THERMAL, CA (January 28, 2012) – The top four titles from yesterday’s $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, only boasted two names – Jill Henselwood of Oxford Mills, ON and Helen McNaught of San Ramon, CA who went to battle in a six-horse jump-off and traded off for top honors in the class at HITS Thermal.

Henselwood guided Brian Gingras’s IV Ever to top honors and accepted the blue ribbon over the 25-horse field that challenged Olaf Petersen, Jr.’s 13-effort course. She also claimed third place aboard Gingras’s George. McNaught finished second aboard Alison Heafey’s Lariccello and also rounded out the top four in the irons of her own Caballo.

Faults were scattered with no one fence offering up significant trouble to riders. The course included a double combination at fence eight and a triple combination two efforts later at fence 11. Six horses went clear in the first round to advance to the jump-off. Henselwood and IV Ever were slated third in the jump-off and were the first to post a clear round in 36.977 seconds – well within the time allowed of 55 seconds. Henselwood celebrated the win, but also hinted at big plans for the coming weeks.

"I am here in Thermal with what I hope is a great plan that will land me a berth on the Canadian Team that will go to London this summer,” said Henselwood. “One part of this plan is to show my horses the colors [of the jumps] that we are seeing this week.” 

After John Pearce and Forest View Farm & Allison’s Chianto suffered elimination in the fourth go of the jump-off, Henselwood only had two remaining challengers including her own final round aboard George standing between her and a win. McNaught followed Pearce to challenge the eight-fence jump-off course with Lariccello. She posted a time of 38.551 seconds to clinch second place. Henselwood followed with a conservative final round aboard George to post a time of 40.446 seconds and pick up third place.

“Both my horses today [IV Ever and George] are owned by Brian Gingras whose daughter Elizabeth is showing in this ring later this afternoon,” said Henselwood. “These horses are becoming world class Grand Prix horses here in Thermal this winter and we give special thanks to HITS and the Desert Circuit for providing a great facility for them to develop in."

McNaught and Caballo picked up four faults at the fourth fence of the second round to sit fourth and Francie Steinwedell-Carvin joined the Henselwood-McNaught duo to round out the top five aboard Prentiss Partners’ Taunus.

Petersen watched the class with satisfaction and was pleased with the way his course rode. "It doesn't always happen this way, but today it happens! I got just what I wanted,” he said. “In a Grand Prix class I look for having about half of the riders finish round one with four or fewer faults. Today we had 10 of 25 with this result and I am very happy.”

Petersen will design Sunday’s Grand Prix course and hinted at adding some more height for that class. “We have had great weather this week and beautiful footing,” he said. “Today's jump-off was fast with lots of thrills. For Sunday I will build up a bit more to offer additional challenges for our riders.”

Friday’s Grand Prix was the first of the West Coast qualifiers for the famed Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix. Both Henselwood and McNaught are Pfizer Million veterans, making appearances in both 2010 and 2011. They are both now well on their way becoming eligible for the return of the $1 million class, scheduled for September 9 at HITS-on-the-Hudson.

©Flying Horse Photography
Jill Henselwood takes one of two mounts to the top in Friday’s $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix at HITS Thermal. She and IV Ever, owned by Brian Gingras, took first place and logged the first West Coast qualifier for September’s Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix at HITS-on-the-Hudson.

©Flying Horse Photography
Helen McNaught gave Jill Henselwood a run for her money in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix at HITS Thermal on Friday. Here she guides Alison Heafey’s Lariccello to second place honors; she also took fourth place with her own Caballo.

©Flying Horse Photography
Jill Henselwood and IV Ever accept first place honors in the first Grand Prix of the 2012 Winter Circuit from HITS’ Tony Hitchcock.