This week the HITS Desert Circuit in Thermal, California, concludes with the AIG $1 Million Grand Prix on Sunday, March 20th. On Friday, March 18th, Kirsten Hardin set a promising start for the big weekend ahead. Hardin already collected a steady string of blue ribbons at Thermal. This time Hardin won the $25,000 Smartpark Grand Prix. Winning the final Friday Grand Prix of the season, Hardin had a great preparation for her first Million Grand Prix participation. Hardin was thrilled with Firestone, a 11 year old Belgian warmblood gelding (Querlybet Hero x Goodtimes) owned by Nicole Teague. On Friday, the Smartpak Open Prix produced a jump-off of 13 from the starting order of 35, with two entries choosing not to return for the jump-off. Rich Fellers jumped Leslie Nelson’s 9-year-old Oldenburg gelding Coupis (Coupe De Couer x Canabis Z) to 2nd place with a double clear round that came in at 40.33 seconds to Hardin’s 40.21. Enrique Gonzalez and Chacna finished in 3rd place, also double clear, on a time of 40.39.
