After a successful junior weekend at the Devon Horse Show, Tori Colvin returned to take top honors on Betsee Parker’s Inclusive in the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby.

Colvin and “Captain” led after the first round with a score of 187 after taking all four high options on Allen Rheinheimer’s course.

The course was set up as a mirror image of itself down centerline for both the classic and handy rounds. Instead of setting the high options immediately next to the lower option fences, Rheinheimer made sure riders were paying attention if they changed their mind about an option mid-course.

Colvin took the four high options in the second round as well and earned 6 handy bonus points from one set of judges and 7 from the other judges. Her final score of 376 maintained her lead in the field of 30 horses.

“He kind of overjumped the first jump [of the handy], so then I went a little wider on my turns. I just wanted to have a nice, smooth round,” said Colvin. But the veteran horse settled into a rhythm and finished the without mishap.

“I liked the courses,” added Colvin, 15. “I could imagine it on a field. The options were a mirror image, so on Listen [when] I had a rail, I knew where the other course was.”

She rode Listen, also owned by Parker, over the lower options after her rail down. Although she admitted to having a moment of double guessing whether or not she had gone off course, Colvin finished the round with no further mistakes.

Kelley Farmer finished second with Commentary, her newest derby mount, on a score of 373. Commentary, a 9-year-old German Sporthorse (Liberty Son—Natasch, Glistan) was purchased from eventers Karen and David O’Connor three weeks ago, but she is quickly settling into life as a hunter horse. Commentary, previously named RF Amber Eyes, had just come off of an eighth-placed finish at the Jersey Fresh CIC** (N.J.) with Hannah Sue Burnett.

However, the mare showed her eventing nature in the first round with big jumps and a spunky attitude, but in the second round she came back with a little more focus. Farmer earned all the high points possible and picked up 8 and 4 handy points from the judges.

“I know I threw a lot at her,” said Farmer. “She exceeded my expectations by far.”

Commentary will do the second year hunter classes as well as the derby at the Upperville Colt and Horse Show (Va.) next week before taking a little breather.

Farmer noted that she is much fitter than her other horses, and she would like to put a little more weight on her. She hopes to take the mare to the $100,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship (Ky.) this year.

Tidbits

-In addition to Commentary, Farmer also rode four other horses in the derby. She finished third with Scorekeeper, fifth with Mythical and 14th with On Q. After a refusal at fence 4 in the classic, she retired Taken.

For full results, see Ryegate Show Services.

Check out more online coverage from the Devon Horse Show.

Want more? Full stories from Devon will appear in the June 10 and June 17 issues of the Chronicle.