OCALA, FL  – Karen Cudmore packed her bags for Omaha, Nebraska today with a $30,000 winner’s check and a year’s worth of bragging rights after she piloted Blair Cudmore’s Shea to a win in HITS Ocala’s crown jewel – the $100,000,Sullivan GMC Truck Grand Prix, presented by Great American Insurance Group. Despite a fall earlier in the order of go and a shaky warm-up aboard Shea, Cudmore rallied to steal the blue in HITS Ocala’s season finale. 

“When I first saw the course, I thought it looked like fun,” said Cudmore. “We were shaky before entering the ring, but after the first three fences, our confidence was back and I felt great.”

Course Designer Florencio Hernandez of Mexico City, Mexico went out with bang, designing a course of 14 obstacles and 17 jumping efforts, which included three double combinations. Arguably the most difficult part of Hernandez’s course, however, was a time allowed of 93 seconds. Of the 41 horses that entered the ring on Sunday, 16 picked up time faults.

“The time allowed was intentionally tight,” said Hernandez. “One extra stride anywhere on the course could give you time faults.”

Aside from the time allowed, Hernandez presented several challenges throughout the course, including a tricky and sizable combination at fence 11. The approach to the combination followed two wide oxers and pointed horses towards the in-gate, giving roughly half the field trouble at either element.

Only two riders were able to piece together a clear round within the time allowed. Aaron Vale of Morriston, Florida on Doug’s Crew’s Honeylands Douglason was first to go clean round and did so early in the order, bringing a massive crowd to their feet. The course took its toll, however, and didn’t see another clear go until Cudmore guaranteed a jump-off in the 33rd round. She was the last to go clear, staging quite the second round duel.

“I expected four or five to go clean, but was very happy with the end result,” said Hernandez. “It was a great class and a great finish to the circuit.”

In the first round, Vale was one of several riders to perfect an inside turn from fence five to six instead of going around another jump on the course. The option shaved seconds off his total time and propelled him to the jump-off with the fastest clear round.

“I hadn’t planned on choosing that route, but I saw David Raposa do it and he said it wasn’t a bad turn. We were a little slow to that point and it turned out to have a lot to do with us being under the time allowed,” said Vale. “With that time, it was really hard to not knock any rails down.”

Vale was first to attempt the jump-off course, which included eight obstacles and one new fence. Honeylands Douglason dropped a rail at the sixth fence of the second round and another at the first element of the only combination to finish with eight faults in a time of 48.65 seconds.

“This horse is young, still green and hasn’t had time to get good in the jump-off yet,” said Vale. “But, he is a quick galloper and I was thrilled with his performance. This class was a real credit to his talent.”

Cudmore followed Vale into the jump-off at a slower pace and had one rail down at the b element of the seventh obstacle to put the crowd on the edge of their seats. She was able to ride the remaining one fence clear for the win in 52.13 seconds.

“We had to take a few risks, but that’s the only way to get a ribbon on a course like this,” said Cudmore. “I liked being one of two in the jump-off – I don’t think you want a lot in there when you’re riding for $100,000.”

Both Vale and Cudmore have set their sights on September’s HITS Championship Weekend at HITS-on-the-Hudson and hope to qualify for a chance at the famed Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix.

Francois Lamontagne of St. Eustache, Quebec executed a clear first round, but picked up a time fault to finish in third place. He and Ferme Lamontagne’s Underground Des Hauts posted a first round time just over the time allowed at 93.60 seconds. Following close behind him was Erynn Ballard of Tottenham, Ontario in the irons of Looking Back Farm’s Robin Van Roosendael. They finished the first round in 93.61 seconds for fourth place. Rounding out the top five was Brandie Holloway of Topeka, Kansas on Hays Investment Corp.’s Any Given Sunday. She picked up three time faults after posting a clear round in 95 seconds.

Yesterday, the skies were blue, the sun was shining and the crowds surrounding the Grand Prix ring were primed for an exciting day of show jumping. Joining the crowds in Ocala, however, were equestrian enthusiasts from around the world via a live webcast of the day’s events. Courtesy of HRTV, The Network for Horse Sports, and A Good Show, the Sullivan GMC Truck Grand Prix went viral. Expert commentating was provided during the event by HRTV Host Caton Bredar with special play-by-play with Mike Moran and Dennis Mitchell.

To view complete results from the $100,000 Sullivan GMC Truck Grand Prix, presented by Great American Insurance Group, click here.

HITS Post Time Farm bid farewell to the 2012 season as all attention will soon be drawn north, where Grand Prix riders will have their last chances to qualify for the 2012 Pfizer Million. Competition will begin in Culpeper, Virginia April 18 and in Saugerties, New York May 23 as the road to the Pfizer Million shifts to spring and summer qualifying. Between the two venues, riders have 19 more opportunities to punch their ticket for HITS Championship Weekend at HITS-on-the-Hudson this fall.

©ESI Photography
One of only two riders in the jump-off, Karen Cudmore sails to a win aboard Blair Cudmore’s Shea in Sunday’s $100,000 Sullivan GMC Truck Grand Prix, presented by Great American Insurance Group.

©ESI Photography
HITS’ Lisa Engel is joined by Blair Cudmore, Jeff Kennedy of Sullivan GMC, and Vanessa Shamp of Great American Insurance Group to present Karen Cudmore and Shea with first place honors after winning the $100,000 Sullivan GMC Truck Grand Prix, presented by Great American Insurance Group. Cudmore also received a bottle of wine, courtesy of Sonoma-Cutrer, the Official Wine Sponsor of HITS Shows.