Tag Archives: Evan Coluccio

Evan Coluccio and Christian D’Or Make Dominating Debut in $20k HITS Open Prix in Culpeper

Evan Coluccio and Christian D’Or. Photo by: Alison Hartwell.

Culpeper, Va. – August 21, 2022 – Sometimes, a new partnership comes together right from the start, and on Sunday that proved to be the case for Evan Coluccio with his new mount Christian D’Or. The 9-year-old Belgian Warmblood owned by Sea Sporthorses LLC arrived at Coluccio’s farm just 10 days ago, and the $20,000 HITS Open Prix marked their competition debut. They showed their new partnership is a winning one by besting a five-horse jump-off to take home the top prize, kicking off an exciting future together.

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Isabella Bertozzi and Cousteau Best $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby

Perfect weather greeted riders during the Winston National at HITS Culpeper as they gathered at the Main Hunter Ring to contest the $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby. Junior rider Isabella Bertozzi laid down a flawless handy round aboard Cousteau, jumping up from third place after the first round to capture the winning title and lead the lap of honor during Saturday’s highlight event.

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Daniel Kelly and Galena Gallop to $10,000 HITS Open Welcome Victory

It was a race to the finish in Friday’s $10,000 HITS Open Welcome at HITS Culpeper. Daniel Kelly of Purcellville, Virginia galloped home with the victory aboard Galena as the fastest of three double clears during the day’s highlight event. He was able to edge ahead of Jackson Schurtz and Imago Z by just 1/10th of a second, while Juliana Thorbecke and King’s Treasure Evo placed third with a conservative clear round.

For more results and information, visit HitsShows.com.

Hunter Professionals Shine on Day Two of WCHR Week at WEF

Scott Stewart and Catch Me © Sportfot.

Wellington, FL – February 18, 2021 – The first hunter champions of the World Champion Hunter Rider (WCHR) competition were awarded on Thursday, February 18, at the sixth week of the 2021 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). More than 20 championships were presented in the professional hunter divisions, with top finishers qualifying for Saturday night’s $50,000 WCHR Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular, the highlight hunter event of the season.

The High Performance Hunters, sponsored by Antarès Sellier France, came to an end in the E. R. Mische Grand Hunter Ring on Thursday morning. Scott Stewart, of Wellington, FL, piloted Gochman Sport Horses LLC’s Catch Me to the championship.

Stewart and Catch Me took home a blue ribbon in every over fences class and were third in the under saddle to earn the tricolor ribbon. The reserve champion title went to Jennifer Hannan, of Wakefield, RI, and her own Olympic Fire. The pair earned two seconds and two eighth place ribbons in the division.

Evan Coluccio, of Marshall, VA, claimed both champion and reserve in the High Performance Conformation Hunters. Coluccio rode The Lignelli Family’s Philadelphia Story, a nine-year-old Warmblood gelding, to top honors with two firsts, a second, and a third place ribbon. Balmoral’s Pritchard Hill earned reserve champion with a first, second, two thirds, and sixth place ribbons.

Ashlee Bond and Imagine Save the Best for Last in the $6,000 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 1.45m Jumpers CSI3*

On the grass Derby Field at Equestrian Village, Ashlee Bond (ISR) and Imagine, owned by Aurora Farms and Little Valley Farms, captured the Douglas Elliman Real Estate 1.45m Jumpers CSI3* to open FEI competition during Week 6 of WEF.

A total of 40 entries contested the two-phase track set by Catsy Cruz (MEX), which featured nine jumping efforts in the first phase, moving over to an additional six efforts in the second phase. With 15 passing the initial test, it was the best for last on the day as Bond and the eight-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare by Emerald x Heartbreaker jumped double clear and posted the fastest time of 26.24 seconds.

“We got her when she was five,” said Bond. “It was a partnership horse for a while, but we bought them out at the beginning of last year because we really felt like she was something special and really suited me. I know her really well, and she’s just one of those horses that is so naturally careful. She doesn’t really know what she can or can’t do.”

For more information and results, please visit www.PBIEC.com.

Kenny Has Consecutive Win at WEF in $6,000 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 1.45m Jumpers

Darragh Kenny (IRL) and Sweet Tricia. © Sportfot.

January 28, 2021 – Wellington, FL – Coming off a win in the 1.40m jumpers on Wednesday at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), Darragh Kenny (IRL) was back to his winning ways once again, this time aboard Sweet Tricia, owned by the SHL Farm, in the $6,000 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 1.45m Jumpers on Thursday, January 28, at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC).

With a starting field of 41 entries, Kenny and Sweet Tricia, a 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare by Berlin x Aetrichta, put forward the fastest effort of the day over the two-phase track designed by Peter Grant (CAN) and Joey Rycroft (CAN), keeping all the jumps up for the victory in 31.95 seconds. As Kenny alluded to after recording the win, sometimes the best way to handle the course is to go with the flow.

Evan Coluccio Rides Philadelphia Story to Top Honors in the High Performance Hunters

After two days of competition, the Antarès Sellier France High Performance Hunters came to an end on Thursday. Evan Coluccio piloted The Lignelli Family’s Philadelphia Story to the championship with three firsts, a fifth, and a third place ribbon.

Coluccio, of Marshall, VA, has had the ride on the nine-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Periguex since October. Philadelphia Story was originally from Balmoral Farm, along with another one of Coluccio’s mounts, Pritchard Hill, who was champion in the High Performance Conformation Hunters this week.

For more information and results, please visit www.PBIEC.com.

Final Hunter Derby Days of 2018 Crowns Crandall & On the Slye, Coluccio and Renoir

Robert Crandall and On the Slye. Photo courtesy of Equinium/The Ridge at Wellington.

Perot and Cous Cous Van Orti Ascend in $5,000 Rising Star Classic

Wellington, FL (March 19, 2018) – St. Patrick’s Day weekend made for an exciting final Hunter Derby Days competition at Jim Brandon Equestrian Center, which also set the stage for The Ridge Palm Beach Series Level 2 Jumpers, March 14-18. Robert Crandall, Evan Coluccio, and Samuel Perot topped the week’s highlight classes, while all levels of jumpers from Teeny Tiny to 1.30m enjoyed wide open warm ups and beautiful courses on perfect footing, as well as a bit of Irish cheer at The Ridge’s complimentary hospitality table. Beginning March 21, The Ridge at Wellington heads into its final four weeks of winter competition, with all levels of fantastic show jumping on the grass at beautiful venues like Schulyer Riley’s Wolfstone Stables and Polo West, the excitement of Child/Adult/Open classics under the lights Friday evenings, and boosted prize money and double points for the Turf Tour Finale in April.

Friday March 16 crowned Robert Crandall of Upperville, PA and Lysa Burke Hutton’s On the Slye as the epitome of hunter perfection in the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby. Over a classic and beautiful course designed by Skip Bailey, Crandall capitalized on the high options, potential for turns, and the opportunity for his horse to jump with maximum scope. “We’ve had him for about 2 years,” said Crandall of the 12-year-old Selle Francais gelding. “We found him doing the Grand Prix in France with the man who bred him, and after purchasing him for Hutton we have been working towards making him a hunter. Today was his first Derby, and we decided to bring him to The Ridge because it’s the perfect place to make a show debut: a bit more low key, less pressure, and nicer for their first experience.”

Crandall’s efforts to turn On the Slye into a hunter mount seem to be paying off, and his win in the horse’s first International Hunter Derby is the evidence. “He tried very hard, and despite a few small mistakes in the first round we came into the handy and he really rose to the occasion,” said Crandall. “I have to be careful during the handy, as he can sometimes try to swap gears into jumper mode, but he did a fantastic job.”

As the International Hunter Derby concluded in Jim Brandon’s covered arena, the Rising Star Classic was just beginning to see its first few rounds. A number of fantastically athletic horses took to the course as the sun began to set, and Chilean Olympian Samuel Perot proved exceptional aboard his own Cous Cous Van Orti. The pair blazed through the jump off to a time of 47.710 seconds, beating out Perot’s own time with his other mount, Buga Z (48.693). Audrey J. Robison and Silver Lining jumped to third, on a jump-off time of 58.580 seconds. With six double clears and a number of exceptional efforts, the $5,000 1.30m Rising Star Classic, which will be held every Wednesday through April 13, serves as an ideal class for up and coming Grand Prix horses as well as riders looking to gain experience and poise over bigger jumps.

Irish cheer filled the Jim Brandon’s appropriately hunter green covered arena on March 17 for The Ridge’s $5,000 National Hunter Derby. A scaled down version of the International Derby course welcomed 22 competitors and seemed to encourage handiness and elegance with its beautiful obstacles and intricate design. Evan Coluccio of Middleburg, VA and Alexa Stiegler’s Renoir put in an exemplar first round and an exceptionally handy second round to lead the derby wire to wire. Renoir seemed to channel his name’s French charm and sophistication over the course under Coluccio’s guidance, culminating in their victorious result. Renoir shares his Westphalian breeding with Fabled, a previous and very successful mount of Coluccio’s, and Coluccio stated that Renoir reflected many of Fabled’s traits: “I feel like I know him so well and can trust him to really step up to the plate,” said Coluccio. “Every time I ride him or watch him it just seems like he’s having a party, having a great time, and it feels like we win just about every time we come out. The course today was very nice; I had another horse in the International Derby so was able to be really familiar with the course and know where Renoir would shine. We took all the high options, made a very tight turn back to the hay bale obstacle, and opted to slip between two fences to double back to another jump. It was an exciting round, I think we both really enjoyed it. Having the option to show here at Nona and George’s shows is fantastic for trainers like me, with 5 horses also going at other show grounds, a group going here, and the chance to show myself. It’s a fantastic option to bring new horses and riders and really give them a chance to train at a new venue as well as show against some great riders over some great courses.”

The crowd of spectators seemed to enjoy the handy round as well, and Renoir’s owner’s mother, Ariana Stiegler, was equally happy with the derby performance: “He [Renoir] really has all the scope in the world, and he goes so well for Evan and my daughter Alexa, who shows him in the Juniors. Having exhibitor friendly shows like this one make you feel like you’re away from it all and yet still able to develop your horses.” Renoir’s trainer, William A. Barr, echoed Coluccio and Stiegler’s sentiments: “It was an exciting handy, really gave the crowd something to see, and Nona and George do a great job of accommodating everyone and making them feel at home at their horse shows.”

For a full schedule of events hosted by The Ridge at Wellington, visit www.TheRidgeFarm.com.

Media contact:
PR and Marketing
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Equinium Sports Marketing, LLC
www.equinium.com
holly@equinium.com
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Harold Chopping and Evan Coluccio Earn Major Victories at Lexington Spring Encore

Harold Chopping and Basje. Photos by Teresa Ramsay Photography.

Lexington, VA – May 6, 2015 – Harold Chopping’s spring schedule has him traveling up and down the east coast, but this year he made sure to add a stop at the Virginia Horse Center – a stop that he is glad he made. During the Lexington Spring Premiere, Chopping rode to the win in the $25,000 George L. Ohrstorm Jr. Grand Prix and finished second in the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby.

The win in the Lexington Spring Premiere’s feature jumper event, held Saturday night, came aboard Basje, a 9-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Kendra Bullington. Chopping was one of three pairs to navigate the Bernardo Costa Cabral designed first round course and advance to the jump-off, where he turned in another clear effort in a time of 40.507 seconds to clinch the victory.

Also advancing to the jump-off were third place finishers Kaitlin Campbell and Gabriel and the second place combination of Marylisa Leffler and Carlot, who finished double clear in a time of 42.820 seconds.

“I was fortunate enough to go last in the jump-off and be able to see what was leading and to have a good handle on what I needed to do, and Basje responded beautifully,” Chopping said.

Chopping continued, “We’ve had him since the end of his 7-year-old year, so we’ve had him a little while. He won two grand prix last year. He’s a horse that I think is going to end up jumping at a very high level. He’s super careful and really scopey. He jumped so well in Lexington. It was nice to see him jump so well and really handle everything we asked him to do.”

Basje was one of 12 horses who accompanied Chopping’s Solo Show Stables to the Virginia Horse Center for the duration of the Lexington Spring Premiere. Among the other top performing mounts was 15-year-old Danish Warmblood, Caramo, owned by Caroline Russell Howe. Chopping and Caramo rode to the second place finish in Friday night’s $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby.

“He’s just so reliable in those derbies. He’s had a number of wins over the past couple of years,” Chopping said. “This horse really is a pro at that job. He’s super competitive, and he did his thing on Friday night.”

Love Game Makes Winning International Derby Debut with Evan Coluccio

The win in the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby went to Evan Coluccio and EMC International’s Love Game.

For Coluccio, victory in the Lexington Spring Premiere’s $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby is not his first taste of success at the Virginia Horse Center. In fact, significant wins at the Virginia Horse Center have marked Coluccio’s extremely successful career thus far. In 1995, he was victorious at the U.S. Pony Finals, held that year at the Virginia Horse Center, and in 2006, he clinched Individual Show Jumping Gold medal at the North American Junior/Young Rider Championships (NAYRC), also held at the Horse Center.

Evan Coluccio and Love Game
Evan Coluccio and Love Game

“Lexington has always been a successful show for me. It’s always been a really good facility for me,” Coluccio said. “It’s one of my lucky places.”

That luck, coupled with great talent, showed through on Friday night and throughout the week with Love Game. The Lexington Spring Premiere marked the 6-year-old Dutch Warmblood’s very first horse show stateside, and the hopeful start of a successful hunter and derby career.

“I’m really excited about him,” Coluccio said of Love Game. “He came to America about five or six weeks ago. I knew he was going to be really special. I just gave him a little time to adjust to America and getting him looking good. Then I brought him there, and he was amazing.

I did him in the First Years and the Green Conformation. He had just little tiny green mistakes each day. So I thought, ‘let’s do the derby.’ They moved it inside, and I think with that atmosphere he really rose to the occasion that much more. He was unbelievable.”

For more results from the Lexington Spring Premiere, visit www.horseshowsonline.com. Find out more about the Virginia Horse Center at www.horsecenter.org.

The Virginia Horse Center is situated on a 573-acre site with eight barns to accommodate 750 horses in permanent stabling. Indoor stabling can be increased to 1,200 horses with the use of temporary stalls. The Virginia Horse Center hosts 19 show rings, including two large arenas and a five-mile Olympic cross-country course. Four of the Virginia Horse Center barns are winterized with close access to the 4,000 seat indoor coliseum. The Virginia Horse Center is recognized for the excellent footing of its show rings and the durable construction of the concrete stalls. The Virginia Horse Center also offers camping facilities and on-site food and beverage services. Find the Horse Center online at www.horsecenter.org.

Emily Riden for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International

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Cardozo Kicks Off Hunter Career with Evan Coluccio at Kentucky Summer Classic

Evan Coluccio and Cardozo.

Lexington, KY – June 29, 2014 – Cardozo just became a hunter three days ago, but today at the Kentucky Summer Classic he showed signs of a promising future ahead in his new found division. Evan Coluccio guided the 7-year-old Dutch Warmblood through his first hunter courses and to his first blue ribbon hunter win today in the High Performance Hunters at the Kentucky Horse Park.

“Today was his very first day ever doing hunters,” Coluccio said. “I was very proud of him. We did the Second Years as a bit of practice and to kind of work out kinks and get to know him a little. Literally, he just came to us [at Lane Change Farm] this weekend. He belongs to Ronnie Beard and Michael Dorman. He was a jumper. I think he was doing 1.30m classes.”

Coluccio continued, “They thought he was a little quiet for the jumpers, and he’s so careful and tries so hard that they thought maybe he would be better in this ring. He still has some parts to learn, but I think he’s going to be a natural at it.”

Cardozo seemed to improve with every trip today in the Stonelea Ring, picking up both a third and first place finish in the High Performance Hunters. With his strong performances today, Coluccio is optimistic for what is to come for the gelding.

“He wants to be so easy. Once he understands the job, he’s going to be really great,” Coluccio said. “He never really made any major mistakes today. I think he’s going to be quite good at the derbies too. That’s our main goal for him: to let him do some of those.”

Besting Cardozo for the win in the second High Performance Hunter division was one of his new barn mates, Enticement. After several weeks off, the 6-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare came back to the show ring last week with Kelley Farmer in the First Year Green and Green Conformation Hunters, and this week the pair shot to the top of the leader board in the High Performance Hunters.

Kelley Farmer and Enticement
Kelley Farmer and Enticement

Following the mare’s success last week, Farmer is contemplating pointing her at the upcoming USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals, to be held August 14-16, 2014.

“I’m going to hold out on her entry for as long as possible. I want to be fair to her, but right now it’s looking like it,” Farmer said of competing Enticement in the Derby Finals. “She can definitely jump it, but she’s only 6 years old. I don’t want to push her too hard, but we’ll see how she is doing.”

If today was any indication, she seems to be doing quite well. In addition to her win in the second over fences class, Enticement finished second behind Cardozo in the first class.

In the Second Year Green Hunters, Christopher Payne and Susan Moriconi’s Channing continue to be a dominating force. The duo has been extremely competitive in the division throughout both the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows and the Kentucky Summer Horse Shows, and today they added another first and second place ribbon to their string of division accolades.

Besting Channing in the second over fences class of the division were Tim Goguen and Character, owned by Belhaven Stables, LLC. Both mounts will return tomorrow to via for the championship in the conclusion of the Second Year Green Hunter division at the Kentucky Summer Classic.

All professional hunter divisions conclude tomorrow with classes beginning at 8 a.m. In addition to offering a full range of competitive hunter divisions, the Kentucky Summer Classic features the $5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby on Saturday, August 2.

For more information about the Kentucky Summer Series, please visit www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.

Kentucky Summer Series Fast Facts

Events:
Kentucky Summer Horse Shows, USEF National Pony Finals, Bluegrass Festival Horse Show and KHJA Horse Show, and the 2014 USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals.

What:
The Kentucky Horse Show LLC’s 2014 series includes five weeks of top competition throughout the summer. These premier hunter/jumper competitions host the Hagyard Challenge Series with seven grand prix competitions that culminate with a Leading Rider Award, as well as the Hallway Feeds National Derby Series.

Where:
Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, KY, site of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™. Home to the United States Equestrian Federation.

When:

NORTH AMERICAN JUNIOR & YOUNG RIDER CHAMPIONSHIPS – July 15-20, 2014
KENTUCKY SUMMER HORSE SHOW – July 23-27, 2014
$25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic
$50,000 Rood & Riddle Kentucky Grand Prix
$5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby

KENTUCKY SUMMER CLASSIC – July 29 – August 3, 2014
$25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic
$50,000 Kentucky Summer Grand Prix sponsored by GGT Footings
$5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby

2014 USEF PONY FINALS – August 5-10, 2014
BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL HORSE SHOW – August 12-17, 2014
USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals
USHJA Pre-Green Incentive Championship
$25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic
$40,000 Bluegrass Festival Grand Prix
$5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby
WCHR Member Event

KHJA HORSE SHOW – August 20-24, 2014
$10,000 Hagyard Welcome Stake
$30,000 KHJA Grand Prix
$5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby

Sponsors:
A special thanks to the generous sponsors of the Kentucky Summer Horse Shows: Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Hallway Feeds, Audi of Lexington, GGT Footing, Equestrian Services International, Johnson Horse Transportation, Farm Vet, Dietrich Insurance, Take2 Thoroughbred Program, Sleepy P Ranch, and the Official Hotel The Clarion

Hours:
8am – 5pm daily

Parking:
Horse Show Exhibitors may purchase a weekly parking pass at the main Horse Park entrance for $15.00. Dogs are permitted at the Kentucky Horse Park on a leash.

Directions:
The Kentucky Horse Park is located 8 miles northeast of Lexington, Kentucky at Exit 120 on Interstate 75.

Information:
Before Show – (859) 233-0492, Email: hakshows@earthlink.net
During Show – Telephone: (859) 254-3343, Fax: (859) 231-6097
Stabling – Email Tom Blankenship at tomblank@bellsouth.net
Stable office – Before Show: (843) 269-4737, During Show: (859) 255-0605
Prize List Advertising – Email Cindy Bozan at cindy@kentuckyhorseshows.com or call (859) 608-3709
Vendors – Email Cindy Bozan at cindy@kentuckyhorseshows.com or call (859) 608-3709

Shownet – www.shownet.biz

Website: www.kentuckyhorseshows.com

Ring Dimensions/Specs:

The Stonelea Ring, Murphy Ring, Walnut Ring, Stonelea/Murphy Schooling Ring, the Alltech Arena and the Rolex Stadium have Otto Sport footing consisting of fine sand and synthetic fiber on pvc mats. The Claiborne, Annex, and Covered Arena (old) rings’ footing consists of a sand cushion on limestone base. The dimensions of the competition areas are as follows:

Stonelea: 140′x 280′, Murphy: 135′x 280′, Stonelea and Murphy Schooling: 110′x 400′
Walnut: 300′x 370′, Claiborne: 140′x 270′, Annex 130′x 250′, Covered Arena (old): 145′x 285′ Rolex Stadium: 360′ x 384′, Alltech Arena: 132′ x 265′

Shopping:
Vendors offering equestrian equipment, apparel, jewelry and home furnishings are located adjacent to the Stonelea Ring.

Hotels:

CLARION HOTEL (Formerly Holiday Inn North) – 859-233-0512 – Approximately 4 miles (OFFICIAL HOTEL)
Discover the place where elegant comfort in an ideal location meets excellent service and affordability. At the Clarion Hotel Lexington, you’ll find well-appointed accommodations with options of double/doubles, double queens, king rooms or suites, exceptional amenities such as our free hot breakfast buffet, and Southern hospitality at its finest. The best hotel for Keeneland – located in the heart of Kentucky’s Bluegrass Region – home of the Kentucky Horse Park, the Lexington Convention Center, University of Kentucky, and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail – our Lexington hotel is on Newtown Pike at Exit 115 on I-75, close to all the big attractions, and is the perfect place to stay whether you’re here to get down to business or have some fun. Best of all, bring your furry friends for any trip because the Clarion Hotel in Lexington is also pet-friendly.

CAMPGROUND RESERVATIONS:
Reservations may not be made through the Horse Show office. To reserve a campsite at the Kentucky Horse Park for any of the horse shows, please call the Campground store at (800) 370-6416 or 859-259-4157 or email Sherry Logan at sherryd.logan@ky.gov. Be specific as to the show name and the dates you wish to stay. Check-in time is 2:00 p.m. and check-out is 12:00 noon. You must make arrangements with the Campground store if you plan to arrive earlier than 2:00 p.m. or stay later than 12:00 noon. Vehicles that are not removed from a campsite by check-out time will be towed.

Management:
Kentucky Horse Shows, LLC
P. O. Box 11428
Lexington, KY 40575-1428
859-233-0492 (phone)
859-233-0495 (fax)
email: hakshows@earthlink.net
website: www.kentuckyhorseshows.com

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Evan Coluccio and Fabled Inaugural Winners of $35,000 International Derby at Genesee Country Village & Museum

Evan Coluccio and Fabled

Mumford, NY – June 8, 2014 – Evan Coluccio and Fabled’s ride today marked several firsts, including Fabled’s first win in a hunter derby and the first ever USHJA International Hunter Derby victory at the Genesee Country Village & Museum.

Coluccio and Fabled bested a field of the nation’s leading hunter horses and riders to win the $35,000 USHJA International Derby at The Derby at the Genesee Country Village & Museum, a brand-new, stand-alone hunter derby event that is already receiving rave reviews across the board.

“Everything was great here today,” said eventual winner Coluccio said. “The course was great; the people are great, and this place is beautiful. I had a good time here.”

Sharing that sentiment was nearby Buffalo, NY resident and acclaimed hunter rider Jennifer Alfano. Alfano shot to the top of the leaderboard in the first round with a beautiful trip aboard her well-known derby mount, Jersey Boy, owned by SBS Farms.

Coluccio and Fabled, owned by Larry Glefke, sat close behind Alfano and Jersey Boy going back for the handy round in the second place spot. Rounding out the top five heading in to the second round were Jennifer Jones riding Redfield Farm’s Countdown and Farmer in both the fourth and fifth place positions with Taken and Unspoken, respectively.

Farmer also sat in the eleventh and seventh place positions with Mindful and So To Speak.

Kelley Farmer and So To Speak
Kelley Farmer and So To Speak

With both Mindful and So To Speak, Farmer utilized what has become her signature bold handiness in a successful effort to climb up the ranks.

The beautiful Bobby Murphy designed handy course opened with a hand gallop to an oxer at the far end of the ring from the in-gate and presented a number of handy options across the field, all of which Farmer executed flawlessly with both Mindful and So To Speak. Mindful’s handy round score would be the second highest of the day only behind So To Speak’s, shooting Mindful from eleventh to fifth and So To Speak from seventh all the way up to second.

Of the initial top three, Jones and Countdown were the first to come back, but an unfortunate three refusals dropped them out of the top ribbon contention.

Coluccio and Fabled were next, and watching their round it is unlikely that any of the numerous spectators surrounding the field would ever have guessed that the talented gelding is only a 7-year-old, First Year Green horse.

“He’s a baby. He’s been shown in maybe seven shows as a hunter,” Coluccio explained. “I really haven’t asked anything like this from him yet.”

That inexperience factored in to how Coluccio rode the first round, electing to forego all but one of the high option fences.

“A lot of people can make mistakes with the high options so I thought let’s take out that variable and just give him a nice round and then go from there,” Coluccio said.

Following a successful first round, and with Alfano coming back after him in the second round, Coluccio took a different approach to the handy phase, taking all four high option fences and a tight, handy route between fences. His efforts earned him scores from the two judging panels of 87 and 88. Those scores coupled with handiness and high option bonuses and their first round total gave Colucci and Fabled an overall, cumulative total of 370.

Hometown favorites and front runners Alfano and Jersey Boy came close to victory, but their final overall score of 361 would put them in third in the final standings and would clinch the win for Coluccio and Fabled.

“He couldn’t have been better,” Coluccio said of Fabled. “He has so much ability. He tries so hard. He wants to do it right; he’s just figuring it out as he’s going sometimes. He’s so easy about everything.”

Coluccio began riding for Glefke and Lane Change Farm at the beginning of the year, and the entire Lane Change Farm team looks forward to returning to The Derby at the Genesee Country Village & Museum next year.

With an extremely successful first year of great competition and great attendance in the books, The Derby at the Genesee Country Village & Museum team looks forward to continuing the event next year.

To learn more about The Derby visit www.thederby.us or find more photos and information on Facebook here!

Website:
www.thederby.us

Beneficiaries:
The Rochester Women’s Giving Circle

Sponsorship Opportunities:

Supporting The Derby is the perfect way to enjoy a fabulous day with friends, clients or colleagues, all while helping others and gaining valuable marketing and exposure!

To learn more about the numerous available sponsorship opportunities, click here or contact us online for more information!

The Derby Producers & Management:
Brian Brown – browndawgroger@hotmail.com
Craig Brown – cmbrown@rochester.rr.com
Liz Keller – lkeller6@rochester.rr.com

TSG Equine Events, LLC
http://www.tsgequineevents.com/

Emily Riden for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International

MEDIA CONTACT:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12012 South Shore Blvd #105
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax)
pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
PhelpsMediaGroup.com

Evan Coluccio Pilots Batman to the Win in Medium Performance Hunters at Kentucky Summer Classic

Evan Coluccio and Batman at the Kentucky Summer Classic. Photo By: Kendall Bierer/PMG.

Lexington, KY – August 4, 2011 – The skies stayed blue with sunshine shining down on the Kentucky Horse Park for the second day of the Kentucky Summer Classic. The best horse and rider combinations competed for top honors during their respective divisions in the Stonelea Ring for the First Year Green Working Hunters, Second Year Green Working Hunters, High Performance Hunters and Medium Performance Hunters.

Today in the First Year Green Working Hunters division, Havens Schatt, did not disappoint aboard Macallan, owned by Tracy Scheriff-Muser of Wellington, FL, as they claimed the championship prize. The duo earned a first place ribbon and a third place ribbon during yesterday’s classes as well as a second place ribbon and a fourth place ribbon today. “Macallan was really good today, I was a little nervous when I was schooling him because he felt lazy,” explained Schatt. “He has such a great time doing the handy, he came through today for me, especially since he is so scopey and easy to get to the jumps.”

Bel Canto, piloted by Sarah Young and owned by Sarah Rubenstein of St. Louis, MO, took home the reserve championship award during the First Year Green Working Hunter. Yesterday the pair earned a second place ribbon and a fourth place ribbon. Today they followed with a strong conclusion earning them a first place ribbon and a fourth place ribbon, garnering the reserve champion tricolor.

Holly Orlando and Sailor’s Valentine, owned by Westerly Farm of Unionville, PA, won the Second Year Green Working Hunters championship award. The consistent duo took home the blue ribbon prize in all four of the classes, as well as the under saddle. “Normally the handy is one of our better rounds because he definitely is a handy horse with how easily he will turn inside and slice jumps,” described Orlando. “My plan for the handy ended up giving me a little bit more horse than I needed, but he pulled through, and we are taking everything as a learning experience.”

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