Greg Crolick and Tangelos Finish Fall Classic Series on Top in the $10,000 GGT Footing USHJA National Open Hunter Derby 

23 OCT 26 Wilmington, OH

A rider in a black jacket and helmet jumps their dark horse over a wooden jump decorated with pumpkins and colorful mums.

Wilmington, OH – A final hurrah for fall arrived at World Equestrian Center – Wilmington (WEC), where the R+L Arena’s festive display of mums, pumpkins and cornstalks provided a seasonal backdrop for the closing Hunter Derby Friday of the Fall Classic Series. Greg Crolick and Tangelos led the way in the $10,000 GGT Footing USHJA National Open Hunter Derby, earning the victory as the series wrapped up. 

A rider on a dark horse jumping over a hedge obstacle in an indoor equestrian arena.
Greg Crolick and Tangelos. Photo by Winslow Photography.

A total of 17 horse-and-rider pairs fought for the top spot to finish the Fall Classic Series on a high note. In the end, it was Greg Crolick and Paula Monforton’s Tangelos (Tangelo Van De Zuuthoeve x Silbermaedel Dree Boeken) who rose to the top.

Crolick shared some insight on how the first trip in the ring with Tangelos felt: “The first round felt really good, and the course was very inviting and flowing. Everything worked out well.” The pair delivered a polished performance to earn an impressive score of 90, securing second place among the competitive field of 17 horse-and-rider combinations and positioning themselves within striking distance of the lead heading into the handy round.

A rider on a brown horse wearing a blue ribbon stands between two people in an indoor arena, one holding a white saddle pad and the other holding a large check for three thousand dollars.
Greg Crolick and Tangelos accept their first-place awards presented by Cynthia Brewster Keating of GGT Footing. Photo by Winslow Photography.

The 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding has been with Crolick for nearly three years, and has already had some success at WEC – Wilmington, earning two Hunter Derby victories in November and December of last year. 

Nearly a year later, Crolick and Tangelos returned to their winning ways with a polished performance that moved them to the top of the leaderboard. The pair earned an impressive score of 89.5, bringing their two-round total to 179.5 and securing the win in the final Hunter Derby of the Fall Classic Series.

Reflecting on the venue, Crolick praised the atmosphere and seasonal presentation at WEC – Wilmington, sharing, “The jumps are beautiful, and now that it’s the holiday season and fall, there isn’t another show that compares to these kinds of decorations. It’s just absolutely beautiful.”

$10,000 GGT Footing USHJA Open Hunter Derby Results 

Lexi Dodson Leads Pinot del Sole to a Winning Round in the $10,000 Kentucky Performance Products USHJA National Non-Pro Hunter Derby

A rider in formal equestrian attire jumps a grey horse over a hedge-style fence in an indoor arena.
Lexi Dodson and Pinot del Sole. Photo by Winslow Photography.

A competitive field of 21 horse-and-rider combinations took to the R+L Arena to kick off Hunter Derby Friday at Fall Classic 5 with the $10,000 Kentucky Performance Products USHJA National Non-Pro Hunter Derby. Rising to the top, Lexi Dodson and her own Pinot del Sole (Canturano x Cassini I) delivered two consistent rounds to secure the victory.

Dodson and the 14-year-old Italian Warmblood gelding set the pace early in the first round, earning an impressive score of 91 to take the lead heading into the handy. Reflecting on the course, Dodson praised the spacious arena and smooth flow of the track, sharing, “Having all that space to develop a canter is great because I need to get my horse in front of my leg to make sure he’s focused. Everything was very smooth, and all the jumps came up nicely. Nothing was too abrupt.”

A rider on a grey horse jumps over a wooden hurdle decorated with pumpkins and potted mums in an indoor arena.
Lexi Dodson and Pinot del Sole. Photo by Winslow Photography.

Returning last for the handy round, Dodson and Pinot del Sole held their composure under pressure to deliver another polished performance. The pair earned a score of 86.5, bringing their two-round total to 177.5 and securing the top spot in the class.

Dodson credited her winning partner’s consistency and remarkable jumping ability for making the experience feel seamless. “He is such a superstar,” Dodson said of Pinot del Sole. “He will jump anything from anywhere, a 10-out-of-10 all of the time. He never has a bad jump, which makes everything a little bit nicer on me because even if it’s a little bit long or a short, he covers it up by having such a perfect jump.”

A woman in riding gear sits on a white horse, while a woman holds a large check and a man holds a wooden trophy box.
Lexi Dodson and Pinot del Sole stand for their first-place photo presented by Billy Divito of Kentucky Performance Products. Photo by Winslow Photography.

The competition continues throughout the weekend at World Equestrian Center – Wilmington, welcoming more horse-and-rider combinations to experience the facility’s premier equestrian atmosphere and showcase their talent.

$10,000 Kentucky Performance Products USHJA  National Non-Pro Hunter Derby Results

Explore the daily class schedule, orders of go, class counts, and final results on HorseShowing.com 

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