Tag Archives: Derek Petersen

Derek Petersen and Schuyler Dayner Both Claim Last-Minute Wins during Second Day at SMF

Derek Petersen and Zechariah 3:9.

Tampa, Fla. – Sep. 3, 2021 – Hunter and jumper competition returned for the second day of the 2021 Southeast Medal Finals at the Bob Thomas Equestrian Center in Tampa Florida on Friday, September 3. Following a successful kick-off day on Thursday, competitors were eager to get back in the rings and claim top honors in their respective classes. In the Grand Prix Arena, thirty riders battled it out in hopes of winning the lion’s share of the $7,500 purse in the Welcome Stakes presented by Up Country. Derek Petersen and Zechariah 3:9 prevailed over a competitive field of 28 entries. A deep field of experienced hunter riders took to the Teco Indoor Arena for the feature hunter class of the day, the $3,000 3’0” Hunter Spectacular presented by CWD Sellier. Schuyler Dayner and Bertram Winkle brought their A-game topping the leaderboard.

The $7,500 Welcome Stakes track featured a 12-obstacle, 1.25m track that challenged all of the horse and rider combinations to advance to an immediate jump-off. Riders that advanced to the shortened 7-obstacle track were immediately challenged on course by first, heading to a towering triple bar set as fence one. In honor of Southeast Medal Finals’ 5th anniversary, there was an extra $2,500 in prize money up for grabs, prompting riders to give the shortened track their speediest effort. Petersen and his own 7-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding entered the ring as the second to last horse and rider combo in the class. The current leader, Jenni McAllister, had held the top position for a majority of the class, with a time that seemed almost unbeatable. Petersen, who just recently partnered with his young mount in April, did not have plans to steal the show, but his quick and clean jump-off proved to be just the trick to move him ahead of McAllister. His time of 33.215 was fast enough to hold off the final athlete in the class.

Friday’s win in the $7,500 Welcome Stakes proved to be a very special occasion for Petersen, who is not only celebrating his first win with Zechariah 3:9, but also competing in his first show back after two months out of the competition ring. Petersen, who contracted COVID-19 in April, just recently climbed back in the saddle after a serious hospitalization with the virus that also sadly claimed the life of his late wife.

Jenni McAllister and her first of two mounts in the class, Legis Touch the Sun, a 15-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by Legisequine.com, held a strong lead throughout a majority of the class but were bested by Petersen at the bottom of the order, while Madison Kondracki and her own 13-year-old Oldenburg gelding, Shutterfly, rounded out the top three.

Hunter competitors, with their expertly turned-out mounts, were the final field of competitors to take to one of the five rings on Friday evening for the $3,000 3’0” Hunter Spectacular presented by CWD Sellier. 19 horse-and-rider combinations made their way around the course in hopes of catching the judges’ eyes. Set in the hunt-and-go format, every combination was given the opportunity to ride a shortened version of a traditional Hunter Derby, with one portion of the round in the classic over fences style and the other half as a handy portion. Out of the combined field of amateurs, professionals, and juniors, it was young rider Schuyler Dayner who dazzled at the last minute with dual scores of 87.00, to take over the first place position with her own 11-year-old Warmblood gelding Bertram Winkle.

With Bertram Winkle as her second ride in the class, Dayner had the advantage of riding the course once before aboard Carlos He’Las. With the opportunity to improve upon her first trip scores, Dayner still did not expect to rocket to the lead in a class whose field was made up primarily of professional hunter riders. Though the young Florida native was unsure of her ability to best the pack of professionals, she is a frequent competitor in National Hunter Derbys, most recently taking home a second-place finish in the $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby at Plain Brown Wrapper. Dayner hopes to qualify for the International Derby Finals next year with Bertram Winkle.

Isaac Leffkowitz and Stacey Reser’s young rising star, Diaronimo, held the lead all the way from the top of the order until Dayner laid down her double 87s. At just 6 years old, the Holsteiner gelding and the young professional settled into an honorable second place. Patrick Miller and Morgan Goodman’s 9-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding, Larrico, completed the podium in third place.

Hunter competition was also featured in the Gene Mische Ring with the $500 Pony Handy Hunter Classic and $1,000 2’6” Hunter Spectacular, both presented by CWD Sellier. Competitive young riders and their ponies created stiff competition, and in the end, it was Evana Somareddy and Lafayette Park who came out on top. In the $1,000 2’6” Hunter Spectacular, Braeden Simons and San Quinta SN claimed the first place prize.

For more information, please visit www.southeastmedalfinals.com.

Holiday Series II Kicks Off with $2,500 Johnson Horse Transportation Open Welcome

(C) ESI Photography. Derek Petersen and Redeemed.

Ocala, FL (December 16, 2015): The Ocala Holiday Classic kicked off as the second week of the HITS Holiday Series. Equestrians returned to HITS Post Time Farm for another week of competition after a brief hiatus to dine, play and explore the city of Ocala, Florida.

Derek Petersen of Archer, Florida walked away with the blue ribbon in the first featured class of the week, the $2,500 Johnson Horse Transportation Open Welcome. The win came aboard Redeemed, a seven-year-old Warmblood gelding.

Four would jump clear to advance to the immediate jump-off, where three would go double clear in contingency for the victory.

Petersen was the first to show and the first to produce a double-clear round to set the tone for the class. He and Redeemed clocked in at 40.983, a round that would remain unsurpassed.

Next to conquer the shortened course was Lexington, Kentucky equestrian Lauren Hester and Clueless P, owned by Hester Equestrian, LLC. They stopped the clock just one second behind Petersen in 41.501 for the eventual second-place prize.

The final pair to go clear in the jump-off was Debbie McCarthy Connor of Patterson, New York and Zim, owned by Connor & Ebetino Jumpers, LLC. The pair won this class in the first week of the Holiday Series. They crossed the finish in 47.140 to secure third place.

Fourth place went to Hayden Morresey riding Cequila, owned by Margaret Bopp, LLC. The final spot in the top five belonged to Ocala rider Allen T. Nabors piloting Cool N’Cavalier, owned by Cassie Bakus.

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Derek Petersen and Forgiven Win $5,000 Suncast® 1.45 Welcome and $25,000 Grand Prix

Derek Petersen and Forgiven.

Tryon, NC – May 12, 2015 – Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) concluded the fourth installment of the eight week Tryon Spring Series this past Sunday (May 7-10), with numerous divisions of hunter and jumper classes followed by a competitive Grand Prix finale. The Spring Series continues this week with Tryon Spring 5 (May 13-17), highlighting World Championship Hunter Rider week, offering Premier Rated hunter competition and Level 6 jumpers alongside the first “Saturday Night Lights” Grand Prix of the season, beginning at 6:30pm in the George H. Morris Stadium on Saturday, May 16.

Derek Petersen of Archer, FL capped an impressive week aboard Forgiven, a 10-year-old Belgium Warmblood gelding (Chatman x Polydor), adding a win in the $25,000 Tryon Grand Prix after capturing the $5,000 Suncast® 1.45m Welcome Stake earlier in the week. Petersen and Forgiven laid down a clean first round in the Grand Prix, designed by John Manning, moving them forward to the jump-off where they finished in 36.361 seconds to take the win. Jay Land of Atlanta, GA and his own Nepal finished just behind Petersen in 37.428 seconds and Kristen Vanderveen of St. Charles, IL placed third aboard Bull Run’s Faustino De Tili finishing in 37.665 seconds with four faults.

Petersen and Forgiven are a relatively new partnership, as the gelding only arrived stateside three weeks ago, but the pair has proved they can be competitive against the best, collecting two big wins at Tryon Spring 4.

“This was his second Grand Prix here in the States and he jumped clean two weeks ago and then won here at Tryon which was pretty unexpected. He’s a really cool horse, and we’re learning about each other right now,” Petersen stated. “There were some really challenging lines in the Grand Prix, and I’m proud of how he handled them. I’m glad it wasn’t easy, but I also felt very confident with the horse I have.”

Originally, Petersen imported the flashy gelding as a sales project, but his athleticism and smarts have made him a quick favorite in Petersen’s string and he hopes to keep him around the barn a bit longer.

“He’s so careful. He doesn’t like to touch anything. He’s a pretty simple ride and we’re going to keep working with him and learning what makes him go,” commented Petersen. “He’s willing to step up when it matters and that’s why I’m excited about him.”

The pair, who has quickly forged a strong bond, will look to add to their recent success in the coming weeks at TIEC, as they are slated to compete in the Tryon Spring 5 $15,000 Welcome Stake and the “Saturday Night Lights” $50,000 Grand Prix.

“Right now we’re going to see how he does this coming week, and we’ll figure out what the plan is from there. If we can keep on winning, we may stick around a little bit longer,” explained Petersen. “I feel so blessed to be able to do what I do as a living, something I used to do as a kid for fun. I pinch myself every time thinking I’m dreaming because I really am living the dream.”

Derek Petersen and Forgiven competing in the $5,000 Suncast® 1.45m Welcome Stake
Derek Petersen and Forgiven competing in the $5,000 Suncast® 1.45m Welcome Stake

Jumper Highlights

Derek Petersen began his successful week aboard Forgiven with a win in the $5,000 Suncast® 1.45m Welcome Stake on Friday. The pair completed their first trip in 74.931 seconds and finished the difficult jump-off course in 49.456 seconds, adding just two time penalties. Kristen Vanderveen and Bull Run’s Faustino De Tili finished closely behind Petersen, in 50.094 seconds, accumulating three time penalties. Jared Petersen, riding Derek Petersen’s Titus 2:11, rode the fastest of the three in the jump-off phase, crossing through the timers in 44.05 seconds, but dropped a rail to ultimately finish third.

Riding Madeline McDermott’s Bull Run’s Becky Blue, Megan McDermott captured the $2,500 NAL Low Jr./AO 1.20m Classic with two efficient rounds to take home the victory. The duo moved to the jump-off after completing a clear first round in 72.525 seconds and finished their second trip in 33.839 seconds. Paige Bellissimo aboard Bellissimo LLC’s Da Beers followed in second with a time of 39.026 in the jump-off after producing two fault-free rides. Frances Land and Taylor Land’s Dulricke Utica placed third in 40.937 seconds.

Thomas John Russell took the first class of the $3,000 1.20m Open Jumper division, piloting Lily Hahn’s Victoria VII through two clear rounds and finishing in 39.305 seconds. Russell also placed third with Lily Hahn’s Karenina in 41.483 seconds. Vick Russell of Columbus, NC finished in second with Helen Landon Terranova’s Creed, who would ultimately be champion in the division.

The first class of the $1,800 Adequan® 1.30m Open Jumper Division challenged riders, as only three pairs moved forward to the jump-off. Michael Dorman and Wyndmont Inc.’s Zaldorado placed first, with a clean trip in the jump-off, finishing in 38.993 seconds. Ricardo Villa and his own Carolina collected second place, adding another clear round in the jump-off, crossing the timers in 41.700 seconds. Clayton Russell and Greer Hindle’s Jagger rounded out the top three. Ricardo Villa claimed the overall division champion award aboard Carolina after the duo also won the second class of the division.

Vick Russell and Ashland Stable’s Erupthion D’or De Wandor captured the division champion award in the $1,800 Animo 1.20m Open Jumper after the duo placed first, second, and fourth respectively. Lincoln Russell and Linda Stenzel’s Colina finished with reserve honors.

Hunter & Equitation Highlights

Hunter competition heated up at TIEC during Tryon Spring 4 as several competitive pairs recorded wins in preparation for $50,000 WCHR Open Hunter Classic to be held on May 17 in the George H. Morris Stadium.

Kathryn Mittauer, aboard her own Allawishus, won the $1,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Hunter Classic with an overall score of 154. Kara Jones riding Joyful placed in second with a 149 followed by Madison Orr on Dreamgirl in third with a 148.

The $500 NAL/WIHS Child/Adult Hunter Classic saw ten entries and was won by Jean Rohland on her own For Keeps. Kimberly Paige Burton and Van Gogh, owned by Burton, finished in second with Lisa Esch and Carolyn Van Houten’s Four O’Clock Phineas rounding out the top three.

Kristen Cox and John Giza’s Porthos collected the win in the first 3’3/3’6 Over Fences class of the Bruno DelGrange Performance Hunter division. Vick Russell aboard James Fisher’s Zanzibar finished in second with Gary Young and Jamie Wolff’s Zeus placing third. Brian Shook and Hunterpointe Farm’s Memphis took home two consecutive wins in both Performance 3’3 Over Fences classes.

In the ASPCA Maclay Medal, Courtney Osborne and Falcon Ridge Stable’s Patron finished with a well-deserved win, followed by Maria Hackney aboard her own Herr Chico in second, with Julia Tait and Falcon Ridge Stable’s Legacy in third.

The USEF Pessoa Hunt Seat Medal presented by Randolph College saw seven competitive entries and was won by Courtney Osborne aboard Patron, collecting her second win of the week. Maria Hackney and Herr Chico placed second with Curry Sherard aboard Starter in third.

Lisa Esch and Four O’ Clock Phineas finished atop the NCHJA Children’s Medal, followed by Emma Hay on Jeannie Smith’s Sourthern Saluut in second, and Isabella Lombardozzi in third with her own Consultation.

Competition continues at TIEC this week with Tryon Spring 5, beginning on Wednesday, May 13, and continuing through Sunday, May 17. The first competition of the “Saturday Night Lights” Grand Prix series will be held Saturday, May 16, beginning at 6:30pm. The $50,000 WCHR Tryon Open Hunter Classic will take place in the George H. Morris Stadium on Sunday, May 17, beginning at 1pm. For more information and full results, please visit www.tryon.com.

The Tryon International Equestrian Center is destined to become recognized as one of the premier centers in the equestrian world. This new facility opened in June 2014 with sanctioned horse shows and initial supporting amenities including 10 riding arenas, 850 permanent stalls, and a covered riding facility. Future expansion includes a Sports Complex, two hotels, an 18-hole golf course and a full calendar of equestrian competitions and activities. It is a summer haven for eastern and northeastern American equestrian competitors and enthusiasts. For more information, visit www.tryon.com.

Derek Petersen and Via Dolorosa Capture the $25,000 HITS Grand Prix at HITS Ocala

© ESI Photography. Derek Petersen in the irons of his own Via Dolorosa during the $25,000 HITS Grand Prix at HITS Ocala.

OCALA, FL (January 23, 2012) – The weather was beautiful in Ocala, Florida on Sunday as 26 competitors embarked on the first $25,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, of the winter season. It also served as the first qualifying class for the 2012 installment of the Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix. Derek Petersen of Archer, Florida and his own Via Dolorosa captured the blue ribbon to highlight the end of the first unrated week of competition at HITS Post Time Farm.

“It was a great win,” said Petersen. “Today’s terrific score was a result of a very nice and friendly Grand Prix course, which was just perfect for warming up the season.”

Course designer Jerry Dougherty of Bokeelia, Florida designed a course which saw seven clear efforts in the first round. Sharn Wordley of Ocala, Florida was third to go aboard Filip Amram’s Cedrick and conquered the course fault free. At the end of the first round, five pairsjoined Wordley and Petersen in the jump-off.

Continue reading Derek Petersen and Via Dolorosa Capture the $25,000 HITS Grand Prix at HITS Ocala