Daniel Geitner and Walk The Moon Set the Standard in the $10,000 Golden Ocala 3’6″-3’9″ Hunter Derby

17 JUL 26 Ocala, FL

A rider in a blue jacket and helmet guides a brown horse over a white jump with flowers at an indoor equestrian event.

Ocala, FL – Indoor Arena 1 at World Equestrian Center – Ocala (WEC) once again hosted Hunter Derby Friday, featuring the $10,000 Golden Ocala 3’6″-3’9″ Hunter Derby, the $10,000 UF Veterinary Hospital USHJA National 3′ Open Hunter Derby and the $10,000 USHJA National 3′ Jr/Am Hunter Derby. Designed by Tom Hern, the flowing tracks showcased top hunter talent, with several combinations earning scores into the 90s.

A rider in a helmet and jacket guides a horse over a wooden jump in an indoor equestrian arena decorated with flowers and greenery.
Daniel Geitner and Walk The Moon. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography.

Daniel Geitner impressed the judges aboard Lynn Seithel’s Walk The Moon, producing two standout rounds to capture the $10,000 Golden Ocala 3’6″-3’9″ Hunter Derby.

The longtime partners opened with a polished classic round that earned a score of 91. Riders returned immediately for the handy, and Geitner knew he would have to be bold to stay on top.

“Going into the handy, you really just have to leave it all out there because you never know what’s going to happen,” Geitner shared. “It felt a little like a II.2b jump-off in the jumpers. He really excels in the handy rounds, so I knew I could make all the inside turns and take all the risks. He made my job pretty easy.”

The strategy paid off as Walk The Moon answered every question with ease, earning a handy score of 94 and a winning two-round total of 185.

A man on a horse poses indoors while two women stand in front holding a large check and a "World Equestrian Center" sign.
Daniel Geitner and Walk The Moon. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography.

Geitner reflected on his longtime partnership with the 16-year-old Oldenburg gelding. “I’ve been riding him for seven or eight years now. We’ve done everything together, from the Pre-Greens all the way up to Derby Finals. He’s always been a winner. He’s been champion at Indoors, won the Challenge Class at Derby Finals last year and has just had an incredible career.”

The Ocala venue also gives Geitner an added advantage. “We have a farm here in Ocala, and honestly one of the biggest perks is getting to sleep in my own bed,” he said. “I don’t sleep very well when I travel, so being able to show here and stay at home is huge. It really feels like home when I’m down here.”

$10,000 Golden Ocala 3’6”-3’9” Hunter Derby Results

Havens Schatt Scores a Double Victory in the $10,000 UF Veterinary Hospital USHJA National 3’ Open Hunter Derby

Equestrian rider jumps a horse over an obstacle in an indoor arena, with a digital sign displaying event and prize information in the background.
Havens Schatt and Designated. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography.

Havens Schatt swept the top two placings in the $10,000 UF Veterinary Hospital USHJA National 3’ Open Hunter Derby, earning the win aboard Caroline Moran’s Designated (Action Breaker x Landliebe) and finishing second with John Yozell’s One More Time (Chac Boy x Dianistria Blue PS).

Schatt piloted One More Time first in the classic round, earning a score of 89. Returning aboard Designated, she raised the bar with a score of 91 to take the lead heading into the handy round.

She felt the course suited both of her horses while presenting enough technical questions. “I thought today’s course was really good because it asked some questions. It wasn’t just an easy, simple way around,” Schatt said. “Designated is pretty reliable when he’s on his game, but my other horse is only seven. He’s won some derbies, but sometimes he has some trouble paying attention. The tight turns, broken lines and questions on the course were really good practice for him, and he was actually very, very good today.”

Equestrian rider in a black jacket and helmet jumps a chestnut horse over a white fence in an indoor arena decorated with flowers.
Havens Schatt and One More Time. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography.

Returning first in the handy aboard the seven-year-old Oldenburg gelding One More Time, Schatt planned to keep the round straightforward, but he felt so relaxed Schatt opted to do some of the inside turns. The pair delivered, earning a score of 90 for a two-round total of 179.

With One More Time setting the pace, Schatt returned on Designated, a 10-year-old Mecklenburg gelding, knowing she was already leading but still wanting to challenge the experienced mount. “You start thinking about how many risks you really want to take. But I wanted to test ‘Desi’ because he needs to keep progressing. He jumped the first fence super high and I thought, ‘Ooh,’ but after that he leveled out, followed me everywhere and just felt super.”

Two men and a woman with a horse inside an arena; the horse wears ribbons, the woman is riding, and one man holds a large check.
Havens Schatt with Designated and One More Time. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography.

Designated impressed the judges with another polished performance, earning a score of 94 and a winning total of 185.

Although Schatt typically spends the summer in Kentucky, she made the trip back to World Equestrian Center – Ocala for the unique experience. “Normally we’re based in Lexington, Kentucky, and this time of year we’d usually be showing in Ohio,” she said. “Being here is really nice. The people are so welcoming, the horse shows run really well and, honestly, it’s nice to be inside. A lot of people don’t think indoor horse shows in the summer are the way to go, but I’m really enjoying it. I also have a lot of friends here from growing up, so it’s nice to come back to my hometown and enjoy everything that’s here.”

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

Erica Prockow & MTM Good Times Triumph in the $10,000 USHJA National 3′ Jr/Am Hunter Derby

A rider in formal attire sits on a brown horse with a prize ribbon around its neck in an indoor equestrian arena decorated with plants and jumps.
Erica Prockow and MTM Good Times. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography.

Twenty-two horse-and-rider combinations contested the $10,000 USHJA National 3′ Jr/Am Hunter Derby, but it was Erica Prockow who led the victory gallop aboard her own MTM Good Times (Acadius x Montania W).

Prockow and the 13-year-old Oldenburg gelding opened with a smooth, stylish first-round effort that earned a score of 89, putting them atop the leaderboard heading into the handy.

Prockow spoke fondly of the gelding, who has been her partner for nearly three years. “I’ve had him for almost three years now. Personality-wise, he’s always been the sweetest horse. He wants to do everything for me and always goes in the ring wanting to give his best. We always joke around the barn that his name is very fitting because he really is the best.”

A person in equestrian attire rides a brown horse over a white jump in an indoor arena decorated with flowers and greenery.
Erica Prockow and MTM Good Times. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography.

Returning for the handy, Prockow knew she could rely on her partner’s willingness. “Going into the handy, I was definitely a little nervous, but I know my horse and he’s happy to do all the inside turns. I knew those options were there if I rode them well. I just needed to slow my brain down a little bit and then go in there and show how handy he is. He was right there with me the whole time.”

The pair delivered another polished effort, matching their first-round score of 89 to finish on a winning two-round total of 178.

A group poses indoors with a rider on a horse, a large check, and awards after an equestrian competition.
Erica Prockow and MTM Good Times. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography.

Reflecting on their partnership, Prockow credited their continued success to the time they’ve spent growing together. “As far as how we’ve developed together, we’ve definitely grown over the years. I’ve grown as a rider, he’s matured as a horse and we’ve built a really great partnership. I’m in college, so it’s always fun to come back for the summer and reconnect with him right where we left off.”

$10,000 USHJA 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

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