Henselwood Rides With Ice in Her Veins and Black Ice in the Reins to Win $150,000 HITS Grand Prix of the Desert
Equestrian News Release
Indio, CA – March 12, 2006 – Strategy, confidence and Black Ice kept Jill Henselwood cool and at the top of her game for the Indio Desert Circuit’s final feature Grand Prix class, the $150,000 HITS Grand Prix of the Desert. Not only did the dynamic duo add the Desert Circuit’s most coveted prize to their already impressive resume, they did it without a jump-off.
Black Ice and Henselwood received an energized ovation while galloping away from the tall and technical course they left clean. Like last year’s $150,000 class, only one combination could achieve this feat.
Perhaps it will become a final week tradition in Indio, that is, construction a course that so rigorously tests the talents and scope of horses and riders, only the very best pair can prevail. Conrad Homfeld once again stumped a class of brilliant riders. But much unlike his Ariat Grand Prix course this past Friday, there would be no jump-off. Cleanliness would truly be next to godliness.
The hooves of some of the world’s best Grand Prix horses lowered Homfeld’s 5’3” verticals and 5-foot-wide oxers. It took twenty-two riders before even a 4-fault score was posted. McGuinness and Fellers—who took top ranks at this week’s Ariat Grand Prix and the $75,000 Footings Unlimited Grand Prix of week four—cleared all but one fence while ducking under the maximum allowed time of 81 seconds (78.92). Before this pair did it, 5-fault scores led the class.
John Pearce and Archie Bunker later cantered onto the field and galloped through the course to receive an eruption of accolades from the VIP tent and grass hill, both nearly filled to capacity with onlookers. But those watching the omniscient glowing numbers on the clock soon realized one question had been left unanswered; Pearce and Archie Bunker posted a time of 81.84 seconds to conclude their trip with a single fault.
But with no prior attempts having matched their own, Pearce and Archie Bunker remained in the lead. Richard Spooner and Ezrah, the team who became the sole pair to answer last year’s $150,000 Grand Prix course, entered next. But a repeat win was not to be as the famed duo joined the 4-fault club for a 3rd place finish.
Finally, the temperature dropped as Black Ice and Henselwood cantered into the arena as if to say, “Watch and learn.” The course that only seconds ago sent 26 riders and horses back to their stalls empty handed seemed effortless for Henselwood and her 12-year-old Gelding. Gliding over every fence, the duo flew smoothly, even while removing strides from difficult lines to save time.
“Black Ice is almost like a thoroughbred, that is, he has a big racehorse type stride and he’s rangy. So I thought, ‘Use his stride and let him make up the time,’” Henselwood explained. While most riders attempted the fence 8-to-9 line—wide oxer to tall vertical—in 7 strides, Henselwood and Black Ice decidedly took 6. “I knew if I could just get a little edge in a couple places, without knocking the jump down, I would have the time-allowed taken care of.”
“On my way to fence 12, I was talking to myself and thinking, ‘you’ve got to have ice in your veins. Don’t change anything and just let him have time to read it,’” Henselwood said. Even with ice in her veins and Black Ice in her reins, the arena silenced as Henselwood approached fence 13 imminently deep. “I’ve only had one other horse who could stop the momentum and jump straight up to clear a rail like that. And Black Ice did just that,” said Henselwood.
And upon their finish, the course was solved. The pair remained atop the class as Shiraz and Paul Rohrbach, the final entry, lowered the second-to-last fence.
“It’s pretty exciting to be bringing a horse along and up the ranks like this,” said Henselwood. “And when I start getting things done, like here on this course, I think, ‘really, how far off am I from the World Championships? How far off am I from the Olympic Games? We’re closing in on the top level. And having a horse like this, one that I’m building myself, is so rewarding and means so much more.”
Kelley Small and Kim Farlinger—who finished 8th aboard Del Destino—train under Henselwood and also took trips in the $150,000 Grand Prix. “I’ve never screamed so hard in my whole life!” Farlinger exclaimed to Henselwood after watching her ride.
“We can really express our pride when we come together like this,” Henselwood said of her students. “It’s my job to pave the road for them and find out how to conquer the rest of the world and get into the top rankings. Developing horses and riders with me makes it all so much more worthwhile. They are my intrinsic feedback.”
Henselwood originally bought Black Ice as a 5-year-old and developed him for 2 years. Soon after, the Dutch Warmblood Gelding began another partnership with Henselwood’s riding partner, Stacie Ryan, with whom he competed for 2 more years in amateur classes. After Ryan moved back to Los Angeles, Black Ice remained with Henselwood in Canada.
He showed in 2005 with Small and moved on to compete at the Fall’s indoor shows (Pennsylvania National Horse Show and Washington International Horse Show) until Henselwood picked up Black Ice’s reins once again to claim the Canadian National Championship at the Royal Winter Fair.
After winning today’s $150,000 HITS Grand Prix of the Desert, “Black Ice has paid his way to Europe,” says Henselwood, where he will compete in World Cup competition along side Henselwood’s other famous mount, Special Ed.
And to honor the Canadians with another claim to fame, John Pearce—who finished as reserve champion—was awarded the Golden Horse Super Bowl style ring to represent his title as the 2006 Indio Desert Circuit Leading Rider. With the $30,000 Ariat Grand Prix blue ribbons of weeks 1 and 4, the $75,000 HITS Grand Prix championship of week 2, and numerous other top class placings to his credit, Pearce added this year’s title to his 1998 Indio Desert Circuit Leading Rider title.
Results – HITS Indio Desert Circuit, $150,000 HITS Grand Prix of the Desert, 3/12/06
1 – Black Ice- Stacie Ryan- Jill Henselwood – 0-76.81
2 – Archie Bunker- Forest View Farms- John Pearce – 1-81.84
3 – Ezrah- S&B LLC Corp- Richard Spooner – 4-75.04
4 – McGuinness- Harry/Mollie Chapman- Rich Fellers – 4-78.92
5 – Ratina 79- Hollow Creek Investment/Monarch International- Keri Kampsen – 4-79.75
6 – Shiraz- Mary P Dunahay Inc- Paul Rohrbach – 4-79.96
7 – Summer- Wild Turkey Farm- Mandy Porter – 5-81.27
8 – Del Destino- Peter Farlinger- Kim Farlinger – 5-81.74
9 – Urioso- Forest View Farms- John Pearce – 5-81.82
10 – AW Butterfly Hula- Leslie Steele- Leslie Steele – 5-82.28
11 – Millar- Rolling Meadows- Guillermo Obligado – 5-82.58
12 – Portvliet- Yasuko Itakura- Yasuko Itakura – 5-84.28
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