Laura Linback Beats the Clock to Win $40,000 Purina Animal Nutrition Grand Prix, Presented by Zoetis at HITS Culpeper

CULPEPER, VA (July 15, 2013) – With 72 seconds to navigate 15 jumping efforts, Laura Linback and Woodrun’s HH Dauphin combined speed with technique to end Sunday’s $40,000 Purina Animal Nutrition Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, on top.

Collecting her fifth grand prix win in two months with HH Dauphin, Linback was one of only five to advance to the jump-off of Tucker Williams’ track. Williams of Houston, Texas set 12 obstacles that, according to Linback were challenging and technical, but quite fair and interesting to ride.

The course consisted of three double combinations with a vertical to vertical one stride at fence three, a one stride oxer to a vertical with a liverpool at the b element of fence six and a two stride at fence 11. Jumps seven, eight and nine were in a serpentine that ended in a right hand turn to a square oxer six strides from the last combination. The final fence was a plank set at 1.48m coming off a 10-stride gallop.

“The time allowed stood at 72 seconds and proved a big factor in conquering the 15-effort course as riders had to be very technical in their routes and approaches to almost every fence on the track,” said Williams, who owns and operates CCI Jumps.

The first five rides of the day had faults with four picking up time faults in addition to rails. Manuel Torres of Leesburg, Virginia proved that the clock could be beat with a fault-free ride on Andreas Torres’ Fidelina.

Ninth in the order, Hasbrouck Donovan of Gainesville, Florida guaranteed a jump-off aboard her own Delilah. They were later joined by Kama Godek of Fairfax, Station, Virginia on her own Air Force One, Patty Stovel of Chester Springs, Pennsylvania in the irons of her own Carigor Z, and finally Linback.

Torres set an early Great American Time to Beat in the jump-off at 34.80 seconds. Donovan was clear, but couldn’t catch him, finishing in 38.03 seconds, while Godek had a heartbreak rail at the final fence of the second track to pick up four faults. Torres’ lead remained until Stovel bumped him to second by fractions of a second to sit first in 34.52 seconds. Her lead was short-lived, however, as Linback batted cleanup in the jump-off and shaved five tenths of a second off Stovel’s time, winning with a time of 34.02 seconds.

“HH Dauphin has tremendous scope, a gorgeous stride, but beyond that, he has the loveliest character of any horse I have ever owned,” said Linback. “He wants and loves the relationship with his rider.”

HITS Culpeper will always bear special meaning for Linback as she purchased HH Dauphin during the show in 2011 from HH Farm. “He has become a one-girl kind of horse, he likes being a member of the family, likes to be spoiled and tries his heart out for me every time.”

Behind Linback, Stovel finished second, Torres third and Donovan fourth. Godek rounded out the top five, while Lillie Keenan of New York, New York was the fastest of the four-fault rounds and finished in sixth.

Sunday capped two weeks of showing at HITS Culpeper, but competition is set to return to Commonwealth Park with the Winston National August 14, and runs for two consecutive weeks. First, HITS will travel north for three weeks of hunter, jumper and equitation action as qualifying crunch time for HITS Championship Weekend nears. To stay on top of all qualifying, visit HitsShows.com.

©ESI Photography
Laura Linback and HH Dauphin jump their way to a win in the  $40,000 Purina Animal Nutrition Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, at HITS Culpeper this weekend.

©ESI Photography
Laura Linback and HH Dauphin are presented with winner’s awards after the $40,000 Purina Animal Nutrition Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis.

$15,000 Brook Ledge Open Jumper Prix
Godek and her own Air Force One warmed up for a top-five performance in Sunday’s grand prix with a win on Friday in the $15,000 Brook Ledge Open Jumper Prix to kick off the Cavalier Classic at HITS Culpeper. She and her nine-year-old grey gelding were the ones to beat over the 1.45 course, but were followed closely by Torres and Fidelina who finished second.

Third went to Keenan and Vanhattan, while Mary Lisa Leffler of Brookeville, Maryland finished fourth aboard Paulexi, LLC’s Quastor Van De Helle Z. Gavin Moylan of Middleburg, Virginia called the top five with Moonraker, owned by Gavin Moylan Stables.

Brook Ledge Horse Transportation presents weekly jumper classes at HITS Culpeper. Aside from the winner’s purse, Brook Ledge Open Jumper riders also compete for the Brook Ledge Rider Bonus. The award, given at the conclusion of the circuit, includes a $1,500 shipping credit for the rider who accumulates the most points in those classes throughout the HITS Culpeper circuit.

©ESI Photography
Kama Godek and Air Force One jump to the blue in the $15,000 Brook Ledge Open Jumper Prix at HITS Culpeper.  

©ESI Photography
Winner’s awards are presented to Kama Godek and Air Force One after the $15,000 Brook Ledge Open Jumper Prix at HITS Culpeper.

About Zoetis
Zoetis (zō-EH-tis) is the leading animal health company, dedicated to supporting its customers and their businesses. Building on a 60-year history as the animal health business of Pfizer, Zoetis discovers, develops, manufactures and markets veterinary vaccines and medicines, with a focus on both farm and companion animals. The company generated annual revenues of $4.3 billion in 2012. It has more than 9,300 employees worldwide and a local presence in approximately 70 countries, including 29 manufacturing facilities in 11 countries. Its products serve veterinarians, livestock producers and people who raise and care for farm and companion animals in 120 countries. For more information on the company, visit www.zoetis.com.

$40,000 Purina Animal Nutrition Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis
 

Place	Horse	Owner	Rider	Prize $	Rnd. 1 Faults	J-O Faults	J-O Time
1	HH Dauphin	Woodrun	Laura Linback	$12,000	0	0	34.02
2	Carigor Z	Patty Stovel	Patty Stovel	$8,800	0	0	34.52
3	Fidelina	Andrea Torres	Manuel Torres	$5,200	0	0	34.80
4	Delilah	Hasbrouck Donovan	Hasbrouck Donovan	$3,200	0	0	38.03
5	Air Force Once	Kama Godek	Kama Godek	$2,400	0	4	37.14
6	Vanhattan	Chansonette Farm, LLC	Lillie Keenan	$2,000	4	-	-
7	Calando Z	Paddy Ann Burns	Harold Chopping	$1,600	4	-	-
8	Envy	Sulu Rose-Reed	Sulu Rose-Reed	$1,200	5	-	-
9	Quastor Van De Helle Z	Paulexi, LLC	Mary Lisa Leffler	$1,200	5	-	-
10	Matilda	Thaisa Erwin	Thaisa Erwin	$800	5	-	-
11	Sly	Lauren Patava	Lauren Patava	$800	5	-	-
12	Noire	Helen Goodard	Helen Goodard	$800	5	-	-