The second of three consecutive weeks of international show jumping action at HITS Hudson Valley resumed bright and early on the morning of Thursday, July 25, 2024. The week is part of the popular Hudson Valley Showjumping® Tour Series that welcomes the best of equestrian sport to the iconic Hudson Valley venue. Fresh off their top placings in the previous week, the USA’s Megan McDermott and Nintendo raced to the front of the pack once again in the day’s highlight event, the $62480 CSI3* Welcome Stake.
In a truly international first-round field, 22 of the 44 total entries managed to navigate a clear jumping and time effort to advance to Ken Krome’s (USA) short course. While two competitors decided to save their mounts for another day, Krome designed a delicate test for the remaining jump-off contenders, which saw faults incurred from ten entries. Ultimately, nine duos posted a double-clear effort, but McDermott and the Counter Balance LLC’s 10-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Nintender x Chacco Blue) proved unbeatable with a time of 40.99 seconds.
“He’s the best horse ever,” enthused McDermott. “I knew I wanted to have the most competitive plan possible that would make sense for this horse. I had a lot of confidence that I could take risks that I maybe wouldn’t do on another horse, but I know he’s going to be there for me.
“I was second to return for the jump-off, so I knew I had to go for it,” she continued. “There was one spot in particular where the three years we’ve had together really came into play, but overall I know he’s really adjustable. It worked out really nicely for us that the jump-off had several big, sweeping turns.”
Always fast across any track, Conor Swail (IRL) raced forward into second place aboard My Lady Lavista. Running just under two seconds slower than McDermott, Swail guided the Cherokee Show Horses Inc’s 10-year-old Holsteiner mare (Mylord Carthago HN x Levisto) to cross the timers in 41.88 seconds. Swail’s fellow Irishman Philip Mcguane rounded out the top three with Evergate Stables LLC’s 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare (Emerald x Epleaser van’t Heike), Orphea HQ, in 42.41 seconds.
Kristen Vanderveen and Bull Run’s Hesed Race To Victory in the $31,020 CSI3* Jumper Classic
The $31,020 CSI3* Jumper Classic debuted the week of FEI action in the Douglas Elliman Grand Prix Stadium as 35 duos darted over Ken Krome’s (USA) speed track. The time to beat got faster and faster until Kristen Vanderveen (USA), known as the speed queen for a reason, closed the door with a quick time of 63.75 seconds on Bull Run’s Hesed.
“I went first and I think that actually worked to my advantage,” explained Vanderveen of her round with Bull Run Jumpers Inc’s 10-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Christian 25 x Lord Z). “I didn’t watch anybody so I just did what I could. It was a unique and different course; we don’t see so many Table C classes with faults converted, and it had some unique turns to encourage us to take a few more risks.”
For Vanderveen, the popularity of the Hudson Valley Showjumping® Tour is an exciting showcase of international competition in the Northeast.
“I think it’s great,” she affirmed. “I had no idea when I decided to come here that it was going to be this busy, but it’s amazing. It’s really worked out incredibly to be able to have this many horses here and still feel like you can get all of your work done and be happy.
“I haven’t been to HITS Hudson Valley since they did all of the improvements,” she added. “I love that they’ve redone all of the rings. We had some rain at the beginning of the week, and it proved to be no problem!”
Hot on Vanderveen’s heels was fellow American Alex Matz. Leaving just over a second of a gap between himself and the winning pair, Matz and 5 Star Partner’s 11-year-old Holsteiner mare (Casalito x Lerano 2), GK Finette, clocked in with a time of 64.89 seconds for second place. The class proved to have an all-American podium as young rider Mimi Gochman rounded out the top three with a phenomenal performance on the Gochman Partners LLC’s 12-year-old KWPN mare (Eldorado vd Zeshoek x Heartbreaker), Halita BH, that saw them stop the clock in 65.38 seconds.
Show jumping action during HITS-on-the-Hudson will heat up as three-star international competition and exciting national classes carry on into the weekend. For full results please visit showmanagementsystem.com.
