Tracy Magness and Tracy Fenney Capture Last Week's and This Week's $25,000 Ariat Grand Prix at HITS Ocala
RELEASE: February 22, 2008
AUTHOR/ADMINISTRATOR: By Chris Mayone
Tracy Magness and her trusty mount Tarco Van Ter Moude picked up right where they left off last season at HITS Ocala when the pair negotiated the fastest double-clear round on course designer Kenny Krome's route to secure the top prize in February 14th's $25,000 Ariat Grand Prix to kick off the Ocala Winter Classic at HITS Post Time Farm.
Magness and Tarco Van Ter Moude captured three grand prix classes during the 2007 HITS Ocala Winter Circuit. She collected $47,000 in prize money for Mr. and Mrs. John Bartko en route to being named the leading grand prix rider on last year's circuit.
Tarco Van Ter Moude is 11-years-old and in Thursday's feature class Magness and her mount outlasted 29 combinations in the first round and five in the jump-off to win $7,500 in prize money.
Starting things off in the jump-off were Laura Linback and her mount Asdi Villagana. The pair navigated a clear round and stopped the clocks in 38.80 to set the Great American Time to Beat. That time would be good enough for second place and $5,500 in prize money for Woodrun Farm.
Next to go in the jump-off were Paul Halpern and his mount Rolls Royce. The pair had an unlucky rail down midway through the round and had to settle for fourth place. Third to go was Mike McCormick who rode MTM Remington for MTM Farm. The pair had eight faults and finished in fifth place.
Magness and her mount Tarco Van Ter Moude were fourth to go in the jump-off and the pair stopped the clocks in a blazing fast 36.40 to take the lead by more than two seconds.
Finally, sitting in the enviable last-to-ride spot were Tracy Fenney and her mount S&L Willie.The pair navigated the course without dropping any rails, but they stopped the clocks in 39.64, and that was only good enough for third place. Fenney also had the ride from MTM Farm and collected $3,250 in prize money.
With the victory, Magness earned some valuable points for the United States Grand Prix League (USGPL) standings. This means that she increased her chances of being on the list of the riders who will be invited to participate in the $100,000 USGPL Invitational Grand Prix at HITS Culpeper in late September. The top 30 riders in the Marshall & Sterling League National Standings (based on money won by the horse/rider combination) will qualify to participate in the Invitational. In addition, one Wild Card slot will be allotted. The rider may elect to ride any horse of his or her choice, but may ride only one horse in the Invitational.
There is hot and then there is Texas' Tracy Fenney. Fenney has broken the thermometer in Central Florida as she once again captured both the blue and red ribbons in February 21st's $25,000 Ariat Grand Prix to jumpstart another exciting weekend of show jumping at HITS Ocala.
Fenney and her mount, Grace, had the fastest double-clear round on course designer Leopoldo Palacios' track. The pair got the best of 36 starters in the first round and three combinations in the jump-off to secure $7,500 in first-place prize money for Hidden Lakes Farm. Fenney also collected $7,000 in prize money for MTM Farm thanks to a second-place finish aboard S&L Wlllie and a fifth-place finish aboard MTM Centano.
In the $50,000 EMO Grand Prix, presented by Waldorf-Astoria Collection, on February 17, she also finished in first and second place. Fenney, who is a regular exhibitor at HITS Culpeper, is making her first trip back to HITS Ocala since 2003 when she won the first four grand prix classes. So far at the 2008 HITS Ocala Winter Circuit, she has collected over $47,000 in prize money and seems to be on pace to duplicate, if not surpass, her 2003 season.
"That's an incredible amount of prize money," said Fenney, who brought almost 30 horses with her from Texas. "We take it when we can get it and are just going to keep plugging along. With seven grand prix classes remaining, there are plenty of chances left to wi