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INDIO, CA (February 27, 2006) -- It's no coincidence that Richard Spooner is the Indio Desert Circuit's all-time leading money winner. With some good decision-making in Sunday's $75,000 SURPASS Grand Prix he became a bit richer as his mount of Quirino 3 seized the top prize.

Just before the jump-off, he noticed that Quirino 3's front left shoe was sprung and there was no time to get it fixed. He decided to go at course designer Leopoldo Palacios' route anyway and he came out with a check for $22,500.

However, it certainly wasn't textbook Spooner. Not one rider posted back-to-back clean rounds, but his four-fault score in the jump-off was the best that the round of four could offer. "It's not a terrible way to win," said Spooner. "But it was a surprising one."

Spooner said that after jumping the first hurdle Quirino 3's horseshoe came completely off. He went the rest of the way remarkably only dropping fence 10B. The combination jump not only stumped Spooner, but everyone in the jump-off took the vertical down.

Palacios filtered down the field from 40 horses to a jump-off of Spooner, John Pearce, Jennifer Crooks and Gord Munro. Munro and Shakira also posted a four-fault score but she was more than a second slower than Spooner's time of 38.56 seconds.

SF Cassandra and Crooks were third. She took down two rails and had a time fault. Pearce and Uriso rounded out the competitors in the jump-off. The Canadian rider tackled the course first without much success, as he took down four rails. However, all four of the riders should be commended for getting through a difficult first round designed by Palacios.

"I've said it all along he is the best course designer in the world," said Spooner. "The man's a genius out there."

The $75,000 Surpass Grand Prix concludes a fine week for Spooner, who took five mounts into Friday's $30,000 Ariat Grand Prix jump-off. He came away with second, third and fourth place securing $15,300. That brings his weekend prize money total to $37,800.

Spooner and Quirino 3 will try to pull off a hat trick on the 2006 Indio Desert Circuit when it enters its final week. The pair has two grand prix classes under their belt throughout the six-week circuit and has just two more tries for another as the circuit concludes next Sunday. That gives them just Friday's $30,000 Ariat Grand Prix and Sunday's $150,000 Grand Prix of the Desert to do the trick.

"We can't wait to give it a run," said Spooner.

Other major award winners at HITS Indio V included:

HBO Children's Medal - Bianca Farmas-Griffith, Los Angeles, CA
HBO Junior Medal - Alex Maida, Danville, CA
HBO Adult Medal - Eric Chiamulon, Santa Monica, CA
Farnam Adult Hunter Division Champion (18-35) - Vida Blue, ridden and owned by Lesley A. Bulechek, Los Altos Hills, CA
Farnam Adult Hunter Division Champion (36-45) - Q, ridden and owned by Cindy Cruciotti, Elizabeth, CO
Farnam Adult Hunter Division Champion (46 & over) - Halston, ridden by Polly Sweeney and owned by Barbara Brown
Adequan® Open Hunter Division Champion - Time and Again, ridden and owned by John French, Gilroy, CA
Marshall & Sterling Children's Hunter Classic - Taberet, ridden by Bianca Farmas-Griffith, Los Angeles, CA
Marshall & Sterling Adult Hunter Classic - Q, ridden by Cindy Cruciotti, Elizabeth, CA
Marshall & Sterling Child/Adult Jumper Classic - Helio Paws, ridden and owned by
Tammy Chipiko, Agoura Hills, CA

For complete horse show results please visit http://www.hitsshows.com.

$75,000 SURPASS Grand Prix - Sunday, March 5, 2006
HITS Desert Circuit V - Indio, CA
Course Designer: Leopoldo Palacios, Caracas, Venezuela

KIDS DAY presented by KDFX Fox TV & Woodrun Farm
Sunday, February 12          11am - 1pm
Fun activities for kids of all ages       

WORLD OF THE HORSE presented by The Desert Sun, KESQ-TV & Time Warner Cable
Sunday, March 12          Noon - 2pm
Demonstrations of various disciplines and riding styles, introduction to several breeds 

MEDIA CONTACT: Chris Mayone, Chris@hitsshows.com, Cell: 845-389-3272