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Spooner
And Robinson Back On Top At Indio In The $75,000 Bayer/USET
Grand Prix |
Indio, CA (February 10, 2003)—Richard Spooner of Burbank, CA
and his mount Robinson, owned by Half Moon Bay Investment Group, proved
that the magic is still there by winning the $75,000 Bayer/USET Grand
Prix at the HITS Indio Desert Circuit. Always a strong contender in
the Grand Prix ring at Indio, Spooner had an amazing 2001 season with
Robinson, winning three $25,000 Grand Prix competitions, and a $100,000
Grand Prix at the HITS-produced Tahoe circuit.
The
$75,000 Bayer/USET World Cup qualifying class attracted a field
of 35 entries, including 26 World Cup hopefuls. With two World Cup
qualifying classes left, the competition is heating up. Spooner's
win has secured him 20 points towards a qualification for the Finals
in Las Vegas, NV.
World-famous
course designer, Olaf Petersen of Germany designed the 13-obstacle
course. Petersen has been appointed as the course designer for the
Athens Olympics in 2004, making him the first individual ever to
be the course designer at two Olympic Games. Seven horse/rider combinations,
including six World Cup contenders, mastered Petersen's course to
advance to the jump-off.
Nicole
Shahinian-Simpson of Westlake Village, CA, on El Campeons Cirka
Z was the first to attempt the eight-fence jump-off, going clear
in a time of 48.64 seconds. Gerardo Tazzer of Mexico on Chanel followed
up with another faultless round, shaving almost four seconds off
Simpson's time. Spooner and Robinson were the third in the order,
and the pair blazed around the course in the winning time of 42.61
seconds. Jeff Campf of Canby OR, on Lady D left all the rails up
but could not beat Spooner's time. Sarah Baldwin of San Marcos,
CA, and her mount Kiljoy Forever delivered another clear but clocked
in at 46.53 seconds leaving Spooner still safely in the lead. John
Pearce of Stoufville, ON, riding Jamco's Champagne dropped a rail
and left it to Eddy Sepul of Rancho Santa Fe, CA, on Edesa's Divine
to try to best Spooner. Sepul knocked a rail at the double and it
was all over. Spooner and Robinson fought a hard contest and emerged
victorious in the $75,000 Bayer/USET Grand Prix.
Other
major award winners at the Indio Desert Circuit III included:
Bayer
Legend Leading Hunter Rider - Peter Pletcher, Houston, TX
Bayer Legend Leading Jumper Rider - Macella O'Neill, Calistoga,
CA
HBO Junior Medal Winner - Natalie Rae Medlock, Orange, CA
Charles Owen Children's Medal Winner - Mavis Spencer, Santa Monica,
CA
Charles Owen Adult Medal Winner - Lyn Pedersen McDonough, San Francisco,
CA
The
Sunday crowd at the Indio Desert Circuit not only enjoyed a terrific
display of horsemanship in the Grand Prix ring, but also enjoyed
Kids Day presented by Fox 11 KDFX. Hundreds of kids and their parents
were treated to entertainment including, a petting zoo, games, prizes,
crafts, pony rides and face painting.
Show
jumping will resume at HITS Indio Desert Horse Park on Wednesday,
February 19th. The $50,000 Rio Vista Grand Prix will be the feature
event of the week, taking place on Sunday, February 23 at 1:00pm.
$75,000 Bayer/USET Grand Prix - Sunday, February 9, 2003
Indio Desert Circuit III - Indio, CA
Olaf Petersen, Germany: Course Designer
Place
Horse Rider Owner Prize Money Rd1 Faults Rd 2 Faults JO Time
1st Robinson Richard A Spooner Half Moon Bay Investment Group $22,500
0 0 42.61
2nd Chanel Gerardo Tazzer Gerardo Tazzer $16,500 0 0 44.81
3rd Kiljoy Forever Sarah Baldwin Brookwood Stables Inc $9,750 0
0 46.53
4th Lady D Jeff Campf OZ Onvestment / Sequoia Farm $6,000 0 0 46.59
5th El Campeons Cirka Z Nicole Shaninian-Simpson El Campeon Farms
$4,500 0 0 48.64
6th Jamcos Champagne John Pearce Forest View Farms $3,750 0 4 49.32
7th Edesas Divine Eddy Sepul Edesa Horse Promotion Inc $3,000 0
8 50.95
8th Lou Lou Guillermo Obligado Charlotte L Mashburn $818.18 4
8th All Star Peter Breakwell Adonis Capital $818.18 4
8th Millenium John French Cathy A Mendez $818.18 4
8th El Campeons Petri Nicole Shahinian-Simpson El Campeon Farms
$818.18 4
8th Pop Socks Jenni Martin Temecula Valley Equestrian Center $818.18
4
8th Sapphire Mark Watring Watring / Bohannan $818.18 4
8th Casanova Alison Firestone Mr. & Mrs. Bertram R. Firestone
$818.18 4
8th Prinzess Cathleen Calvert Cathleen Calvert $818.18 4
8th Riptide Kyle King Kyle King / Alison Friedman $818.18 4
8th Apprapos Marley Goodman Marley Goodman / Turtle Lane Farm $818.18
4
8th Horalas Hap Hansen Diane Rushing $818.18 4
UPCOMING EVENTS
$50,000 Rio Vista Grand Prix
Sunday, February 23
1:00pm
$50,000 King Shavings Grand Prix, Presented by Adequan
Sunday, March 2
1:00pm
$150,000 Ford Grand Prix of the Desert
Sunday, March 9
1:00pm
SPECIAL EVENTS
Seniors Day, Sponsored by LaQuinta Rotary Presented by KESQ TV3
Sunday, March 2
11:00am-1:00pm
Fiesta Day
Sunday, March 9
11:00am-1:00pm
Circuit Awards
Sundays
Prior to 1:00 Grand Prix
Website:
www.HitsShows.com
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