Ocala, FL – The final Hunter Derby Friday of the 2023 Ocala Summer Series invited a field of stunning hunters to compete in three competitive 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. Andy Christiansen (ECU) designed the closing derby tracks that featured a beautiful haybale option fence.
Lauren Schweppe closed the series of Hunter Derby Fridays with a win aboard Cynthia Boudreau’s Cataumet (Cabachon x Gaya) in the $12,500 Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club 3’6”-3’9” Hunter Derby.
In the first-round track Schweppe showed off the 11-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding’s style and brilliance for a high score of 90.
Coming back for the handy, the pair were sitting in second, “I knew Rowan Willis was coming behind me and he’s a jumper rider, so I knew I had to do all of the inside turns and all the high options. My team set mountains for me in the schooling area because the jumps seemed pretty big today, but Cataumet handled it beautifully.”
Schweppe and Cataumet received another top score of 89 for a two-round total 179 to take home the victory.
“He blew my mind today. Before a couple of weeks ago, he hadn’t shown since Devon. This is only his second big derby. He’s still a first-year horse, so sometimes he doesn’t quite understand the hunter world, and I wasn’t sure how he was going to react to the big haybale fence, but he didn’t care. He’s always been consistent for me, and I think he just keeps getting better. It was the best way to end the circuit,” shared Schweppe.
$12,500 Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club 3’6”-3’9” Hunter Derby Results:
1 Cataumet, Lauren Schweppe, Cynthia Boudreau: 90 | 89 | 179
2 Chacco Ricco, Erika Moore, Noble Steeds LLC: 83 | 92 | 175
3 Bill Abraham, Rowan Willis, Seven Oak Sporthorses:92 | 75 | 167
4 Lord Cornet, Jodie Camberg, Jodie Camberg: 82 | 84 | 166
5 High Renaissance, Jake Wymard, Della Equestrian: 90 | 74 | 164
6 Hollywood, Erika Moore, Moore Acres, LLC: 70 | 77 | 147
7 Quito, Jenni McAllister, Kylie Bevan: 46 | 87 | 133
8 Phanton Blue, Danielle Amico, Danielle Amico: 64 | 45 | 109
9 Mister Fahrenheit, Anna Ermlich, Anna Ermlich: 59 | 44 | 103
Josh Dolan Scores Hat Trick with the $10,000 UF Veterinary Hospital USHJA National 3’ Open Hunter Derby Victory aboard Shameless
On the final Hunter Derby Friday of the 2023 Ocala Summer Series, Josh Dolan scored himself a hat trick when he piloted Kim Domenicone’s Shameless to the $10,000 UF Veterinary Hospital USHJA National 3’ Open Hunter Derby victory. All three hunter derbies Dolan entered during the 2023 Ocala Summer Series he took the winning spot, with two of those victories aboard Something Blue in the $12,500 Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club 3’6”-3’9” Hunter Derby.
This morning, Dolan continued that streak with the young and talented Shameless. “This is his first show back since the winter circuit. We showed him yesterday in the 3’ Pre Greens and he was champion. Kim twisted my arm to do him in the derby and I am happy she did. He was so good and jumped really special.”
Dolan and the seven-year-old Warmblood gelding yielded an effortless first round to receive a high score of 90.
The pair returned for the handy sitting on top, “My original plan was to stay a bit safe, but I am really glad I didn’t because every inside turn he handled like a pro. It was the best I’ve ever felt with him.”
The pair found yet another foot-by-foot perfect track for a high score of 94 for a two-round total of 184.
Dolan is proud of the stylish gelding, “It’s amazing to see how much he’s grown up. He’s a special horse. He’s a freaky mover, pretty jumper – he’s got all of it. I think we are going to do a couple more 3’ and 3’3” greens, then build him up to be a first-year horse and aim for some bigger classes here in the winter. Maybe even do the 3’6” Incentive Finals next year. I am excited to see what the future brings.”
$10,000 UF Veterinary Hospital USHJA National 3’ Open Hunter Derby Results:
1 Shameless, Josh Dolan, Kim Domenicone: 90 | 94 | 184
2 MTM Aztek, Jenny Miller, MTM Farm: 87.5 | 91 | 178.5
3 Collins, Lauren Schweppe, James York: 85 | 92 | 177
4 Olympia Van’t Hageland, Cody Quintana, Quintana Show Stables, LLC: 88 | 88 | 176
5 Di Notte, Megan Wexler, Catherine Merrill: 89 | 86 | 175
6 Fairfax, Lauren Patterson, Liz Hudspeth: 87 | 81 | 168
7 Cali Y, Lauren Schweppe, Marjorie Sidman: 81 | 78 | 159
8 Without A Trace, Jaime Gibson, Jessica Hunkiar: 72 | 82 | 154
9 For Diamonds Z, Lauren Barth, Verified Investing LLC: 86 | 49 | 135
10 Dreamboat, Michelle Moen, Michelle Moen: 55 | 73 | 128
Isabel Harbour & Fitz Land the $10,000 USHJA National 3’ Jr/Am Hunter Derby
Eighteen talented junior and amateur athletes vied for the top prize in the $10,000 USHJA National 3’ Jr/Am Hunter Derby, but it was Isabel Harbour that snagged first and third place with scores in the 90s aboard both mounts.
Harbour snagged the win aboard her longtime partner Fitz (Numero Uno x Kootje) owned by IMH Equine, LLC and secured third aboard IMH Equine, LLC’s Agave (El Salvador x Balerina). Harbour attempted the first-round track first aboard Agave and laid down an impeccable round for a score of 90. She kept that momentum with Fitz and earned another high score of 93.
“It’s been a really fun Summer Series. Agave has been learning so much and today, I thought both horses were equally on it as I was. They both jumped so well in the first round. I think my nice open canter set me part in the first round. I found the jumps going forward, they didn’t touch anything and were just right there with me the entire time. I loved the haybale fence, it’s not often you see something like that in an indoor,” shared Harbour about the first-round track.
Harbour returned to the handy first on Agave, yielding another superb effort for a score of 91 for a two-round total of 181.
“The handy round was a good one. There weren’t a lot of inside turns, but you still had options to be tidy. I kept my plan the same with both horses. In the past I had to be a bit nicer with Agave because he was still learning the ropes, but today he was right one it. Of course, Fitz knew what he had to do. Sometimes we have to settle him down before we come back for the handy because he gets too excited. It was perfect and he landed off that final fence already looing for his peppermint.”
Harbour was the last to go on the 16-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding. They pair found the tidiest track available to each fence to receive another top score of 92 for an overall total of 185 for the win.
$10,000 USHJA National 3’ Jr/Am Hunter Derby Results:
1 Fitz, Isabel Harbour, IMH Equine, LLC: 93 | 92 | 185
2 Genuine, Hayley Waters Wear, Mr. & Mrs. Chuck Waters: 88 | 93.5 | 181.5
3 Agave, Isabel Harbour, IMH Equine, LLC: 90 | 91 | 181
4 Eleonara, Xavier Gomez, Trung Nguyen: 86.5 | 88 | 174.5
5 K&T Games Of Throne, Ella Bostwick, Christine Bostwick: 82 | 89 | 171
6 I.M. Gold, Bailey Benner, Benner Family Farm: 80 | 87 | 167
7 Play Maker, Stephanie King, Stephanie King: 85.5 | 81 | 166.5
8 Limitless, Stephanie King, Stephanie King: 84 | 82 | 166
9 Consanto, Lily Toensing, Lily Toensing: 83 | 80 | 163
10 Keanno, Gretchen Swanson, Juan Pablo Gnecco: 87 | 59 | 146
Photos courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography.
Videos available at ClipMyHorse.TV
For final results visit HorseShowing.com or Ryegate.Live.
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.