Brian Moggre Makes a Victorious Return to HITS Hudson Valley in $31,020 Equestrian Gardens CSI3* Jumper Classic With Johann FS Z
The second week of the HITS Hudson Valley Jumping Tour™ doubled down on excitement at HITS Hudson Valley in Saugerties, New York. With an impressive entry list, week two of the hugely popular three-week series once again featured a CSI3* division, but also boasted a highly coveted World Champion Hunter Rider (WCHR) designation. The opening day saw record-breaking numbers across the hunter and jumper disciplines as riders brought out their best mounts for an intense week of competition ahead. Playing host to representatives of 11 different nations, including Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Egypt, Great Britain, Guatemala, Ireland, Israel, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, and the United States, Wednesday’s $31,020 Equestrian Gardens CSI3* Jumper Classic on July 22 ultimately saw the win go to the home country, as young professional Brian Moggre (USA) found the fastest way around the track aboard Major Wager LLC’s Johann FS Z.
With a field of heavy hitters, the lineup for the day’s main event saw an impressive 57 horse-and-rider combinations electing to contest FEI Level 3 course designer Ken Krome’s (USA) power-and-speed track. It looked like it would be yet another Bluman victory as Mark Bluman (ISR) set the pace to beat with S&L Hello Sunshine in 26.94 seconds. As the class counted down to its final baker’s dozen, however, Moggre made his presence known. Shaving just three hundredths of a second from the previous leading time, he piloted the eight-year-old Zangersheide gelding (John Doe x Diamant de Semilly) to a heart-pounding finish in 26.91 seconds, handily securing the victory.
“Developing young horses is always such a fun thing for me; I enjoy doing it so much,” explained Moggre. “You never really know what you’re going to get, but Johann really stepped up to the plate every step of the way. Everything we ask of him, he just continues to impress and amaze us.
“It’s been a really fun journey with him, especially now that he is stepping into these international classes,” he detailed of the talented chestnut that he partnered with in the gelding’s six-year-old year. “He only did his first 1.40m class in October and his first 1.45m in January, so we really just started introducing him to these ranking classes.”
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