Henselwood Struts Olympic stuff at HITS
By Staff Report February 10, 2012
Jill Henselwood and IV sail to victory on the HITS Desert Circuit. (Flying Horse Photography)
Canadian Olympic Silver Medalist Jill Henselwood is hoping a great performance on the HITS Desert Circuit will help her and IV Ever get the attention of her nation’s Olympic selectors, and she solidified her position on Feb. 9, adding the $32,000 HITS Desert Classic to her prize list. She also won the first grand prix of the 2012 Desert Circuit, the $25,000 SmartPak on Saturday, Jan. 28.
The 16-obstacle course was set by DCIII designer Florencio Hernandez of Mexico and was thought to be one of the more challenging courses Thermal jumpers have faced this season. Six starters found trouble at a vertical mid-way through while several others had their fate decided by the 10 a-b combination. But Henselwood found a way.
“This was the most technical course that we have had yet,” Henselwood said afterward. “It was really big and the triple combination heading towards the in-gate was tough. To be successful on this course you had to have a horse with great scope.”
Henselwood and IV Ever (owned by Brian Gingras) were fourth to show in the class and the first to go clean proving that, while technical, Hernandez’ course could be cracked. Five trips later, fellow Canadian Elizabeth Gingras of Edmonton, Alberta went clean aboard her own Avensis, ensuring a jump-off. Sarah Ballou of Grass Valley, CA, followed two trips later with a clean round aboard her own Absie, leading to speculation that an all-female jump-off could be in the works, with just four trips left in the first round.
But Oregon’s Rich Fellers was one of the four, and he had no intention of leaving it up to the ladies to decide the top finishes. Riding Harry & Mollie Chapman’s McGuinness, a crowd favorite in Thermal, Fellers edged his way into the jump-off with the only other clean ride in the first round.
For round two Hernandez introduced two new fences and brought back six, including the 12 a-b elements of the triple combination.
Jill Henselwood and IV Ever with HITS' Tony Hitchcock. (Flying Horse Photography)
Henselwood and IV Ever were up first and cruised through the course in a speedy 42.60 seconds, a pace none of the others would beat.
“I am looking to get on the long-list for the Olympic team,” Henselwood said. “With two wins already I think we are on the right track.”
After the class was complete, Hernandez shared his reaction to the win.“This was an international-level class with some very technical lines and height, similar to what you’d find in Europe,” he said. “I was looking to get four or five clean, which is what I got. I think it was a good class. Jill is a great rider and she knows what she’s doing out there and it shows. On Saturday for the World Cup I’m planning some challenging turns and take advantage of the atmosphere of the indoor arena.”
The Saturday, Feb. 18 class, the $53,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, is the second of four FEI World Cup Qualifiers offered this season in Thermal.
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