Bridgehampton, N.Y.—Sept. 3
After the excitement of the $100,000 International Hunter Derby Finals on Aug. 19-20 in Lexington, Ky., many riders who competed there gathered again in Bridgehampton, N.Y., for the Hampton Classic’s first ever hunter derby. In a beautiful setting, the class was an aesthetically pleasing, but less physically rousing experience.
Seasoned hunter derby veterans were scattered in top twelve after the first round, but the win went to 13-year-old Victoria Colvin of Loxahactee, Fla., with Scott Stewart’s Inclusive. They were named grand junior hunter champions at Lake Placid (N.Y.) in late June and have had a history together, Colvin riding the Warmblood gelding in junior hunter and hunter derby classes all year.
“He’s amazing,” said Colvin, of the gelding they call “Captain” at the farm. “I rode him in the [$100,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals], and this was a nice relaxing return.”
Colvin and Captain placed third in the classic round and came back in to win the handy round. Colvin said the handy was easy to navigate if you took the smaller options, which she did with her second mount, Sanzibar. Testing Captain’s handiness to the fullest, she took all the toughest options with him, a test which he aced.
“I ride him a lot at home, so I know him pretty well,” said Colvin, who rides with Stewart, the trainer seven of the top 12 horses. Colvin also rode Sanzibar to an eighth place finish.
Stewart walked out of the ring after the awards ceremony decorated in multi-colored ribbons, with a smile on his face.
“It feels very good,” he said. “All of our horses were great.”
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West Coasters John French and Hope Glynn claimed four of the 12 top spots, Glynn taking sixth, eleventh and twelfth. French took tenth place with Illusion, but another one of his mounts, Pimm’s Cup, was the first to refuse a jump on course.
Lillie Keenan, the winner of the $100,000 International Hunter Derby Finals with C Coast Z, had an uncharacteristic round with the gelding, who crashed through the second fence and Keenan pulled up in front of the third fence during the classic round. The 14-year-old finished the course as a schooling round, reassuring her gelding after a tough beginning to the class.
In The Jumper Ring
- Jeffrey Welles and Billion won the 5-Year-Old Young Jumper Championship.
- Brock Clermont and Pironella won the 6-Year-Old Young Jumper Championship.
- McLain Ward and Oh D’Eole were victorious in yet another class, the $30,000 Nicolock Open Jumper Challenge.
Action will continue tomorrow with the 7/8-Year-Old Young Jumper Championship as well as the $250,000 FTI Grand Prix and World Cup Qualifier.
