Amanda Starbuck rode Stepping Stone Farm’s Rio Bronco to a second-place finish after posting a total score of 167.5. Starbuck, of Ridgefield, Connecticut, is a veteran of the Devoucoux Derby classes. The professional rider also rode Rio Bronco to the blue in the Devoucoux Derby at the Old Salem Charity Horse Show.

Thanks to a second-round high score of 86 (164 total) junior Maria Paglieri, of Clinton, New Jersey, rode her own Snap Decision to a yellow ribbon in the class. Sarah Lane, of Leesburg, Virginia who won the Devoucoux Derby at HITS Culpeper in April, piloted Shoal Creek Stables’ Kenya to a fourth-place effort and junior Kelsey Hart, of East Greenbush, New York, was fifth in the irons of her own Agostino.

Hart, who will attend Louisville University this fall, adds the fifth-place finish to her already impressive Derby resume that includes a pair of wins at HITS Saugerties this spring.

Hart rides under the flag of trainers Monty Kelly, Amy Momrow and Shaine Brooks at Albany, New York’s Stepping Stone Farm.

In the winners’ circle this week Hart was joined by trainer Momrow, who rode Deborah Brennor’s mare Star Quest Serenade to the weekly championship in both the First Year Green Hunters and Regular Working Hunters to highlight the rated competition.

In the Pre-Green Hunters, Momrow continued to dominate when she won all four over-fences classes, as well as the under saddle riding Monty Kelly’s Wolfgang on the way to the championship. It was the third championship in the Pre-Green Hunter’s so far this season at HITS Saugerties which puts the pair well on their way to securing a Smartpak Circuit Championship that will be awarded on Sunday, September 12 prior to the Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix.

“He has a lot of fans,” said Kelly, of Wolfgang. “Every time he goes in the ring there is a big crowd of people, even a lot of total strangers. He has a face to die for.”

This spring and summer the all-new Devoucoux Hunter Derby is a featured event at both HITS Saugerties and HITS Culpeper and represents the 13th division to count for points in the Marshall & Sterling League. The Devoucoux Derby Finals will be offered at the 2010 Marshall & Sterling League National Finals on September 16-19 in Saugerties, New York.

Competition at HITS Saugerties continues with the New York Horse and Pony Show this week and features a full slate of classes including another $10,000 Devoucoux Hunter Derby on Saturday afternoon. High-Performance Riders get two more chances to earn valuable prize money towards the Pfizer Million when the $25,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, takes place on Friday and the mega $125,000 Strongid® C 2X Grand Prix rolls into town on Sunday.

Media should contact the HITS Media Team at 845.246.8833 or e-mail Media_Info@HitsShows.com.

© ESI Photography.
David Oliynyk is congratulated after capturing the top prize in the $10,000 Devoucoux Hunter Derby.