Richard Spooner Claims a Win as AIG Million Week Arrives at HITS Thermal
THERMAL, CA (March 10, 2014) – Richard Spooner and Cristallo were as in sync as ever on Sunday to win the $50,000 CardFlex Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, at HITS Thermal. The final qualifier before the AIG $1 Million Grand Prix, presented by Lamborghini Newport Beach, Sunday’s grand prix was met with blue skies and fierce competition. After a second-place finish on Friday, Spooner is sitting pretty on a blue ribbon before the stakes climb higher.
Bernardo Cabral of Carnaxide, Portugal designed Sunday’s course as he prepares to design the course for the debut of the Great American $1 Million Grand Prix in two weeks. “When you have fantastic riders, they make your course look good and I was overwhelmed with how great the sport was today,” said Cabral. “I tried to be delicate – I wanted the best to make it to the jump-off, but not give the less experienced a bad day. I think the course did just that.”
Spooner, who piloted two mounts over Cabral’s course, was complimentary. “It was plenty tricky, but there were no traps,” he said. “He tightened the screw on us with the time allowed, but I see him quite frequently in international competition and I think overall he did a great job.”
The first-round track included three double combinations, but faults were spread evenly throughout the course. Spooner picked up a single time fault in a brilliant ride aboard SN Stables, LLC’s Chivas Z to keep him from the jump-off, but returned 41st in the 42-horse order determined to advance. Well under the first round time allowed, he piloted Cristallo, owned by Show Jumping Syndications, into an eight-horse jump-off.
“We’ve been everywhere and done everything together,” said Spooner of the 16-year-old Cristallo who has been a top mount for Spooner the past nine years. “I’m not sure where I would be without him, but it certainly wouldn’t be the winner’s circle.”
Mandy Porter of Encinitas, California jumped a high-spirited Con Capilot to an early clear round in the jump-off, posting the Great American Time to Beat at 44.72 seconds. Ashlee Bond Clarke of Hidden hills, California returned next and quickly stole the lead on Little Valley Farms’ Agro Star with a time of 44.56 seconds.
The next clear round came from Spooner and Cristallo. Their time of 42.72 seconds seemed to be enough for the win, but Spooner was not quick to start counting his prize money. Bond Clarke returned last with her second ride of the jump-off. “Ashlee is a brilliant competitor and she has the ability and the speed to beat anyone at any time,” said Spooner.
Bond Clarke rode Little Valley Farms’ Chela LS clear in 43.44 seconds, just fractions shy of the win. She ended in second with Chela LS and third on Agro Star.
Porter and Con Capilot landed fourth, while Enrique Gonzalez of Encinitas, California capped the top five in the irons of his own Quilebo Du Tillard. They posted a time of 45.76 seconds with four faults.
With the AIG Million just five days away, Spooner has confidence that Cristallo will rise to the occasion. “You never know what a course designer is going to throw at you at that level,” he said. “It’s in my best interested to choose the horse who has already seen it all. When the jumps get bigger, Cristallo gets better, so we will see what happens on Sunday.”
©Flying Horse Photography
Richard Spooner and Cristallo on their way to a win in the $50,000 CardFlex Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, at HITS Thermal.
©Flying Horse Photography
Richard Spooner and Cristallo are presented with top honors, including a Horze Equestrian cooler, after winning the $50,000 CardFlex Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, at HITS Thermal. CardFlex representatives Susan, Serenity and Summer Phillips made the presentation.
©Flying Horse Photography
Martin Mendoza (third from right) was honored with the Week VI CardFlex Grooms Award at HITS Thermal. Vega works with trainer’s John Charlebois and Bert Mutch of Charlebois Farm, and received a $250 gift card from Susan, Serenity and Summer Phillips of CardFlex during the weekly Horze Equestrian Parade of Champions at the HITS Desert Circuit.
About CardFlex
CardFlex is a leading provider of innovative merchant processing services and prepaid card solutions. Headquartered in Costa Mesa, California, CardFlex is committed to providing world-class products, services and support to meet the evolving needs and goals of its customers. For more information, visit CardFlex.com.
About Zoetis
Building on 60 years of experience as Pfizer Animal Health, Zoetis delivers quality medicines and vaccines, complemented by diagnostics products and genetics tests and supported by a range of services. They work every day to better understand and address the real-world challenges faced by those who raise and care for animals in ways they find truly relevant. Zoetis produces a comprehensive range of safe and effective products, including equine vaccines, dewormers and sedative analgesics, to help professionals and individual horse owners keep their animals healthy. Both veterinarians and horse owners know and trust the Zoetis will help their horses live longer, healthier lives. For more information, visit Zoetis.com.
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$50,000 CardFlex Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis
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$10,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner High Jumper Classic, presented by Bayer’s Legend
Olivia Chowdry of Denver, Colorado admits that it only took ten jumps for her to realize that Gaja 20 was the horse for her. The instant connection led her to buy the black gelding in 2012, and this weekend they won the $10,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner High Jumper Classic, presented by Bayer’s Legend, at HITS Thermal. Chowdry bested a nine-horse jump-off to come one step closer to qualifying for the Bayer's Legend ® (hyaluronate sodium) Injectable Solution $250,000 High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Prix, a final that Chowdry and her trainers Joie Gatlin and Morley Abey are aiming for.
Gaja 20 was purchased as the horse to take Chowdry to the next level and has begun to do just that. “Every time we walk in the ring, he wants to win,” she said. “He is super careful, fast, competitive and just fun!”
Prior to walking in the ring, Gaja 20 put this head down and squealed like rambunctious pony, which according to Chowdry, is his process. “He has to do something silly in the warm-up ring to go clear,” she said.
One of five to go double clear from an original field of 37 starters, Chowdry’s time was just fractions fast enough to earn her the win, crossing the timers at 43.42 seconds over Simonne Berg’s and Nick Gegen’s Sancerre. Berg hails from Sausalito, California and stopped the clock in 43.66 seconds.
Ellicia Edgar of Edmonton, Alberta was third in the irons of Valleyfield Farm’s Cippolini VD Gasthoeve with a clear round in 44.23 seconds. With a clean round in 45.01 seconds, Morgan Garnett of Hillsborough, California and Katrina Garnett’s Magno LS finished fourth while Melissa Doddridge of Tustin, California capped the top five with her own Mucho Gusto with a clear round in 47.81 seconds.
All high junior/amateur-owner jumper classics at HITS Desert Circuit are qualifiers for the Bayer's Legend ® (hyaluronate sodium) Injectable Solution $250,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Prix, enticing West Coast riders to head east this fall for the HITS Championship at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York. For more information on the Bayer's Legend® $250,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Prix, visit HitsShows.com.
©Flying Horse Photography
Olivia Chowdry and Gaja 20 jump to a win in the $10,000 HITS Junior/Amateur-Owner High Jumper Classic at HITS Thermal.
About Bayer Animal Health
Bayer Animal Health is amongst worldwide leaders in animal health. Bayer has attained this leadership position by continuously researching and developing products for animal health since 1919. A responsible relationship between humans, companion animals and livestock requires ensuring the health of animals. For more information on Bayer Animal Health, visit bayer.com.