Melissa Rudershausen and Abracadabra (ESI Photography)
Six moved onto the jump-off and Rudershausen had the advantage of going last, when one other rider had been double-clear. She posted a clear round in 51.223 seconds to claim first place. Two rounds earlier, Nicole Bellissimo, riding Bellissimo LLC’s Harley David had posted a clear – but slower – round in a time of 53.831, which earned her second place. Hayley Waters, riding Qurint, owned Chuck and Dana Waters, was fastest in 46.376 but four faults put her at third."
“I touched the clouds a few times today,” said Rudershausen, who added that the course was challenging and the time tight. “You had to be efficient and the timers were a ways away from the last jump so you had to be careful and then gallop away.”
“In the jump-off,” she added, “I planned to do the five strides from one to two but he landed a little shallow and he jumped so high over the oxer that he almost jumped me off. He jumped the next two huge as well then settled in. The door was open with only one clean in the jump-off, so I tried to be a little faster.”
Bellissimo was happy with her ride, saying, “I just wanted to do a nice clear so I rode carefully. My horse jumped great.”
Florencio Hernandez of Mexico City, Mexico, designed the course. The class is a qualifier for the VETERA® XP Vaccines $250,000 Junior/Amateur-owner Jumper Prix at the HITS Championship at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York, in September.
$7,500 U-Dump/SJHOF Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper High Classic, presented by VETERA® XP Vaccines
Place Horse Owner Rider Prize Rd. 1 Faults JO Faults JO Time
1 Abracadabra Melissa Rudershausen Melissa Rudershausen $2,200 0 0 51.223
2 Harley David Bellissimo LLC Nicole Bellissimo $1,550 0 0 53.831
3 Qurint Chuck & Dana Waters Hayley Waters $1,050 0 4 46.376
4 Mastermind KC Van Aarem KC Van Aarem $700 0 4 48.821
5 Orientales Double S Farm, LLC Sima Morgello $600 0 8 44.329
6 Quick Blue Z Abrahamson Equestrian LLC Kady Abrahamson $500 0 8 64.408
7 Via Dolorosa Derek Petersen Jared Petersen $450 4 * *
8 Heads Up 3E Tamara Morse Tamara Morse $450 4 * *