Manuel Torres and Christofolini H on their way to a $30,000 Purina Animal Nutrition win. (ESI Photography)

Culpeper, Va. - Riders and horses descended on the Grand Prix Ring at HITS Commonwealth Park for the main event of the Winston National, the $30,000 Purina Animal Nutrition Grand Prix.

Only one horse and rider could go home with the win, but in this case, one deserving equestrian took home both the first and second prize. There was no slowing down Manuel Torres during the fourth week of competition at HITS Culpeper. Riding out of Waterford, Virginia, Torres garnered the blue and red ribbon in Sunday’s $30,000 Purina Animal Nutrition Grand Prix after also snagging the victory in Friday’s $25,000 Brook Ledge Grand Prix.

Sunday’s first-place payday came aboard Christofolini H, owned by Andrea Torres Guerreiro, and second came  with Cruising Altitude, owned by Santa Catalina Farm.

Faults were spread evenly throughout the first-round course, with two trips earning one time fault each. Three went clear to advance to the second round jump-off course set by Oscar Soberon of Mexico.

Torres had two to contest the shortened course, entering first with winning mount Christofolini H. They powered through the course, laying down a 45.530 roundtrip that would hold up the victory with a colossal five-second lead.

Debbie McCarthy-Connor of Patterson, New York, followed with Zim, owned by Connor and Ebetino Jumpers, LLC. McCarthy-Connor and Zim took home third place in Friday’s $25,000 Brook Ledge Grand Prix and were hunting for the lead over Torres. They clocked in at 53.918 to ultimately secure the yellow ribbon for the weekend once again.

The blue ribbon was already set for Torres, but the winning horse had yet to be determined. He put in a solid, careful round with second-place horse Cruising Altitude, stopping the clock in at 50.557 for the second place prize.

Both fourth and fifth place went back-to-back in the first round, and left all of the rails up to only suffer one penalty on the clock. Kama Godek of Fairfax Station, Virginia, brought home fourth place piloting Air Force One. Godek moved up the ranks from a twelfth-place ride on Friday, to yield a spot in the top five on Sunday to close out the week.

Rounding out the top five was Alexa Lowe-Wiseman of Upperville, Virginia, and Synapse de Blondel, owned by Paillot Equine Consulting, LLC. The equestrian and her mount earned seventh place in Friday’s Grand Prix and also moved up the placings to secure fifth on Sunday.

Elite show jumping competition continues at HITS Culpeper this week with the Constitution Classic, August 24-28, featuring the USHJA Child & Adult Amateur Jumper Championship, the $25,000 Brook Ledge Grand Prix and Sunday’s $30,000 HITS Grand Prix. For a complete schedule of events at HITS Commonwealth Park, please click here.

Place Horse Owner Rider Prize Rd. 1 Faults JO Faults JO Time
1 Christofolini H Andrea Torres Guerreiro Manuel Torres $9,000 0 0 45.530
2 Cruising Altitude Santa Catalina Farm Manuel Torres $6,600 0 0 50.557
3 Zim Connor & Ebetino Jumpers, LLC. Debbie McCarthy-Connor $3,900 0 0 53.918
4 Air Force One Kama Godek Kama Godek $2,400 1 - -
5 Synapse de Blondel Paillot Equine Consulting, LLC. Alexa Lowe-Wiseman $1,800 1 - -
6 Pernod Alpha Omega Farm  Gavin Moylan $1,500 4 - -
7 Nana Mia Savannah Nicole Unger  Savannah Nicole Unger $1,200 4 - -
8 De Grande  Kama Godek Kama Godek $900 4 - -
9 NewCastle Therese Bentley Cian McDermott $900 8 - -
10 Soho D'ermisserie Tyler Smith Tyler Smith $600 8 - -
11 Stella de Lannay Windsor Farm Sales Alexa Lowe-Wiseman $600 8 - -
12 Denali Paula Pell Sulu Rose-Reed $600 24 - -