Wilmington, Ohio – Hunter riders gathered in the R+L Arena at World Equestrian Center – Wilmington for hunter derby Friday of Winter Classic #9. Nearly 42 horse-and-athlete combinations contested Robert Barton’s (USA) decorative tracks. Of the sixteen seasoned professionals in the $15,000 USHJA National Open 3’ Hunter Derby, it was Jennifer Schwartz that posted four scores in the 90s to gallop away with first and second place.
Schwartz, of Hunt Hill Farm in Chester Springs, Pennsylvania, dominated the class earning first place honors aboard the longtime Hunt Hill resident, Esperanza (Verdi) and second place on her home-bred six-year-old Victory Gold (Vallado x Golden Siren HU).
The seasoned professional posted an early lead on the 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Esperanza, as the second to go with a high score of 91 and ultimately sat in second place before their handy effort.
“Esperanza is a horse that we have had in the barn for a long time. He is leased by Stella Cross who won the pony derby tonight. He is new to her, and they are figuring each other out and they are doing the Children’s Hunters now,” commented Jonathan Martin, owner/trainer of Hunt Hill Farms.
Returning later in the order aboard her Hanoverian gelding Victory Gold, Schwartz looked to earn two podium finishes in the highly contested class. With a first round score of 90, the duo came back for the handy sitting in third place.
Schwartz strategically planned to take advantage of every handy opportunity that Barton’s track had to offer on both of her talented mounts.
“I wanted to do all of the inside turns on both of them. The younger horse [Victory Gold] landed wrong after the trot jump, so I didn’t accomplish all of the inside turns on him once since I needed the lead change. Esperanza is very handy and landed every lead. He felt really confident today,” shared Schwartz on her handy performances.
After two foot-perfect performances, she earned a high score of 93 for a two-round total of 184 to win the class. Her second handy score of 92 and an overall of 182 earned her the red ribbon.
Martin shared on the second-place horse, “Victory Gold is a horse that is home bred. He is a six-year-old and this is the first derby that he has every done. He is brave and scopey and lands both leads. He found the course to be interesting today! He is also out of Jenn’s [Jennifer Schwartz] former 3’6” Amateur Owner mare.”
Hunt Hill Farm dominated in the hunter rings today, taking home the win in each derby at World Equestrian Center – Wilmington including the $15,000 USHJA National Non-Pro 3’ Hunter Derby, $15,000 USHJA National Open 3’ Hunter Derby, and the $3,500 USHJA Pony Hunter Derby.
$15,000 USHJA National Open 3’ Hunter Derby Results:
1 Esperanza, Jennifer Schwartz, Haley Maher | 91 | 93 | 184
2 Victory Gold, Jennifer Schwartz, Jennifer Schwartz | 90 | 92 | 182
3 Constellation, Matthew Piccolo, Anna Schierholz | 92 | 88 | 180
4 D’esparges, Sarah Robertson, Grace Weber | 89 | 90 | 179
5 Grimoire D’elphen, Brandon Gibson, The Grimoire Group | 88 | 89 | 177
6 Legolas, Jessica Borton, Kim Tarnapoll | 86.5 | 85 | 171.5
7 Corlando 49, Melissa Donnelly, Elizabeth Becker | 85 | 86 | 171
8 Cinestar, Elizabeth Perry, Laurie Barna | 80 | 83 | 163
9 Testimony, Kendall Kauffman, Tessa Carlino | 79 | 76 | 155
10 TC E2, Michaella Gerlacher, True Course | 86 | 44 | 130
Amanda Wildauer & C Major Scored Major Win in the $15,000 USHJA National Non-Pro 3’ Hunter Derby
Twenty-six horse-and-athlete combinations tackled Barton’s tracks early in the evening for the $15,000 USHJA National Non-Pro 3’ Hunter Derby. After two lovely, consistent rounds, it was Amanda Wildauer that earned the win aboard her own C Major (C Waterford x Nienke).
Wildauer training out of Hunt Hill Farm in Chester Springs, Pennsylvania, went in the middle of the pack in the first-round order. Wildauer and her nine-year-old American Warmblood gelding flowed around the track in classic hunter form to earn a score of 88.
The duo is familiar with the winner’s circle in the R+L having earned many top placings and championships all winter in the Amateur Owner Hunters.
“I got Major [C Major] this past summer and showed him in the Junior Hunters for a few months and now we are in the Amateur Owners. We started showing in the Amateur Owners here for the first time this winter and this is only our second derby together. I was really happy with how he went today. I thought that he jumped great, and he was great about landing the leads, so I was happy with him,” commented on her winning mount.
The duo’s lead was challenged when Morgan Munz earned a score of 90 with her own Harbour Town.
Wildauer returned for the handy phase sitting in second place and looked to ride her way to the top of the leaderboard. “We just wanted to be as handy as we could be. If there was an inside track, I took it. We practiced a few roll backs and tight turns in the schooling ring. I worked on getting him to land his leads and he was awesome coming back for the second round,” shared Wildauer on her handy plan.
Executing each inside turn with ease, the pair laid down a brilliant handy hunter round for another score of 88 for an overall score of 176 to ultimately land the win.
$15,000 USHJA National Non-Pro 3’ Hunter Derby Results:
1 C Major, Amanda Wildauer, Amanda Wildauer | 88 | 88 | 176
2 Harbour Town, Morgan Munz, Morgan Munz | 90 | 85 | 175
3 Sweet Willem, Devon Reimer, Devon Reimer | 85 | 89 | 174
4 Red Roc, Kiera Philpot, Kiera Philpot | 86 | 86 | 172
5 Show Me, Madeline Brooks, Madeline Brooks | 83 | 87.5 | 170.5
6 Co-Pilot, Katie Finley, Katie Finley | 81 | 87 | 168
7 Prosper, Caroline Smith, Caroline Smith | 87 | 76.5 | 163.5
8 Calvin, Grace Erlenbach, Grace Erlenbach | 80 | 83 | 163
9 Ringsgaards Heidi, Charlotte Rowe, Charlotte Rowe | 79 | 82 | 161
10 Quality Street, Katie Finley, Katie Finley | 82 | 73 | 155