The skies parted and the sun shone as the over the Grand Prix ring on the penultimate day of the sixth week of competition at HITS Post Time Farm. The HITS Ocala series spans across ten weeks with all levels of hunter, jumper, and equitation competition available including highlight events such as jumper classics, hunter classics, grand prixs, and varying levels of hunter derby. Against a stacked field of competitors Andre Thieme soared to the top of the $75,000 Purina Animal Nutrition Grand Prix.
Bernardo Costa Cabral (PRI) built another intricate track as 29 combinations geared up to gain entry into the jump off. Twelve contenders advanced onward to the Cabral’s short course but it was an all-male podium in which Thieme led the way. He successfully advanced all three of his mounts into the jump off and put forward another two clear rounds and a four-fault effort, but explained his plan all along was to produce the best effort with his 10-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Periguex), Paule S.
“I was really happy today with all three of my horses,” he detailed. “My chestnut mare, DSP Chakaria, is on her way back so I already knew in the jump off I wouldn’t plan to go fast with her. I knew the first one was the horse to get it done and I took all of the risks I could.”
For Thieme, HITS is the perfect venue to strengthen his string, as he brings along everything from young horses to seasoned mounts returning to work.
“The horse that won here today is a little nervous so I’m very happy for him to have held it together so well today,” Thieme described. “He is just starting to do the grand prixs; the second horse is on her way back from a small injury, and the last horse is pretty new to me. So this is really the perfect place to be with all of them.”
Harold Chopping and the Rein Family LLC’s 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding (Quadros), Quadrant 3, made a valiant effort to take the title but their time of 39.73 seconds wouldn’t rise up to Thieme’s blazing fast 37.11 seconds and the duo settled for the reserve honors. Jonathan McCrea (USA), a winner earlier in the week at HITS Post Time Farm, piloted Windsor Show Stables’ nine-year-old KWPN mare (Kannan), Kannascha, into third on a time of 41.98 seconds.
The $15,000 STX Speed Series leaderboard once again showed Madison Kondracki at the top, now sitting even more comfortably in the lead with a whopping 50.5 total points after her win on Friday with her own 13-year-old KWPN gelding (Clinton), Gold Rush VLV. Jonathan McCrea’s second place finish with Windsor Show Stables’ 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare (Diamant de Semilly), Olily van D’Abelendreef, was enough to boost him into second place on a total of 16 points, while Tracy Fenney held on to the third place position with a total of 12 points.