Antioch, Ill.—Sept. 11
In May, Celtic Fire was jumping in a grand prix. Just four months later, and he’s won his first USHJA International Hunter Derby.
Erica Quinn of Maineville, Ohio, rode Celtic Fire, owned by CF Partners, to the win in the $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at the Chicago Hunter Derby, presented by Canadian Pacific. It was Quinn’s first trip to the derby in Chicago.
Erica Quinn on Celtic Fire on the way to the top of the $50,000 Chicago USHJA International Hunter Derby. Photo by Jump Media
“The atmosphere here is amazing,” said Quinn, who rides for Lane Change Farm. “Winning my first time here is a little overwhelming! It feels great though, and I’m just very happy to get the opportunity to show here. I have to say how thankful I am for Larry [Glefke] and Kelley [Farmer] to have given me this opportunity because without them I would not be here; I would not be competing here.”
Watch Quinn and Celtic Fire’s handy round…
And while Quinn and Celtic Fire would end up with the win, it was Lane Change Farm’s Farmer who gave the duo the closest run for their money aboard Kodachrome.
Following Saturday’s opening round of competition, Farmer and Kodachrome, owned by Nina Moore, came into Sunday as the front runners with a score of 184, but Quinn and Celtic Fire were only one point off with a 183.
Kelley Farmer on Kodachrome. Photo by Jump Media
Riders returned in reverse order of their standings on Sunday, and Quinn and Celtic Fire quickly shot to the top of the leaderboard with scores from the two judging panels of 80 and 86. Those scores, coupled with high option and handy bonus points, gave the pair a second round total of 184 and set the overall cumulative score to beat at 367.
“Need I Say is the other horse that I show, owned by Danielle Brown Swanston,” Quinn said. “I went first on him so I got a feel for the course, and I decided to just take the smooth route and go around in a few places [with Celtic Fire]. I didn’t need to make the inside turns, and it really worked out great.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Erica Quinn and Need I Say took third place. Photo by Jump Media
As the last pair to return, Farmer and Kodachrome would come extremely close to holding onto their lead, but with a second round total of 181 would fall just two points shy for a score of 365 and second place honors.
Celtic Fire, a 9-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion, was jumping in the 1.40-meter jumpers and national-level grand prix classes with Kaitlin Campbell for the last year, but then Rachel Kennedy, trainer and part of the CF Partners ownership, switched the gray to the hunter divisions. Celtic Fire’s first show as a hunter was in June at Country Heir II (Ky.) with Quinn aboard, and he placed fourth in the USHJA International Hunter Derby there.
Kennedy then showed Celtic Fire in the high performance hunter divisions at three shows over the summer before Quinn took over the reins again in August. She took him to the USHJA International Hunter Derby Championships (Ky.), where he placed 10th in the Derby Challenge.
The Chicago Hunter Derby marks his seventh horse show as a hunter. When not competing with Quinn, Celtic Fire stays with and is trained by Kennedy.
Erica Quinn on Celtic Fire. Photo by Aullmyn Photography
“I got a call to tell me he won, and I was jumping up and down,” Kennedy said. “I was standing on my balcony, and I could have jumped right off the balcony I was just so excited!”
Chicago native Doug Boyd rode Calido’s fire to the top of the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby. “[Calido’s Son] is extremely straight forward, and he’s just always so consistent,” Boyd said of the 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by Mimi Rothman. “He really is special. He’s a once in a lifetime horse for all of us.”
Also somewhat special for Boyd was winning the class that his own farm, Sapphire Riding Academy, sponsored—and has sponsored for the last three years at the Chicago Hunter Derby. “It’s a lot of pressure!” Boyd said. “You want to bring home the blue and the trophy with your own farm on it.”
Preceding the $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, the Chicago Hunter Derby hosted its inaugural $2,500 Pony Hunter Exhibition Class, presented by Brookwood Farm. Taking top honors from the field of 16 ponies were Natalie Jayne, of Elgin, IL, and Exquisite, owned by Two Point Equestrian. Finishing in second were Olivia Markman and her own Glynhafan Red Kestral, while Elise Stephens and Rockefeller, owned by Charlotte Novy, rounded out the top three.
Results: $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, presented by Canadian Pacific
Rider Hometown Horse 1st Rd. 2nd Rd. Total
ADVERTISEMENT
1. Erica Quinn Maineville, OH Celtic Fire 183 184 367
2. Kelley Farmer Keswick, VA Kodachrome 184 181 365
3. Erica Quinn Maineville, OH Need I Say 177.5 186 363.5
4. Meagan Murray Highland Park, IL Editorial 172 189 361
5. Tommi Clark Agoura Hills, CA Black Jack 158 189 347
6. Kelley Farmer Keswick, VA Clever Conversation 135 199 334
7. Caroline Weeden Antioch, IL Corvine 177 152 329
8. Serah Vogus Antioch, IL Bonfeuer 162 163 325
9. Mindy Coretz Tulsa, OK Happy Hour 165 155 320
10. Rush Weeden Antioch, IL Oak Grove 164 145 309
Watching the Chicago Hunter Derby.
