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Canadian
John Pearce And Jamco's Champagne Win $75,000 Bayer/USET Grand
Prix |
INDIO, CA (February 16, 2004)—John Pearce of Stouffville, Ontario,
riding Jamco's Champagne, captured the $75,000 Bayer/USET Grand Prix
during week III of the HITS Indio Desert Circuit. Pearce bested a
field of forty-seven horses, and was the fastest of four double-clears
in an eight-horse jump-off. Pearce, who was last in the jump-off,
edged out John French and Millenium by .24 of a second, leaving the
pair in second place. Third place went to Mark Watring and Sapphire.
Ashlee Bond and Fabius 45 took fourth place in the competition.
The
$75,000 Bayer/USET Grand Prix was a qualifying class for the World
Cup Finals to be held April 21-25 in Milan, Italy. Riders earn points
that will determine their standings in the West Coast League. Richard
Spooner, who took fifth in the competition aboard Hilton Flight,
is currently top in the standings.
Course
designer, Anthony D'Ambrosio of Red Hook, New York, built a 13-obstacle
first round course including water at Fence No. 4, a double at Fence
No. 5, and a triple at Fence No. 8. The time allowed was set at
92 seconds. Of the forty-seven starters, only eight horses advanced
to Dambrosio's seven-element short course. The time allowed was
set at 50 seconds.
“I
was really happy with the outcome,” said Anthony D'Ambrosio.
“I thought I would have six to eight in the jump-off, and we
had eight. A lot of the horses made just one mistake. It was an
exciting jump-off. Sometimes things just get faster and faster and
become very exciting and suspenseful. Today was one of those days.”
Ashlee
Bond and Fabius 45, owned by Little Valley Farm, went fourth in
the order of go in the jump-off, and had the first clear round in
a time of 44.37 seconds. Mark Watring and Sapphire were up next,
delivering another clear round while shaving over a second off Bond's
time. John French and Millenium, the third successive pair with
a clear round, powered through the course in a very fast time of
39.74 seconds—a full three seconds faster than Watring. John
Pearce and Jamco's Champagne were last in the order. Knowing what
they had to beat, the pair decided to pull out all the stops. Pearce
set a blistering pace, guiding Jamco's Champagne clear while shaving
.24 of a second off the lead time, clocking in at 39.50 seconds
for the win.
“I
had a great start the first week and then I had a bit of a rough
time last week,” said John Pearce. “I was bound and determined
to do better this week. I did my homework and it paid off. John
French and Richard Spooner are always threats. This is the second
year for my horse at this level. I had to ask him to make moves
that he's not used to. And in the end, I decided it was all or nothing.”
Other
major award winners at Indio Desert Circuit III included:
Bayer Legend Leading Hunter Rider - Peter Pletcher, Houston, TX
Bayer Legend Leading Jumper Rider - Richard Spooner, Burbank, CA
HBO Junior Medal Winner - Jamee Crawford, Colorado Springs, CO
Charles Owen Children's Medal Winner - Julie Michelle Weisz, Coto
De Caza, CA
Charles Owen Adult Medal Winner - Elizabeth Dickinson, Calabasas,
CA
$25,000 Ariat Grand Prix - Richard A Spooner, Burbank, CA, riding
Robinson, owned by Half Moon Bay Investment Group
John Pearce and Jamco's Champagne - Winners of the $75,000 Bayer/USET
Grand Prix
(photo courtesy of Todd Sutherland Photography, © 2004)
$75,000 Bayer/USET Grand Prix - Sunday, February 15, 2004
Indio Desert Circuit III - Indio, CA
Course Designer: Anthony D'Ambrosio, Red Hook, New York
Place Horse Rider Owner Prize Money Rd 1
Faults
JO
Faults JO
Time
1st Jamco's Champagne John Pearce Forest View Farms $22,500 0 0
39.50
2nd Millenium John French Cathy / Alex Mendez $16,500 0 0 39.74
3rd Sapphire Mark Watring
Watring / Bohannan $9,750 0 0 42.82
4th Fabius 45 Ashlee Bond Little Valley Farm $6,000 0 0 44.37
5th Hilton Flight Richard A Spooner Freedom Farms Inc. $4,500 0
4 37.77
6th Robinson Richard A Spooner Half Moon Bay Investment Grp $3,750
0 4 38.93
7th Remember Me 9 Laura Linback Woodrun $3,000 0 4 40.29
8th Mogharebi's Jente Joie Gatlin Phoenix Equestrian Inc. $2,250
0 12 42.29
9th Itano De La Bastide Susan Hutchison Jenny McLaughlin $613.63
4
9th Pasadena Misti Cassar Sopranos Farm $613.63 4
9th Kir Royal Erin Duffy Erin Duffy $613.63 4
9th Grand Soso 2 Laura Linback Woodrun $613.63 4
9th Horalas Hap Hansen Diane Rushing $613.63 4
9th Scappino Chanel Gerardo Tazzer Gerardo Tazzer $613.63 4
9th El Campeons So Long Nicole Shahinian-Simpson El Campeon Farms
$613.63 4
9th It's Cruising Bernie Traurig Blenheim Farms LLC $613.63 4
9th Callisto Jill Henselwood Juniper Farms LTD $613.63 4
9th Special Ed Jill Henselwood Juniper Farms LTD $613.63 4
9th Aka Canabis Z Manuel Senderos Manuel Senderos $613.63 4
INDIO DESERT CIRCUIT 2004 SIDEBAR INFORMATION
WEDNESDAY
THROUGH SUNDAY, REMAINING 2004 SHOW DATES ARE:
Rest Week - No Show - February 16-22
Desert Circuit IV - February 25-29
Desert Circuit V - March 3-7
Desert Circuit VI - March 10-14
FEATURED
EVENTS
$25,000 Ariat Grand Prix - Every Friday at 1:00pm
$50,000 King Shavings Grand Prix - Sunday, February 29 at 1:00pm
$50,000 King Shavings Grand Prix Presented by Adequan ® - Sunday,
March 7 at 1:00pm
$150,000 Ford Grand Prix of the Desert - Sunday, March 14 at 2:00pm
SPECIAL
EVENTS
Kids Day Presented by KDFX Fox 11 - Sunday, February 15 from 11:00am-1:00pm
Seniors Day, Presented by KESQ TV3 and LaQuinta Rotary - Sunday,
March 7 from 11:00am-1:00pm
Fiesta Day, Presented by Nextel and Avis Rent A Car - Sunday, March
14 from Noon to 2:00 pm
Circuit Awards - Sundays Prior to 1:00pm Grand Prix
Directions
to HITS Desert Horse Park: Take I-10 to the Monroe Street exit in
Indio. Go south approximately five miles to Avenue 52, and then
turn right onto Avenue 52. Horse Show entrance is ½ mile
on right. Tel: 760-775-7731; Fax: 760-775-7752. Website: www.HitsShows.com
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