Saugerties, NY — Patricia Diamond Hennessy and Little Tom captured the $2,500 Platinum Performance Adult Jumper Classic and the $7,500 Platinum Performance Adult Jumper Classic at the Marshall & Sterling League Finals held at HITS Saugerties’ state-of-the-art equestrian facility in Saugerties, New York on September 14-17.
In the $2,500 Platinum Performance Adult Jumper Classic, Hennessy and Little Tom went 24th out of 33 starters on course designer Jerry Dougherty’s route. Their clear round in 73.640 advanced them to the jump-off that included 15 horses. The jump-off produced ten clear rounds, but Hennessy’s time of 35.169 was good enough to secure the blue-ribbon and a first place prize of $750.
In the $7,500 Platinum Performance Adult Jumper Classic the 11-year-old Irish bred was at it again, as Hennessy’s mount took home the top prize winning $2,250 in prize money. This time the horse/rider combination went ninth in a field of 32 that challenged Dougherty’s first round course. Hennessy’s time of 67.570 catapulted them into a jump-off of 14 horses. Hennessy and Little Tom set the Great American Time to Beat at 34.223 on the third trip of the jump-off round. Their time proved to be fast enough, as they swept the Adult Jumper Division of Marshall & Sterling League Finals.
“My horse has the potential to do well each time he enters the ring,” said Hennessy. “Our main goal was to go double clean because we knew that was the only chance to win. When so many riders go double clean It is usually the luck of the day and I guess I was lucky both days.”
Hennessy has owned Little Tom for three years and 2006 marks the second time she has competed at the Marshall & Sterling League Finals. “Any time you get a chance to ride in the Grand Prix Ring it is a great experience,” she added.
“The event has a very good reputation,” said Platinum Performance President Mark Herthel. “We were glad that we could team with HITS and be a part of it.”
Ten-year-old Michael Hughes just missed sweeping the Children’s Jumper Division of the Marshall & Sterling League Finals. Hughes and I Love Lucy captured the $7,500 Children’s Jumper Classic posting the fastest of five double-clear rounds.
The $7,500 Children’s Jumper Classic certainly saved its best for last as Hughes was 30th out of 31 starters to tackle Dougherty’s course. In the jump-off he took advantage of his last to ride position, as his time of 40.949 shattered the Great American Time to Beat of 42.463 set by Danielle Miranda and Marengo who went fifth in the jump-off.
“My dad made up the strategy in the Finals to go-fight-win,” said Hughes. ” I had so much fun at the Finals but my favorite part was winning it.”
I Love Lucy is a 12-year-old Dutch Breed, owned by Drumnacross Farm LTD. Hughes has only been riding his mount since January. But he has already had great success with the horse winning a Summer Circuit Championship at HITS Saugerties.
Hughes was also a Circuit Champion at the 2006 HITS Ocala Winter Circuit. When the fifth grader is in Ocala, he attends the popular Education Station that allows him to keep up with his school work. Hughes is trained by his father Eamonn.
Miranda and Marengo prevented Hughes from sweeping the Children’s Division when they posted the fastest double-clear round of the $2,500 Children’s Jumper Classic.
Miranda was second to challenge Dougherty’s first round course. She navigated it successfully in 64.243 aboard the 12-year-old Belgium Warmblood. In the jump-off she set the Great American Time to Beat at 34.208 on the first trip of the round. Hughes and I Love Lucy went sixth in the jump-off. But their time of 35.155 was more than a second off of Miranda’s pace, leaving Hughes and I love Lucy in second place.
The 16-year-old finished second behind Hughes and I Love Lucy in the $7,500 Children’s Jumper Classic.
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