Wilmington, Ohio – World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) week welcomed top hunter athletes to the R+L Arena at World Equestrian Center – Wilmington all week during Winter Classic 16.
A group of 19 of those horse-and-rider combinations met for the $15,000 USHJA National Open Hunt-N-Go Derby where Melissa Donnelly and Lily Lutgen’s Keeper (Cascarillo x Nigel) ultimately rose to the top.
Joe Carnicom crafted the Hunt-N-Go track that Donnelly praised, “I felt like this was a really nice Hunt-N-Go track. It flowed a lot, and we had a great number of options in the handy round. It was very nice for the greener ones and the more seasoned ones. For this format, this was one that I really enjoyed jumping around.”
Donnelly spoke highly of her new ride and was thrilled with his performance in the class, “He is a green horse that I just recently go the ride on. We are getting him prepared for his new adult hunter life! It was a lovely course for him. It rode beautifully with nice options and a lot of singles.”
“As we went, he really got soft and fluid. I wasn’t sure if he was going to follow me for the inside turns being a green horse, but he really set back and gave me everything he had,” she shared.
The 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Keeper, impressed with his jumping style and made every available handy effort, earning a combined score of 176 from the judges to take the win.
$15,000 USHJA National Open Hunt-N-Go Derby Results:
1 Keeper, Melissa Donnelly, Lily Lutgen | 176
2 Elliott, Kelsey Epperson, Danielle Leach | 175
3 Zoe Power, Kelsey Epperson, Isabel Cassar | 173
4 Didgereedoo VDL, Kelsey Epperson, Lashier Properties LLC | 172.5
5 Udefix, Colleen Holton, Colleen Holton | 167.5
6 Crass B, Megan Hubbard, Cindy Bohn | 167
7 Apache 286, Erika Heintschel-Githens, Naytraders LLC | 166
8 Toussaint, Elizabeth Naber, Judy Ulrich Miller | 166.5
9 Nandino, Samantha Cooper, Ellen Malson | 165.25
10 R Du Sol, Devin Milan, Devin Milan | 161
Milagros De Jong & Grandslam ES are Unbeatable in the $15,000 USHJA National Non-Pro Hunt-N-Go Derby
Thirty-one entries met for the $15,000 USHJA National Non-Pro Hunt-N-Go Derby of Winter Classic 16, but Milagros De Jong and her own Grandslam ES (Grand Slam VDL x Hauptstutbuch Loni) were unbeatable, remaining in the lead as the ninth to go in the posted order.
De Jong favored Carnicom’s track and discussed her appreciation for the challenge of the format, “I really like the Hunt-N-Go format. It is cool to not have to come back for the second round sometimes. It is nice to have to change rideability in the same course. In this course, we repeated one jump but had the opportunity to ride it really different from one round to the other.”
As she sat on top throughout the entirety of the class, De Jong anxiously awaited by the in-gate as her score remained untouched.
“I was really excited! I went early so I was trying to be patient,” she laughed. “I was very happy with him because I was nervous going in, but every time he comes here, he is more and more comfortable. He was so confident, and he really helped me out today.”
“Every time I do the derby here it gets more fun. It is my favorite class to do here, and I think it is his favorite too,” De Jong noted.
Aboard her consistent nine-year-old Holsteiner gelding, De Jong went home with the blue ribbon with a combined score of 169.5.
$15,000 USHJA National Non-Pro Hunt-N-Go Derby Results:
1 Grandslam ES, Milagros De Jong, October LLC | 169.5
2 Sandriano, Jenna Drago, Jenna Drago | 167
3 Cornus Alba D’or, Stacey Friend, Stacey Friend | 166.75
4 Top Shelf, Lorien Parry Luehrs, Lorien Parry Luehrs | 162.25
5 Fairplay De Fremis, Lucy Puhalla, Emily Ainslie | 161.5
6 Clooney, Nicole Jeffries, Nicole Jeffries | 161
7 Captain Jack, Shaunnah Anderson, Shaunnah Anderson | 160
8 Clarmont, Leah Clifford, Leah Clifford | 158
9 Mtm Caboom, Mia Muscarello, The Muscarello Family LLC | 157.5
10 Quelle Carte, Isabel Greer, Isabel Greer | 157
Make sure to visit the WEC Blog and follow us on social media @worldequestriancenter for full coverage on all feature classes!
Results can be found at horseshowing.com.
All horse show images are provided by Winslow Photography and can be purchased onsite at WEC – Wilmington or online through their website.