$5,000 Brook Ledge Open Welcome
Riders and horses were put to the test during the first $5,000 Brook Ledge Open Welcome in Week I of the HITS Desert Circuit in Thermal, California. Amidst the mountains that line the horizon of Grand Prix Stadium, competitors navigated a challenging 14-fence course designed by Olaf Petersen, Jr. of Muenchen, Germany, but only three would conquer the first round to advance to the jump-off to claim the victory.
$25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix
Big money classes commenced on Friday in Week I of the HITS Desert Circuit in Thermal California, with the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix. It was Peter Petschenig of Murrieta, California, and his own Saint Quentin, who would go home with the blue ribbon and a $7,500 check.
Petschenig, first in the ring for round one, set the tone for the day after going clean over the 13-fence course designed by Olaf Petersen, Jr. of Muenchen, Germany, to advance to the jump-off course. With his eyes on the prize, Petschenig sped through jump-off sticking to his plan: "to be fast," and setting the time of 43.018, which would ultimately be the class winner.
“I was just aiming to go fast, to be quick and precise” said Petschenig. “It feels really great to win the first Grand Prix of the circuit.”
Second-place belonged to Ashlee Bond of Hidden Hills, California, and Little Valley Farms’, Cornancer. Bond moved through the jump-off quickly. As Bond cleared the final obstacle she fell just behind Petschenig by less than half a second after crossing the marker in 43.450 for the $5,500 check.
Los Angeles equestrian, Tiffany Sullivan, took home third-place with Christian Grey, owned by Haley Farms, LLC. Entering the jump-off third, the big-strided grey jumped fault-free but a wide turn to the home stretch vertical resulted in seconds lost to the clock, finishing in 47.785.
Nicole Haunert of Encinitas, California, and NJK No Regret, owned by NJK Show Jumpers, Inc., earned fourth-place. Last in the ring for the jump-off, Haunert cleared the first two fences until a tight distance forced a rail mid-course resulting in a 48.873 second round with four jumping faults. Haunert moved to fourth place after previous rider, Enrique Gonzalez’s horse Chacna shied towards the gate, forcing five time faults, moving him out of the top five to sixth-place.
The class rounded out the top five with Calgary native, Tamie Phillips and Cat Balou. Phillips navigated the course well until a rough negotiation of the mid-course combination resulted in a rail followed by a second rail at the vertical immediately after. Phillips completed the course in 43.899 with eight jumping faults.
