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Richard Spooner Scores 1-2-3 In The $50,000 EMO Grand Prix At HITS Indio Desert Circuit


INDIO, CA (February 2, 2004)—On Superbowl Sunday, Richard Spooner of Temecula, California, delivered the excitement of three touchdowns when he scored first, second, and third places in the $50,000 EMO Grand Prix. Spooner rode Bradford, owned by Tracey Kenly & Kenly Farms to the blue ribbon. His second place win was aboard Hilton Flight, owned by Freedom Farms Inc. Spooner took third place with Robinson, his steady teammate and winner of the Vegas Grand Prix at the 2003 FEI Show Jumping World Cup. Robinson is owned by Half Moon Bay Investment Group. Spooner's total winnings in the competition amounted to $32,500.

Gabriella Salick and Sandstone Laurin, winners of last year's $50,000 Rio Vista Grand Prix, took fourth place in the competition. Sandstone Laurin is owned by Sandstone Horse Sales LLC. Canada's Jill Henselwood finished in fifth place aboard Special Ed, owned by Juniper Farms Ltd.

The $50,000 EMO Grand Prix was conducted as a speed class and ran under Table III, faults converted. Spooner had a clear round with Bradford in the winning time of 97.32 seconds. He was a split second behind on Hilton Flight when they crossed the timers with no faults in 97.84 seconds. Spooner and Robinson had two knockdowns, but a lightening speed, and with faults converted their final time was 99.79 seconds. Gabriella Salick and Sandstone Laurin set a blistering pace, crossing the timers in a time that would have won the competition had it not been for an unlucky rail at the fifth fence. With faults converted they finished with 101.14 seconds on the clock for fourth place. Jill Henselwood and Special Ed went clear in a steady time of 102.35 seconds for fifth place.

Other major award winners at Indio Desert Circuit I included:

Bayer Legend Leading Hunter Rider Peter Pletcher, Houston, TX
Bayer Legend Leading Jumper Rider Richard Spooner, Temecula, CA
HBO Junior Medal Winner Hannah Selleck, Thousand Oaks, CA
Charles Owen Children's Medal Winner Whitney Roy, Newport Beach, CA
Charles Owen Adult Medal Winner Kristi Siam, Chatsworth, CA
$25,000 Ariat Grand Prix Nicole Shahinian-Simpson, Westlake Village, California, riding El Campeons So Long, owned by El Campeon Farms

The $50,000 EMO Grand Prix was the highlight of the opening week of the 2004 Indio Desert Circuit, which runs for six weeks from January 28 through March 14, 2004. Show jumping will resume at the HITS Indio Desert Horse Park on Wednesday, February 4th and the next Grand Prix show jumping event will be the $25,000 Ariat Grand Prix on Friday, February 6th. The $50,000 King Shavings Grand Prix, presented by Cosequin will finish out the week on Sunday, February 8th at 1:00pm. The competition is a qualifying event for the F.E.I. World Cup of Show Jumping. Riders will compete for points to be among the top three riders from the West Coast League who will have the honor of representing the U.S. at the World Cup Finals to be held April 21-25 in Milan, Italy.



Richard Spooner & Bradford owned by Tracey Kenly / Kenly Farms - Winners of the $50,000 EMO Grand Prix


$50,000 EMO Grand Prix - Sunday, February 1, 2004
Indio Desert Circuit I - Indio, CA
Danny Foster, Ontario, Canada: Course Designer

Place Horse Rider Owner Prize Money Jump Faults
Time with Faults
1st Bradford Richard A Spooner Tracey Kenly / Kenly Farms $15,000 0 97.32
2nd Hilton Flight Richard A Spooner Freedom Farms Inc. $11,000 0 97.84
3rd Robinson Richard A Spooner Half Moon Bay Investment Group $6,500 8 99.79
4th Sandstone Laurin Gabriella Salick Sandstone Horse Sales LLC $4,000 4 101.14
5th Special Ed Jill Henselwood Juniper Farms Ltd. $3,000 102.35
6th Jamco's Champagne John Pearce John Pearce $2,500 8 105.12
7th Scappino Chanel Gerardo Tazzer Gerardo Tazzer $2,000 8 107.42

8th Toyz R Us Jill Henselwood Juniper Farms Ltd. $1,500 8 109.36
9th Lavaletto Misti Cassar Soprands Farm $1,500 4 109.73
10th Itano De La Bastide Susan Hutchison Jenny McLaughlin $1,000 4 110.22
11th El Campeons So Long Nicole Shahinian-Simpson El Campeon Farms $1,000 8 111.91
12th Fabius 45 Ashlee Bond Little Valley Farm $1,000 12 112.40


INDIO DESERT CIRCUIT 2004 SIDEBAR INFORMATION

WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY, 2004 SHOW DATES ARE:
Desert Circuit II - February 4-8
Desert Circuit III - February 11-15
Off Week - No Show - February 16-22
Desert Circuit IV - February 25-29
Desert Circuit V - March 3-7
Desert Circuit VI - March 10-14

FEATURED EVENTS
$25,000 Ariat Grand Prix - Every Friday at 1:00pm
$50,000 King Shavings Grand Prix Presented by Cosequin ® - Sunday, February 8 at 1:00pm
$75,000 Bayer/USET Grand Prix of Indio - Sunday, February 15 at 1:00pm
$50,000 King Shavings Grand Prix - Sunday, February 29 at 1:00pm
$50,000 King Shavings Grand Prix Presented by Adequan ® - Sunday, March 7 at 1:00pm
$150,000 Ford Grand Prix of the Desert - Sunday, March 14 at 2:00pm

SPECIAL EVENTS
Kids Day Presented by KDFX Fox 11 - Sunday, February 15 from 11:00am-1:00pm
Seniors Day, Presented by KESQ TV3 and LaQuinta Rotary - Sunday, March 7 from 11:00am-1:00pm
Fiesta Day, Presented by Nextel and Avis Rent A Car - Sunday, March 14 from Noon to 2:00 pm
Circuit Awards - Sundays Prior to 1:00pm Grand Prix

Directions to HITS Desert Horse Park: Take I-10 to the Monroe Street exit in Indio. Go south approximately five miles to Avenue 52, and then turn right onto Avenue 52. Horse Show entrance is ½ mile on right. Tel: 760-775-7731; Fax: 760-775-7752. Website: www.HitsShows.com


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