Lacy Morrone-Cramer Wins the $50,000 HITS Grand Prix at HITS Saugerties
RELEASE: September 10, 2009
AUTHOR/ADMINISTRATOR: By Chris Mayone
Lacy Morrone-Cramer rode Ulysses Van De Krekebeke to the fastest double-clear effort in Sunday's $50,000 HITS Grand Prix to conclude the HITS-on-the-Hudson VIII horse show at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, NY. Course Designer Jerry Dougherty trimmed a field of 28 horse-and-rider pairs to eight that moved into the jump-off round. In the end, it would be Morrone-Cramer and Ulysses Van De Krekebeke grabbing $15,000 in first-place prize money.
Morrone-Cramer and Ulysses Van De Krekebeke had been knocking on the door all season at HITS Saugerties as they were second in the $50,000 HITS Grand Prix during HITS-on-the-Hudson I and won a ribbon in the $125,000 Strongid C2X Grand Prix during HITS-on-the-Hudson VI. On Sunday, they made the dash for the cash in 40.407 seconds to take the pair to the victory gallop in the final grand prix of the season at HITS-on-the-Hudson.
"When she was walking the course Lacy told me how much she liked it," said Dougherty. "There is something to be said for that. It just clicked today for her."
"The course was a perfect fit for me," said Morrone-Cramer. "There were lots of opportunities to turn and gallop and that's a great fit for my horse."
"This is the first year for me showing him in the grand prix classes," she continued. "He is so brave and so careful and I am glad we were able to get our first grand prix victory together today."
Taking the red ribbon in Sunday's feature class was Laura Chapot and her horse Chili Pepper. The third award went out to 15-year old Katie Dinan and her mount Couletto K James. Dinan, who won a the $10,000 United States Hunter Jumper Association/
Chronicle of the Horse International Hunter Derby at HITS-on-the-Hudson VI, had a tremendous afternoon in the Hudson Valley. She started her day winning the $5,000 Junior/Amateur Jumper Low Classic and took second in the $10,000 Junior/Amateur Owner Jumper High Classic before her impressive outing in the grand prix.
"The best thing about Katie is that she is a straight A student," said trainer Steve Weiss. "She's not skipping school to ride. She goes to school full-time and rides full-time. She is an extremely dedicated kid."
According to Weiss, Dinan is extremely excited about the $1 Million United States Grand Prix League Grand Prix that will take place on September 12, 2010 at HITS-on-the-Hudson and plans to show for several weeks at HITS Ocala and HITS Saugerties to prepare for the unprecedented class.
Show jumping at HITS-on-the-Hudson continues with the 2009 Marshall & Sterling League National Finals from September 10-13. All of the classes at the National Finals will be held in HITS' Majestic Grand Prix ring that is set at the foothills of the Catskill Mountains.
Highlighting the extended weekend is the Marshall & Sterling League Finals Party and Awards Dinner on Friday, September 11, featuring the presentation of the Essex Classics Year-End High Point Awards to the top-10 riders in each division based on the Marshall & Sterling National Point Standings.
On Saturday night, there will be a special Merry-Go-Round Gala and Auction at the show grounds where 46 fiberglass carousel horses from the Hors'n Around Saugerties Exhibit will be up for bid. Each horse is decorated by an artist in themes reflecting the Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial, and they will be on display around the Village of Saugerties from May through September.
For additional information, e-mail
Patti@HitsShows.com or visit the Marshall & Sterling League's website at
www.HitsShows.com/marshallsterling.
During the year, riders from coast to coast compete at more than 1,100 Marshall & Sterling League member horse shows to earn points for a place at the National Finals. Since its inception in 1991, the Marshall & Sterling Leag