Wilmington, Ohio – The sun set on the Main Hunter Ring at World Equestrian Center – Wilmington (WEC) Summer I as forty-one horse-and-rider combinations met for Hunter Derby Friday. The day was split into two sections: the $10,000 USHJA National Open Hunter Derby and the $5,000 USHJA National Non-Pro Hunter Derby.
In the end, Havens Schatt and Caroline Moran’s, Haku (Chacoon Blue), scored the highest two-round total of the day to claim victory in the open section.
Schatt’s week with the seven-year-old Oldenburg stallion looked different than normal, “I tried something new with Muffin [Haku] this week. He is quite bored just doing the 3’3” Greens, so this week I actually did him in the jumpers until this class today,” Schatt laughed.
“I liked the course. The two horses that I did today are new at doing this. It is only their third derby. There were enough spooky jumps and enough to make me think about it on young horses. It rode really well,” she shared.
Moran’s young stallion jumped in near perfect style in the first round, earning a leading score of 94.
Schatt discussed her plan going in on top for the handy, “When I walked the course, the inside turn was definitely there from one-to-two in the handy. I just hoped that I was far enough ahead that I could go around, which I did. Today I just took the chance to play it safe and hoped they would like him enough to let him win.”
A handy round score of 93 and an overall of 187 went to the top of the leaderboard.
“I am super happy with the day. The other horse, Casamigos, saw the rocks on the hill the first day and was quite spooky, but that is why we come here. The atmosphere is real, and the jumps are real. It is great experience for the horses,” she noted.
Schatt also rounded out the top three with Moran’s Casamigos with a two-round total of 186.
$10,000 USHJA National Open Hunter Derby Results
Vanessa Mazzoli & Peaceful Earn Top Honors in the $5,000 USHJA National Non-Pro Hunter Derby
In the $5,000 USHJA National Non-Pro Hunter Derby, Vanessa Mazzoli rose to the top with her own, Peaceful (Ipsthar x Garde Vous Van Het Hellehof).
“Peaceful has been really good this whole summer. He is eight years old now and really growing up! He was great today, and the course really suited him,” Mazzoli noted. “He loves the rings here and the jumps. WEC is so friendly for the young horses and a wonderful atmosphere for them.”
The eight-year-old KWPN gelding carried Mazzoli to a first-round score of 85, returning for the handy sitting in second place.
Unsure of her plan walking in, her risk ultimately paid off, “I was debating on making the inside turn to the second jump until the last second and it actually ended up being my best jump.”
A flawless second round earned the duo a score of 88 and a winning overall score of 173 to take top honors.