July 29, 2024 – San Juan Capistrano, CA – It may not be from the Paris Olympics, but Katherine Huffstutler and Kimmel SCF are going home with a gold medal after topping the $30,000 Go For Gold Grand Prix on July 28, at the Blenheim Racing Festival in San Juan Capistrano, CA.
Utilizing a winning-round format, the top six entries from the first round of Sunday’s featured class – including four horses with clear rounds and two horses with just four faults each – advanced to the jump-off, carrying over any faults from the opening phase. From there, it came down to an exciting showdown between Huffstutler and her trainer, Ireland’s Mark Kinsella.
Both Huffstutler and Kinsella came into the second round on no faults at all, with Kinsella qualifying two entries for the Oscar Soberon-designed short course. On the first of those two entries, Marquis le Beau Courally, Kinsella knocked just one fence to set the early jump-off score to beat at four faults in a time of 37.442 seconds.
Then Huffstutler returned to the Ortega Ebb & Flow Arena, delivering a neat and tidy round with a leave out to the final fence to quickly take over the top of the leaderboard with a clear round in 36.029 seconds.
However, Kinsella still had one more shot at the win with his final entry, Casira.
“[Mark Kinsella] was the last to go after me, and he was also really fast on a new horse for him, Casira,” said Huffstutler. “I was sweating a little bit as he was going to the last line because he looked really fast!”
Fortunately for Huffstutler, Kinsella and Casira were fast – but not quite fast enough. They stopped the clock in 36.581 seconds to take second place on zero total faults, while Kinsella also took home third with Marquis le Beau Courally.
“I’m just thankful for my barn, Sophie and Mark Kinsella, and my parents for supporting me and allowing me to do this,” said Huffstutler following her victory, for which she was presented a Blenheim EquiSports tack room pillow, a Mary’s Tack & Feed Nutrient Scoop Supplement and a custom Allon riding coat from Pacific Saddlery.
Following her victory, Huffstutler was joined in the winner’s circle by the team from Blenheim EquiSports –decked out in red, white and blue – as they enjoyed getting in the Paris Olympics spirit by awarding medals and wishing good luck to Team USA!
Huffstutler has been partnered with her winning mount Kimmel SCF for roughly a year and first began competing the 14-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding in the Medium Junior/Amateur Jumpers at last year’s Blenheim Fall Tournament. Since then, they have been making their way up the ranks, with Sunday’s class marking the pair’s second grand prix win and first victory at Blenheim EquiSports.
Earning a major win earlier in the week was Michelle Parker, who has much more experience tasting great success at Blenheim EquiSports. This time, she piloted Vivalunaika Blue, owned by Cross Creek Farms Inc., to the win in the $20,000 Markel Open Jumper Speed Stake held on Friday, July 26.
“[Vivalunaika Blue] is a wonderful, careful jumper that always wants to do what’s right,” said Parker of the 10-year-old Oldenburg mare. “Sometimes it’s a little hard to navigate her around the course because she’s very big and long, but she’s a super trier and very consistent.”
Finishing in second place in the class were Crystal Nelson and her own Don Juan des Isles, while Parker also finished in third aboard Knass B.
For full results of both the $30,000 Go For Gold Grand Prix and the $20,000 Markel Open Jumper Speed Stake, visit blenheim.showgroundslive.com.
