Hannah Isop and Lioness Prove Their Prowess in the $5,000 ClipMyHorse.TV Classic Qualifier During the Third Week of the 2025 HITS Hudson Valley Show Series
The final week of spring competition during the 2025 HITS Hudson Valley Show Series delivered top-tier hunter action from start to finish. Showcasing the best in hunter excellence, the week gave riders the opportunity to sharpen their skills ahead of the highly anticipated HITS Championship Week in September. While Friday’s schedule on June 6 was packed with highlight events, including the prestigious $5,000 USHJA Junior/Amateur National Hunter Derby, the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, and the $2,500 USHJA Pony Hunter Derby, it was Hannah Isop and Lioness that stole the show in the $5,000 ClipMyHorse.tv Classic Qualifier. With their win, they secured a coveted spot in the 2025 $200,000 ClipMyHorse.tv Classic Final .
Riders took to The Ring for one classic hunter round, each hoping to impress a panel of two judges and earn one of just three qualifying spots for the September Final. The beautifully designed course by Mark McGowan of Nantwich, United Kingdom, demanded elegance and accuracy, with every detail of each jumping effort counting toward the final score.
Professional rider Isop rose to the occasion, piloting Tracy Freels’s eight-year-old KWPN mare by Impressive VDL, Lioness, to the top of a competitive field, and earning the lion’s share of the prize money.
“I tried to show off my mare’s lovely style,” enthused Isop, who trains out of her family’s Harkaway Farm in Brewster, New York. “She jumped brilliantly, and we had a lot of fun out there.”
Isop has been successfully campaigning Lioness in the 3’6” Green Hunters following the mare’s transition from the jumper ring, and she praised her partner’s sharp mindset and professionalism.
“She can be a bit of a girl back in the barn, but when she walks into the ring, she’s all business,” explained Isop. “She really took in the atmosphere. Even though it’s a little busy around the arena, she was extremely focused.”
Already an accomplished athlete in the hunter arena, Isop also highlighted how meaningful it is to see classes like this elevate the sport and foster community among professionals.
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