Cassandra Kahle and Diario on their way to a $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix win. (ESI Photography)
Horses and riders gathered in the newly updated outside course to compete for a prestigious hunter victory, but it was Cassandra Kahle of Langley, British Columbia, who swept the competition in the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix, claiming the top two spots with first- and second-place.
A new approach to the bank in the outside course was added, giving the course some updated flavor as excited riders showed in the ring where the $500,000 Diamond Mills Hunter Prix will take place.
As the top 12 of the thirty-three in the class returned for the second round, Kahle piloted Diario, owned by Great Span, LLC, to the blue ribbon with a first-round score of 87, combined with a second-round score of 88 for the winning total of 175.
She also swooped into second with Nino Nach, owned by Redfield Farm. They earned an 84 in the first round, combined with their second-round score of 87, they claimed the spot with a total of 171.
Third in the ribbons was Michael Desiderio of Chester, New Jersey, and Zero Tolerance, owned by Dru Cederberg. They earned the highest score of the first round with an 88, combined with their second-round score of 81, put them just behind Kahle with a total of 169.
Acton, Massachusetts, equestrian Sarah Tyndall earned fourth-place with Huckleberry Finn, owned by Anne Keesler. They earned a first-round score of 81 and a second-round score of 84 for a total of 165.
The top five rounded out with David Wilbur of Ocala, Florida, and For Ever, owned by Redfield Farm, with scores of 85 and 76 for a total of 161.
Place Horse Owner Rider Prize Rd. 1/2 Total
1 Diario Great Span, LLC Cassandra Kahle $1,500 87/88 175
2 Nino Nach Redfield Farm Cassandra Kahle $1,000 84/87 171
3 Zero Tolerance Dru Cederberg Michael Desiderio $700 88/81 169
4 Huckleberry Finn Anne Keesler Sarah Tyndall $500 81/84 165
5 For Ever Redfield Farm David Wilbur $400 83/79 162
6 Ensor Dennis Sisco Joanne Kovacs $350 85/76 161
7 Capriccio Sheffield Farms, Inc. Melissa Blades $275 80/80 160
8 Super Fun Cell and Kenny Wheeler Cassandra Kahle $275 75/81 156
Kimberly Beattie and Rocky Car on their way to a $1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix win. (ESI Photography)
Forty-one competitors went head-to-head to prove who was the ultimate in finesse and style in the outside course as the first qualifying opportunity at HITS Saugerties for the $250,000 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix took place.
The team to beat was Kimberly Beattie of Mahwah, New Jersey, aboard Rocky Car, owned by RC Eventing. Beattie and her mount earned a first-round score of 79.5, with a dramatic improvement to the highest score in the second round, an 85, to capture the win with a total of 164.5.
Coming in behind Beattie was Franklin Lakes, New Jersey equestrian Ronni Gassib riding Cartani Croft, owned by Kenley Koch. With a score of 83 in the first round, and a 77 in the second, they totaled 160 to take second-place.
Third-place belonged to ICloud, owned and ridden by Gabrielle Fournier of Litchfield, Connecticut. They earned a first-round score of 77.5 and a second-round score of 79.5, totaling 157 for their efforts.
Fourth in the ribbons was Indigo, owned and ridden by Gianna Zanghi of Jackson, New Jersey. They earned scores of 78.5 and 78, respectfully for a total of 156.5, just a half-point behind Fournier.
The top five rounded out with Emma Brown of Matawan, New Jersey, aboard Undercover Genius, owned by Blue Sky Farm, LLC. They received a first-round score of 76.5, combined with a second-round score of 79 for a total of 155.5 for fifth-place.
Kimberly Beattie and Rocky Car winning the $1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix. (ESI Photography)
Place Horse Owner Rider Prize Rd. 1/2 Total
1 Rocky Car RC Eventing Kimberly Beattie $450 79.5/85 164.5
2 Cartani Croft Kenley Koch Ronni Gassib $300 83/77 160
3 ICloud Gabrielle Fournier Gabrielle Fournier $200 77.5/79.5 157
4 Indigo Gianna Zanghi Gianna Zanghi $150 78/79.5 156.5
5 Undercover Genius Blue Sky Farm LLC Emma Brown $125 76.5/79 155.5
6 Bacardi Kristin Fagan Kristin Fagan $100 80/75 155
7 Richtig Elsbeth Battel Leah Posner $100 77/77 154
8 Illuminati Lara Hendrian Lara Hendrian $75 75.25/78.5 153.75