It was a good day at HITS Saugerties for Judy Garofalo Torres and Quattro Queen who won the $100,000 FEI Hudson Valley Jumper Classic. (ESI Photography)
Forty-three of the globe’s top riders took a turn in the round one course designed by Steve Stephens of Palmetto, Florida. The fourteen fences were challenging for many of the competitors, resulting in only six clear trips to move into the jump-off.
David Beisel aboard Call Me Hannes, owned by Harlow Investment Enterprises, started the jump-off strong but upon reaching the fifth fence he had rail for four faults and a time of 39.80. Christine McCrea riding Nektarina B, owned by Windsor Show Stables Inc., followed in the order and like Beisel, started her round smoothly until a rail at the last fence for four faults, but slightly faster, in a time of 38.75.
Odds were in his favor as McLain Ward and his first of two mounts in the jump-off, Retiro, owned by McLain Ward and Susie Heller, entered the ring third in the order. Two rails for eight faults in a time of 37.49 put Ward in the back of the pack, but lucky for him, he was also last in the order with his trusty HH Carlos Z.
The legendary Beezie Madden was next to give the course a go and riding Vanilla, owned by Abigail Wexner, they went through the course with their eye on the prize. She also felt the pain of the last fence, knocking the rail down for four faults and a time of 37.05.
“I got her when she was nine or ten, and she’s 13 now. In the last two years she’s become a real useful horse for me. When you need a horse to do something, we pull Vanilla out,” said Madden of her partner.
Torres and her 11 year old mount were ready to rock when they reentered the ring. They had all the right moves to give the first clear round of the jump-off in a careful time of 40.11.
“I was so happy with how she performed,” said Torres. “She’s a great horse.”
A familiar face appeared and Ward was back as the last entry of the afternoon, on his second horse. The dynamic duo zoomed through the course but again had trouble with the last fence and had a down rail for four faults. With a time of 38.29, Ward and HH Carlos Z became the runner’s up, pushing Madden to third, McCrea to fourth and Beisel to round out the top five.
“Carlos has been everything we could’ve hoped for and more. He’s an incredible campaigner,” said Ward. “He will do any job you ask of him. Once in a while I get in his way and we lose a jump-off. But more often than not, he is a winner.”
Place Horse Owner Rider Prize Round 1 Faults JO Faults JO Time
1 Quattro Queen Juan Torres Judy Garofalo Torres 33000 - - 40.110
2 Vanilla Abigail Wexner Beezie Madden 20000 - 4 37.050
3 HH Carlos Z Double H Farm McLain Ward 15000 - 4 38.290
4 Nektarina B Windsor Show Stables Inc Christine McCrea 10000 - 4 38.750
5 Call Me Hannes Harlow Investment Enterprises, LLC David Beisel 6000 - 4 39.800
6 Retiro McLain Ward/ Susie Heller McLain Ward 4500 - 4 37.490
7 MTM Reve Du Paradis MTM Farm Tracy Fenney 3000 4 -
8 SF Ariantha Robert Castro Andres Rodriguez 2500 4 -
9 Quointreau Un Prince Laura Chapot & McLain Ward Laura Chapot 2000 4 -
10 Martha Louise Susan & Ariel Grange Conor Swail 2000 4 -
11 Arkos Des Roisers Z ARK Partners LLC Roberto Teran 1000 4 -
12 Bonjovi Emanuel Andrade Emanuel Andrade 4 -