Evan Coluccio Introduces Another New Mount to the Winner’s Circle in the $20,000 Golden Ocala 3’6”-3’9” Hunter Derby

Ocala, FL – The seventh Hunter Derby Friday of the 2026 Winter Spectacular Series at World Equestrian Center – Ocala (WEC) welcomed nearly 100 stunning hunters to Hunter 1 to compete in three exciting classes: the $20,000 Golden Ocala 3’6”-3’9” Hunter Derby, the $15,000 UF Veterinary Hospital USHJA National 3’ Open Hunter Derby, and the $15,000 USHJA National 3’ Jr/Am Hunter Derby. Tucker Williams designed Friday’s courses, which featured long bending lines and several tidy options for the handy round.

The final event of Hunter Derby Friday concluded with the $20,000 Golden Ocala 3’6”-3’9” Hunter Derby. Twenty-five exceptional horse-and-rider combinations contested the course, and scores rang into the high 90’s. Ultimately, Evan Coluccio and his brand-new mount, Dorian Grey N (Dallas VDL x Ivy De La Vie), owned by Hidden Ridge, took top honors.

The nine-year-old Oldenberg gelding was just introduced to the hunter ring this past week, “I imported him in December to be my Grand Prix horse. He wants to be so slow and relaxed, so I got the idea on Tuesday to do him in a ticket in Hunter 1, and then he won a class in the 3’6” Performance Hunters yesterday.”

Dorian Grey N cantered around to a breathtaking first round to receive a score of 94. Coluccio noted, “The first round was more of a classic style round. There were lots of long bending lines. It was pretty straightforward, so I’d say that was more of a training round for him.”

During the handy, scores were coming in well into the 90’s, and even though the gelding is new to the hunter ring, Coluccio had no doubt in his new partner, “I was originally supposed to do him in the Future Prix this week so I had been practicing jump-off turns, so I knew that the inside turns were no question for him.” 

The duo effortlessly made the inside turns and in return received a near-perfect score of 98 for a two-round total of 192 to take not only the victory, but the gelding’s first-ever derby win. 

Coluccio reflected on his upcoming plans for not only Dorian Grey N but his other new mount, Graffiti, who was week VII’s $20,000 Golden Ocala 3’6”-3’9” Hunter Derby winner. “We’re getting close to the second WCHR week, so I think I might keep Dorian Grey N in the hunter ring until the $75,000 MARS Equestrian International Hunter Derby and give it a go there. I’m hoping to do him and Graffiti in that class. I feel so lucky to have the horses that I have right now.” 

$20,000 Golden Ocala 3’6”-3’9” Hunter Derby Results 

Winning Made Easy for Easy Money in $15,000 UF Veterinary Hospital USHJA National 3’ Open Hunter Derby

A beautiful Friday morning set the scene for the $15,000 USHJA National 3’ Open Hunter Derby, which saw 23 impressive horse-and-rider combinations navigate the winding derby track. It was Daniel Geitner and Laura Cramer’s Easy Money (Fairbanks x Stutbuch) who ultimately earned the blue ribbon.

The first round consisted of long, flowing bending lines, which Geitner revealed is a track he prefers with Easy Money. “There were a lot of bending lines in the first round, which I actually prefer on a horse like him,” he said. “He has a big stride, so I can stay wide to make the numbers work and not have to slow down in a straight line, so it worked out great for him.”

The veteran pair produced a first-round score of 87.5 to sit in second heading into the handy behind last week’s winners, Captain and Maddie Tosh, who earned a first-round score of 91.

Geitner returned for the handy round on three mounts and evaluated his plan before heading in with his highest-scoring horse, Easy Money. “I was going back for the handy and needed to make up some room, so I said, ‘Let’s keep going and do these turns,’ and all of my mounts followed me great and really tried hard,” he said. “To be honest, I was planning on going around to the first jump on him, but after I did my other horses, I thought Easy Money could handle it, and I needed to make up some ground. So I figured we’d give it a shot!”

The inside turns were seamless as the pair picked up a handy round score of 91 for a two-round total of 178.5 and the win. Geitner’s other mounts, St. Tropez (Stenograph x Evita II Dorum) and Malcomme (Comme Il Faut x Daytoria), finished fifth and seventh, respectively.

The 14-year-old Oldenburg gelding is no stranger to the winner’s circle at WEC – Ocala and has been a longtime partner for Geitner. “He’s a little older now, so we decided to drop him down to do these derbies, and he’s still plenty happy to do this,” Geitner shared. “I’m lucky enough to ride him. Laura Cramer sends him to me every winter, and she does so right by him. They go home after this, go out in the field, have an easy summer, and then we gear them back up for the winter.”

$15,000 UF Veterinary Hospital USHJA National 3’ Open Hunter Derby Results

Waters Wear Scores a One-Two Finish in $15,000 USHJA National 3’ Jr/Am Hunter Derby

Friday afternoon welcomed 48 impressive junior and amateur athletes to compete in the $15,000 USHJA National 3’ Jr/Am Hunter Derby. Ultimately, Hayley Waters Wear rose to the top, with Bull Run’s Luminous (Valentino x Cleophatra) taking the win and Genuine (Diarado x Kampari W) taking second-place honors, both owned by Mr. and Mrs.Chuck Waters

Waters Wear watched several horses navigate the first round and developed a strategy that would work for both of her mounts. “I watched a couple, and it seemed like if you picked up a good canter, then everything would ride nicely,” she noted. “Everything was pretty related, so it was just about the canter and the track. I tried to focus on the canter and let everything come up.”

Water Wears observations paid off, and Bull Run’s Luminous scored a 92 to jump to the top of the leaderboard heading into the handy.

Waters Wear effortlessly guided the nine-year-old Warmblood mare around the handy, making tight and efficient turns to impress the judges and earn a score of 98 for a two-round total of 190. “Since I had already ridden the course once, I knew what to expect,” she said. “She was a jumper before this, so she’s very good at turning. I tried to just stick with my plan, and it worked out with them both.”

Water Wears noted how meaningful this win is, especially because she got to share the winning moment with her newborn child, “I had a baby in the fall, and my baby is over there watching. So this win is pretty special to me!” 

$15,000 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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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.