Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024

The Rain Couldn`t Dampen The Indio Spirit

I don`t know if it was the hole in the ozone layer, El Nino or La Nina, but we`ve never had such unusual weather at the HITS Desert Circuit in Indio, Calif., as we had this year.

It started out nicely the first week, but it quickly disintegrated to wind, mud, rain and more wind, interspersed with lovely days. This continued throughout the seven weeks in a pattern we`ve never seen before. And I hope not to see again.

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I don`t know if it was the hole in the ozone layer, El Nino or La Nina, but we`ve never had such unusual weather at the HITS Desert Circuit in Indio, Calif., as we had this year.

It started out nicely the first week, but it quickly disintegrated to wind, mud, rain and more wind, interspersed with lovely days. This continued throughout the seven weeks in a pattern we`ve never seen before. And I hope not to see again.

Still, it beats the drought in Florida and the snow and hailstones that surprised everyone in Arizona during the second week of their circuit.

The watery benefits were lovely, verdant grass everywhere (especially on the golf courses), more humidity than we`re used to (nothing like Florida, though), and snow so low on the mountains that the juxtaposition was more obvious than usual.

Plus–and this is a big plus-he ring footing was always exceptional, even when you couldn`t see it under the water. The horses must have loved it too, because the quality of their rounds, week after week, was exceptional. Some of the older horses adored the soft landing and jumped like they were 5 years old again.

The loudest complaints, along with trainer snits and massive scratching, came from the Californians, who are spoiled by our usually glorious weather and not used to donning raincoats or windbreakers and sloshing about. Riders from Colorado, Texas, Oregon, Washington, who are so used to weather changes, treated it like another day at the office and slogged or slipped along.

The staff did an amazing job of maintaining the quality that has become synonymous with Indio, and there were contests between the ring crews to see who had the cleanest jumps–a free dinner being given by Show Manager Tom Struzzieri to the crew that won.

And he meant it. Two crew members, basking in the sun, were stunned to suddenly see Tom, with bucket and rags, polishing and wiping the rails in their ring! Boy, were they chagrined! I wonder if they`ll be hired next year?

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Between flying back and forth to Ocala to check out the biggest circuit ever there, you never knew when or where Tom would appear. But with Brian Morris and Scott Nunnally keeping things smooth, Indio was always in reliable hands.

So many people deserve kudos as unsung heroes throughout the seven weeks–from office workers to starters, jump crew and the myriad of other people who make things run. I wish I could name them all.

I must single out the three main announcers for special praise: Vic Carmen in Ponyland, Brian Flynn at Grand Prixland, and Matt Hinton in Hunterland. I never heard any of them sound discouraged or cranky as they happily kept us all apprised of changes, the results, and where exhibitors were from, along with bios in special classes and awards that made all winners seem important. They even had to keep all the points for circuit and mid-circuit champions, seemingly never making errors. I would not have wanted the responsibility; judging pales by comparison.

Matt, who covered the circuit for the Chronicle, even took time out to tell us to look up and not miss the flocks of migrating birds, which seemed more than usual, educating us as to species, habits and destinations.

I was lucky enough to judge the last week, and you would think after six weeks everyone might have had enough. The performances were a treat to watch.

We used a new scoring system in the schooling and training hunter classes, which are unrated and do not have championships.

I really liked it, as multiple horses could get prizes, depending on their scores. From 65 to 69 was a sixth; 90 and over was a blue, and there weren`t many of these.

I found several benefits with this system. From a judge`s point of view, it gets us to think an “A” trip gets an “A” score. It may be a jolt to some, but one shouldn`t have to die or retire to get a 90 or over, if deserved.

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A second plus was that three people might be co-winners, getting blues or, in my case, reds. Horses that might be bested in head-to-head competition could get fifths and sixths, and their trainers could go home saying they`d gotten ribbons at Indio.

They also had a jumper ring for schooling, where, if you had a clean round, you got a blue. The only thing I didn`t like was that there was no jump-off. Maybe next year they could include four to six fences that could be done at speed, if the riders desire. Horses could still win blues for the initial round, but this would give contestants and horses a chance to go faster if they`re ready. Course designers must be careful not to make it a race, though.

The last day of the last show of the circuit dawned perfectly and stayed that way–a perfect horse show day. There was so much to happen, yet it ran as though a script had been written.

At 8 a.m. it started in the main hunter ring with The Chronicle of the Horse $50,000 East Meets West Hunter Challenge, between horses from the HITS circuits in Indio and Ocala (see March 23, p. 10). The day was perfect in Ocala as well, and the class was exceptional.

Then there were classics in all the various divisions, including the $25,000 Junior/Young Rider/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic in the grand prix field. Next was lunch under the tent to the spectacle of the horse and its many breeds, and then the pinning of the hard-fought, well-earned circuit championships. And then it was time for the $150,000 Ford Grand Prix of the Desert.

Conrad Homfeld was here to make magic happen, and he did not disappoint. Hap Hansen went clean early in the class, but it took to the very last rider, Richard Spooner, to produce a jump-off, which he won. It was a wonderful, fitting ending to a great circuit.

I was sad to get in my car to leave, but I have many memories of many nice things, nice people and quality rounds. And I look forward to Indio 2002 and what changes it may bring, including amateur-owner hunters, 50 and over, whose time has come!

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