at HITS Chicago this summer after showing with us throughout the circuit. She also secured second and fifth places with SOVEREIGN and NIKE in jump-off times of 38.764 and 42.106, respectively. Sullivan was third aboard DOWNTOWN'S MAIN EVENT in a jump-off time of 40.134 and Adeline Rohrbach was fourth with VALLADAM in a jump-off time of 41.517.

Gabriel Rodrigues Honorio and COMTICO take the win in the $2,500 Devoucoux Hunter Prix.

In the Hunter Ring, Gabriel Rodrigues Honorio took the win in the $2,500 Devoucoux Hunter Prix with a combined score of 169 aboard COMTICO. Molly McAdow was second aboard CASTON with a combined score of 165. POETIC and Ryan Sassmannshausen placed third with a combined score of 163. Alexis Ortiz was fourth with her mount LITTLE PAUL and a combined score of 153 and fifth was Katie Leverick and BALVENIE with a combined score of 147.

Ashleen Lee and HONOR were awarded first place in the $2,500 USHJA National Derby with a combined score of 172. Lee also took fourth place aboard ARBOR HILL with a combined score of 155.5. Katie Leverick and BISOUS were second with a combined score of 166 and third was Emma Gutstein and JUPITER with a combined score of 158. Ashley Marrin rounded out the top five with GOOD TIMING and a combined score of 151.

IHJA Medal Finals

IHJA Medal Finals made for a fun Sunday at HITS Chicago this week, with Medal Finals for horses, ponies, children, and adults. After a week of warm-up classes, riders came back for the Final on Sunday, giving it their all for their shot at first place.

IHJA Children's Medal Final
1st - Gillian Van Neck
2nd - Emmy Dolin
3rd - Annabella Harold
4th - Emma Gutstein
5th- Riley Malina

IHJA Pony Medal Final
1st - Austin Bauman
2nd - Isabelle Collister
3rd - Jackie Stary
4th - Olivia Galley
5th - Denim Jo Welhouse

IHJA Children's Mini Medal Final
1st - Jorie Cattaneo
2nd - Sydney Joiner
3rd - Caroline Palasz
4th - Taylor Bohac
5th - Emma Lackey

IHJA Adult Mini Medal Final
1st - Lauren Lackey
2nd - Andrea Pileggi
3rd - Kaitlyn Roberts
4th - Felice Hybert
5th - Catharon Miller

IHJA Adult Medal Final
1st - Claire Elizabeth Patterson
2nd - Brooke Kimmons
3rd - Jessica Bertoglio
4th - Adeline Cordin-Blitstein
5th - Sonia Beyer

IHJA Junior Medal Final
1st - Paige Matthies
2nd - Alexis Ortiz
3rd - Aristea Santoro
4th - Celia Bresch
5th - Ellie Scislowski

NCEA Mid-West Junior Medal Finals also took place this week at HITS Chicago, with talented junior riders from all over the mid-west joining us to compete. This final offers a chance for Collegiate Coaches to scout out potential team members and consists of a jumping phase, a flat phase, and a horse swap for the top four riders. Alexis Ortiz and LITTLE PAUL were awarded first place earning a combined score of 337. Ashley Scofield and AUDIENCE OF ONE were second with a combined score of 330. Third place was Georgia Murray and UNDENIABLE. Alivia Kohus and CRISTALLO'S CARLCHEN P received fourth place and Hayley Anderson and LOREDO rounded out the top five.

Paige Matthies took the win in the M&S Junior Medal Finals.

Marshall & Sterling Insurance League Mid-West Finals

The Marshall & Sterling Insurance League is a grassroots organization dedicated to providing competition for up-and-coming Children and Adult Hunter, Jumper and Equitation riders. The league provides an opportunity for riders to compete throughout the year and qualify for the prestigious Marshall & Sterling Insurance League National Finals at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York and the Marshall & Sterling Insurance League Mid-West Finals at HITS Chicago in Crete, Illinois.

$1,000 M&S Children's Hunter Horse Final
1st - Aristea Santoro and CARAMELO DE ROCA NPF
2nd - Kaitlyn Reynolds and CASSANDRO
3rd - Emma Hayes and EXXON'S M EN M
4th - Mia Martin and GAUDIANO
5th - Madison Walker and APARTICO

$500 M&S Novice Children's/Adult Hunter Final
1st - Emily Orth and CASSINI'S CIRCO
2nd - Natalie Bertoglio and CULLEN
3rd - Libby Smith and EYE SPY SUMTHIN BLUE
4th - Amy Martin and CAMIRO Z
5th - Dana Johnston and MACALLAN

$500 M&S Children's Hunter Pony Final
1st - Abygale Green and LASTING IMPRESSION
2nd - Ella Bilton and POP STAR
3rd - Sarah Stary and SUGARBROOK BLUE SASAFRAS

M&S Children's Medal Final - Pony
1st - Abygale Green
2nd - Sarah Stary
3rd - Ella Bilton

Back on Track/Dover Child/Adult Medal Final
1st - Emma Gutstein
2nd - Nina Hugi
3rd - Kaitlyn Reynolds
4th - Emmy Dolin
5th - Mia Martin

M&S Junior Medal Final
1st - Paige Matthies
2nd - Maggie Bresch
3rd - Hailey Johns
4th - Celia Bresch
5th - Ashley Scofield

M&S Junior/Amateur Horsemanship Final
1st - Paige Matthies
2nd - Aristea Santoro
3rd - Alexa McVoy
4th - Erica O'Neil
5th - Claire Stockard

M&S 2'6" Adult Medal Final
1st - Amy Martin
2nd - Catharon Miller
3rd - Andrea Pileggi
4th - Dana Johnston

M&S 2'6" Children's Medal Final
1st - Grace O'Connell
2nd - Brooke Tegtmeyer
3rd - Taylor Bohac
4th - Caroline Palasz
5th - Mackenna Bochnak

$1,000 M&S Modified Children's/Adult Jumper Final
1st - Caroline Cardozza and CORLAND STAR
2nd - Amy Hacker and OLD GRANDAD 114
3rd - Kendall George and S & L DOWNTOWN
4th - Celine Afshari and SAPPHIRE
5th - Miller Elwood and JUNIOR

$1,000 M&S Low Children's/Adult Jumper Final
1st - Charlotte Garrett and CHARLIE TANGO
2nd - Libby Wehling and ROYAL BLUE
3rd - Kate Cornell and ROSSI BIANCI
4th - Alexis Knurowski and FOR CARATS
5th - Erik Canady and BALOU BOY

On Sunday afternoon the Back on Track Grand Circuit Champions were awarded. Congratulations to all who competed and we hope to see you in 2019. The complete list of winners will be posted soon!

HITS Chicago will be back for more prestigious Hunter/Jumper horse shows in 2019! Visit hitsshows.com for more information and to keep up to date on the all the HITS Happenings follow our social media pages.

All photos courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography