SAUGERTIES, N.Y.--Scott Keach won the #100,000 Hits Grand Prix on Sunday, Sept. 3 after Laura Chapot had won the $25,000 HITS Grand Prix on Friday, and each finished third in the other grand prix on Sept. 1 and 3 at HITS-on-the-Hudson VII.
Scott Keach on Noble De La Capelle (Photo by ESI Photograpy)On Sunday, 25 competed over the course set by Ana Catalina “Catsy” Cruz, and Australia’s Keach on Noble De La Chapelle, one of only four to go clean in the first round, won the class as one of only two clean in the jump-off.
“We bought Noble De La Chapelle as a 6-year-old,” said Keach. “I’ve been riding him for a few years. He’s by For Pleasure, and they're notorious for maturing a bit later. He's 10 now, and this is the year he’s really started to work stuff out. Everything seems to be going according to standard for a For Pleasure son at the moment.”
Keach was the first to go in the jump-off.
“I kind of rode according to plan, which was ‘try and be quick,’” said Keach. “When you're first to go with three more following, you’ve got to try and be quick enough, put pressure on without taking too many chances, and just hope that’s good enough.”
Keach on Noble De La Chapelle, wit a clean round, set the time to beat in the jump-off at 39.141 seconds.
Lorcan Gallagher on Copycat went next, and also was clean but in a slower time of 44.482 seconds, which eventually held up for second.
Ashley March on Magic Hoop was faster, finishing in 42.585, but had two rails down which ultimately placed her fourth.
CHAPOT on Chandon Blue was the last to go in the jump-off.
Laura Chapot on Diarados Flying Dutchman (Photo by ESI Photography)Halfway through the course, Chapot looked like she was going to win it all, but a late rail down placed her third, the fastest of the two with four faults with a time of 38.685 seconds.
“I’ve always liked the grand prix classes here, but these improvements completely changed the quality of the show,” said Keach. “I think this is excellent. I’ve known what was going on because Sharn and Craig of Wordley Martin are good friends of mine. The footing is spot-on, and they're maintaining it really well, and I think it was perfect for jumping on today. I know with more improvements, this show is going to look really good. A lot of people are going to enjoy it!”
In the Friday Grand Prix, 35 competed in the $25,000 HITS Open Prix, won by Chapot on Diarado’s Flying Dutchman.
Following a few weeks off from competition, Chapot was excited to return to the showgrounds at HITS Saugerties.
“Diarado’s Flying Dutchman does well when we’re in a place where he can go do trail rides and see other things,” said Chapot. “He knows his job when he is in the ring, so outside of it he tries to settle so he can have a little time off to think and be a real horse.”
Fourteen were in the jump-off, where Chapot on Chandon Blue went first, but she had a rail down at fence 16, eventually finishing eighth as the fastest four faulters, finishing in 38.455 seconds.
“My first one Chandon Blue just got going a little bit too fast,” said Chapot. “Then I turned around too much at that turn after fence 16. Chandon Blue ended up having the fastest time I think of the whole class. So with Diarado’s Flying Dutchman, it is a bit of a different ride, but I definitely took another step at the same turn just to make sure he was straight and paying attention and thinking really well at that next-to-last fence.”
There were a few clear performances before Chapot on Diarado’s Flying Dutchman, but, when she went, Chapot set the unbeatable time of 39.258, which won the class.
The second and third placed riders followed shortly after Chapot, with McKayla Langmeier on Carlita finishing in 40.207 seconds, looking good enough for second place until the last rider of the day, Keach, came in with his third and final ride on Wild Thing.
Keach beat Langmeier’s time by one-fourth of a second, finishing in 40.182 seconds.
“The footing has been amazing here,” said Chapot. “We’re so grateful that HITS has taken the time and effort to put this kind of footing in. To be able to come to a show like this and know that you're going to be able to show no matter what is a really great thing. It helps us with our customers, it helps us with our horses and helps us to make plans. HITS is definitely a place to come!”
Saugerties, N.Y. – Sept. 3, 2023 –
