Thermal, CA (January 25, 2017): The first week of the Coachella Desert Circuit came to a close with the grand finale of the show on Sunday, the $75,000 Back on Track Grand Prix. Spectators gathered in the audience to witness who would master the event. An audience of thousands of viewers across the country also tuned into a live stream via ShowNet, sponsored by Morning Star Sporthorses, LLC.
Course Designer Martin Otto of Germany set a challenging course for the field of Grand Prix veterans. The order of go was stacked with talent including the likes of Will Simpson and Richard Spooner, who won the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix earlier in the week.
The team to beat would prove to be John Anderson of Calgary, Alberta aboard Terrific, garnering the glory with the only clear round in the five-horse jump-off. Anderson and Terrific were first in the order and laid down a trip that with withstand the entire jump-off, powering through the course clocking in at 43.374 with all of the rails up for the eventual victory.
Second in the ribbons was Canadian equestrian, Tamie Phillips, aboard Cat Balou. Following Anderson, Phillips turned in a quick, solid time of 42.437, but a rail at a single mid-course vertical would earn them the spot behind Anderson on the leaderboard as the fastest of the four-fault rides.
Peter Petschenig riding out of Murieta, California, rode to the third-place prize with his mount Saint Quentin. They too were thwarted by a single rail at the second-to-last fence in the course, clocking at 43.220 with four faults.
Lisa Carlsen has earned herself several top five placings in the first week of the Coachella Desert Circuit, including third and fifth place in the $5,000 Johnson Horse Transportation Open Welcome that kicked off the week on Wednesday. Today Carlsen placed fourth place with Parette, owned by WJ Partners, joining the field with a four-fault score caused by a rail at the fence following the combination with a time of 45.909.
Rounding out the top five was German equestrian Christian Heineking, now riding out of Weatherford, Texas. As the penultimate challenger in the order, he pulled in the fifth-place prize aboard NKH Calango, owned by NKH, LLC. with a four-fault score in 46.034 seconds.
Competition continues at HITS Desert Horse Park for Week II and there is plenty of excitement in store. All Friday and Sunday Grand Prix will be available to stream live, for free on HITS TV. Plus, ShowNet will offer live streaming from HITS Coachella all day, every day to their subscribers. For details, please click here.
(C) ESI Photography
John Anderson and Terrific on their way to a $75,000 Back on Track Grand Prix win.
(C) ESI Photography
John Anderson and Terrific winning the $75,000 Back on Track Grand Prix
Will Simpson Wins the $15,000 KindredBio Jumper
Will Simpson came out on top of the $15,000 KindredBio Jumper with La Mirage 16, owned by Aimwell Equestrian Ventures, LLC. After they scored a clear first round, they immediately went into the jump-off. Five others advanced to the shortened course, but none would surpass Simpson’s time of 35.652.
All top five finishers were seperated by mere fractions of a second. Second place, Ashlee Bond rode Agro Star, owned by Little Valley Farms to a clear finish in 36.113. Mattias Ekroth followed in the ribbons with Dacarlos,owned by Mattias Ekeroth, LLC., clocking in just tenths of a second behind Bond in 36.340 for the eventual third-place prize.
Richard Spooner, who won the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix on Friday, returned to the KindredBio Jumper event on Saturday with a different ride, Avantos, owned by Kyu Jin Whang. They too clocked in with all of the rails up in 36.769, their time behind Ekeroth earned them fourth place. Spooner would go on to place three more horses in the class, earning sixth with Zuidhoeve, owned by Montis Horse Management, LLC as well as tenth and eleventh place, respectively.
Rounding out the top five was Michelle Parker riding vancouver 45, owned by Cross Creek Farms, Inc. They nearly mastered Simpsons’ time, but an unfortunate rail would earn them fifth -place as they crossed the finish in 35.876.
(C) ESI Photography
Will Simpson and La Mirage 16 on their way to a $15,000 KindredBio Jumper win.
(C) ESI Photography
Will Simpson winning the KindredBio Jumper.
$75,000 Back on Track Grand Prix Final Results:
$15,000 KindredBio Jumper Final Results:
