Patty Stovel rode Shandor 41, a 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding, to the win in Sunday's $50,000 HITS Grand Prix at HITS Culpeper Showday National. Jerry Dougherty of Geneva, IL, set a challenging first-round course that saw four horses advance to the jump-off. Stovel was the fastest of three double-clears with 40.69 seconds on the clock. Second place went to Megan Moran riding Quarnak De Longprec. Eliza Ferguson Shuford rode Larentino to third place. Beth Underhill finished in fourth place with Magdaline.
Shuford was the first to face the clock aboard Larentino. The pair left all the rails up in a time to beat of 45.05 seconds. Moran picked up the pace on Quarnak De Longprec, knocking over three seconds off Shuford's time to finish in 41.97 seconds. Stovel was the next challenger, and she decided to give it her best shot.
"I don't think of my horse as being fast, but he has a ton of scope," said Stovel. "It was a benefit that only four went clear. I figured the worst I could do was come in fourth. In the jump-off, I didn't get to see the first, but I did see the second. I decided to leave out a stride at the in-and-out, and coming home I also left out a stride. I was able to do this because Shandor has an enormous stride, he doesn't turn the best, but he can really gallop." Stovel's strategy helped her shave over a second off Moran's time to finish with 40.69 seconds on the clock. Beth Underhill and Magdaline finished out the field, and a rail down left them in fourth place.
Stovel claimed the blue ribbon and $15,000 in prize money for Shandor Syndicate. "I have been riding Shandor for two years, and I put together a syndicate about a year and a half ago to buy him. This is his first grand prix win. I believe he is a world class horse, and I hope to ride him in the World Championship trials next year."
Show jumping will resume at HITS Culpeper, July 13-17, with the HITS III Cavalier Classic. Throughout the season, HITS Culpeper will offer qualifying classes for the Marshall & Sterling League Finals to be held at HITS-on-the-Hudson, Saugerties, NY, September 16-18. The U.S. Grand Prix League Finals will be the Grand Finale to the HITS Culpeper circuit, taking place during the final week September 28-October 2.
Other major award winners at HITS Showday National include:
HBO Junior Medal--Jennie Nevin, Greenwich, CT
Charles Owen Children's Medal--Gracie Silbaugh, Hunt Valley, MD
Charles Owen Adult Medal--Katelyn Mancini, Arlington, VA
Farnam Adult Hunter Division 18-35--Eye Spy ridden by Emily Dzielak, Mechanicsville, VA
Adequan® Open Hunter Division--Harley ridden by Loretta Mayer, Montvale, NJ
At the end of the six-week Culpeper Circuit, the Bayer Legend Leading Hunter Rider and the Bayer Legend Leading Jumper Rider awards will be presented to the riders with the highest points in the standings. Each rider will receive a custom-made leather jacket embroidered with the name of the award (Legend Leading Hunter Rider or Legend Leading Jumper Rider), the name of the circuit and the HITS and Bayer logos. After two weeks of competition, Mary Lisa Leffler, of Leesburg, VA, is top in the Jumper standings with 72 points. Olin Armstrong, of Goochland, VA, is leading with 105 points in the Hunter standings.
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