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WEC / News / Ocala, FL / Jennifer Bliss Plays Her Cards Right with Poker Face in $12,500 Golden Ocala 3’6”-3’9” Hunter Derby 

Jennifer Bliss Plays Her Cards Right with Poker Face in $12,500 Golden Ocala 3’6”-3’9” Hunter Derby 

30 Jun 23 | Shows
Jennifer Bliss & Poker Face. Photo courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography.

Ocala, FL – Hunters took the spotlight today for the third Hunter Derby Friday of the 2023 Ocala Summer Series at World Equestrian Center – Ocala. Doug Russell (USA) laid the open tracks for the three derbies: $12,500 Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club 3’6”-3’9” Hunter Derby, $10,000 UF Veterinary Hospital USHJA National 3’ Open Hunter Derby and $10,000 USHJA National 3’ Jr/Am Hunter Derby where scores reached into the mid 90s. 

Jennifer Bliss & Poker Face. Photo courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography.

An elite group of hunter competitors gathered at the CaptiveOne Advisors Arena 1 this afternoon to vie for the top prize in the $12,500 Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club 3’6”-3’9” Hunter Derby. Dynamic duo Jennifer Bliss and Poker Face were formidable, securing a pair of scores in the 90s to take the win. 

Bliss and the charming 18-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding laid down a foot perfect first round to receive high regards from the judges with a towering score of 95. 

Jennifer Bliss & Poker Face. Photo courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography.

Although Bliss had a bit of a lead coming back for the handy, she knew she had to rise to the occasion, “Toward the end there were some really nice handy rounds. I had to tell myself, ‘Okay, Jen, don’t back down now. You can’t be super careful. You have to practice riding the winning track,’ I reminded myself of that and made myself do the inside turn back to the trot jump which was quite tight. Then I went inside again to the in-and-out and tried be handy and smooth everywhere else.” 

Bliss piloted Poker Face to an exceptional handy round for a score of 92, for a two-round total of 187.

Jennifer Bliss & Poker Face receiving their first place award presented by Lulu Rodriguez and Jennifer Glass of World Equestrian Center. Photo courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography.

Bliss was very happy with her performance, but after she received a ten from her daughter, she knew it was a good day, “Lulu scores my rounds one through ten. I usually score in the three or four mark in her eyes, she’s quite tough, but today she gave me a ten, that’s major,” laughed Bliss. 

$12,500 Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club 3’6”-3’9” Hunter Derby Results: 

1 Poker Face, Jennifer Bliss, Harris Hill Farm, LLC: 95 | 92 | 187
2 Ruby Tuesday, Hunter Holloway, Hays Investment Corp.: 86 | 92 | 178
3 Epic’s La Mia, Kierstin Antoniadis, Epic Sporthorses, LLC: 87 | 90 | 177
4 Shakiro, Sophia Bruny, Sophia Bruny: 87.5 | 86 | 173.5
5 Con L’Anima, Josh Dolan, Josh Dolan: 89 | 74 | 163
6 Anthemis Z, Jordan Lubow, Jordan Lubow: 51 | 93 | 144
7 Dany Villers, Kaitlyn Sheerahamed, Kaitlyn Sheerahamed: 79 | 64.5 | 143.5
8 Cicero 117, Mickie Sage, Sigma Stables LLC: 74 | 64 | 138
9 Isle Royale, Rebecca Brady, Deborah Wroblewski: 58 | 79 | 137
10 Consanto, Lily Toensing, Lily Toensing: 48.5 | 85 | 133.5

Kelli Cruciotti Vanderveen & APG Livory Earn Superior Scores in the $10,000 UF Veterinary Hospital USHJA National 3’ Open Hunter Derby

Kelli Cruciotti Vanderveen & APG Livory. Photo courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography.

Twenty stunning hunters gathered at the CaptiveOne Advisors Arena 1 early this morning to contest the $10,000 UF Veterinary Hospital USHJA National 3’ Open Hunter Derby, but it was Kelli Cruciotti Vanderveen who piloted APG Livory (Fibonacci x Civory) to a pair of top scores for the ultimate victory. 

Cruciotti Vanderveen and the seven-year-old KWPN mare laid down a superb first round effort for a high score of 94.

“The first round was really to our strength, she has a nice long open gallop, so those bending lines really suited us,” said Cruciotti Vanderveen about the first-round track. “The handy was a bit challenging because those turns got quite sharp, so I just tried to keep leading her and showing her where to go, but she’s such a natural. She picks it up and learns so quickly.” 

Kelli Cruciotti Vanderveen & APG Livory. Photo courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography.

The pair floated around the handy track, navigating each inside turn with aplomb for another top score of 93 or a two-round total of 187. 

Cruciotti Vanderveen spoke about the up-and-coming mare, “We imported her late last fall. She has never done the hunters, so we have been going really slow with her because we think she is incredibly special which she shows us every day. She’s a dream to ride. This was her second derby, she was second place in her first and now she’s won, so I think she really likes it,” laughed Cruciotti Vanderveen. 

Kelli Cruciotti Vanderveen & APG Livory. Photo courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography.

Cruciotti Vanderveen was excited to compete indoors, “It’s a breath of fresh air. We are in jackets feeling very comfortable. It’s an amazing facility for the horses when we have conditions like this. The décor is also top-notch. Big shout out to management, the ring looks absolutely beautiful. They never skimp on the details; it really makes a difference.”

$10,000 UF Veterinary Hospital USHJA National 3’ Open Hunter Derby Results: 

1 APG Livory, Kelli Cruciotti Vanderveen, APG-Stables: 94 | 93 | 187
2 Sugarman, Jennifer Bliss, Harris Hill Farm, LLC: 92.5 | 94 | 186.5
3 Caston, Erin McCabe Clayton, Colleen Smith: 92 | 91 | 183
4 Julington, Jenny Miller, Jenny Miller: 90 | 89 | 179
5 Inspiration, Clair Kellner, Mindy Carreja: 89 | 88 | 177
6 Finisterien De Sar, Mickie Sage, Sigma Stables LLC: 83.75 | 90 | 174.75
7 Reminisce, Kelsey Duffy, Little Brooke Farms Inc.: 86 | 87 | 173
8 Louan Z, Clair Kellner, Maggie Alexander: 83 | 88 | 171
9 Auheim’s Cosmo Brown, Jenny Miller, Page Flournoy: 88 | 76 | 164
10 Finn’s Pride, Jenny Miller, Nelle Dressler: 83.5 | 70 | 153.5 

Faith Schuttemeyer & Cygnus top the $10,000 USHJA National 3’ Jr/Am Hunter Derby

Faith Schuttemyer & Cygnus. Photo courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography.

The $10,000 USHJA National 3’ Jr/Am Hunter Derby welcomed a field of 18 junior and amateur athletes to compete over Doug Russell’s hunter derby tracks, but it was Faith Schuttemyer and her new mount Cygnus owned by Eyckenhoeve Sales LLC that yielded two impressive rounds to earn top scores from the judges. 

The young talented Schuttemeyer navigated an effortless first round aboard her new partner Cygnus to earn a score of 88. 

Faith Schuttemyer & Cygnus. Photo courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography.

Schuttemeyer spoke about her new partnership, “His name is Cygnus, he’s a sale horse that I’ve been riding for about three weeks. We have shown a few times together. Today, was great, we were going forward, and everything came up nicely.”

The new duo were the last competitors to attempt the handy track, “He’s a big horse, so I stayed around everywhere, and it worked perfectly for him.” 

Faith Schuttemyer & Cygnus. Photo courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography.

Schuttemeyer and the 11-year-old Selle Francais gelding by Top Gun Semilly delivered a textbook effort in the handy for a high score of 91 for an overall score of 179. 

$10,000 USHJA National 3’ Jr/Am Hunter Derby Results: 

1 Cygnus, Faith Schuttemeyer, Eyckenhoeve Sales LLC: 88 | 91 | 179
2 Cantero, Gabriella Curry, Ga Stables LLC: 87 | 91 | 178 
3 M Monroe, Faith Schuttemeyer, Stock ‘Em LLC: 86 | 83 | 169
4 Playing The Star, Heather Smith, Heather Smith: 82 | 79 | 161
5 Bugsy Malone, Devin Seek, Devin Seek: 88.5 | 40 | 128.5
6 Fitz, Isabel Harbour, IMH Equine, LLC: 80 | 48 | 128
7 Agave, Isabel Harbour, IMHA Equine, LLC: 83 | 44 | 127
8 C-Star, Mary Beth McGee, Mary Beth McGee: 75 | 48 | 123
9 Riverside, Barbara Debler, Barbara Debler: 51 | 55 | 106
10 Cloudtop Cruise, Riley Barron, Jill Oglesbee: 54 | 46 | 100

For final results visit HorseShowing.com or Ryegate.Live. 

Photos courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography.
Videos available at ClipMyHorse.TV

The UF Veterinary Hospital at World Equestrian Center

The UF Veterinary Hospital at World Equestrian Center provides leading-edge patient care in a new 40,000-square-foot hospital facility located in Ocala, Florida. Veterinarians from the University of Florida offer world-class veterinary care and advanced diagnostics and treatment for horses, dogs and cats.

Hours of Operation:
Equine Animal Hospital Open Monday – Sunday, 8am-5pm
Small Animal Hospital, Open Monday – Saturday, 8am-5pm

Contact us at 352-414-3858.

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