SAUGERTIES, NY (July 20, 2025)—Jeffery Welles rode Armani to win Thursday’s $25,000 HITS Grand Prix at HITS Saugerties during week IV of HITS Saugerties’ Summer Circuit. He negotiated the fastest double-clear round on Olaf Petersen, Jr.’s course.
Ten horses out of 29 starters advanced to the jump-off, with Welles stopping the clocks in the jump-off at 40.279 to secure the blue-ribbon. The first grand prix on HITS’ Summer Circuit was twice as nice for Welles, as he also took home the yellow-ribbon aboard Sampras. Welles and Armani edged out Darrah Kerins and Hot Wheels on the rounds last trip when he beat his jump-off time of 42.034, pushing Kerins into second place and making the first Grand Prix class on the HITS Saugerties Summer Circuit one to remember.
“Anytime you can win on the last trip you know it was an exciting class,” said Welles, who won $10,750 in total prize money. “It was a great way to start the summer here in Saugerties. Today we had perfect weather at a world-class facility. I couldn’t have asked for a better way to start my summer.”
“When you lose, of couse you get disapoinbted,” said Kerins. “But I respect Jeffery. He really went for it at the end. He deserved to win. I am very happy with my horse, so I can walk away knowing that we’re going to have a great run in Saugerties.”
First to go in the jump-off were Laura Chapot and Samantha. The horse/rider combination dropped three rails leaving them in 10th place.Henrik Gundersen and Complete were next, and he was the first to navigate the course clean setting the Great American Time to Beat at 43.364. Addison Phillips’ four-fault effort aboard Trezebees kept Gundersen in the lead. But it looked like the time would fall on the next trip, when Molloy Ashe and Cocu appeared as if they were on their way to the top spot.However, heartbreak at the final rail runied their chances. Her time of 42.216 would have been good enough to push Gundersen out of the lead.
Welles and Sampras were next and took over the lead, stopping the clocks almost two seconds faster than Gundersen.Margie Engle and Hidden Creek’s Quervo Gold had the last of five double-clear rounds, but her time of 47.293 landed her in fifth place. Callan Solem and Mianta and Kevin Babington and Carling King and each had four-fault scores, finishing seventh and eighth respectively.
Welles earned some valuable points with the win as every grand prix at all HITS horse shows, including HITS Saugerties and HITS Culpeper is a qualifier for the United States Grand Prix League Finals. The finals for the league will be held in Culpeper on October 1, where $100,000 in prize money will be on the line. The event is limited to the top 30 United States Grand Prix League horse/rider combinations.
Show Jumping at HITS Saugerties continues Wednesday through Sunday with competitions in up to 10 show rings. Week IV culminates with the $75,000 RV Sales of Broward Grand Prix on July 23, presented by In The Woods Log Homes. For more information please, call 845.246.8833 during the week and 845.246.8833 on weekends or visit the HITS website www.HitsShows.com.
1 ARMANI JEFFERY WELLES KIMMEL YEAGR EQUINE LLC / TRITON VENTURES FARM
2 HOT WHEELS DARRAGH KERINS MIRANDA FISCHER
3 SAMPRAS JEFFERY WELLES ABIGAIL WEXNER
4 COMPLETE HENRIK GUNDERSEN THE RIDGE FARM LLC
5 HIDDEN CREEK’S QUERVO GOLD MARGIE ENGLE HIDDEN CREEK FARM INC
6 COCU MOLLY ASHE JANE F CLARK
7 MIANTA CALLAN SOLEM QUIET WINTER FARM / REDFIELD FARM
8 CARLING KING KEVIN BABINGTON KINDLE HILL FARM
9 TREZEBEES ADDISON PHILLIPS ADDISON PHILLIPS
10 SAMANTHA LAURA CHAPOT SUNDANCE GROUP
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