Holly Shepherd and Triompf.
Just for Now Wins $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby; the Gulf Sees Record Pre-Green Entries
Holly Shepherd of Grand Bay, Alabama established herself as the Derby Queen when she pulled a hat trick Friday morning, taking the top three placings in the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby on a course designed by Nancy Wallis of Lambertville, New Jersey.
Shepherd held the top two highest scores after the first round with Loretta Patterson’s Triompf with a score of 183 and Helen Gilbert’s White Lightning with a score of 163. Tim Maddrix of Birmingham, Alabama and Alina Dumitrescu’s Shutterbug sat in third position after earning a first round score of 162. Amanda Forte of Glenmoore, Pennsylvania sat in fourth with Rebecca Patterson’s Vecchia Murano with a score of 161, and Shepherd and Barbara Risius’ Longstreet were on their heels with a score of 161.50.
Shepherd held the lead with Triompf in the Handy round after posting a score of 203 for a combined total of 386 which would win the class. White Lightning earned a second round score of 190 and a combined 353 which would award them the second place ribbon. Longstreet earned a second round score of 192 and combined with their first round score of 161.50, moved them into third place. Dergin Park, owned by Henrietta Hall and ridden by Sarah Invicta Williams of Santa Fe, New Mexico, finished in ninth place in the first round with a score of 154.4, but after earning a Handy round score of 192, moved up to an overall fourth place finish with a combined score of 346.5.
Isabelle Potts’ Fusagers Carma, ridden by Jordan Gilchrist of Flower Mound, Texas, had an eighth place finish in the first round with a score of 156 but their Handy round’s score of 187 and combined 343 moved the pair up to a fifth place finish overall.
Maddrix and Specialty sat in the third place position after the first round, but after posting a second round score of 174.5, would find themselves moving into sixth place overall.
Forte and Vecchia Murano moved from third position to seventh place overall, after earning a second round score of 175 for a combined total of 336. Shepherd and Margaret Camp’s Cascaron finished twelfth in the first round with a score of 149, but after earning a second round score of 183 and a combined total of 332, moved into eighth place overall.
Just for Now wins the $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby
The hunter excitement continued as the $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby, presented by Tucci, saw nineteen horse and rider teams compete for the win. Just for Now, owned by Lori Matthews and ridden by Courtney Calcagnini of Argyle, Texas, was awarded with the first place honors, followed by Protocol, owned and ridden by Lilah Babineaux of Lafayette, Louisiana. Third place honors went to Redfield Farm’s Quidam, ridden by Kaitlyn Williams, while fourth place was awarded to Carita Palmer’s Grey Goose, ridden by Jason Schnelle of Collierville, Tennessee. Fifth place went to Sabina Holtzman’s Magnus Hermes, ridden by D. Samuel Pegg of Sutton West, Ontario, Canada. Sixth went to Stonebridge Farm’s A Timely Affair, ridden by Sue Takata of Athens, Texas.
Big Numbers in the $5 Pre-Green Division
The Pre-Green Division led off the big hunter numbers for the week in the 3′ section and 3’3″ division. Jacqueline Roberts-McQueen and Holly Calantoni Houser’s Quadrolino led the 3′ Pre-Greens, while Leopold, owned by Grace Gambel and ridden by Livia Steffee, and Amy Ilson Ochoa and Angela Brown’s Turbo alternated first and second place positions in the 3’3″ Pre-Green Division. “We are really excited that riders and owners are earning valuable mileage for their young horses in the $5 Pre-Green Division,” commented Janet McCarroll, Gulf Coast Classic Show Coordinator. “People couldn’t believe that we were offering this division for only $5.00, but by the looks of the entries, I think word has now spread,” she added. “We couldn’t be happier that horsemen are taking advantage of this special offering,” she said.
For full results, click here.
The Gulf Coast Classic Company is a USHJA’s Members Choice Award winner, recognized for producing top quality show jumping events in the United States. For more information on Gulf Coast Classic Company and its exhibitor-friendly, top quality hunter jumper events, please visit them at www.gulfcoastclassiccompany.com.
All sponsorship, marketing and press inquiries should be directed to Lisa Engel, Sponsorship, Marketing and Public Relations Director, at lisa@classiccompany.com.
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See you at the ring,
Bob Bell
The Classic Company, Ltd.
www.ClassicCompany.com
Phone/FAX: (843) 768-5503
Post Office Box 1311 Johns Island SC 29457