CULPEPER, VA (October 4, 2010)--Kate Conover and Rock Steady were the top pair in Saturday's $10,000 Pre-Green Hunter Classic during the Culpeper Finals at HITS Commonwealth Park in Culpeper, Virginia.

Rock Steady is 10 years old and was imported from Europe by Emil Spadone in July. Since coming into the country, the horse has certainly lived up to his name in the show ring, and he put the icing on the cake with a win in Saturday's feature class for hunter riders.

"He is so much fun to ride," said Conover. "He is so brave and I am thankful that Emil has given me a chance to ride such an amazing horse."

"Rock Steady is shaping up to be a fancy horse," added Spadone.

Conover and Rock Steady took the early lead in the Classic after they scored an 86 in the first round which was the highest mark out of the 15 horse-and-rider combinations that challenged the course set by Rian Beals. In the second round the top 12 came back, and the pair scored an 83 from judge Joe Dotoli as they went on to secure the blue ribbon and $3,000 in first-place prize money. Conover was also fourth aboard Redfield Farm's Triton Z.

Second-place honors went to HITS Culpeper veteran Winn Alden and Whitney Carmouche's Catalyst, while the yellow ribbon went to Katherine Thompson and Anne Lindblad's High Fidelity.

Although Alden didn't take top honors, the HITS Culpeper veteran had a very successful showing in the Classic riding three horses to ribbons as she was also fifth aboard Sharon Cannon's A'Lexie and eighth aboard Magalen Bryant's Duda Slew.

"I had some nice, young horses to ride," said Alden. "Rock Steady might just be the best Pre-Green in the country, so I was glad to take second place with him and to have a total of three in the top eight."

Earlier in the week Alden and Catalyst got the best of the Pre-Green Hunters when they were named division Champion in the Pre-Green Hunter High. Alden also had success in the First Year Green Hunters and was named Champion aboard Pam Baker's Stonewall and Reserve Champion riding Hannah Speigler's Celebration.

Another star in the hunter ring was Hannah Goodson-Cutt, who came all the way from Southern California to take Champion honors in the Adequan Hunter aboard her own Caretano. Under the watchful eye of trainer Kate Considine, Goodson-Cutt was also Champion in the Small Junior Hunter riding her own Caretano, and in the Large Junior Hunter 16-17 was Champion aboard Superman and Reserve Champion riding Leroy Brown.

For complete results from the Culpeper Finals and the $10,000 Pre-Green Hunter Classic, click here.

The Culpeper Finals was the conclusion of a successful 2010 HITS show season, marking the end of 35 weeks of competition held nationwide at HITS shows in Thermal, California; Tucson, Arizona; Ocala, Florida; Saugerties, New York, and of course Culpeper, Virginia. While HITS starts to look ahead to the 2011 season and the upcoming winter show season, it has already outlined some plans for the 2011 HITS Culpeper show season, which includes new footing in the Grand Prix arena and five $1 Million Grand Prix Qualifiers.

The HITS 2011 winter show season kicks-off with the HITS Ocala Winter Circuit on January 19 and runs through March 20. On the west coast, the HITS Desert Circuit in Thermal, California will take place January 25, through March 13, while the HITS Arizona Winter Circuit will run six consecutive weeks from February 2, through March 13.
All HITS Winter Circuit Prize Lists will be available by mid-to-late October. To request a prize list, please visit HitsShows.com or click here.


HITS, Inc. produces high-quality, international-level hunter/jumper horse shows. Based in upstate New York in the village of Saugerties, HITS has been producing shows since 1982 and is now a nationwide company with world-class circuits in California, Florida, Arizona, New York and Virginia. In 2010, HITS took the industry to new heights when it hosted the first-ever Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix on September 12, in Saugerties, New York.

For more information and a complete schedule of classes and events, visit www.HitsShows.com.

Media should contact the HITS Media Team at 845.246.8833 or e-mail [email protected].