Colombian wins HITS Grand Prix

Olympians, top money winners and even a local rider or two converged on Commonwealth Park for the Horse Shows in the Sun (HITS) $100,000 United States Grand Prix League Invitational Grand Prix Sunday, but it was 19-year-old rider Daniel Bluman who rode out of Culpeper with a blue ribbon on his horse Fatalis Fatum.

“It’s a lot of emotions, you know,” Bluman said. “You’re just trying to do the best you can and put a lot of effort to beat the big guys here. “I’m only 19 and have a chance to show against all the people I’ve always thought are the best.”

Bluman, from Weston, Florida, owns the 14-year-old gelding he rode to victory.

“Knowing that he’s mine right now, it’s just amazing,” Bluman said. “Because no one can take him from me, he’s mine.”

The event caps off the fifth and final day of the USGPL Finals.

“This is just the greatest finish that you want,” Bluman said. “When you have 16 hours to drive tomorrow to Florida, you always like to be thinking in those 16 hours not to fall asleep. When you win for sure you’re not going to fall asleep knowing your champ is in the back.”

Bluman beat out Jill Henselwood from Ontario, Canada by just more than one second. Henselwood was in Beijing last summer with the Canadian National Team, who took the silver medal in team jumping as the United States took the gold.

“It was unbelievable,” Henselwood said. “I think the moon and the stars and the sun aligned for the USA and Canada.”

The Olympian was riding the horse BottomLine for the first time this week.

“I thought she was fantastic,” Henselwood said.

“One tick away from the win, I cannot criticize her efforts at all.”

Out of the 30 competitors in the event, nine made it through the course without a fault, moving into a jump-off for the title. One of the nine in the jump-off was Madison’s own Robin Sweely, who ended up in eighth place on Discovery.

“I thought it was a very hard course today which is fair for a $100,000,” Sweely said. “My horse jumped super in the first round. Thought I was right on it in the jump off and honestly I thought it was just an unfortunate rail (that fell), it could have easily stayed up.”

Sweely was happy to represent the area.

“It’s nice to be able to be in your backyard and do okay,” Sweely said. “I think it’s good for us in Culpeper-Madison-Charlottesville area.”

Rain, Rain Go Away
After a rainy Saturday, the weather left Commonwealth Park alone for its final day. But because of Culpeper’s wet and wild history, the HITS crew wasn’t worried about the rain.

“Were lucky because we know it rains here a lot,” Technical Director Jerry Dougherty said. “All our footing in our rings are prepared to deal with rain.”

But for those that have to journey to the area, the weather isn’t so bad.

“I love the whole area,” Henselwood said. “We go down to Main Street and we take home coffee mugs, it’s just a fantastic week. “It’s a little more summer here than it is up in Canada at this point.”

Of course, there are those that venture to Culpeper multiple times and know the area, like HITS leading rider Tracy Magness. The Hughesville, Maryland native has won 11 total grand prix this year, including six with HITS, tallying $112,000 with the circuit this year.

“I love the little town of Culpeper,” said Magness, who finished fifth in the finale. “Nice restaurants, cute little town.”

HITS does enjoy the change of pace that Commonwealth Park brings to the table.

“It’s a venue that has a lot of charm, it’s a lot more of a rural, almost a farm setting,” Dougherty said. “A lot of the other major show facilities are new. Sometimes they feel a little bit industrial, where this really feels like you’re in horse country.”