Jill.jpgCulpeper, VA – A few months ago, Jill Henselwood became the first woman in 24 years to strike individual Gold at the Pan American Games. In Sunday’s $100,000 USGPL Invitational Grand Prix at HITS Culpeper, the Canadian became the first female since 2001 to take home the top prize when she captured the blue ribbon aboard Special Ed.

Special Ed is a 13-year-old gelding owned by Juniper Farms. “I got him from a dressage rider who told me Special Ed needed a job and it wasn’t dressage. It took me a while but when I finally rode him in the Six-Bar at home, he jumped 6’3″ so I knew he was ready,” said Henselwood. Henselwood headlined the field of 29 riders that included several former Olympians.

In the first round, she stopped the clocks in 81.054 to advance to course designer Olaf Petersen’s jump-off route. “Olaf is a great course builder,” said Henselwood. “He set a challenging course today that offered a lesson for everybody. And there were no casualties. He is a real horseman.”

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