David Beisel and Ammeretto jump their way to a win in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis at HITS Ocala (ESI Photography)

Ocala, Fla. - Grand prix on-lookers let out a roar at the HITS Ocala Tournament as professional rider David Beisel of Goshen, Ohio rode the speedster stallion Ammeretto to a second straight win after last Sunday’s $50,000 Strongid® C 2X™ Grand Prix. With a flying finish over the last oxer, they were through the timers to best the field by more than two seconds in the jump-off of the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, for owners, Dale and Barbara Neilson’s Equine Holdings, LLC.

The course, designed by Manuel Esparza of Mexico City, Mexico, challenged nineteen riders with open gallops, a liverpool, big oxers, rollbacks and a vertical-oxer-vertical triple combination. Many fell victim to both the clock and jumping efforts in the first round with the triple combination and the large oxer at fence twelve, the last fence of the course, proving to be the most troublesome.

“In the first round, Ammeretto was a little fresh. I tried to steady him and be careful, but he had a lot of rubs,” stated Beisel “This course offered a lot of gallop, as well as some places where you had to slow up, Ammeretto understands the gallop part, but the slow-down, not so much.”

There were only six qualified to return to jump off, but the field was stacked with several riders who have already pocketed grand prix wins this circuit. Lisa Goldman of Hawthorn Woods, Illinois and the big chestnut Centurion B, owned by Mary Goldman was the first to go, setting the Great American Time to Beat at a very fast 42.15 seconds. This time would hold until Ammeretto took the stage as the last horse to jump. 

Following Goldman was VDL Zedaldine with Amanda Flint of Long Valley, New Jersey in the irons for the Coverboy Group. They went clean in a time of 48.60 seconds for a fourth-place ribbon. Melissa Rudershausen of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania riding her own Gunner took fifth place with no faults and a time of 43.54 seconds. With many ribbon placings this circuit, Jared Petersen of Archer, Florida aboard Derek Petersen’s Titus 2:11 went clean with a time of 45.42 seconds to finish third.

But last to go, and taking aim at qualifying in a top spot for the Great American $1 Million Grand Prix on March 24, David Beisel, in the irons of the feisty Ammeretto entered the ring. Characterized as the ‘little horse with the big motor’, Ammeretto carried Beisel in an all-out effort with a clean round and blazing time of 40.16 seconds to best the field.

“I decided to let him roll in the jump-off. I just stayed balanced and went with him and he was wonderful,” admitted Beisel. “I’d like to thank my wife, family and sponsors, including CWD, for all their support.”