John Anderson & Terrific, winners of the $75,000 Back On Track Grand Prix. PH ©ESI
Canada’s John Anderson began his winter circuit on a high note when he won the $75,000 Back On Track Grand Prix on Sunday, January 22, 2017 during Week 1 of the HITS Desert Circuit in Thermal, California.
It was the first week of the West Coast’s eight-week winter season at the venue now known as HITS “Coachella” (find out more about that name change here), and Anderson came out swinging aboard his veteran partner Terrific, a 17-year-old KWPN gelding (Marlon x Lux) that he’s had the ride on for the past six years.
That kind of familiarity in a partnership between horse and rider pays off as it did for Anderson and Terrific on Sunday, when they topped a five horse jumpoff by a comfortable margin and as the only double clear ride of the day.
Anderson and Terrific clocked an unbeatable jumpoff time in 42.374 seconds, coming out ahead of fellow Canadian Tamie Phillips with Cat Balou. Their time of 42.537 earned them the 2nd place prize money check, and Peter Petschenig for Austria rode Saint Quentin into 3rd place with a time of 43.220.
Canadians showed strong dominance in the class with Lisa Carlson finishing 4th aboard Parette, and Germany’s Christian Heineking rounding out the top five and 5th place with NKH Calango.