John Pearce knew he’d have his work cut out for him when he walked the course for the $50,000 HITS Grand Prix CSI-W on the evening of Feb. 13. “I thought it would be tough. There wasn’t anything ridiculous, but everything was an effort,” Pearce said. “It was challenging, but quite doable. It was a good course for me, because I love to be challenged.”
As it turned out, Pearce was the only one who answered all the questions course designer Olaf Peterson, Jr., asked, turning in the only clear first round for the win. Four riders posted clean jumping efforts with just 1 time fault—Jose-Alberto Martinez of Mexico on Leonard, Helen McNaught on Caballo, Michelle Spadone on Melisimo, and Karen Cudmore on Ulano—and they placed second through fifth.
“I was just so happy with the way he felt and the way he jumped,” Pearce said of Son Of A Gun. “He handled all the tall verticals off the gallop really well. It’s always nice to win, but I’m more happy about how great he was.”
Pearce, a Canadian citizen who was based for decades in the Toronto, Ont., area, moved to Bermuda Dunes, Calif., just 20 minutes from the HITS Desert Circuit showgrounds and smack dab in the Californian desert, last year. “I had a 40-horse barn my whole life. I turn 50 this year, and I decided I needed a change. I sold the farm and changed my business and changed my whole life. I decided that now I’m going to ride for myself,” he said. Marriage to his wife Gretchen in December of 2009 completed the new start for Pearce.
Pearce had Archie Bunker, a horse that won consistently at the HITS Desert Circuit venue, but he sold him in 2008. Pearce was sad to see a special horse go, but he also took advantage of the opportunity to find a new special horse. He’d seen Son Of A Gun jumping in Mexico but hadn’t had the money to buy him right away. After Archie Bunker sold, the first thing Pearce did was go pick up Son Of A Gun.
The horse was a green 9-year-old at the time, but Pearce saw talent in him. “I liked his style, and he’s got great elasticity. He’s very spooky, so he’s difficult, but I just keep going forward. He’s got great instincts, and he’s getting more confident all the time.”
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With his win, Pearce deposed East Coast rider McLain Ward, who had traveled west to Thermal, Calif., for two weeks and won the $50,000 Strongid C 2X CSI-W on Feb. 6 on Philippa and the $30,000 HITS Grand Prix on Feb. 11 on Goldika 559. Ward had three rails early in the $50,000 HITS Grand Prix CSI-W course with Philippa and retired her before the sixth fence. On Goldika, he was well on his way to a speedy round, making sure to nip in under the tight time-allowed, but he paid for the speed when Goldika ticked the front rail off the cups at the final oxer of the course. They finished in sixth.
In second was young Mexican rider Martinez of Guadalajara aboard Leonard, who put in some elastic and acrobatic jumping efforts over the course. Martinez, 21, earned a team silver at the 2008 North American Young Riders Championships with the North Mexico team.
