Melissa Strawser & Darwin De Mars Dominate in the $24,500 Purina Open Prix

By jumpernewz on July 16, 2024

Culpeper, Virginia, USA – July 13, 2024– Show jumping competition during the Cavalier Classic at HITS Culpeper culminated in the $24,500 Purina Open Prix on Saturday, July 13, 2024. The week was one in a summer-long series of hunter, jumper, and equitation competition taking place at the Commonwealth Park in Culpeper, Virginia. Previously a winner at various HITS venues, Melissa Strawser (USA) produced the winning round in the day’s featured event aboard her longtime partner, Darwin de Mars.

Strawser and her 11-year-old Selle Français gelding by Jarnac navigated both courses of the class fault-free for a quick run to the top.

“I was really discouraged that I had had a rail last week in the prix because it’s very unusual,” explained Strawser. “This week, I was extra determined to jump clear going into the first round. The course was rather large today, so I went in there and I just knew that I had to ride strong.”

**Will Coleman** (USA) & **Comme Again HS**

For a majority of the class, it appeared that Strawser would automatically take the win as the only competitor to find a clear round, but U.S. eventing Olympian Will Coleman (USA), who is slated to compete on the Olympic stage once again in Paris, France, piloted Hyperion Stud’s nine-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Comme Il Faut, Comme Again HS, through the timers without fault to inspire a short jump-off.

**Melissa Strawser** (USA) & **Darwin de Mars**

“I had to go first in the jump-off, so I had to go fast enough to put the pressure on him,” detailed Strawser. “I needed to not leave the door open but also still leave all the rails up. I put some pressure on myself to go fast and jump clean, and everywhere I wanted to go, Darwin de Mars was right there with me.”

The pressure Strawser put on herself was enough and she edged out Coleman, who accepted the second-place honors.

**Madison** **Kondracki** (USA) & **E Storm Cat**

Young athlete Madison Kondracki (USA) and her own eight-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Escudo I, E Storm Cat, galloped into third.

Strawser’s success didn’t just come in the Grand Prix. She and Darwin de Mars started off their winning streak in Thursday’s $5,000 Horseflight Open Prix. Strawser bested an even dozen combinations with a win four seconds faster than runner-up rider Laura Gaither Ulrich in a blazing time of 36.58 seconds.