OCALA, Fla.--Andre Thieme, German Olympic veteran, on Paule S won the $75,000 Grand Prix over 24 competitors at HITS  on Saturday morning, March 9.

Andre Thieme on Paule S  The starting field included past winners Aaron Vale, Hunter Holloway and Tracy Fenney, with nine of 24 going clean over Oscar Soberon’s course to advance to the jump-off.

Thieme was clean on both of his mounts and in the jump-off he was clean on Chacco Hearts in 40.96 seconds, but he had been two seconds faster on his first horse, Paule S, who was clean in 38.63 seconds.

“When I walked the course, it looked perfect and I knew it wouldn’t be too easy but also not too difficult,” Thieme said. “I was really happy with my horses. I knew that with Paule going first in the jump off, I could really go for it and set a statement because I had another horse after him. Then I was a little bit more conservative with my second horse because I knew I couldn’t be faster than I was with Paule. Still we ended up first and third so it worked out pretty good!”

Francois LaMontagne of Canada was second, clean in 40.20 seconds on Chanel Du Calvaire.

LaMontagne had won the previous week’s $75,000 Grand Prix.

 

ON SUNDAY, Morgan Ward on Jiran R won the $24,500 Jumper Classic.

Ward was last to go of the 14 that had qualified for the jump-off from the starting field of 34.

Eight were clean again in the jump-off.

Hunter Holloway on Kalina N was clean in 40.47 and led until the very last to go, when Ward shaved four one-hundreths of a second from Holloway’s time to win in 40.42 seconds.

“I honestly didn't know if I would catch up to her,” Ward said, “But my horse is so fast-footed and doesn't spend too much time in the air, so my plan was just to keep going, especially on the rollback to the last fence. Just keep going.”

LaMontagne delivered another top round, this time on Lacros VDL, to place third.