Ellen Toon, an amateur rider from South Salem, New York, and her own Invincible proved their might when they wowed the judges and received a first-round score of 94. When they returned on Sunday for the second round, they had another beautiful trip, receiving a score of 88 to take the win with a total score of 182.
This weekend’s Devoucoux Hunter Prix was one of four remaining qualifiers that will be held this summer at HITS Saugerties and Culpeper before the long-awaited Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final takes center stage the weekend of September 10-11 in Saugerties, New York. This weekend's class produced six more eligible riders for the Diamond Mills Rider Rankings, including Toon, who picked up her fifth qualifying class and is now sitting pretty in first place in the current Rider Rankings.
"You can't deny the popularity of this class," said Toon. "I am so glad that I could be a part of it and win my third one of the year.”
Toon has won the Devoucoux Hunter Prix three times this year at HITS, including a win at HITS-on-the-Hudson I and at HITS Ocala V, when she and Invincible beat out 70 other starters.
"I have had [Invincible] for several years and we have had a lot of success showing in the Amateurs – he is a true Hunter!" said Toon. “These classes have been really fun to do and I can't wait to see what September will bring!"
Also rising to the top in this weekend’s Devoucoux Hunter Prix was professional rider David Oliynyk. With a total score of 181, he took second-place honors aboard Katherine Conlon's Coco Chanel and picked up his fourth qualifying Devoucoux Hunter Prix. With just one class remaining before his 175 points puts him officially on the list to show in the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final, Oliynyk is determined to make the cut.
"It's a competitive class, but it’s also a lot of fun," said Oliynyk. "Since juniors, amateurs and professionals are all competing on a level playing field, it makes it interesting in the barn." Oliynyk had several students showing in the class as well, including Elizabeth Kenny who finished ninth.
Also excelling in the Devoucoux class was Meghan Kaupp, who scored 178 to place third aboard her own Mandella. Top junior rider Schaefer Raposa was fourth aboard David Raposa’s Lucky Times, and professional rider Katie Milton took the fifth place ribbon aboard Hero Stevenson's Clever Z.
“The response to this class and the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final is just what we hoped to see this year,” said Tom Struzzieri, HITS President & CEO. “This class has created a renewed energy for hunters and provided an opportunity for a larger group of equestrians to compete and participate in something truly special. As we near the end of the qualifying season, we expect to see that momentum and excitement continue to build and pave the way for a spectacular Final, come September.”
The next big news relating to the Diamond Mills Hunter Prix Final could come early this week at the conclusion of the USEF National Junior Hunter Championships - East Coast taking place August 1-3 at HITS-on-the-Hudson. HITS will award the Champion rider from each of the four sections of the Junior Hunter Finals a Wild Card berth for the inaugural Diamond Mills Hunter Prix Final, which has created a lot of energy and excitement for this year’s Championships.
Show jumping at HITS-on-the-Hudson will resume on Wednesday, August 3 with the third and final week of the summer series. On Saturday, August 6 the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix will be the featured class for Hunters and is expected to draw another large starting field and produce several more eligible riders for the Diamond Mills Hunter Prix Final Rider Rankings, as several riders will look to pick up their fifth qualifying class of the season.
After Saugerties, all eyes will turn to HITS Culpeper where two consecutive weeks of show jumping will offer another two qualifying Devoucoux Hunter Prix before the action returns to New York for HITS-on-the-Hudson VII where the final $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix qualifier will take place on Saturday, September 3.