McGuinness and Rich Fellers take the Indio $75,000 Grand Prix
Today’s Grand Prix, Footings Unlimited $75,000, would almost have been anti-climatic if the competition had been held over any other course. Olaf Peterson, Seefeld, Germany set an amazing technical, big, airy course over fences that sort of reminded me of Alice in Wonderland. Lots of color, complex optional lines, wide oxers, BIG verticals and a “Quad Rail” fence option at #8 that created lots of problems and a few chills and spills.
I am trying a new camera and tried to get as many pictures as possible of not only the Grand Prix but also several “of interest” subjects. Some may be a little fuzzy but as soon as I figure out the focus options it will get better.
35 starters in the Grand Prix was a decent number but in the end there were only 2 clear rounds, John Pearce riding Urioso for Forest View Farms and Rich Fellers on Harry and Mollie Chapman’s McGuinness. I don’t have much detail for the class because I was running back and forth to sand land for Juniors in the Medals but I’ll give you highlights as I saw them. Not a lot of catastrophic scores but only 2 clear in the first round and only Rich Fellers double clear to win.
The Statistics:
2……..CLEAR
3……..1 time fault
14……4 faults
1……..4 faults + 1 time fault’
4……..8 faults
2…….12 faults
2…….20 faults
2…….24 faults + 1 time fault
3…….voluntary withdraw
1…….fall
1…….I didn’t get their score, sorry
I think the statistics are interesting. I started doing that a few columns ago and it is surprising to me to find so many of the horse/riders in the 4 or less fault category. As you watch classes where there are only a small handful of clear rounds, it is easy to think there must not be many great combinations or there would be more in the jump-offs. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Fact of the matter is that almost 1/2 the class had one rail or less !!!! Could be just not a lucky day for those not clear, but the fact they can get around a course like this one and only have 1 rail or less is quite an accomplishment and one to be proud of. It was difficult!!!! Our courses are being set by the best designers in the world with consideration given to the level of the class and then setting to produce top horse/riders. This was a World Cup qualifier for the west coast and the course definitely was set to that level.
Although she had a high fault score of 20 on Mogharebi’s Jenta owned by On Traget Showing & Breeding Farm, Joie Gatlin is riding well and had only a cheap rail on Suncal’s King owned by Canyon Capital, Inc. Eddie Macken on David Robinson’s Tedechine Sept was clear all the way but had a light rub on the last vertical and it came down…the crowd groaned!! Ali Nilforushan on his own Cellist had a smooth, easy ride but was disappointed with 1 time fault as was Kelly Small on Cimmaron Farm’s Calibur and Guillermo Obligado on his own Carlson. I just love to watch Guillermo ride, he has so much fun!! He enters the ring with a big grin and he always leaves it that way, it’s a pleasure to see.
We all thought Will Simpson and Boxster, owned by El Campeon, was going to be in the jump off but again, a light rub brought down a rail and he didn’t get to return. Richard Spooner had 3 in the class but none made it to the jump-off. Misty Cassar withdrew on her first horse and then had 12 on her second ride. My favorite, Sapphire and Mark Watring, had a rail as did Mandy Porter/Summer, Susan Artes/Presto B, Spooner/Live Fire, Audra Fleck-Snijders/Rainland Mel, Lesile Steele/AW Butterfly Hula, Jeff Campf/Lady-D, John Pearce/Archie Bunker, Jennifer Crooks/ SF Cassandra, Harley Brown/Blue Diamond.
In the jump-off John Pearce did his signature enter the ring, break into a canter, then an open gallop, then a forward fast gallop and never a look back. He was fast, efficient and careful right down to the very last jump…AND IT FELL!! Then Rich Fellers did his own “normal” ride… fluid, forward and could almost be confused for a riding lesson in smooth equitation. Both these guys are a delight to watch and probably invented the word “competitive”. I’m not sure if they would be able to ride a course and not be in a competitive mode. Always the relevant horsemen, they just love to win. Don’t we all.
1st……..McGuinness/Rich Fellers/Harry&Mollie Chapman 0/0
2nd…….Urioso/John Pearce/Forest View Farm 0/4
3rd…….Calibur/Kelley Small/Cimmaron Farm 1
4th…….Cellist/AliNilforushan/Ali Nilforushan EquestrianLLC 1
5th…….Carlson/Guillermo Obligado/Guillermo Obligado 1
6th…….Lady-D/Jeff Campf/Oz Investmenst-Sequoia Farm’ 4
7th…….Rainland Mel/Audra Fleck-Snijders/Rainland Farm Equine Clinic 4
8th……Boxster/Will Simpson/El Campeon Farm 4
9th……S F Cassandra/Jennifer Crooks/Stella Farm 4
10th….Live Fire/Richard Spooner/C&S Partnership 4
11th….Suncal’s King/Joie Gatlin/Canyon Capital Inc 4
12th….Tedechine Sept/Eddie Macken/David Robinson 4
THE NEW FACILITY
I drove out there today and I can tell you it is flat, open, no where near a town of any size and vast. HEY, that sounds like Indio 1993 before TS took over the dates. The growth in the last 12 years is nothing short of amazing. I am not only talking about the Desert Circuit, I am referring to Indio the town as well. Land values have gone through the roof and the piece of land we know as “Indio” is now surrounded by expensive houses. I personally think we are fortunate to have Tom Struzzarie committed to reinvesting in our West Coast showing industry. Sure he makes money here, but he can make money just about anywhere in the USA. He could have closed up shop here when the existing venue no longer can sustain our big circuit, but instead he is building a 250 acre show grounds for our enjoyment. Big show rings, plenty of warm up areas, permanent camper hook-ups, lots of turn outs, dust free trailer parking, separate lunge rings, permanent stabling built to accommodate individual barns and open room between what will be tents for those of us still choosing to show from the cheap seats. I even hear there will be a place for the grooms to stay, LOTS of GREAT bathrooms with running water, computer hookups and phone connections. How they will be able to drag all that out to THERMAL will be a rather interesting accomplishment. I can hardly wait for the 2007 show circuit to test drive all of it personally.
Right now it is desert in the truest meaning of the word, and the little town of Thermal thinks it has hit the lottery!! I stopped by what one would consider the local 7-11 even though it looked like a small local corner pit stop grocery store. They wanted to talk about the who, when, where and why. Having no answers I quickly hit the road back to Indio but I’ll remember their excitement for a long time. Probably a few growing pains ahead of us but the ride will be interesting. I’ll report in after to unveiling party.
In the mean time we have 2 more weeks of this, the final “Indio”. The current facility is tired, and so are we. It is crammed to the limit, especially on the weekend when the families come in to watch the Juniors ride and the husbands come to watch the wives. There are way too many golf carts, bicycles multiply by the dozen, baby strollers sit in the middle of the road while a mom wipes the face of a little one on a pony, children not old enough to drive cars are behind the wheels of golf carts-that is until the Stewards arrive, dogs of every size and color are on leashes attached to ladies in sandals and big hats and fathers drag chairs from ring to ring so there is a place to sit and read the newspaper. It makes Grand Central Station seem quiet by comparison. When we get to the new facility there will be room to stretch out and expand.
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