Wayne, Illinois – August 10, 2024 – In a thrilling conclusion to the Hits Chicago Equifest III Series, Tiffany Hammack (USA) of Rockton, Illinois, and her seasoned partner, Verdi O’Merveilles, claimed victory in the $35,000 SummitMax Grand Prix on Saturday, August 10, 2024. Twenty-three elite horse-and-rider combinations contested the technical first-round track. In the middle of the starting order, Hammack guided Verdi O’Merveilles  to a fault-free effort , joining 11 other riders in the jump-off.

“I found the course to be a bit challenging,” admitted Hammack of the test set by Canadian course designer Jenn Ferguson (CAN). “It required that the horse stay really attentive and in front of my leg, especially with some tricky turns, like from jump one to two near the in-gate. ‘Verdi’ tends to anticipate where he’s going, which can be a bit frustrating as he sometimes ducks left or right, so I really had to keep his focus.”

Trapp O’Neil (USA) of Magnolia, Texas, came the closest to catching Hammack with Incredible Loma, the 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood (KWPN) gelding (Numero Uno x Sam R.) owned by TKO Sporthorses. A pairing known for their consistency and speed, O’Neil and Incredible Loma also went double-clear, but finished with a jump-off time of 37.238 seconds for second-place honors.

Completing the top three was Avery Wegmann (USA) of Saint Rose, Louisiana, who rode her own Chacco Brown, a 15-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Chacco-Blue. Wegmann and Chacco Brown delivered a double-clear performance, finishing just behind O’Neil in 37.530 seconds.

Once again returning in the middle of the order for the jump-off, Hammack and Verdi executed an impressive jump-off, clocking in with a time of 35.928 seconds. Ultimately, no one could match the blistering pace of Hammack, and she and Verdi galloped away with the victory.

“Verdi is a lot of fun to ride and has a lot of personality,” said Hammack of Foxwood Farm’s 15-year-old Selle Français gelding (Verdi TN x Quick Star) that she has been partnered with for two and a half years. “He’s very opinionated but always tries his best. Sometimes, when I ask him to move forward, he feels like a racehorse charging down the homestretch. However, he performed really well today and throughout the past three weeks.”

Final Results – $35,000 SummitMax Grand Prix

1) Tiffany Hammack (USA) & Verdi O’Merveilles – 0 / 0 – 35.928

2) Trapp O’Neil (USA) & Incredible Loma – 0 / 0 – 37.238

3) Avery Wegmann (USA) & Chacco Brown – 0 / 0 – 37.530

Source: Press Release from Hits Horse Shows

Photos: © Hits Horse Shows / Phoenix Jeannides

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Link