Ocala, FL – Week III of World Equestrian Center – Ocala’s 2022 USEF Summer Series hosted another Friday filled with breathtaking hunters. Nearly 90 entries gathered at the CaptiveOne Advisors arena to contest the $12,500 WEC Ocala 3’6”-3’9” Hunter Derby, $10,000 WEC Ocala 3’ Open Hunter Derby and the $10,000 WEC Ocala 3’ Jr/Am Hunter Derby. Tucker Williams created the flowing tracks that allowed riders to show off their horse’s form and talent.
The $12,500 WEC Ocala 3’6”-3’9” Hunter Derby saw an impressive field of sixteen riders vie for the top prize over the open tracks that featured three high options. Maria Rasmussen and Maya Grove’s Goodfella (Favorit Ask x WI A’Qua) secured their second consecutive win with notable scores from the judges.
Rasmussen and Goodfella are just coming off their win from last week’s $12,500 WEC Ocala 3’6”-3’9” Hunter Derby. “The course rode a bit more open this week than last week. It was fun for the horses because they got the chance to gallop around and show off a bit,” Rasmussen said.
Rasmussen and the 11-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding navigated a smooth first round, opting to jump all three high options for a score of 90.
Rasmussen had one simple goal for the handy, “I wanted to be as smooth as possible. I made a bit of a mistake earlier in the day where I tried to be too handy, so I wanted to go out there and smooth everything out.”
The stylish pair negotiated the winding track with ease to secure the class’s highest handy score of 91, for an overall score of 181.
$12,500 WEC Ocala 3’6”-3’9” Hunter Derby Results:
1 Goodfella, Maria Rasmussen, Maya Grove: 90 | 91 | 181
2 Shutterbug, Timothy Maddrix, Sarah Campbell: 84 | 90 | 174
3 Miyamoto Mushashi, Timothy Maddrix, Lynee Skaryak: 85 | 88 | 173
4 Casimire Ice, Isaac Leffkowitz, Isaac Leffkowitz: 87 | 85.5 | 172.5
5 Ipanema, Josh Dolan, Belle Rolfe: 86 | 83 | 169
6 Oliver Obolensky, Evan M. Coluccio, Hampton Green Farm LLC: 90.5 | 78 | 168.5
7 MTM Incanto, Dorothy Douglas, MTM Farm: 91 | 69 | 160
8 MTM Nabilli, Jenny Miller, Erica Prockow: 89 | 70.5 | 159.5
9 Golden Opportunity, Kim Barone, Helene Jones: 83 | 73 | 156
10 Poker Face, Jennifer Bliss, Harris Hill Farm, LLC: 68 | 85 | 153
Timothy Maddrix & Candid Traveler Journey to the Top in $10,000 WEC Ocala 3’ Open Hunter Derby
Twenty-five professional athletes took to the CaptiveOne Advisors Arena 1 early this morning with their star-studded hunter mounts to compete for the top prize in the $10,000 WEC Ocala 3’ Open Hunter Derby. Timothy Maddrix and Michelle Guardino-Dettelbach’s Candid Traveler (Casall x Tora II) journeyed their way up to the top, securing two scores in the 90s.
Maddrix and the seven-year-old Holsteiner gelding delivered a superb first round, jumping all three high options with ease to earn the class’s highest first round score of 92.
Maddrix was proud of the young hunter, “We got Cash [Candid Traveler] toward the end of the winter circuit. He has the best canter, you don’t have to touch the reins and he jumps a ten every time. He is just starting to get a hang of the handy, this is probably his third hunter derby ever. First rounds have always been easy, but when we get to the handy, he wonders where we are going,” laughed Maddrix. “Today, he was looking for the jumps.”
Maddrix and the talented Candid Traveler were the last pair to the return for the handy, taking every inside turn available to earn a high score of 93 for a two-round total of 185.
Maddrix really enjoyed the options in the handy, “This was one of my favorite courses that they put in this ring. There were quite a few options in the handy, but everything was doable. If you had a really handy horse you could do quite a few fun turns.”
$10,000 WEC Ocala 3’ Open Hunter Derby Results:
1 Candid Traveler, Timothy Maddrix, Michelle Guardino-Dettelbach: 92 | 93 | 185
2 Hela, Megan Young, Kristen Cox: 90 | 91 | 181
3 MTM Campedu, Kelly Lorek, Jennifer Emerson: 91 | 87 | 178
4 El Tindo, Evan M. Coluccio, Ellen Addison: 88.5 | 88 | 176.5
5 SVF On My Own, Maria Rasmussen, Sunset View Farm LLC: 88 | 86 | 174
6 Cypress, Timothy Maddrix, Missy Nolen: 83 | 90 | 173
7 Flight, Jennifer Bliss, Dandelion Farm LLC: 87 | 84 | 171
8 SVF James, Maria Rasmussen, Sunset View Farm LLC: 89 | 80.5 | 169.5
9 MTM Exceptional, Dorothy Douglas, Abigail Davenport: 84 | 85 | 169
10 Eldoret, Josh Dolan, Karen Redding: 82 | 78 | 160
Madison Ramsey & Ocean Avenue Land the $10,000 WEC Ocala 3’ Jr/Am Hunter Derby
Forty-four talented horse-and-rider combinations strived for the win in the $10,000 WEC Ocala Jr/Am 3’ Hunter Derby, but it was Madison Ramsey and Shannon Dickinson’s Ocean Avenue (Balou Du Rouet x All Powder Coated D) that secured the top spot.
Ramsey and the 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare delivered a beautiful first round while jumping all three high options to earn the class’s highest score of 90.
“I have had Ocean Avenue for a year and half. She is the best and loves to win. She’s a bit opinionated, and knows her job. Its been a bit of a learning process figuring her out, but I’ve found that if I let her make the decisions, it always works out,” laughed Ramsey.
Ramsey and the adorable Ocean Avenue were the last pair to come back for the second round, “She’s a very handy horse, but this was my first derby back since an accident, so I just wanted to have a smooth round.”
Ramsey and Ocean Avenue rolled around the course, jumping each fence in perfect form to secure a score of 88 from the judges for a two-round total of 178 for the victory.
$10,000 WEC Ocala 3’ Jr/Am Hunter Derby Results:
1 Ocean Avenue, Madison Ramsey, Shannon Dickinson: 90 | 88 | 178
2 MTM Entitled, Paige Jones, Olivia Brown: 89 | 87 | 176
3 Eurokom, Catherine Moorhead, PLC Farm: 87 | 85 | 172
4 Cantini, Neave Campbell, Neave Campbell: 85 | 84 | 169
5 Consanto, Adelaide Toensing, Lily Toensing: 86 | 81 | 167
6 Empress, Wyette Felton, Wyette Felton: 88 | 77 | 165
7 C-Star, Mary McGee, Mary McGee: 84 | 79 | 163
8 Brunos Bellini R, Catherine Moorhead, PLC Farm: 83 | 78 | 161
9 New Addition, Jane Barber, Jane Barber: 84.5 | 55 | 139.5
10 Denmark, Sophia Arnoldi, Morlynn Farm: 82 | 48 | 130