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Sharn Wordley moves up the ranks in the USGPL Standings with his latest win at HITS Culpeper

September 4, 2025

CULPEPER, VA (September 4, 2025)—With time running out for Grand Prix riders to qualify for the $100,000 USGPL Invitational Grand Prix, Sharn Wordley is making sure he gets his chance to duel it out for the top prize later this month at HITS Culpeper during the USGPL Finals.During Sunday’s $40,000 Footings Unlimited Grand Prix, Wordley and his mount Epson Pierrevelle negotiated the fastest double-clear round on course designer Jamie Alder’s course securing the blue ribbon to conclude the Constitution Classic Horse Show at HITS Culpeper. Wordley also secured third place aboard his other Grand Prix mount Mr. Flannagan, as he collected a total of $17,200 in prize money for the day.

With the win Wordley not only collected $12,000 in prize money aboard Epson Pierrevelle, but he also catapulted into the group of riders vying for a spot in the top-30 of the USGPL Standings. The top-30 horse/rider combinations based on prize money won will be invited back to HITS Culpeper for the USGPL Finals where they will compete for the top prize in the $100,000 USGPL Invitational Grand Prix on Sunday, September 30.

Wordley, who used to show exclusively on the West Coast, said that he is looking forward to qualifying for the USGPL Invitational Grand Prix. “It’s something I have my eye on,” he said. “It certainly sounds like an exciting class and I am hoping to be a part of it.”

Wordley and Mr. Flannagan were the first pair to go in the jump-off that consisted of nine horses. The combination made it all the way home clean in 43.904 to set the Great American Time to Beat right off the bat. In the end, their time would be good enough for third place and $5,200 in prize money.

“Going first I wanted to set the pace early,” said Wordley. “It was a big field so I knew it would take a fast time to win the class.”

Ian Silitch and Rivana were next to go and their 14-fault performance landed them in ninth place. Laura Linback and Sampras were third to go in the jump-off and also had 14 faults. They finished in eighth place.

Last Sunday’s winner of the $40,000 Footings Unlimited Grand Prix, Sulu Rose-Reed and Leondor showed next in the jump-off. One rail down landed the combination in fifth place as they collected $2,400 for The Galloping Field.

Tracy Magness and her trusty Grand Prix mount, Tarco Van Ter Moude were fifth to go in the jump-off. Magness negotiated the course without any faults to take over the new Great American Time to Beat at 43.145. She would finish in second place and collect $8,800 in prize money for Mr. and Mrs. John Bartko.

Melissa Rudershausen and Prins followed up Magness’ effort with a clear round of their own. The pair stopped the clocks in 50.602 to secure fourth place.

Libby McKinney and her mount Gun Du Desfi were next to go in the jump-off and had two rails down resulting in a seventh place finish.

Silitch was eighth to go in the jump-off aboard his second mount of the round, Escapade. The combination had an unlucky rail down midway through the course as they finished in sixth place.

Wordley entered the ring for his second trip in the envious last-to-ride position aboard Epson Pierrevelle. Wordley made it all the way home clear in 41.682 to set the new Great American Time to Beat and secure the lion’s share of the prize money.

“I went in with nothing to lose,” said Wordley. “I knew I could do no worse than second place so I went after Tracy Magness’ time and it worked out in my favor.”

Competitors will have two more chances to qualify for the Invitational this week at HITS Saugerties. On Thursday, September 6, competitors will compete for the top prize in the $25,000 Ariat Grand Prix and on Sunday, September 9, the $75,000 Footings Unlimited Grand Prix takes center stage.

Show jumping at HITS Culpeper continues with the USGPL Finals from September 26-30. The USGPL Finals are the culmination of the 2007 HITS show season and will feature the $100,000 USGPL Invitational Grand Prix on Sunday September 30. The top-30 riders in the USGPL Standings will be invited to compete in the Invitational. Grand Prix riders who are members of the Marshall & Sterling League earn points by competing throughout the season in any of the 49 Grand Prix classes offered at HITS’ shows in Thermal, California; Ocala, Florida; Tucson, Arizona; Saugerties, New York; and Culpeper, Virginia.

Grand Prix action is not the only highlight of the final week at HITS Culpeper. The USGPL Finals are a full week of competition that includes additional feature events like the $10,000 Pre-Green Hunter Classic, sponsored by Stillwell-Hansen, Inc. and Four Winds Farm, the $15,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Low Jumper Classic and the $25,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner High Jumper Classic.

The first Culpeper Horse and Colt Show was held at Monte Vista Park in 1897 and it continued for the next 54 years. In the 1980s, show jumping returned to Culpeper in a grand fashion with the opening of Commonwealth Park, one of the finest horse-sport facilities in the country. Some of the richest show jumping events in America have been held at Commonwealth Park, including the $200,000 U.S. Cup, the grand finale for the United States Grand Prix League in 1986. HITS purchased Commonwealth Park in 1997 and began restoring the grounds to its former glory. In 1998, HITS reintroduced the United States Grand Prix League, and has presented the USGPL Finals at Commonwealth Park ever since. Approximately $1 million in total prize money is offered at the six HITS Culpeper events.

HITS, Inc. is a special events management company primarily focused on producing hunter/jumper horse shows. Based in upstate New York in the village of Saugerties, HITS produced its first horse show circuit in Gainesville, Florida in 1982. Since that time, HITS has grown into a nationwide company with world-class hunter/jumper circuits in California, Florida, Arizona, New York and Virginia.

RESULTS

1 Epson Pierrevelle Sharn Wordley Sharn Wordley $12,000 0 0 41.682
2 Tarco Van Ter Moude Tracy Magness Mr. and Mrs. John Bartko $8,800 0 0 43.145
3 Mr. Flannagan Sharn Wordley Sharn Wordley $5,200 0 0 43.904
4 Prins Melissa Rudershausen Melissa Rudershausen $3,200 0 0 50.602
5 Leondor Sulu Rose-Reed The Galloping Field $2,400 0 4 44.365
6 Escapade Ian Silitch November Hill $2,000 0 4 45.187

$15,000 Footing Authority Mini Prix, presented by Brook Ledge-Epson Pierrevelle, ridden and owned by Sharn Wordley, Morriston, FL

Adequan Open Hunter-Socially Speaking, ridden by Katie Huber and owned by Adele Norton, Great Falls, VA

Farnam Adult Hunter (Combined)-Legend, ridden and owned by Barbara Losselyong, Great Falls, VA

M&S Children’s Hunter Classic-Just One Look, ridden by Isabella Norton and owned by Adele Norton, Falls Church, VA

M&S Children’s Jumper Classic-Billy B Cool, ridden by Haley Waters and owned by Mr. and Mrs. Chuck Waters, Sparr, FL

M&S Adult Jumper Classic-Kick the Clouds, ridden and owned by Rebecca Forbes, Stuarts Draft, VA

For more information and a complete schedule of classes and events, visit www.HitsShows.com.

Written by Chris Mayone · Filed Under Chris Mayone, Contributors, Culpeper 
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