Todd Minikus Sweeps 1-2 in the $50,000 King Shavings Grand Prix

Culpeper, VA (August 25, 2003)—Todd Minikus of Loxahatchee, Florida, captured the top two spots in Sunday's $50,000 King Shavings Grand Prix at HITS Culpeper. Minikus bested a field of twenty-one horses to place first on Gardenio, owned by Y Z Partners LLC, and second on Roller Coaster, owned by Elaine Decanio. Alison Firestone of Upperville, Virginia, rode her family's Casanova to third place. Laura Linback of Mundelein, Illinois, finished in fourth on Grand So So, owned by Woodrun.

Seven of the first-round horses managed to jump clean on the Danny Foster designed course. The shortened seven-fence jump-off course posed no problems to these same seven horses, each horse posted a double-clear. It was up to the clock to determine the final outcome. Laura Linback and Grand So So were the first to attempt the course, turning in a time of 42.53 seconds to finish fourth in the competition. Todd Minikus' and Gardenio were next to perform, turning in a clear round in the winning time of 39.39 seconds. Sulu Rose and Cool Waters completed the course in 43.22 seconds, good enough for sixth place. Laura Linback took her second trip around the ring on Remember Me 9, posting a time of 44.56 seconds for seventh place. Alison Firestone and Casanova attempted to topple Minikus by blazing around the course in a time of 40.90 seconds, leaving just splits between them. Todd Minikus took another turn in the ring with Roller Coaster. With only his own time to beat, the pair clocked in at 40.69 seconds, securing second place. Ian Silitch and Brave Ally were last to enter the ring, but there was no catching Minikus. Silitch completed the course in a time of 42.59 seconds, good enough for fifth place.

Todd Minikus' win at Culpeper will secure him a place at the National Indoor Finals for the New Marshall & Sterling League and the Invitational Finals for the King Shavings U.S. Grand Prix League. The New Marshall & Sterling League will hold its inaugural National Indoor Finals September 17-21, at Worcester's Centrum Centre in Worcester, Massachusetts, and will offer 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.

Show jumping will resume at HITS Commonwealth Park, Culpeper, with the King Shavings USGPL Invitational Finals, September 24-28. The King Shavings USGPL will feature the $15,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Low Invitational, $25,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner High Invitational, $25,000 Pre-Green Hunter Invitational Classic, sponsored by Stillwell-Hansen and Four Winds Farm, and of course the $100,000 Invitational Grand Prix which will be the Grand Finale of the circuit.