Ocala, Florida, USA – February 16, 2020 – A great crowd turned out for the $200,000 Ocala Electric Utility Grand Prix, and a thrilling 9-horse jump-off did not disappoint. Tracy Fenney (USA) hoped to make it two-for-two in the week and three straight Grand Prix wins in a  row aboard MTM Apple, but it would be Kristen Vanderveen (USA) and her long-time partner, Bull Run’s Faustino de Tili, to take the blue.

After three second place finishes in the Sunday Grand Prix, during Weeks I, II and III, VanderVeen was itching for the win, and she got it in one of the most hotly contested Grands Prix of the Ocala Winter Circuit.

With a little luck from fence one to two, the naturally fast American and her highly-acclaimed 15-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion (Berlin x Darco) soared through the timers in 40.451 to take home the lion’s share of the prize money in the featured class at the half-way point of the circuit.

Tracy Fenney (USA) & MTM Apple

Tracy Fenney (USA) and MTM Apple (Favorit Ask x Willemoes) came very close to a fourth Grand Prix victory in a row, but this time having to settle for runner-up honors due to her jump-off time of  40.816 seconds.

Andre Thieme (GER) & Cellisto

A frequent winner competing in events organized by Hits Horse Shows, Andre Thieme (GER) and Cellisto (Celestrial x Calypso II) rounded out the top three after stopping the timers in 41.916 during the tiebreaker.

Kristen Vanderveen (USA) & Bull Run’s Faustino de Tili during the awards ceremony

Top notch hunter competition continues at the Hits Ocala Winter Circuit with qualifiers for the HITS Championship that takes place annually in Saugerties, New York. HITS is proud to host some of the riches hunter classes in the world including the Diamond Mills and Platinum Performance Hunter Prix Finals, as well as some of the richest USHJA International Hunter Derbies across the nation.

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Source: Edite press from Hits Horse Shows

Photos: © ESI Photography