Thermal, CA (March 7, 2016) Horses and their riders wrapped up Week VI of the HITS Desert Circuit on Sunday with big money classes for jumper exhibitors featuring the $50,000 HorseWare Ireland Grand Prix and the $10,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic presented by Bayer’s Legend.
$50,000 HorseWare Ireland Grand Prix
Kasey Ament and Zuidhoeve on their way to a $50,000 HorseWare Ireland Grand Prix win. ESI Photography
Week VI of the HITS Desert Circuit wrapped up with Sunday’s $50,000 Grand Prix sponsored by HorseWare Ireland. It came down to speed as riders and horses went head-to-head, navigating the 1.50 course of 17-jumping efforts designed by Marina Azevedo of Brazil.
Four riders from the first round advanced to the jump-off. None would go clean, making time the deciding factor in who would claim the champion title and a hardy piece of the prize purse.
First to return to the HITS Grand Prix Stadium for the jump-off was John Anderson from Calgary, Alberta, riding his own Terrific. Anderson and Terrific performed the jump-off with ease, but had an unfortunate rail at the roll-back to the tall vertical in the center of the ring. With a four-fault score and crossing the timers in 43.434 seconds, Anderson took a short-lived lead. Although that lead would be relinquished, Anderson finished the day in second-place.
Following Anderson’s round was Karl Cook from Woodside, California, riding Tembla owned by Signe Ostby. Cook knew he needed to go fault-free to contend for another Grand Prix win to close out the week. Although Cook and Tembla galloped through the timers in the fastest jump-off time of 37.864 seconds, the pair had two rails down giving them eight-faults and an eventual fourth-place finish.
Kasey Ament and Zuidhoeve winning the $50,000 HorseWare Ireland Grand Prix. ESI Photography
Third to go into the jump-off was Mexico’s own Enrique Gonzalez riding his horse Chacna. With no clear rounds in place yet, as Gonzalez approached the second fence of the combination, Chacna grazed the back rail giving him a four-fault score. The pair crossed the timers in 45.081 for the eventual third-place finish.
It was then left to the last to go in the HITS Grand Prix Stadium, Kasey Ament from Agoura Hills, California abroad Zuidhoeve, who is owned by Montis Horse Management, LLC. This was Ament’s third ride in the $50,000 HorseWare Ireland Grand Prix, but her first in the jump-off.
With no clear jump-off rounds ahead of her, Ament and Zuidhoeve approached the first two fences of the shortened course trying to stay fault-free to grab the blue, but Ament had an unfortunate rail at the first fence of the combination. Knowing she needed to be the fastest four-faulter, they galloped to the last few jumps and through the timers in 42.505 seconds, shaving a second off Anderson’s time and taking home the win.
“This week’s courses were very technical. My first two horses in today’s Grand Prix really helped me learn the course for my last ride,” said Ament. “I knew I needed to be clear to take the win, but with that rail in the combination I had to kick it into high gear with Zuidhoeve to win; I could not be happier with Zuidhoeve.”
| Place | Horse | Owner | Rider/Country | Prize | R.1 Faults | JO Faults | JO Time |
| 1 | Zuidhoeve | Montis Horse Management LLC | Kasey Ament | $15,000 | 0 | 4 | 42.505 |
| 2 | Terrific | John Anderson | John Anderson | $11,000 | 0 | 4 | 43.434 |
| 3 | Chacna | Enrique Gonzalez | Enrique Gonzalez | $6,500 | 0 | 5 | 45.081 |
| 4 | Tembla | Signe Ostby | Karl Cook | $4,000 | 0 | 8 | 37.864 |
| 5 | NKH Selena | NKH, LLC | Christian Heineking | $3,000 | 4 | – | – |
| 6 | Flexible | Harry & Mollie Chapman | Rich Fellers | $2,500 | 4 | – | – |
| 7 | NKH Quanto | NKH, LLC | Christian Heineking | $2,000 | 4 | – | – |
| 8 | Firestone | Nicole Teague | Kristin Hardin | $1,500 | 4 | – | – |
| 9 | Basimodo | Signe Ostby | Karl Cook | $1,500 | 4 | – | – |
| 10 | Parette | Lisa Carlsen | Lisa Carlsen | $1,500 | 4 | – | – |
| 11 | Catypso | Signe Ostby | Eric Navet | $1,000 | 5 | – | – |
| 12 | Here I Come | LEGISequine.com | Jenni McAllister | $1,000 | 6 | – | – |
$10,000 Jr/A-O Jumper Classic
Erin Davis-Heineking and Casino on their way to a $10,000 Jr/A-O Jumper Classic win. ESI Photogaphy
Riders competed for a piece of the prize during the $10,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic presented by Bayer’s Legend on Sunday during Desert Circuit VI. Exhibitors tested the inviting, but challenging 1.45-meter course set by FEI course designer Marina Azevedo from Brazil, but only one would go clear to seal the deal and win the blue.
Erin Davis-Heineking from Fort Worth, Texas, riding Casino, owned by Christian Heineking, took home the win in the $10,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic. Davis-Heineking and Casino were the only pair to go clear in the first round with no time or jumping faults, performing the course with ease.
Davis-Heineking also placed fourth and sixth aboard Ver Ron and October Hill’s Cuatro, both horses are owned by October Hill Sales Limited from Fort Worth, Texas. Second-place in the high Junior/Amateur-Owner classic went to Sara L Van Fleet on her own Colmar IV. Delaney Flynn and Taxo de la nutria, owned by Irish Rose Stables, went home with the fourth-place prize.
| Place | Horse | Owner | Rider/Country | Prize | R.1 Faults | JO Faults | JO Time |
| 1 | Casino | Heineking Show Stables | Erin Davis-Heineking | $2,800 | 0 | – | – |
| 2 | Colmar IV | Sara L Van Fleet | Sara L Van Fleet | $1,800 | 4 | – | – |
| 3 | Taxo de la nutria | Irish Rose Stables | Delaney Flynn | $1,200 | 8 | – | – |
| 4 | Ver Ron | October Hill Sales Limited | Erin Davis-Heineking | $900 | 8 | – | – |
| 5 | Cala D’or 3 | Morgan Dickerson | Morgan Dickerson | $800 | 15 | – | – |
| 6 | October Hill’s Cuatro | October Hills Sales Limited | Erin Davis-Heineking | $700 | 18 | – | – |
| 7 | Hot Blooded | Nicolette Hirt | Nicolette Hirt | $600 | 20 | – | – |