Rich Fellers and McGuinness Win $75,000 HITS Grand Prix

Rich Fellers and McGuinness - Winners of the $75,000 HITS Grand Prix ©Lili Weik Photography 2005

Rich Fellers and 10-year-old Irish gelding McGuinness, galloped away with the blue ribbon in Sunday's $75,000 HITS Grand Prix at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York. Twenty-one horses took to the field over the course set by Leopoldo Palacios of Caracas, Venezuela. "It was a typical Leopoldo course...I love his courses," commented Rich Fellers. "Very subtle and makes you question yourself when you walk the course. He very rarely sets a course with a bogey fence or line." Indeed, the subtle tests used by Leopoldo Palacios meant that rails came down all over the course, and only three riders made it through to the jump-off.

Laura Chapot and Little Big Man were the first to attempt the jump-off course. Chapot guided Little Big Man clear in a very fast time of 40.26 seconds.

Rich Fellers who was up next, managed to see Laura Chapot's round. "I had never seen that horse [Little Big Man] in competition before, but I knew he was a fast horse. I chatted with Todd [Minikus] and he said, 'You don't need to worry about me its Laura you need to watch.' When I saw them go they were superfast. The thought came to me, I don't think I can beat that. So I just rode it trying to be as smooth and efficient as possible, and to keep a good pace, tight on the turns and I was really surprised when I saw our time." McGuinness brought Rich Fellers home in 39.61 seconds, over half a second faster than Laura Chapot and Little Big Man.

Todd Minikus followed up on Flier with a time of 39.25 seconds, three tenths of a second faster than Fellers, but a rail down meant he had to settle for third place.

McGuinness is an Irish bred horse owned by Molly and Harry Chapman. "We bought McGuinness in Ireland at the end of his 5-year-old year," said Rich Fellers. "He was very successful in Ireland and was supposedly tried by a lot of top International riders from Europe. He was a small, tough little horse with a difficult streak, and since he hadn’t sold the owners had dropped the price. I just happened to be there at the right time. It didn’t bother me that he was small. [McGuinness is a shade under 16, 1] I had ridden small horses before, and I thought he had enough power. He is one of those smart horses who is consistently improving. I just try to sit up there and not make any big mistakes, and if I don't make any mistakes he does his job."

With Rich Fellers guidance McGuinness did his job, bringing in $22,500 for owners Molly & Harry Chapman.

Other major award winners at the New York Horse & Pony Show included:

$25,000 Open Jumper Challenge - Leslie Howard, Westport, CT riding Youp
HBO Junior Medal - Julianne Kruger, Verona, NJ
Charles Owen Children's Medal (Pony) - Amanda Cordingley, Bohemia, NY
Charles Owen Children's Medal (Horse) - Nicole Privitera, Bohemia, NY
Charles Owen Adult Medal (Section A) - Michael Jones, Middletown, MD
Charles Owen Adult Medal (Section B) - Patricia Lynett, New York, NY
Charles Owen Adult Medal (Section C) - Joan Ehrhart, St Louis, MO
Farnam Adult Hunter Division (18-35) - Winter Castle ridden by Jeanine Zukerman, Huntington, NY
Adequan® Open Hunter Division - True to Your Word ridden by Michelle Grayson, New York, NY

At the end of the seven-week HITS-on-the-Hudson Circuit, the Bayer Legend Leading Hunter Rider and the Bayer Legend Leading Jumper Rider awards will be presented to the riders with the highest points in the standings. Each rider will receive a custom-made leather jacket embroidered with the name of the award (Legend Leading Hunter Rider, or Legend Leading Jumper Rider), the name of the circuit and the HITS and Bayer logos. In the jumper standings Laura Chapot, Neshanic Station, New Jersey is still holding the lead with 138 points. Jennifer Alfano, Buffalo, New York is top in the hunter standings with 201.5 points, a considerable lead over the next placed rider with 151 points, Amanda Steege-Herrera.

Pictured with Rich Fellers and McGuinness are owners Molly & Harry Chapman (center), flanked by HITS staff Allyson Rapp and Ben Kerschberg © Lili Weik Photography 2005