Carson City, Nevada- April 13, 2010 -The $25,000 Franktown Meadows Hunter Derby is pleased to announce Scott Hofstetter as one of the four judges for the first West Coast standalone hunter derby. The derby is scheduled for September 19, 2010 at the Franktown Meadows Equestrian Facility in Carson City, NV.
Known for his kind demeanor with both humans and horses, Hofstetter is highly regarded within the equestrian community. Throughout the course of his career, Hofstetter has worn a multitude of titles from rider, to trainer, to judge, to clinician. Hofstetter will use his knowledge and experience in the equestrian world to judge the $25,000 Franktown Meadows Hunter Derby.
Hofstetter began his involvement with horses in Albany, NY, where he started in the Saddle Seat discipline and then proceeded to move on to the hunters and jumpers. After moving to Florida, Hofstetter immediately began riding with Georgann Powers who found Hofstetter to be a true horseman. Horses seemed to react to his kind disposition, which made it easy for Hofstetter to ride every type of horse.
In 1986, Hoftstetter won the ASPCA Maclay Horsemanship Finals at Madison Square Garden, and continued on to claim numerous top honors at multiple other equitation championships. Adding to those accomplishments, Hofstetter won the Leading Rider Hunter award at the Devon Horse Show and the Capital Challenge Horse Show.
After beginning his training career, Hofstetter taught many strong competitors, including Emily Williams. Williams had great success as a junior, and in 1999 won both the Medal Final and the Maclay Final. Hofstetter continued training multiple top riders alongside trainers like Don Stewart.
Branching out on his own, Hofstetter opened Copley Place in Ocala, FL, and began showing many of his own mounts in the winter, while giving clinics and judging throughout the remainder of the year. He explained, “I believe that horses need breaks, especially from the hot Florida summers, so I usually show all winter at the HITS Ocala horse shows and then rest my horses during the summer.”
Hofstetter was recently awarded Reserve Circuit Champion honors in the Pre Green Hunter division with his horse Davinci at the 2010 HITS Ocala Winter Circuit.
With so many prestigious honors for teaching and riding, Hofstetter will add invaluable insight as one of the four judges for the $25,000 Franktown Meadows Hunter Derby. “I really love to judge and I am looking forward to the Franktown Meadows Hunter Derby,” said Hofstetter. “I will be judging alongside my friend Julie Winkel, and renowned horseman George Morris. I am also excited to see the Franktown Meadows Equestrian Facility since I have been to Reno multiple times, but I have never seen this facility.”
Hofstetter will be evaluating each of the horse and rider combinations for certain traits. He commented, “I like to see a derby horse that pays attention while on course. I also like to see a horse that enjoys what it is doing and is very willing to jump over different types of fences.” He added, “I like to see a derby horse that resembles the hunter horse that has light movement as it travels around the course.”
Over the last few years Hofstetter has judged numerous top hunter/jumper shows including this year’s $10,000 Chronicle of the Horse/USHJA International Hunter Derby Sponsored by the Tack Room at the Queen City Classic in Camden, South Carolina.
Hofstetter is also set to judge the ASPCA Maclay Finals alongside Melanie Smith Taylor at the 127th National Horse Show in Syracuse, NY on Sunday, November 7th, 2010.
The Franktown Meadows Equestrian Facility teams is excited to add Hofstetter to the list of FM Hunter Derby judges as they look forward to this unprecedented event on September 19, 2010.
