Saugerties, New York, USA – June 03, 2024 – Competition during Hits-on-the-Hudson II at HITS Hudson Valley in Saugerties, New York, came to a close on Sunday, June 2, with the $24,500 Horseflight Jumper Classic. Thirty-two horse-and-rider combinations aimed for the top prize, but it was Diego Perez Bilbao (ESP) and Mystic Lindenhof that finished victoriously.
Mystic Lindenhof has been Perez Bilbao’s part-time mount for two years. The Spanish athlete shares the ride with U.S. amateur Catherine Kubiak, and together they have competed the 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion owned by Over Fences Farm LLC in a variety of classes, including the high amateur jumpers, two-star grands prix, as well as national grands prix.
“For a stallion, he’s a really nice horse to flat every day, and to be around him, he’s calm and he’s quiet,” described Perez Bilbao. “He’s a little bit lazy, but he has a big stride and he’s not afraid to turn short to the jumps. Once he gets in the ring, he’s a good fighter.”
Perez Bilbao’s clear first round came toward the end of the class,and with 11 other duos contesting the short course, he knew he would have to put the pedal to the metal to come out on top. The pair raced around the jump-off track, ending with a time of 41.010 seconds, just a fraction of a second in front of second place.
“I liked the course,” said Perez Bilbao of the first round. “It wasn’t too big, but the time allowed was short. The in-and-out with the plank plus the liverpool and the last double combination made it tricky, so we saw people make errors around the whole course. I don’t think I was the fastest in the jump-off today, but I tried to leave out strides everywhere I could.”
Just behind Perez Bilbao was U.S. rider Gracie Allen (USA) and her own Picante ‘ter Elzen’, an eight-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare (Elvaro x Quattro B). The pair held the lead for almost the entirety of the class withtheir time of 41.401 seconds but were just pipped at the end by Perez Bilbao.
Third place was claimed by Alexa Pessoa (USA) and Carlito’s Way 6, a 14-year-old Holsteiner gelding (Casall x Lordanos) owned by Artemis Equestrian Farm LLC, in a time of 42.324 seconds.
Competition at HITS Hudson Valley resumes on Wednesday, June 5, for the third week of the HITS-on-the-Hudson series.
Final Results – $24,500 Horseflight Jumper Classic
1) Diego Perez Bilbao (ESP) & Mystic Lindenhof – 0 / 0 – 41.010
2) Gracie Allen (USA) & Picante Ter Elzen – 0 / 0 – 41.401
3) Alexa Pessoa (USA) & Carlito’s Way 6 – 0 / 0 – 42.324
Source: Press Release from Hits Horse Shows
Photos: © Hits Horse Shows / ESI Photography
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Categories: CSN
