Saugerties, NY—Addison Phillips of New York, NY, rode Mirasol to the grand championship at the 2007 USEF National Junior Hunter Championships-East Coast presented by Stacey and Tom Siebel on Wednesday, August 8, at HITS Saugerties.

"I am very happy with the maturity my horse showed throughout the competition," said Phillips. "He's a young horse, so I was really happy for him to have a big win. Plus, he needed the points for indoors, so that made it all the better."

The annual competition is designed to encourage and promote the basic training and development of junior hunters. Divided into four sections, the Finals feature competition for Small Juniors 15 and Under, Large Juniors 15 and Under, Small Juniors 16-17 and Large Juniors 16-17. The Finals have been held at HITS' state-of-the-art equestrian facility in Saugerties, NY, for the past three years. All competition was held in the grand prix stadium or the main hunter stadium, the two feature rings of the property.

Competing in the Small Juniors 16-17 division aboard Mirasol, Phillips received an overall score of 85.63 for all three phases over the two days of competition to secure the victory. Phillips, who will enter her freshman year at Harvard in the fall, celebrated her 18th birthday at HITS Saugerties on June 14. She came ever so close to winning the $75,000 Footings Unlimited Grand Prix that day, but she was edged out by Olympian Todd Minikus. In 2006 at HITS Saugerties, Phillips captured the blue ribbon in the $75,000 In the Woods Log Homes Grand Prix aboard Trezebees. Phillips is trained by Andre Dignelli of Heritage Farm. Dignelli also trains Maggie McAlary, who won the Hunterdon Cup on Tuesday at HITS Saugerties.

Phillips is showing at the NY Horse & Pony Show at HITS Saugerties this week. She will take her best shot for a repeat of winning the top prize in the $75,000 In the Woods Log Homes Grand Prix on Sunday, August 12.

Grace Socha of Glenville, NY, received an overall score of 85.38 to capture the Large Juniors 16-17 division en route to being named the overall reserve champion aboard Harbor Isle.

In the Small Juniors 15 and Under division, Taylor Ann Adams secured the victory with an overall score of 84 aboard Lyle. While in the Large Juniors 15 and Under division, Laura King-Kaplan and North Country were victorious.