Julie Welles and Her Boy Fly to Victory in the HorseFlight Jumper Classic
Lisa Goldman-Smolen Takes Second in the $24,500 HITS Ocala Class
February 1, 2026 at 4:38 PMBy a.dunne
Julie Welles and My Boy Bill, an 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, set the jump-off time to beat early, having gone second in the order of go in the $24,500 HorseFlight Jumper Classic during the HITS Ocala Premiere. No one could catch the pair.
Lisa Goldman-Smolen with the 20-year-old Selle Francais stallion Sovereign came the closest, and finished in second place.
Andre Thieme and DSP Chakaria, the 16-year-old German Sport Horse mare, stopped the timers for third place.
Close times among second-to-fifth
The time difference in fractions of seconds between second and third place was 0.192; between third and fourth, it was 0.209, and between fourth and fifth, the differential was 0.257.
A successful week for Welles and Goldman-Smolen
Julie Welles found success this week going early and holding the lead. It happened with Greatfull, when they were first in the order of go on Thursday, and held the lead throughout to win the $24,500 Alliant Private Client Cup. She was sixth with Specialstar and ninth with My Boy Bill in the class. Welles also was at the top of other jumper classes with two other horses.
Goldman-Smolen also was successful this week, placing second in the Alliant Private Client Cup with Solomon B. In addition, she picked up a blue ribbon, winning the $60,000 FarmVet Grand Prix with her own Romeo B. Goldman-Smolen picked up other blues and reds aboard other horses, and placed in the top three in the hunter ring as well.
In the field of 16 for the Alliant Private Client Cup, ten advanced to the jump-off where eight were double clear.
Top Six Results
1 Julie Welles - MY BOY BILL - 0/28.708
2 Lisa Goldman-Smolen - SOVEREIGN - 0/29.326
3 Andre Thieme - DSP CHAKARIA - 0/29.518
4 Ben Merritt - CENTINO BLUE TW - 0/29.727
5 Hannah Matts - MAGIC HOOP - 0/29.984
6 Julie Welles - SPECIALSTAR - 0/30.440
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