Ocala, FL – Hunter Derby Friday returned to Indoor Arena 1 during Week VI of the 2025 Summer Series at World Equestrian Center – Ocala (WEC). Course designer Tucker Williams set beautifully flowing tracks for three featured classes: the $12,500 Golden Ocala 3’6”-3’9” Hunter Derby, the $10,000 UF Veterinary Hospital USHJA National 3’ Open Hunter Derby, and the $10,000 USHJA National 3’ Jr/Am Hunter Derby.
Victoria Colvin once again rose to the top in the $12,500 Golden Ocala 3’6”-3’9” Hunter Derby, this time piloting SG Equestrian LLC’s Southern Night (Diamant De Semilly x Henna S) to a commanding victory after two standout rounds.
The duo impressed the judges with an effortless first-round trip that scored a 94. Returning for the handy, Colvin aimed to showcase the gelding’s rideability through the technical track. “I wanted to try to be smooth,” she explained. “He got a little excited in the handy. I don’t think he’s done that many turns. There were a lot of tidy turns and slices, and he’s a little newer to that stuff, so he had some fun,” she laughed.
A slick handy performance earned the pair a 96, bringing their overall total to 190 and securing the win with a seven-point margin.
“He’s very sweet and willing,” Colvin said of the eight-year-old KWPN gelding. “He’s so lovable in the barn, and his scope is unreal. There are so many things to love about him.”
Colvin has been on a hot streak this summer at WEC – Ocala, including a recent victory in the $40,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, where she also tied for second. “It’s been a great time showing here,” she said. “Now, we’ll go home to Wellington for a few weeks. We may show one more time here before heading to Kentucky for Incentive and Derby Finals.”
$12,500 Golden Ocala 3’6”-3’9” Hunter Derby
Timothy Maddrix and Olimpink Melloni Top the $10,000 UF Veterinary Hospital USHJA National 3’ Open Hunter Derby
The $10,000 UF Veterinary Hospital USHJA National 3’ Open Hunter Derby kicked off the day in Indoor Arena 1, welcoming 17 top hunter combinations to showcase their style and precision. Rising to the top of the competitive field was Timothy Maddrix aboard Kristina Groselle’s Olimpink Melloni (Carrera VDL x Ireina II), a talented six-year-old KWPN gelding.
Maddrix and the flashy young mount laid down a strong first-round performance that earned a score of 88. “I started riding him this winter circuit,” Maddrix noted. “He’s green, but has a great brain.” Sitting in fifth heading into the handy round, Maddrix knew the door was still open. “We had a pretty good score in the first round, and he’s the handiest horse I’ve got, also the youngest, so I knew he’d do well in the handy.”
Drawing on his earlier round with another horse, Maddrix adjusted his plan slightly to suit Olimpink Melloni’s strengths. “I did all the turns I planned on. I was lucky to go early with my other horse [Skynyrd] and did an inside turn that not many others tried, but I knew with [Olimpink Melloni] I should go around. Then everywhere else, I thought he was super handy.” The pair’s efforts were rewarded with a top score of 91, bringing their total to 179 and securing the win.
Looking ahead, Maddrix is enthusiastic about the gelding’s future. “We are really excited about him. He’s got all of the scope and is a lovely horse.” He also expressed his appreciation for the flexibility of competing at World Equestrian Center – Ocala. “I think the Stadium is awesome because the horses get so much out of it. Then, to give the horses the option to go indoors, it provides them with two totally different experiences. I think it’s incredible that we have a place where they’re able to show in both.”
$10,000 UF Veterinary Hospital USHJA National 3’ Open Hunter Derby
Faith Schuttemeyer and Atlas Map Out a Win in $10,000 USHJA National 3’ Jr/Am Hunter Derby
Twenty-five talented junior and amateur riders vied for top honors in the $10,000 USHJA National 3’ Jr/Am Hunter Derby, but it was Faith Schuttemeyer who came out on top aboard Sloan Sherman’s Atlas (Ducati Van Schuttershof (E.T.) x Celine Van ’t Lozerhof), earning two top scores in the 90s.
Fresh off a successful trip to the Baron Global Hunter Classic in Valkenswaard, Netherlands, where she was part of the winning team alongside Geoffrey Hesslink and Lillie Keenan, Schuttemeyer returned stateside just in time for Friday’s derby. “It was so much fun. I just got back on Monday,” she shared.
Schuttemeyer piloted the seven-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding to a first-round score of 90. “This is actually one of our clients’ horses. She’s away for a few weeks, so we thought we’d bring him out for this class,” she explained. “He’s amazing, he can walk into any ring without a spook. He’s just the best.”
Sitting in second heading into the handy round, Schuttemeyer relied on Atlas’s equitation background to make slick turns and bold inside options. “He’s an equitation horse, so he’s great at turning. I just tried to be as handy as possible,” she said.
A handy round score of 92 gave the pair a combined 182, securing the win and the lion’s share of the prize money.
$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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