Wilmington, Ohio – The $20,000 GGT Footing USHJA National Open Hunter Derby was the highlight event of the evening at World Equestrian Center – Wilmington Summer III as a field of 17 top horse-and-rider combinations vied for the lion’s share of prize money.
Havens Schatt caught the ride on a longtime resident of Milestone Farm LLC, Caroline Moran’s Cruise (Levisto x Baronja), to ultimately take the win.
In preparation for Green Incentive Finals next week in Lexington, Kentucky, Schatt shared her thoughts on WEC – Wilmington, “This venue really sets them up for next week. It is good to get the horses in this atmosphere to prepare them for Green Incentive Finals. The jumps are nice, the courses are nice and the decorations are great.”
“On Tuesday, I took all of mine in the grand prix ring with the flags and had them gallop around in there so that they can see that kind of atmosphere. WEC does a really nice job. We come back in the fall because I think it is a great place for the young horses to get acclimated.”
Schatt jumped to a first-round score of 89 with the seven-year-old Holsteiner gelding, securing the leading position coming back for the handy.
Schatt shared about her partnership with the striking young hunter. “I bought him at an online auction when he was four. I didn’t try him or anything, I just saw him and thought he was the cutest thing I had ever seen and I had to have him,” Schatt laughed. “Two of my clients and myself bought him together. Caroline Moran now owns all of him. We did it for fun as an investment because we all thought he was so cute!”
“I showed him one week before Green Incentive Finals last year and he was 13th. He just went right in the big ring and marched right around. This year we had to make the tough decision to do the 3’3″ or the 3’6″. He is only seven. We decided that he is scopey enough that by just doing the 3’3”, he might not learn as much as he would doing the 3’6”. He has had green moments, but I think if you kept track of his scores, he would rarely have under an 85. He is always right there.”
With a second-round score of 87 and two-round total of 176, the duo claimed the top spot setting them up for a successful week heading back to Kentucky.
$20,000 GGT Footing USHJA National Open Hunter Derby Results:
1 Cruise, Havens Schatt, Caroline Moran | 89 | 87 | 176
2 Monaco, Jeff Gogul, Madeline Luddy | 88 | 87.5 | 175.5
3 Bourbon Street, Tess Von Hemel, Miami University | 86.5 | 88 | 174.5
4 Candy Man, Timothy Maddrix, Mark Dorfman | 82 | 90 | 172
5 Chesney, Timothy Maddrix, Lee Cesery | 85 | 86 | 171
6 Suntory Time, Devin Milan, Brooke Dagnan | 80.5 | 76 | 156.5
7 Mais Oui Munny, Molly Kindness, Little Acorn LLC | 79 | 73 | 152
8 Danika Blue, Teha Whan-Lapointe, Michael Grinyer | 69 | 82 | 151
9 All Too Well TSV, Katana Kennedy O’Brien, Claire Giokas | 62 | 79 | 141
10 Everest, Jeff Gogul, Allison Desantis | 87 | 47 | 134
Elizabeth Rinehart & Bond Best the Rest in the $20,000 USHJA National Non-Pro Hunter Derby
Forty-one horse-and-rider combinations kicked off Hunter Derby Friday at WEC – Wilmington Summer III in the $20,000 USHJA National Non-Pro Hunter Derby. Joe Carnicom (USA) crafted the tracks that allowed Elizabeth Rinehart to best the large field of quality hunters, claiming first and third place honors.
Rinehart noted, “It is easier for me having two in it. I don’t worry as much if I go in with one and make little mistakes. I can go back in and fix it for the second one, but being first and third today was really fun!”
Aboard her winningest mount, Bond (Clarimo), Rinehart held the lead with a first-round score of 92, securing her leading position entering for the handy phase.
A near perfect second round earned the young rider and her seasoned 12-year-old Warmblood gelding the highest score of the day of 94.
With a two-round total of 186, the duo added yet another derby win to their record together.
The track suited Rinehart’s winning mount, “Bond likes courses where the jumps come up quickly. It’s better to not have as much open space for him to let his mind wander. There was never a time for him to think about anything that could get us into trouble in this course.”
Rinehart also earned third place with Donald Stewart’s 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Halouet (Baloubet Du Rouet), with scores of 83.5 and 89 for a two-round total of 172.5.
$20,000 USHJA National Non-Pro Hunter Derby Results:
1 Bond, Elizabeth Rinehart, Elizabeth Rinehart | 92 | 94 | 186
2 Que Sera, Emma Rupinski, River Run Farm LLC | 91 | 91 | 182
3 Halouet, Elizabeth Rinehart, Donald Stewart | 83.5 | 89 | 172.5
4 Oh Brother, Vanessa Mazzoli, Vanessa Mazzoli | 85 | 86 | 171
5 All Eyes On Me, Kelly Doherty, Kelly Doherty | 86 | 83.5 | 169.5
6 Red Roc, Kiera Phlipot, Kiera Phlipot | 82 | 87 | 169
7 Synchronicity, Allison Roper, Roper Farms LLC | 86.5 | 82 | 168.5
8 Covert, Elizabeth Giokas, Elizabeth Nestor | 82.75 | 70 | 152.75
9 Cobalt, Florence Waite, Florence Waite | 84 | 68 | 152
10 Gucci, Samantha Roper, Samantha Roper | 81.5 | 49 | 130.5
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Results can be found at horseshowing.com.
All horse show images are provided by Winslow Photography and can be purchased onsite at WEC – Wilmington or online through their website.