Thermal, CA - February 6, 2011 - Rich Fellers and Harry and Molly Chapman's Flexible turned back the clock on Saturday night when they won the $50,000 Strongid C 2X Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, at the HITS Desert Horse Park in Thermal, CA.

The winner’s circle at the HITS Desert Horse Park is a familiar place for the horse-and-rider combination. In 2008, Fellers and Flexible won three of the four FEI World Cup Qualifiers and it seems as though they are at it again after a triumphant performance in the indoor arena on Saturday night before a packed house that included representatives from Pfizer Animal Health.

In Saturday's feature class, Fellers (Wilsonville, OR) and Flexible got the best of the 27 horse-and-rider combinations that challenged International course designer Bernard Cabral's (Lisbon, Portugal) first-round track and the 11 pairs that advanced to the jump-off before an electric crowd as onlookers cheered from the sold-out Charles Owen VIP Section.

"I would like to win a few more of these," said Fellers right after the class. "It would be nice to go on a run like we did in 2008. We are going to spend the entire circuit here this year, so we will certainly have our chances."

"Flexible seems to be a step ahead of the others indoors," added Fellers.

Cabral's first-round track featured 15 obstacles and a time allowed of 74 seconds. At the conclusion of the round, spectators were guaranteed a tremendous jump-off as Fellers and Flexible were joined on the short course by an eclectic mix of riders that included three-time World Cup Champion and 2010 WEG Team Gold Medalist Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum originally of Westlake Village, CA, and Richard Michaels' Kismet 50.

Other headliners to advance to the jump-off were Richard Spooner (Aqua Dulce, CA) and Show Jumping Syndication's Cristallo, Helen McNaught (Woodside, CA) and her own Caballo, Charlie Jayne (Elgin, IL) and The London Group's Athena, Lucy Davis (Los Angeles, CA) and Old Oak Farm's Nemo 119, Lisa Carlsen (Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada) and La Boom Syndicate's La Boom, Harley Brown (Arroyo Grande, CA) and Oak Park Group's Cassiato, Karl Cook (Woodside, CA) and Signe Otsby's Uno de Laubry Chris Pratt (Lake View Terrace, CA) and Indigo Farm's Cruise , and Gabriella Salick (Thousand Oaks, CA) and her own Centuria 2 all moved onto the horse race over fences.

"I couldn't have asked for a more exciting first round," said Cabral. "The horses jumped very well tonight and having 11 horses in the jump-off was a perfect number because of the big crowd. They really got their money's worth."

Amateur rider Karl Cook and Uno de Laubry were first to challenge Cabral's 10 effort jump-off track as the race for the blue ribbon was on. Cook was fast and clean right off the bat coming home in 43.98 seconds to establish The Great American Time to Beat. At the end of the class, the duo finished in third place.

"There were a couple of spots where I could have gone faster," reflected Cook. "I knew my time wasn't going to hold up, but I am happy regardless."

Thanks to the HITS Desert Circuit's all-time leading money winner, Richard Spooner, Cook and Uno de Laubry's leading time wouldn't last long. Spooner and Cristallo made the dash for the cash and became the new leader crossing the timers in 41.78 seconds. At the conclusion of the class, the talented duo finished in second place.

Great Britain's Helen McNaught and her own Caballo were third to jump-off and were the fastest of the riders with four faults finishing in fourth place. Charlie Jayne and Athena were next to show and, after winning Thursday night's $31,000 HITS Welcome Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, were one of the favorites to win the blue ribbon. However, after dropping two rails they finished in 10th place.

One of the sport's top up-and-coming riders took the course next when Lucy Davis rode Nemo 119 into the ring. They finished with four faults and landed in ninth place; however, after the class the 18-year-old was thrilled with her performance.

"I don't have a lot of experience indoors and I was really happy to come away with a clean round and advance to the jump-off," said Davis. "My horse was great tonight and performed well in front of the big crowd. I am very excited for the rest of the circuit."

Canadian Olympian Lisa Carlsen and La Boom followed Davis and dropped an unlucky rail midway through their trip to finish in eighth place.

Just when it looked as if Spooner and Cristallo were on track for a victory, Fellers and Flexible entered the ring, bringing the crowd to its feet. They were fast and clean racing to the finish line in 41.20 seconds to take the lead and eventually win the class.

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Kismet 50 and Harley Brown aboard Cassiato were the next two combinations to compete in the star-studded jump-off. Although this time around neither team could muster up a clear round as they each finished with four faults. At the end of the class, Brown and Cassiato placed fifth and Michaels-Beerbaum and Kismet 50 ended up in sixth place.

Canadian Chris Pratt and Cruise were next and they had eight faults along the way, landing in 11th place. The enviable last-to-ride spot belonged to Gabriella Salick aboard her own Centuria 2. The duo couldn't cash in on the coveted spot, dropping a rail and finishing in seventh place.

With his victory, Fellers takes the early lead in the race for The Platinum Performance Leading World Cup Rider Award. The top rider in the combined four FEI World Cup Qualifiers at HITS Thermal will receive a one-year supply of product, courtesy of Platinum Performance

Action for the High-Performance riders at HITS Thermal continues today when the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, caps of Desert Circuit II as Grand Prix riders continue to shoot it out for a spot in the second-annual Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix.

HITS, Inc. produces high-quality, international-level hunter/jumper horse shows. Based in upstate New York in the village of Saugerties, HITS has been producing shows since 1982 and is now a nationwide company with world-class circuits in California, Florida, Arizona, New York and Virginia. In 2010, HITS took the industry to new heights when it hosted the first-ever Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix. HITS will once again offer the most innovative weekend in show jumping history in 2011 when it hosts the second annual Pfizer Million and the inaugural Diamond Mills $500,000 3'3" Hunter Prix Final, September 10-11, at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York.

ENDS