Ocala, FL – Hunter Derby Friday once again took center stage in the WEC Stadium during the 2025 Summer Series at World Equestrian Center – Ocala. More than 60 horse-and-rider combinations stepped into the iconic arena, all aiming for top honors. The day began with the $10,000 UF Veterinary Hospital USHJA 3’ Open Hunter Derby, followed by the $10,000 USHJA National 3’ Junior/Amateur Hunter Derby. Under the glow of the stadium lights, the excitement peaked with the featured class of the day: the $40,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby.
Course designer Dean Rheinheimer crafted flowing, technical tracks that showcased each horse’s style and brilliance. Twenty-three of the nation’s top hunter combinations contested the International Derby in front of a distinguished panel of judges: Jimmy Lee and Amy Eidson (Panel One), and Karen Deprato and Traci Weston (Panel Two).
In the end, it was Victoria Colvin who dominated the night aboard two outstanding mounts. She clinched the win aboard Castellrock LLC’s Dicoblue PS (Diarado’s Boy x Stutbuch 1 Chactine) and tied for second on SG Equestrian LLC’s Southern Night (Diamant De Semilly x Henna S).
Fresh off a one-two finish in the 3’6”-3’9” Hunter Derby during Week III of the Summer Series, Colvin carried that momentum into Friday night. She first tackled the track aboard the eight-year-old KWPN gelding Southern Night, earning a smooth first-round score of 164. Then she returned with Dicoblue PS, an 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding, raising the bar with a top first-round score of 185.
Heading into the handy round, Colvin had similar strategies for both horses. “My plans were about the same. Southern Night is a little greener; he’s only done a couple of derbies, but he did the Hunter Spectacular night class, so he has some experience under the lights. [Dicoblue PS] hadn’t shown under the lights yet. I just tried to be neat, tidy, and give the track a good ride.”
She added with a laugh, “I actually didn’t realize until I went in that nearly every jump was the high option. And they jumped very high. It was high option to high option, to trot jump, to high option, to in-and-out, to high option again. They were both jumping out of their skin—I needed my sticky spray!”
Southern Night delivered a standout handy round, earning a score of 176 for a two-round total of 340, landing them in a tie for second. Colvin returned last aboard Dicoblue PS and sealed the win with a brilliant handy round that scored 193, bringing their total to an impressive 378 for the tricolor ribbon.
“I’ve been here a few times now, and I think we’re going to start coming a lot more often,” Colvin shared. “It’s very fun—the facility is beautiful, and there are so many options. You can show indoors or outdoors, and you don’t really get that anywhere else.”
Michael Tokaruk also delivered a standout performance aboard John Rutledge’s 10-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding, Celebrity. Matching Colvin and Southern Night’s first and second-round scores, Tokaruk earned a total of 340 to share the reserve honors.
$40,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby Results
Tracy Fenney and MTM Well Said Are Outstanding in $10,000 UF Veterinary Hospital USHJA National 3’ Open Hunter Derby
A talented field of 22 horse-and-rider combinations took to the WEC Stadium to compete in the $10,000 UF Veterinary Hospital USHJA National 3’ Open Hunter Derby. Ultimately, it was Tracy Fenney who rose to the challenge, adding another victory to her standout summer season aboard the promising six-year-old gelding MTM Well Said, owned by Marie-Claude Motty.
The course proved to be quite the test for a young horse. “I think the course won today,” laughed Fenney. “With a couple of the jumps, the horses were prone to going toward the gate. It was kind of hard halfway through, when you jumped the jump closest to the gate; they all wanted to land left, and then you had a hairpin turn to the right into the in-and-out. It was a great learning experience for [MTM Well Said].”
The pair effortlessly answered every question, impressing the judges and achieving the highest first-round score of 90.
MTM Well Said returned for the handy round with the maturity and bravery of a horse well beyond his years. “He’s great and super brave,” said Fenney. “He definitely acts like an older horse. When you look at him, you’re like, ‘There’s no way he’s six.’ He doesn’t act six. He doesn’t do anything that makes him seem like he’s six.”
Fenney guided MTM Well Said to an outstanding handy score of 98—an impressive feat that secured a winning two-round total of 188.
$10,000 UF Veterinary Hospital USHJA National 3’ Open Hunter Derby Results
Lilly Geitner and Banks Mill Return to the Winner’s Circle in $10,000 USHJA National 3’ Jr/Am Hunter Derby
Eighteen talented junior and amateur athletes took to the WEC Stadium to compete for top honors in the $10,000 USHJA National 3’ Jr/Am Hunter Derby. Lilly Geitner piloted Banks Mill, a 14-year-old Warmblood gelding owned by Daniel Geitner, to a well-earned victory.
Geitner returned to WEC – Ocala for the 2025 Summer Series following a successful run of five derby victories during the 2025 Winter Spectacular Show. “I was hoping I would have the same results this circuit as I did over the winter—and I did—just because he’s an amazing horse and he loves his job,” shared Geitner.
Heading into the classic round, Geitner planned to use the flowing tracks to her advantage. “I thought the course was good. I always love when the derbies are in the Stadium because the lines are nice and long, so you can get on a good gallop and just go around.”
The pair earned a solid first-round score of 85, placing them in a strong position heading into the handy.
Returning for her second round, Geitner stuck to her plan. “I knew I wanted to go inside to the vertical before the two-stride. That was the one turn I knew for sure I needed to do, and he just followed me right there.”
Their seamless efforts earned the highest handy score of 91, bringing their overall total to 176 to secure the win.
$10,000 USHJA National 3’ Jr/Am Hunter Derby Results
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.
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