Thermal, CA - The 20th Anniversary of the HITS Desert Circuit was a success from start to finish, with beautiful weather, great competition and record entries for the first time since 2007. The fifth season at the HITS Desert Horse Park in Thermal, CA, was a world-class show jumping experience for trainers, owners, riders and spectators, alike.

All four of the FEI World Cup Qualifying Grand Prix took place before sold-out VIP and general admission crowds, while the other 12 Grand Prix enjoyed a record-breaking number of entries with huge spectator turnout. The Devoucoux Hunter Prix was one of the most popular competitions of the Circuit and paved the way for five riders to become automatically qualified for the all-new Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final this September in Saugerties, NY.

“This was one of our most successful and enjoyable seasons ever at the HITS Desert Circuit,” said Tom Struzzieri, HITS President and CEO. “The new property has evolved as one of the most beautiful show grounds in the country, and we are excited about what the future holds for the Desert Circuit. To have customers come up to me and say they were sad to leave because they had such a great experience was the best compliment we could have asked for. We appreciate all the support, and now look forward to our spring and summer circuits back east and, of course, next year’s 2012 Desert Circuit!”

Davis won four Grand Prix classes in a row, including the $200,000 Lamborghini Grand Prix of the Desert, presented by Lamborghini of Newport Beach, on Sunday, March 20 aboard Old Oak Farm’s Nemo 119. Earlier in the day, she was awarded the SHALANNO Style of Riding Award during the Parade of Champions.

Thanks to her win in the feature class of the circuit, Davis now sits second in the Pfizer $1 Million Rider Rankings and plans to make the trip with her trainers, Gabby Salick, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Markus Beerbaum to HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York, for the big-money class that will take place on Sunday, September 11.

At the top of the Pfizer $1 Million Rider Rankings is Rich Fellers (Willsonville, Oregon) who has won $78,600 in prize money. Fellers was also named this year’s Catena Leading Grand Prix Rider, and won the Platinum Performance Leading World Cup Rider. For a complete list of the Pfizer Million Rider Rankings, click here.

A host of talented International riders took victory gallops after their Grand Prix triumphs at the 2011 HITS Desert Circuit, including Canadian Olympian John Pearce, Brazil’s Eduardo Menezes, Puerto Rico’s Mark Watring, and Germany’s Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum. A total of 10 different countries were represented during the six weeks of competition in the beautiful California desert.

Cayla Richards Qualifies for European Youngster Cup
Cayla Richards (Calabasas, California) was the top performer in the three qualifying events for the 2011 European Youngster Cup and will be one of four riders who will represent the United States at the prestigious Super Finals to be held in Leipzig, Germany during the FEI World Cup Finals in April.

The European Youngster Cup, also known as the EY-Cup, is a series of show jumping events, specifically for ambitious, top young riders who were born after January 1, 1985. Since its founding in 2003, the number of participants has increased steadily each year. The EY-Cup allows a spotlight to shine on the next generation of the show jumping equestrians, and has drawn the attention of many horse show organizers throughout the world.

Sonoma Valley Stables Shine in Devoucoux Hunter Prix Classes!
Led by trainers Hope and Ned Glynn, the group of Hunter riders from Sonoma Valley Stables (Petaluma, California) had a hugely successful Circuit. The group plans to make the journey east to HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York where they will compete in the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final, for the richest hunter purse in the history of the sport.

Hope Glynn scored two blue ribbons in the Devoucoux Hunter Prix and sits in the top 10 of the preliminary Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final Rider Rankings. Her students Erin Bland (San Diego, California) and Avery Hellman (Kentfield, California) were also consistent top finishers at the Circuit, and are two of the five riders from the West Coast who automatically qualified for the Diamond Mills Hunter Prix. Also excelling in the hunter ring were John French (Woodside, California) and Nick Haness (Coto de Caza, California) who are both in the top ten of the standings, and also plan to make the trip to the historic Hudson Valley for the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final.

“Our family from the East Coast and our family from the West Coast are all planning on attending to cheer us on. We are so excited and already have a block of rooms booked!” said Glynn.

“I am thrilled to have an opportunity to compete for the biggest purse of prize money in hunter history. We have all really enjoyed the [Devoucoux] Hunter Prix classes at Thermal,” added Glynn.

On Saturday night, March 13, the Ronnie Mutch Equitation Championship was the featured class for Equitation riders and was won by Hannah Von Heidegger (Chatsworth, California). Sage Flynn (Rancho Santa Fe, California) took the red ribbon, and Morgan Geller (Manhattan Beach, California) was third, to highlight the top spots.

In the two-round Classic that was held in the Strongid C 2X Stadium at HITS Thermal, riders competed over a course of fences which included gymnastics, trot fences, oxers, verticals and combinations. Throughout the competition, riders were not allowed to communicate with their trainers, nor any other resources. They had to do it all, from preparation of their horse, to walking the course, on their own. Two scores were given, one from the judge who watched the competitors on-course in the ring, and the other from the judge who observed the rider’s preparation of his or her horse in the schooling area prior to competition.

The Classic is held in honor of accomplished equestrian and life-long artist, R.W. Mutch. As an early student of Gordon Wright and Al Homewood, Mutch won the AHSA Medal Finals in 1950 at the age of 15, and at 18, he was the youngest rider, at that time, to ride for the USET.

On Sunday, March 20 the ever-popular Parade of Champions took place before the start of the $200,000 Lamborghini Grand Prix of the Desert, presented by Lamborghini of Newport Beach. During the Parade, the Antarès Grand Circuit Champion Awards and the SmartPak Second-Half-Circuit Awards were presented.

One shining star of the ceremony was Dorothy Rose Kaufman-Skloff (Los Angeles, California) who scored Antarès Grand Circuit Champion Awards in both the Large and Small Pony Hunters. In the Large Pony Hunters, she rode her own Carmello to the title, and in the Small Pony Hunters, she rode her own Rosmel’s Millennium to the crown. Kaufman-Skloff was joined in the Parade of Champions by her good friend and fellow pony rider, Eugenie Kilb (Malibu, California), who was the SmartPak Second-Half-Circuit Champion in the Green Pony Hunters aboard John French’s In Cahoots. For complete standings, click here.

Other Major Winners Included:

$25,000 California Horse Trader Jr/A-O Jumper Classic High: Hayley Alfonso and Tyndall Wood Farm’s Lennox 157

$10,000 Pilatus Aircraft Jr/A-O Jumper Classic Medium: Danielle Forester and her own Ludwig H.P.

SHALANNO Style of Riding Award: Lucy Davis

Catena Leading Grand Prix Rider Award: Rich Fellers

Platinum Performance Leading World Cup Rider: Rich Fellers

Grand Champion of The Arenus Tack Room Decorating Contest: Ventana Farm (Benson Carroll)

Exclusive™ Top Dog Competition: Stella, owned by Sveda Speroff

Odor-No-More Groom’s Award: Waldenbrook Farm

ENDS