Full Circle Moment for Katherine Addington & No Doubt Van Het Vlierhof in $12,500 Golden Ocala 3’6”-3’9” Hunter Derby
12 DEC 25 Ocala, FL
Ocala, FL – The final Hunter Derby Friday of 2025 welcomed over 60 horse-and-rider combinations to compete in World Equestrian Center – Ocala’s (WEC) staple three derbies: $12,500 Golden Ocala 3’6”-3’9” Hunter Derby, $10,000 UF Veterinary Hospital USHJA National 3’ Open Hunter Derby, and $10,000 USHJA National 3’ Jr/Am Hunter Derby. Tommy Brawley laid the flowing tracks, which featured an abundance of natural obstacles, allowing riders to showcase their horse’s style and rideability.
In the $12,500 Golden Ocala 3’6”-3’9” Hunter Derby, Katherine Addington guided her own No Doubt Van Het Vlierhof to the top of the leaderboard with two impressive rounds.
Addington and the 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding, known as ‘Derek’, wowed the judges in the first round with a score of 92. Returning for the handy round in the lead, she still faced strong competitors behind her, so she took all of the inside turns available and received a score of 87 for a two-round total of 179 and the win.
Reflecting on her journey with Derek, Addington shared, “I’ve had Derek for about a year now. When Bibby Farmer and I first got him from Colin Savaria, he was a breeding stallion and had only done the jumpers. In November of last year, we started doing the hunters. This past summer, he was champion at two WCHR weeks in Kentucky, so I want to just keep being successful with him. It’s always been my goal to go to Derby Finals, and he helped me achieve that this summer and even get a ribbon,” she expressed
Addington described the victory as a “full circle moment.” She explained, “I’ve been wintering at WEC – Ocala for the past three years. My first year here was my last junior year, and then I went professional, so it’s been kind of a full circle moment. I’ve been working with Bibby Farmer Hill. We show here all winter and a lot of the summer. We just love it here.”
$12,500 Golden Ocala 3’6”-3’9” Hunter Derby Results
Jake Evans and Effortlessly Cool Dominate the $10,000 UF Veterinary Hospital USHJA National 3’ Open Hunter Derby
Nineteen talented horse-and-rider combinations competed in the $10,000 UF Veterinary Hospital USHJA National 3’ Open Hunter Derby. Ultimately, it was Jake Evans who delivered a dominant performance to secure the win aboard Isltime LLC’s seven-year-old mare, Effortlessly Cool (Action Blue x Jasmine Clover). Evans also claimed third place in the competitive field with Melissa McMullen Swiler’s Harmony De Muze.
Effortlessly Cool and Evans led the class after the first round with a score of 91, putting pressure on the field heading into the handy round.
“Carolyn Bell had a great handy round that earned big scores, so I knew I had to keep my foot on the gas to maintain my lead,” Evans said. He did just that, earning a 94 in the handy round for a two-round total of 185 to secure the victory.
The win marked the mare’s second career derby victory, a notable achievement for a horse that also competes as an amateur’s mount. “It takes a special horse to win a derby with a professional and then go on to win with a 65-year-old amateur,” Evans said of the mare’s success with owner Gerald Camera. “She shows up every time and makes it fun for everyone in the ring.”
Evans also credited the venue for elevating the competition, adding, “You’ll never have another place like this. It’s the best facility in the world.”
$10,000 UF Veterinary Health USHJA National 3’ Open Hunter Derby Results
Cartier Me Carries Taylor Matalon to Victory in the $10,000 USHJA National 3’ Jr/Am Hunter Derby
The $10,000 USHJA National 3’ Jr/Am Hunter Derby welcomed a competitive field of 31 horse-and-rider combinations, with top honors going to Taylor Matalon and Cartier Me (I’m Special De Muze x Azura Fomia), an eight-year-old gelding owned by Matalon Equestrian LLC.
The pair set the pace early with a leading score of 94 in the first round. “The first round only had one straight line and was mostly singles, which I really like,” Matalon noted.
Matalon remained busy throughout the day, piloting three horses to top-12 finishes and crediting Cartier Me’s consistency for the win. “The handy went really well for him. The first jump got my other two horses, but he didn’t care about anything and was perfect. He jumped great today.”
With a score of 91 in the handy round, the pair finished on a two-round total of 185 to gallop away with the winning title.
She also shared her appreciation for the WEC December Series’ atmosphere. “I absolutely love all the Christmas decorations that are up right now. It makes December in Ocala even more fun.”