Caroline Willard Briles & Pharos van het Speienhof Top the $20,000 Golden Ocala 3’6”-3’9” Hunt & Go Derby 

21 FEB 26 Ocala, FL

Ocala, FL – Hunter Derby Friday welcomed nearly 100 stunning hunters to GGT Footing Hunter 1 to compete in World Equestrian Center – Ocala’s (WEC) three staple derbies: $20,000 Golden Ocala 3’6”-3’9” Hunt & Go Derby, $15,000 UF Veterinary Hospital USHJA National 3’ Open Hunter Derby, and $10,000 USHJA National 3’ Jr/Am Hunter Derby. Joe Carnicom laid the winding tracks that had horses jumping in stellar form. 

Caroline Willard Briles and Pharos van het Speienhof took the win out of a field of 25 other top competitors. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography.

Twenty-six horse-and-rider combinations vied for top honors in the $20,000 Golden Ocala 3’6”-3’9” Hunt & Go Derby. Caroline Willard Briles secured the victory aboard MDM Equestrian Group, LLC’s Pharos van het Speienhof (Zirocco Blue VDL x Beauty).

Third in the order, Willard Briles established an efficient, forward track in the classic round aboard the flashy 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion to earn a score of 88. 

She cantered directly into the handy phase, opting for the high options and navigating tidy turns while maintaining an open stride. A handy score of 86 brought their two-round total to 174.

Caroline Willard Briles and Pharos van het Speienhof stand for their first-place photo. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography.

The pair ultimately led the field to claim the win in the $20,000 Golden Ocala 3’6”-3’9” Hunt & Go Derby.

$20,000 Golden Ocala 3’6”-3’9” Hunt & Go Derby Results

Jennifer Jones Guides Lincoln to $15,000 UF Veterinary Hospital USHJA National 3’ Open Hunter Derby Victory

Jennifer Jones guided Lincoln to two near-perfect rounds to secure victory. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography.

The sun rose over GGT Footing Hunter 1 at World Equestrian Center – Ocala as 20 horse-and-rider combinations met to kick off Hunter Derby Friday in the $15,000 UF Veterinary Hospital USHJA National 3’ Open Hunter Derby. Scores consistently soared into the 90s, setting an impressive tone early in the day.

Ultimately, it was Jennifer Jones who piloted Snow Brook LLC’s Lincoln (Navajo V’ant Vianahof x Cartagena Indias Ecaussinne) to two near-perfect rounds to top the class.

The nine-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding jumped to two consistent scores of 96. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography.

The nine-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding set the standard from the start, earning a class-high first-round score of 96.

Returning last for the handy in the leading position, the pair remained untouchable, delivering another polished performance that impressed the judging panel and earned a matching score of 96.

Jennifer Jones and Lincoln stand for their award photo. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography.

An exceptional two-round total of 192 secured their victory by an impressive 11-point margin.

$15,000 UF Veterinary USHJA National 3′ Open Hunter Derby Results

Lilly Geitner & Banks Mill Take Top Honors in the $15,000 USHJA National 3’ Jr/Am Hunter Derby

Lilly Geitner and Banks Mill took top honors in the $15,000 USHJA National 3’ Jr/Am Hunter Derby. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography.

A competitive field of 50 junior and amateur athletes met Friday afternoon for the $15,000 USHJA National 3’ Jr/Am Hunter Derby, where only fractions of a point separated the top contenders on the leaderboard.

A six-time derby winner during the 2025 Winter Spectacular Show Series, Lilly Geitner once again proved her skill and style, rising to the top of the large field.

Lilly Geitner and Banks Mill earned an outstanding handy score of 96. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography.

Aboard Daniel Geitner’s Banks Mill, Geitner posted a solid first-round score of 89, putting her in fourth place heading into the handy round.

The seasoned 15-year-old Warmblood gelding showcased his experience in the second round, earning a standout score of 96.

Lilly Geitner and Banks Mill receive their award for first place. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography.

The strong handy effort propelled the pair to the top, securing the win with a two-round total of 185.

$15,000 USHJA National 3′ Jr/Am Hunter Derby Results

Elizabeth Rinehart accepted ‘The Style of Riding Award’ presented by Annie Connolly, owner of ACE Equestrian. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography.

The Style of Riding Award, sponsored by ACE Equestrian, was presented to Elizabeth Rinehart in recognition of exemplary horsemanship. The recipient received an embroidered backpack, an ACE gift certificate, and select ACE PRO4MANCE products.

Explore the daily class schedule, orders of go, class counts, and final results on HorseShowing.com. For real-time scoring, check out Ryegate.Live.

Photos courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography.
Videos available at ClipMyHorse.TV

Make sure to visit the WEC Blog and follow us on social media @worldequestriancenter for full coverage on all feature classes! 

This event is made possible through the support of our generous sponsors and marketing partners, the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, and Ocala/Marion County Visitors and Convention Bureau.