CULPEPER, VA (July 17, 2012) – HITS Culpeper capped two weeks of horse shows on Sunday with a record number of competitors spending the early part of their summer at the Cavalier Classic. It was Rachel Udelson of Middleburg, Virginia and her own VDL Wardorette who rode to top honors in Sunday’s $40,000 Purina Mills Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health. Udelson was one of three to go double clear and used to last round of the day to steal the win.
“This was the perfect ending to a great two weeks,” said Udelson. “This course was nice; it asked all the right questions and was just technical enough.”
After a win in last week’s Brook Ledge Open Jumper Prix and a fourth-place finish in last Sunday’s Grand Prix, all the pieces fell into place for Udelson and her nine-year-old mare as they topped a field of 25. The pair bested a 13 obstacle course and was one of eight to advance to the jump-off.
“It’s pretty amazing how far this mare has come in just a short amount of time. I have only been riding her for about a year and a half,” said Udelson of VDL Wardorette. “Eight was the perfect amount to go clear and made for an exciting jump-off.”
The first double clear round came in the fifth go of the jump-off from Dr. Fernando Cardenas of New Hill, North Carolina and his own Quincy Car in a time of 41.90 seconds. He was followed by last week’s Grand Prix victor Ramiro Quintana of Wellington, Florida and St. Bridges Farm’s Capone 21, who was clear in 42.06 seconds.
With two clear ahead of her, Udelson batted clean-up and posted a clear round in 41.08 seconds for the win, dropping Cardenas to second and giving third to Quintana.
“With two clear I knew I had to take it easy and settled for third or push it and go for the win,” said Udelson. “I knew what I had to do, I got the right numbers and everything turned out in my favor this time.”
Patty Stovel of Chester Springs, Pennsylvania clinched fourth in the irons of her own Carigor Z with the fastest of the four-fault rounds in a time of 40.80 seconds. Harold Copping of Southern Pines, North Carolina was fifth aboard Kendra Bullington’s Patent Pending with another four-fault round in 41.57 seconds.
HITS Horse Shows is headed north this week as summer show jumping gets underway at HITS Saugerties tomorrow. Qualifying for HITS Championship Weekend will begin to heat up as hunter and jumper riders alike set their sights on the famed Pfizer Million $1 Million Grand Prix, the return of the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final and debut of the HITS $250,000 Hunter Prix Final at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York September 7-9, 2012.
Competition returns to Culpeper for two consecutive weeks of shows – the Winston National and Constitution Classics, which get underway Wednesday, August 15.
$15,000 Brook Ledge Open Jumper Prix
Erynn Ballard of Tottenham, Ontario started the action on Friday with a win in the $15,000 Brook Ledge Open Jumper Prix to kick off the Cavalier Classic. She piloted Looking Good Group’s Wennous to top a field of 24 for the win.
Megan Edrick of Agoura, California and Procedures, Inc.’s Cadence were on the heels of Ballard with a second place finish, followed by Ballard again in third, this time on Looking Back Farm’s Robin Van Roosendael. In preparation for Sunday’s ribbon, Quintana and Capone 21 placed fourth in the Brook Ledge. Rounding out the top five was Kama Godek of Fairfax Station Virginia and her own Air Force One.
Culpeper Equitation Classic
Equitation riders found their moment in the spotlight during the Cavalier Classic’s Culpeper Equitation Classic on Saturday. Madison D Stephens of Marriotsville, Maryland rode her own Cooper to the overall victory in the classic and topped 18 total competitors. She was followed by Ginny Gale of North, Virginia on her own River Jordan in second and Alyssa Rhee of Leesburg, Virginia in the irons of her own Futuro in third.
Rounding out the top five was Jonelle Mullen Stern of Jeffersonton, Virginia on Devan Graham’s Delorian in fourth and Bridget Finnerty of Baltimore, Maryland aboard her own Silver Lining in fifth.
$40,000 Purina Mills Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health
| Place | Horse | Owner | Rider | Prize $ | Rd 1 Faults | JO Faults | JO Time |
| 1 | VDL Wardorette | Rachel Udelson | Rachel Udelson | $12,000 | 0 | 0 | 41.08 |
| 2 | Quincy Car | Dr. Fernando Cardenas | Dr. Fernando Cardenas | $8,800 | 0 | 0 | 41.90 |
| 3 | Capone 21 | St. Bridges Farm | Ramiro Quintana | $5,200 | 0 | 0 | 42.06 |
| 4 | Carigor Z | Patty Stovel | Patty Stovel | $3,200 | 0 | 4 | 40.80 |
| 5 | Patent Pending | Kendra Bullington | Harold Chopping | $2,400 | 0 | 4 | 41.57 |
| 6 | HH Dauphin | Woodrun | Laura Linback | $2,000 | 0 | 4 | 42.84 |
| 7 | Tinky Winky | Chansonette Farm, LLC | Lillie Keenan | $1,600 | 0 | 8 | 45.45 |
| 8 | Robin Van Roosendael | Looking Back Farm | Erynn Ballard | $1,200 | 0 | 8 | 48.61 |
| 9 | Whittaker MVNZ | Woodrun | Laura Linback | $1,200 | 4 | – | – |
| 10 | Wennous | Looking Good Group | Erynn Ballard | $800 | 4 | – | – |
| 11 | Aragon Rouet | Walstib Stables, LLC | Meg O’Mara | $800 | 4 | – | – |
| 12 | Sports Casino | DK-USA SportHorse, LLC | Erynn Ballard | $800 | 4 | – | – |
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