Rusty Stewart and Bristol Return to Competition with a Win at HITS Desert Circuit
THERMAL, C.A. (March 3, 2014) – Rusty Stewart, who hails from Camarillo, California, has rested his longtime grand prix mount Bristol since the end of last season, but returned to competition on the highest of notes this weekend at HITS Thermal. Stewart and the homebred 16-year-old gelding were the fastest double clear effort in an 11-horse jump-off to win the $50,000 Horze Equestrian Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, in front of a packed house in the Strongid® C 2X™ Grand Prix Stadium.
An original order of 37 showed over a course set by Danny Foster of Milton, Ontario. According to Stewart, there wasn’t a stride on the course where one could take a break. “The course was very technical, plenty big enough and asked a question with every turn. All-in-all it produced an exciting jump-off,” said Stewart.
Despite the recent hiatus from competition, it took Bristol no time to readjust to the show ring. “He was just Bristol,” said Stewart in reaction to how his horse performed. “He’s getting faster every day and he loves to jump in front of a crowd – the course designer could have built anything and I would have trusted him to do his job today.”
Thirteen obstacles with 18 jumping efforts presented rollback after rollback to riders, but faults were consistent throughout the course. Stewart was one of only two to jump double clear and piloted Bristol to a time of 47.96 seconds to set the Great American Time to Beat as the fourth to go in the jump-off. Just one trip later, 16-year-old Hannah Von Heidegger, a newcomer to the grand prix level, jumped her mare Geledimar to a clear round in 51.42 seconds to eventually land second.
Geledimar was the first of Von Heidegger’s two jump-off rides and she left the ring wide eyed and grinning after both. “I’m still hoping for my first grand prix win, but I could not have been happier with how this day went. I was so excited just to get my first horse clean – the second one was icing on the cake,” said Von Heidegger.
Anyone watching as Von Heidegger landed off the last fence would have been convinced she was the winner as she dove onto the neck of Geledimar and wrapped her arms around the mare, planting kisses in her mane. “We have been having four faults week after week and I knew this was coming soon – I could feel it” said Von Heidegger.
Von Heidegger was also eighth with Axl Rose for Monarch International.
The fastest of the four-faulters in the jump-off was Susan Artes of South Pasadena, California aboard Zamiro for Alix Fargo to finish in third, while Harley Brown of Redwood City, California and Oak Park Group, LLC’s Cassiato collected fourth. With one of her two rides for the day, Jenni McAllister of Sun Valley, California jumped Legis Venice to cap the top five with eight faults for owners LEGISequine.com. McAllister was also ninth aboard Here I Come, also owned by LEGISequine.com.
©Flying Horse Photography
Bristol made a splash when he got back to the show ring after several months off with Rusty Stewart in the irons. The pair won the $50,000 Horze Equestrian Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, at HITS Thermal this weekend.
©Flying Horse Photography
Rusty Stewart and Bristol are presented with top honors after their win in the $50,000 Horze Equestrian Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, at HITS Thermal.
About Horze Equestrian
Founded in 2003 in Lahti, Finland, Horze Equestrian provides premier equestrian gear to riders internationally. From tack to apparel to stable supplies, Horze Equestrian delivers premium products and customer service and gives horses and their owners around the world more for their money. For more information, visit Horze.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 Horze Equestrian Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis
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$10,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner High Jumper Classic, presented by Bayer’s Legend
Before Von Heidegger earned her fair share of the spotlight in the Horze Equestrian Grand Prix, she piloted Monarch International’s E-Unanime De la Haie to win the $10,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner High Jumper Classic, presented by Bayer’s Legend. She bested a competitive field of riders to come one step closer to qualifying for the Bayer's Legend® (hyaluronate sodium) Injectable Solution $250,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Prix, a final that Von Heidegger and trainer Will Simpson are aiming for.
Hannah Von Heidegger is seeing dollar signs thinking about competing at the HITS Championship in September for a share of $250,000 and is competing in the Junior/Amateur-Owner High Jumper Classics at HITS Thermal in an effort to head east this fall.
“It’s certainly the most amount of money I have ever ridden for and it would be great to get there,” she said.
In a three-horse jump-off, Von Heidegger was pitted against Paige Dotson of Laguna Hills, California and Adrienne Dixon of Hillsborough, California. Dixon was first to ride aboard her own Ramazzotti, but picked up four faults to land third. Dotson and her family-owned Rockford I were the first to go double clear, but their lead was short lived as Von Heidegger bumped them to second.
Fourth-place was awarded to Karrie Rufer of Sacramento, California in the irons of Courtown, owned by Morning Star Sporthorses, LLC. Mackenzie Drazan capped the top five aboard her own Champ X.
All high junior/amateur-owner jumper classics at the 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 High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Prix, visit HitsShows.com.
©Flying Horse Photography
Hannah Von Heidegger and E-Unanime De La Haie 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.