Derbydown and Louise Serio Dominate Brandywine Valley Summer Series

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Louise Serio and Rock On won the Green Hunter Circuit Championship at the Brandywine Valley Summer Series. Photo By: Rebecca Walton/PMG.

Devon, PA – July 15, 2011 – Louise Serio and the riders at Derbydown had great success over the past two weeks during the Brandywine Valley Summer Series. Showcasing their mounts in the prestigious Dixon Oval at the Devon Show Grounds, riders consistently earned top placings and tricolor awards for their efforts.  Derbydown owner and founder Louise Serio led the way, claiming the Green Hunter Circuit Championship with Rock On after earning each week’s Overall Grand Champion Professional Hunter and Leading Hunter Rider Awards.

Rock On, owned by Jennifer Burger, and Louise Serio won the First Year Green Working Hunter Championship during both weeks of competition. During the second week, the impressive duo won four of the division’s classes. “Rock On was great; he’s so consistent,” said Serio. “He’s such a mellow horse, and I think these two weeks he’s been very consistent and he’s ridden very well. He’s a little lazy, but sometimes he can take over a little bit. I am very pleased with how he went this week.”

Serio also had great success with Burger’s second mount, Phillipa. The duo earned the reserve championship in the Second Year/High Performance Hunter division during the first week and received excellent ribbons in the First Year/High Performance Hunter division during the second week. For their efforts in the ring they were presented with the High Performance Hunter Circuit Championship. In the First Year Green Working Hunter division, Serio also received the reserve championship prize aboard Lisa Scott’s Head Over Heels during the first week.

The talented professional was awarded the reserve championship honors during the first week with Merelax Farm, Inc.’s Cinemagic in the 3′ Pre-Green Hunter Division. She also earned excellent results in the division with Bonaparte, owned by Annette Lauer, and Lucky Strike, owned by Sarah Ingle. In the Green Conformation Hunter division, Serio earned top ribbons with Blair Blamer’s Black Tie, while her daughter Christina scored the reserve championship prize with Kristen Bowman’s Noble Blue.

Junior rider Jane Maguire had a terrific week aboard Nickleback, owned by Barnes Brooks, in the Large Junior 16-17 Hunter Division. After winning two classes they scored the championship prize during the second week, as well as the Grand Large Junior Hunter Championship and the Circuit Championship for the Large Junior 16-17 Hunter division.  Maguire was consistently earning top ribbons with her own mount Fun & Games also in the Large Junior 16-17 Hunter division throughout the two weeks. Kathleen Fisher also represented Derbydown in the Large Junior 16-17 Hunter division aboard North Shore during the second week. The duo won two classes and garnered the reserve championship prize.

In the Amateur-Owner 36 & Over Hunter division, it was Bridget Hallman and Do Tell that dominated the competition. The duo won the division championship during each week as well as the Grand Amateur-Owner Hunter title, which eventually helped earn them the Amateur-Owner 36 & Over Hunter Circuit Championship. Hallman also had excellent results with Hearsay, earning the reserve championship award during the second week. The winner of the second week’s handy class was Derbydown rider Gillian Grant with her talented mount Ledger.

Christina Serio showed the way in the jumper ring, earning the Open Jumper Circuit Championship with Navarre.  The duo earned two third place ribbons in the 1.20m Open Jumpers during the first week, and then advanced to the 1.40m Open Jumpers during the second week, where they earned the red ribbon. They also competed in each week’s $10,000 Mini Prix, placing fourth and fifth.

One of Serio’s talented students, Kristen Bowman, had excellent results in the Children’s 14 & Under Hunter division with her mounts Rhinebeck and Noble Blue. During the first week, Bowman won the $500 NAL/WIHS Children’s Hunter Classic with Rhinebeck, and during the second week she won the $500 M&S Children’s Hunter Classic aboard Noble Blue, while placing second with Rhinebeck. Bowman and Rhinebeck also took home the third place prize in the THIS Children’s Medal during both weeks of competition.

In the Amateur-Owner 3’3” 18-35 Hunter division, Furst Laugh, ridden by Devon Yacka, and Fashion Week, ridden by Kara Twing, also earned excellent placings. Yacka won one of the division’s over fences classes during the second week and placed third during the first week’s $3,000 Johnson Horse Transportation USHJA National Derby. Twing also participated in each week’s Derby event, consistently placing in the top ten.

Deer Hill Farm’s Black Tie was consistently earning top ribbons with Blair Balmer in the irons. The pair earned two second place ribbons and three third place ribbons in the Amateur-Owner 3’3” 36 & Over Hunter division.

About Louise Serio and Derbydown:
Owned and operated by top hunter trainer Louise Serio, Derbydown is nationally recognized as one of the foremost show hunter barns in the country. It is a training, boarding, showing and sales business with a multi-level horse facility providing all levels of instruction to A-quality showing in Kennett Square, PA. Serio began training at Derbydown in 1975 and she consistently trains and rides champions in every division at the most prestigious shows on the East Coast, as well as traveling the country to judge at those top shows in which she is not competing. Some of her championship mounts include Gray Slipper, Dream Date, Red Panda, LaFayette and Hat Trick. Most recently, Serio was victorious in the 2011 WCHR Pro Hunter Classic aboard Castle Rock at the Winter Equestrian Festival.

For more information please visit www.Derbydown.com.

Media Contact: Mason Phelps
Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
phone 561.753.3389  fax 561.753.3386
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