Blue skies set the perfect backdrop for Friday afternoon’s $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derbies. The Open and Non-Pro derbies ran simultaneously, but placed separately with 10 entries in the Open section and 14 entries in the Non-Pro section.
On the Open card and fourth in the ring in the first round was Lavish and David Beisel, setting the pace with an impressive score of 85 with four high options for a total score of 89. Lavish held the top score until Linda Radigan entered the ring aboard Charismatic, laying down an undeniably brilliant course for a first round score of 87 with four high options for a total score of 91. Although Charismatic’s round seemed unbeatable, Graf Balou Belle and Jill M. Gaffney bested the score by one point, with a first round score of 88 with four high options for a total score of 92.
On the Open card in the handy round, Graf Balou Belle and Jill M. Gaffney received a score of 85 plus all high options for an 89, bringing their overall total to 181. After a brief rain shower, Lavish and David Beisel came back 17th in the order, following their first round up with a handy round score of 82 plus four high options, bringing their overall total to 175. Immediately following Lavish was Charismatic and Linda Radigan. Knowing the score they needed to beat, the pair rode the handy round confidently as a rainbow shined brightly above.
They earned a handy round score of 88 plus four high options, bringing their overall total to 183. This put Charismatic and Linda Radigan in first, Graf Balou Belle and Jill M. Gaffney in second, and Lavish and David Beisel in third.
Linda was thrilled with her and Charismatic’s win. “He was so good…he was amazing,” Linda raved. This was only Charismatic’s 5th derby, and he has finished in the top two in every derby he has entered. Linda and Charismatic’s partnership began last December, and Linda says that they have been bonding ever since, “I really love him, and he knows it!”
On the Non-Pro card, it was Halloodan and Ava Lindley, 12th in the order of go, to set the pace with a first round score of 76 plus four high options for a total of 80. The lead was soon taken by Varsity and Meaggan Niesen, who laid down a very impressive course for a score of 83 plus four high options for a total of 87.
Another notably high score in the first round for the Non-Pro section was Devout and Larissa Hufnagel with a first round score of 78 plus four high options for a total score of 82. In the handy round, Devout and Larissa Hufnagel came back 6th, scoring a 75 with four high options for an overall total of 161. Next in was Halloodan and Ava Lindley, scoring a 74 with four high options for an overall total of 160.
Varsity and Meaggan Niesen rode 22nd in the handy round, scoring an 80 plus four high options, bringing their overall total to 171. The standings for the Non-Pro section of the $2500 USHJA National Derbies were as follows: in first place was Varsity and Meaggan Niesen, in second was Devout and Larissa Hufnagel, and in third was Halloodan and Ava Lindley. “I don’t even know what to say,” Meaggan grinned when asked about Varsity, a horse from Miami University that she has been leasing for a year and a half. “He couldn’t have been better. He did everything I asked…and did it even better than I asked!” Meaggan, along with her entire cheering section, couldn’t have been more excited about the win.
