Anna Tyler and Affirm Weather the Storm to Win the $15,000 USHJA National 3’ Jr/Am Hunter Derby

28 FEB 26 Ocala, FL

A rider in a black jacket and helmet pats a chestnut horse wearing a blue ribbon on its bridle, standing near a decorative arena with blue flowers.

Ocala, FL – The $15,000 USHJA National 3’ Jr/Am Hunter Derby welcomed a competitive field of 64 horse-and-rider combinations to the WEC Stadium during World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) week. After a rain delay paused Friday afternoon’s competition, Anna Tyler returned early Saturday morning, ready to rise to the occasion. Aboard Mia Thomasson’s Affirm, she delivered a standout handy round to secure the win by a decisive 13.5-point margin.

A rider in formal attire guides a brown horse over a jump in an arena, with empty purple seats in the background and decorative plants around the jump.
Anna Tyler returned early Saturday morning and rose to the occasion riding Affirm. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography.

On Friday, Tyler showcased a textbook round with the 10-year-old Oldenburg gelding (For Pleasure x Chicella), navigating Kevin Holowack’s flowing first-round track with ease to earn a 94 and sit second heading into the handy.

As storm clouds rolled in, competition was halted for the safety of horse and rider, postponing the remainder of the handy to Saturday morning. Tyler came back prepared and impressed the judges with a near-flawless effort, earning a base score of 95 and adding all four high-option bonuses for a 99. Her two-round total of 193 proved untouchable.

Three people and a horse stand in an arena holding a large award check, with floral decorations, event signage, and a US flag in the background.
Anna Tyler and Affirm stand for their first-place award photo. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography.

The victory marks the second derby win for Tyler and Affirm.

$15,000 USHA National 3’ Jr/Am Hunter Derby Results

Explore the daily class schedule, orders of go, class counts, and final results on HorseShowing.com. For real-time scoring, check out Ryegate.Live.

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

Make sure to visit the WEC Blog and follow us on social media @worldequestriancenter for full coverage on all feature classes! 

This event is made possible through the support of our generous sponsors and marketing partners, the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, and Ocala/Marion County Visitors and Convention Bureau.