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Anne
Kursinski and Indeed Win $50,000 HITS Grand Prix Ellenville,
NY - August 4, 2003 - Olympic veteran, Anne Kursinski of Frenchtown, New
Jersey, rode Indeed owned by The Group Indeed to victory in Sunday's $50,000
HITS Grand Prix at the New York Horse & Pony Show. Kursinski bested
a field of twenty-five horse/rider combinations, and was the fastest of
three double-clears in a six-horse jump-off. Harold Chopping of Hampton
Falls, New Hampshire, rode Kathleen 16 owned by Silver Oak Stables to
second place. Third place went to Ainsley Vince of Milton, Ontario, on
Kafka, co-owned by Vince and 3E Syndicate.
Grand Prix course designer, Gerry Dougherty, set a challenging 13-obstacle course that included one double combination-fence No. 4, and one triple combination-fence No. 10. The time allowed was set at 96 seconds. The triple cost a number of riders their clear round and served to narrow the field to only six horses. The final six horses advanced to a shortened seven-fence jump-off course. Ainsley Vince was first in the order on Catch 22, her first of two mounts in the jump-off. The pair incurred eight faults in a time of 40.60 seconds. Jill Henselwood and Callisto followed up with a four-fault performance in a time of 42.05 seconds. Todd Minikus and Gardenio also had an unlucky rail to leave them with four faults in a time of 42.20 seconds. Ainsley Vince took another trip around the course on her second mount Kafka. The pair gave the crowd the first clear round of the jump-off in a time of 44.82 seconds. Anne Kursinski and Indeed, second place winners in last Sunday's $50,000 Avis Grand Prix, delivered a faultless performance that secured them a first place victory this time around. Their winning time was 41.84 seconds. Harold Chopping and Kathleen 16 finished out the field. Chopping guided Kathleen 16 clear, but try as he might, he could not best Kursinski's time. His final time of 42.49 seconds was just .65 of a second slower. Sunday's $50,000 HITS Grand Prix will count toward the New Marshall & Sterling League and the King Shavings U.S. Grand Prix League standings. The New Marshall & Sterling League will hold its inaugural National Indoor Finals for 11 hunter divisions, 6 jumper divisions as well as the Charles Owen Children's & Adult Medal Finals, and the HBO Junior Medal Finals, September 17-21, at Worcester's Centrum Centre in Worcester, Massachusetts. The League is offering a $100,000 Grand Prix on Sunday, September 21st. Thirty riders will be accepted based on national standings. Those lucky qualifiers will have the exceptional opportunity to ride in two back-to-back $100,000 Grand Prix, first at the Marshall & Sterling National Indoor Finals, and a week later at the King Shavings US Grand Prix League (USGPL) invitational finals. The King Shavings USGPL Invitational Finals, September 24-28, will take place at HITS Commonwealth Park during the final week of the HITS Culpeper circuit. The King Shavings USGPL Finals will also feature a $15,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Low Invitational, $25,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner High Invitational, and $25,000 Pre-Green Hunter Invitational Classic, sponsored by Stillwell-Hansen and Four Winds Farm. For more information on the New Marshall & Sterling League and the King Shavings USGPL, please visit our website at www.HitsShows.com Other major award winners at the New York Horse & Pony Show included:
Show jumping will resume again in Ellenville on Wednesday, August 27th. The $50,000 King Shavings Grand Prix will be the highlight of the week, taking place on Sunday, August 31. Wild Card classes in the Children's & Adult Hunters & Jumpers for the Marshall & Sterling League Finals will also take place on August 31.
$50,000 HITS Grand Prix - Sunday, August 3, 2003
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