Source:  News Release

She’s Back! Helen McNaught comes back strong and wins the $50,000 EMO Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, at HITS Thermal

THERMAL, CA  – Helen McNaught took coming back strong from an injury to a new level when she captured Sunday’s $50,000 EMO Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, aboard Alison Heafey’s Lariccello to cap off a week of action-packed competition at the HITS Desert Circuit in Thermal, California.
“I should break my neck more often,” joked McNaught, who just two days before finished second aboard Lariccello in Friday’s $25,000 SmarkPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health,. “This is my first show back after I fell off at home. The doctor told me I could ride again in January and here I am. Who would have thought I would have been back so fast.”
Sunday’s Grand Prix was a great sequel to Friday’s class where McNaught went head-to-head with Canadian Olympian Jill Henselwood in the jump-off where she lost by less than two seconds. The two met again on Sunday, this time with McNaught edging out Henselwood by seven tenths of second to take home the blue.

“Lariccello was a five-year-old when Duncan [McFarlane] bought him in Germany and I have been riding him for more than a year now. We seem to really like each other.”
McNaught of Woodside, California  and Lariccello were the top team of the 24 horse-and-rider combinations that challenged Olaf Petersen, Jr.’s (Munich, Germany) first-round track and the eight teams that moved on to the jump-off.
First to challenge Petersen’s eight obstacle jump-off track was Michelle Parker of San Marcos, California aboard Tula Pinnella’s Xel Ha. The talented duo almost made it home fault free, but the second-to-last rail came down. They finished with four faults in 47.06 seconds and in seventh place at the end of the class.

On the very next trip, Jill Humphrey of Sacramento, California and Leone EquestriansKaskaya set the Great American Time to Beat in 50.50 seconds after they crossed the timers clear. At the end of the class, the pair finished in the fifth spot.
 

Humphrey and Leone Equestrian’s Kaskaya were booted from the top of the mountain one trip later when Henselwood and Brian Gingras’ IV Ever, went clear in 42.86 seconds to take over the lead.
Three trips later McNaught and Lariccello made the dash for the cash coming all the way home clean in 42.16 seconds to take the lead and the $15,000 in first-place check away from Henselwood. McNaught also finished ninth aboard her own Caballo.

“We had a great week. All of our horses were phenomenal,” said McNaught. “Duncan (McFarlane) was fourth with Mr. Whoopy and Caballo was tremendous and only had a time fault. Things are shaping up very well at HITS Thermal for us.”
Rounding out the top five in the class was Canadian Olympian John Pearce in third place aboard Forest View Farms Chianto.
With two Grand Prix in the books, McNaught and Henselwood are on their way to qualifying for this year’s Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix. In addition to punching her return ticket the third-annual Pfizer Million, Henselwood also has her eyes set on qualifying for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London, England.
“The horses just love it here,” said Henselwood. “I always like to use Thermal for a platform for the rest of my year. There is no better place to show in the winter.”
Show jumping at the HITS Desert Circuit resumes Tuesday with Desert Circuit II and most of the buzz is about Saturday night's $50,000 Strongid® C2 X Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, which will be the first of four FEI World Cup Qualifiers held during the circuit.
This week, the HITS Desert Horse Park will host representatives from Pfizer Animal Health, who will be on-site all weekend to partake in the festivities.  Pfizer’s special guests will include a number of regional veterinarians who will be on hand at Saturday evening’s Strongid® C2X Grand Prix in the HITS Indoor Arena.

©Flying Horse Photography
Helen McNaught and Alison Heafey’s Lariccello capture the $50,000 EMO Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health

©Flying Horse Photography
Helen McNaught and Lariccello accept first place honors in the first Sunday Grand Prix of the 2012 Winter Circuit.