Rich Fellers the Big Winner at the 67th Del Mar National Horse Show

DEL MAR, CA — The 67th Del Mar National Horse Show came to a close with Hunter Jumper Week ending on May 6.

Rich Fellers and his stallion, Flexible, won both the $50,000 Surfside Grand Prix presented by ShowBiz Magazine on Friday night, May 4 and the $100,000 Hermès Grand Prix of Del Mar presented by Intuit on Saturday night, May 5. On April 22, Rich Fellers became the first American in 25 years to win the Rolex/FEI Show Jumping World Cup in s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands.

The Del Mar National Hunter/Jumper Show was the first of only four venues in North America to host the United States Show Jumping Team Observation Events for the 2012 Olympics in London, England. Top riders from across the nation competed over big and technically difficult Olympic-level courses for a chance to represent the United States. Winning the $50,000 Surfside Grand Prix presented by ShowBiz Magazine and the $100,000 Hermès Grand Prix of Del Mar presented by Intuit secures Fellers’ position on the US Olympic Team at the 2012 Olympics in London, England.

The 67th annual horse show opened with Western Week April 19 through 22, followed by Dressage Week April 26 through 29 and Hunter Jumper Week May 1-6. Ticket sales and attendance records were set this year, with the $100,000 Hermès Grand Prix of Del Mar taking place in front of a sell-out crowd.

Results:
Western Week:
Fancy Footwork Perpetual Trophy – PCHA Open Trail Championship Stake -- Jill Gomes Newcomb riding Lil Bit Western owned by Brittany Lofton. (557-06716)

Hugh Martin Memorial Trophy – PCHA Hackamore/snaffle Bit High Score in 1st/2nd Year Green Reining Championship Stake and the Black Ed Echols Challenge Trophy for PCHA Hackamore/Snaffle Bit High Score in 1st/2nd Year Green Reining Championship Stake-- Penni Gerardi riding her Chics Dig Guiness.

Bellotta Gingi Memorial Perpetual Trophy – PCHA Amateur Adult Reining Championship Stake and the Cindy Doell Memorial Perpetual Trophy – PCHA Overall High Point Adult Amateur 18 & Over won by Little Ilean owned and ridden by Kailey King. (557-07081)

Raffles Joe Reed Perpetual Trophy – PCHA 1st/2nd Year Green Reining Championship Stake won by Mark Arballo riding Chris Martinez’s Smart Pablo San.

Ora C. Rhoades Memorial Trophy – PCHA Open Reining Championship Stake; Mac McHugh Memorial Trophy – PCHA Open Reining Championship Stake; Expensive Hobby Perpetual Trophy – PCHA Open reining Championship Stake, and the C.E. “RED” Neill Memorial Perpetual Trophy won by Mark Arballo riding Quick Draw Gunner, owned by Sandy Lockwood.

Dressage Week:
CDI3*FEI Grand Prix Freestyle presented by G-2 Software –
Steffen Peters riding Legolas

Michelle Reilly won the Hermès FEI Grand Prix Freestyle Test of Choice on Umeeko!

Hunter/Jumper Week:
$50,000 Surfside Grand Prix presented by ShowBiz Magazine –
Rich Fellers riding Flexible, owned by Mollie and Harry Chapman.

$100,000 Hermès Grand Prix of Del Mar presented by Intuit –
Rich Fellers riding Flexible

*Results for Dressage and Hunter/Jumper classes can be found at www.delmarnational.com.

The 22nd District Agricultural Association is a State of California agency that owns and operates the Del Mar Fairgrounds, Surfside Race Place, Horsepark Equestrian Center and the Del Mar Golf Center. The 22nd DAA produces five events each year: The San Diego County Fair, the Del Mar National Horse Show, Professional Bull Riding (PBR), The Scream Zone and Holiday of Lights. The Fairgrounds hosts more than 350 events annually, the largest of which is the live horse racing meet each summer, which is operated by the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club for the 22nd DAA and the State of California. No taxpayer dollars are used to run the Fairgrounds. The Del Mar Fairgrounds is completely self-supporting and does not receive any support from the State. For more information, visit www.delmarfairgrounds.com