Team Vita Flex Shows its Muscle: Minikus Shows Quality, Longines for Hough
Lexington, KY (June 28, 2013) – They’re just that good and the world knows it. Vita Flex Victory Team riders Todd Minikus and Lauren Hough have been jumping into winners’ annals at some of the most celebrated events on the planet lately, from the London stadium of the Longines Global Champions Tour to the arenas of upstate New York at HITS-On-The-Hudson, Devon, and Saratoga.
Six-time Nations Cup and five-time FEI World Cup finalist Todd Minikus, of Wellington, Florida, has collected more than 100 grand prix wins over his career, and added to that string at Saugerties and Saratoga. Riding Chris Brem of Belgium’s Quality Girl (by Quidam’s Rubin), the Vita Flex rider won the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix and $10,000 Brookledge Open, plus the Level 6 Jumper class on U-Donnay Z (by Unari vd Wolfsakker). U-Donnay Z and Minikus also took the win in the Brookledge Open during the following week of Saugerties, and placed second in the same class with Tibor. At Devon, paired with the suavely named Tuxedo, Minikus won the $20,000 Open Jumper Gambler’s Choice, and he and Quality Girl won the Grand Prix at the Saratoga Classic II in Saratoga Springs and took second place in the same class aboard Udonnay Z and fifth place aboard Catch Me Z (by Classic Z).
Meanwhile, in London, Vita Flex’s US Olympic and World Equestrian Games veteran (and prior Global Champions Tour winner in Germany and Ireland) Lauren Hough, also of Wellington, delivered what equestrian sports press called a “wonderful conclusion” to opening day at the Longines Global Champions Tour with a long wait but deserved win in the 1,50 Massimo Dutti Prix.
Riding the petite Ohlala, whom Hough respects as a “very fast horse,” the pair set an early lead that took no one by surprise but made sitting through 49 challengers including Laura Kraut on Jubilee d’Ouilly and Maikel van der Vleuten on VDL Groen Eureka its own endurance test. “We went early so it was a long wait,” Hough said. “She’s a great horse, I’m very lucky to have her.” And to have great friends: She accepted her award as organizers played Born in the USA, with a smile to her ringside support team of Kraut, Nick Skelton, and Jessica Springsteen, joined by parents Patty and Bruce.
Behind every horse and rider in the spotlight stands a network of dedication that begins with animal health products horse lovers can trust for reliable support, including antioxidants, electrolytes, joint supplements, performance products, topicals, and vitamins and minerals. Vita Flex® products are researched and tested by equine nutritionists and veterinarians and have been relied upon for more than two decades by owners, trainers and top riders.
For more information about Vita Flex Nutrition products, visit their website at www.vitaflex.com or call (800) 848-2359. Vita Flex is a registered trademark of Farnam
Companies, Inc.
Photo: Todd Minikus and Quality Girl (Photo courtesy of Sally Clapper)
Tanner Clark tclark@central.com www.vitaflex.com (800) 848-2359
