Laura Chapot and Jolie Van Schuttershof Rise Above the Rest To Win the $75,000 HITS Grand Prix
The third and final week of spring competition in the expanded 2025 HITS Hudson Valley Show Series set the tone for what promises to be a thrilling ten-week season of top-tier sport. Held at the prestigious showgrounds in Saugerties, New York, the venue — nestled against the scenic backdrop of the Catskill Mountains and known for its world-class footing and friendly atmosphere — welcomed riders from around the globe to close out the spring series. One of the week’s most anticipated highlights was the $75,000 HITS Grand Prix, on Saturday, June 7, where Laura Chapot (USA) and Jolie van Schuttershof delivered a standout performance to claim the win.
A total of 29 horse-and-rider combinations took to the Douglas Elliman Grand Prix Stadium to contest Olaf Petersen Jr.’s (GER) technical track. Nine countries were represented in the elite field, including Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Spain, and of course, the home nation of the United States. With a tight time allowed and a challenging course, only two pairs advanced to the jump-off, while three riders fell just short with only one time fault.
Aboard her third ride of the class, Chapot expertly navigated the course with Jolie van Schuttershof — The Jolie Group’s 10-year-old Belgian Sport Horse mare (Ducati van Schuttershof x Clarimo Ask) — ultimately turning in the only double-clear round in 41.418 seconds to secure the win.
“I thought the track was extremely fair,” stated Chapot of Petersen Jr.s test. “When we walked it, no one thought it would ride as difficult as it did. Olaf is very clever in that way. You think something is simple, and then you end up having rails all over the place, and the time allowed put a lot of pressure on the riders.”
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