Wellington, Fla.—Feb. 15

One glance at the start list proved today’s $50,000 Equestrian Sotheby’s Jumping Derby would be exciting. In a class that already consistently provides entertainment in the form of knockdowns, intense speed and refusals, the 16-horse field claimed a number of riders who’d represented their countries in championship competition.

With his right pinky and ring finger immobilized in a brace, Adam Prudent proved he only needed one fully functioning hand to top the star-studded field with the 13-year-old Vasco owned by Patrick Flin and Plain Bay Sales.  

Prudent, who broke his pinky in a non-riding related sports accident 2 ½ weeks ago, said he was “managing” with the injury. If managing wins the top check, then imagine how good it could have been had he not been injured.

The 25-year-old has been riding the Dutch Warmblood (Andiamo–SClinton, Clinton) for the past 1½ years and has one previous derby under his belt with this horse, but today’s victory marks his first major Winter Equestrian Festival win.

“It was such a pleasure to come here and showing on the grass,” he said. “It’s always amazing showing on the grass and my horse loves it.”

Canadian rider Chris Sorensen, who aimed his mount Wriomf, a 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare (Tangelo van de Zuuthoeve–Priomf, Julius) specifically at this class, took second.

“She’s probably one of the more experienced derby horses,” he said. “She did the big derbies in Spruce [Meadows (Calgary) and she did the big derbies in Aachen (Germany) this summer. I think this is something that she’s very, very good at. We came hoping to win but Adam was faster today, but she was very, very good.”

American Andrew Ramsay rounded out the top three with Woitcek, the same horse he completed his first derby on three years ago. The 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood (Calvados–Sieranda, Gran Corrado) has proved to be a solid derby contender even without much preparation.

“I never jumped a natural until his first derby, and he just picked right up and did it. He was great and it was quite easy,” Ramsey said.

“He’s a player. He wants to come out and do his job. I had more hesitation than he did,” he continued.

Richard Jeffrey’s course had all of the hallmarks for a good jumper derby course, with a double iverpool combination, a hedge, open water, table bank, the hill-and-bank complex known as “Mount Wellington, and a grob. At 20 obstacles, the course provided an ample test of fitness for both horses and riders. Sorensen joked about being sent “to the gym every morning” to prepare for this class.

“They’re getting fatigued for sure,” Sorensen said. “[Woitcek] would have gotten specific training for this. She did gallop sets and a little more endurance than she normally would have done in the weeks leading up to this.”

While there were no time faults this year, the field was littered with rails in the faults converted-class. Only one rider went clean, Candice King on Bellisismo LLC’s Ferron, but their slow time left them in 11th. There were several stops at the grob, and Kaitlin Campbell’s Rocky W ran into trouble in the middle, trying to go out the side rather than forward. Several riders took the option of going down the side of Mount Wellington with less of an incline. Lisa Goldman’s Morocco, Allyson Shryoc’s Whisper Z, and Mark Bluman’s VDL Vinzell were all eliminated for refusals.

Want more WEF?

You can find results here and a detailed report from the class and the rest of WCHR week at the Winter Equestrian Festival, check out the March 9 issue of the Chronicle. 

In the meantime, check out photos of the hunters in the spotlight. Tori Colvin made history Saturday night by becoming the first rider to win four WCHR Peter Wetherill Hunter Spectaculars in a row.

Paige Johnson had a meaningful win on Dakota on Thursday afternoon and her trainer Kent Farrington made a repeat performance of last year’s win in the Friday night grand prix aboard Blue Angel.