Last Updated on August 30, 2026 by adminahb
Mia Bagnato and Florida N © ESI Photography
On the penultimate day of Week VII of the HITS Hudson Valley Show Series, international show jumping competition concluded its reign in the Douglas Elliman Grand Prix stadium for the week with the marquee class, the $80,000 Great American Insurance Group CSI2* Grand Prix. Elite athletes from across the globe made their way back to the iconic venue, nestled in the hills of the Catskill mountains in Saugerties, New York to tackle two final weeks of FEI sport and close out the 2026 edition of summer competition. Underneath a sunny blue sky, young rider Mia Bagnato (USA) made her victorious return to the HITS winner’s circle aboard Florida N.
A total of 26 horse-and-rider combinations representing five nations made up the starting field looking to find their first clear round over the track designed by Kevin Holowack (CAN). Having had an impressive summer, Adrienne Sternlicht (USA) kept up her hot streak and became the first to find the path to the jump-off as the second athlete in the ring.
At the end of round one, Sternlicht was then the first to return of the eight entries that managed to navigate a fault-free effort. As Sternlicht and Rebelline de Kwakenbeek, the Starlight Farms I LLC’s nine-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare (Aganix du Seigneur x Quidam de Revel), made their way through the timers of the short course, it seemed as if she may have effectively shut the door on the remaining contenders from the start, as pair after pair put in a double-clear effort, but could not match Sternlicht’s pace.
Returning to the ring with her classic chestnut mare flair, Florida N appeared to be in fighting form with Bagnato, and as a long-established pair, they did what they do best, stopping the clock in an incredible 36.820 seconds, shaving almost two whole seconds from Sternlicht’s previous leading time. Although two challengers remained, it was hard to imagine a quicker track, and Bagnato’s performance held firmly for the win. The result marked the second year in a row that Bagnato has claimed the top honors in this standout class.
“I watched all the numbers that Adrianne [Sternlicht] did, and I think I did one less stride in the first line, and then again to jump number six,” explained Bagnato of her jump-off execution. “In one of the longer gallops, I was getting to the jump, and I thought, ‘She could leave the ground, or she could be a little bit not so generous to me,’ but she just really tried her heart out.”
While the pair has undoubtedly made a name for themselves when it comes to beating the clock, the 13-year-old Holsteiner mare (Clarimo ASK x Lavall II) has been sidelined most of the 2026 season.
“At the end of the Florida winter circuit, we were having a little bit health trouble with her,” she detailed. “We think she had EPM, so we treated her for that and brought her back slowly. Her recovery was just a lot of emphasis on fitness. She wasn’t looking very well, and she had lost a lot of muscle and top line. We took a break from jumping for several months at the start and slowly worked back up to it, and it seems to have paid off.”
The second place on the podium also went to Team USA as Sternlicht’s time of 38.330 seconds was enough for the runner-up title. Adding yet another top-three finish to his week, Chile’s Samuel Parot claimed third with his own 11-year-old Zangersheide gelding, Contigo Z, in 38.650 seconds.
For full results, please visit www.showmanagementsystem.com.