Canadian Olympian, Jill Henselwood, and Callisto score their first win at HITS Thermal in the $75,000 Footing Authority Grand Prix

Canadian Olympian, Jill Henselwood, is no stranger to saving her best for last. And that’s why her win aboard Callisto in Sunday’s $75,000 Footing Authority Grand Prix at HITS Thermal should not come as a surprise to anyone.

The victory marks her first Grand Prix triumph of the 2007 HITS Desert Circuit and caps off three exciting weeks of show jumping at HITS’ state-of-the-art equestrian facility in Thermal, California. Henselwood had the ride for Equine Canada and collected $22,500 in prize money.

She was the second of three riders to challenge Anthony D’Ambrosio’s jump-off route. Richard Spooner was the first to go aboard Cristallo, as he went through the course unscathed. Spooner, who won Friday’s $30,000 Ariat Grand Prix, set the Great American Time to Beat at 38.89.

That time wouldn’t be the fastest for long, as Henselwood shattered Spooner’s time when she stopped the clocks at 37.86, pushing the Desert Circuit’s all-time leading money winner into second place. Spooner collected $16,500 in prize money for Show Jumping Syndication. “I was a little slow into the last line,” he said. “I was a little too careful. I was figuring I would go a little slower and make someone beat me. And Jill beat me today.”

“To go head to head with Richard Spooner is always a great challenge,” said Henselwood. “I had a great three weeks here at HITS Thermal and look forward to even more success over the second half of the circuit.”

Henselwood and Black Ice won last year’s $150,000 Grand Prix of the Desert after being shutout out in every other Grand Prix during the first five weeks of horse shows. She is certainly having a wonderful stay in the desert thus far, placing in the top six in all but one Grand Prix.

“I guess I am hot right now,” she said. “I still have a lot to accomplish here and would ultimately like to win the $150,000 Grand Prix of the Desert again to finish off the circuit in March.” The HITS Desert Circuit concludes on Sunday, March 11, with the Grand Prix of the Desert, presented by Cessna Aircraft Corporation.

Spooner and Henselwood went 15th and 16th on D’Ambrosio’s first round course. They posted back-to-back clean rounds but each had one time fault. Jill Humphry also had a single time fault aboard Kaskaya, as all three riders would come back for the jump-off.

Holding the envious last to ride position, Humphry was clean but her time of 39.36 left her in third place for Leone Equestrian. Humphry came into today’s grand prix class the leader in the FEI World Cup Standings among West Coast Riders. She is now neck and neck with Spooner and Mandy Porter, who won last weeks’ World Cup Qualifier at HITS Thermal.

The state-of-the-art equestrian facility hosts two more FEI World Cup Qualifiers over the remaining three weeks of show jumping. The World Cup will be held in Las Vegas from April 18-22. The top three riders from the West Coast will represent the United States.

Sunday’s festivities at HITS Thermal also included Kids Day, presented by Purina Mills, The Desert Sun and Woodrun. Thousands of children enjoyed activities in the morning before packing the berms that surround the Grand Prix arena to watch the show jumping competition. “We enjoy hosting Kids Day,” said HITS’ National Marketing Director John Eickman. “It always nice to see the children have a great time at the horse park and take in what’s great about this sport.” A second Kids Day is planned on Sunday, March 11, from 11 am until 1 pm.

The HITS Desert Circuit will now take a one week hiatus before show jumping returns on Tuesday, February 20. On Friday, February 23, the featured class will be the $30,000 Ariat Grand Prix. And on Sunday, February 25, the $75,000 Footing Authority returns to the HITS Desert Horse Park.

For the past 15 years, HITS has produced a six-week winter horse show circuit in Indio, California. The 2007 HITS Desert Circuit is being held just five miles from its previous home at the new, state-of-the-art HITS Desert Horse Park equestrian facility on Airport Boulevard in Thermal, California.

The new horse park is the largest Hunter/Jumper horse show venue in the United States and has more than $10,000,000 in improvements, including stabling for more than 3,000 horses and 12 competition rings. HITS Thermal also features the new state-of-the-art footing provided by Footing Authority.

In January 2006, HITS entered into a private equity arrangement with Leonard Green & Partners, L.P. in Los Angeles. As a result, HITS, Inc. is able to develop and execute exciting operational and strategic initiatives that both solidify its well-established position as the leader in horse show management and allows for new growth opportunities including the construction of the HITS Desert Horse Park. HITS generates significant economic impact in each of its five venues in California, Arizona, Florida, Virginia and New York.