Wilmington, Ohio – Twenty-five competitors met at the main hunter ring at World Equestrian Center – Wilmington (WEC) for the $10,000 Shoo-fly USHJA National Hunter Derby during Summer I. In the end, a rainy classic round did not stop Nicole Lyvere and her own Lugatti (Lux) from rising to the occasion over Robert Barton’s (USA) tracks.
Entering the arena just as the clouds took over WEC – Wilmington, Lyvere entered for round one planning on a confident ride. “I definitely was a little nervous when it started raining and the trees started blowing. It almost made me more nervous, but in a way, it took the pressure off of being perfect. I just went in to give him a good, confident ride everywhere and it almost helped me. He is really smart, and sometimes he can use his smarts for naughtiness,” Lyvere laughed. “I was really proud of him today.”
Securing a first-round score of 89.5 with her 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding, Lyvere returned for the handy sitting in second place. “I wanted to be a bit more conservative than I ended up being,” Lyvere commented on her handy. “Going in sitting in second, I just wanted to rely on my good first-round score and just lay down another solid one to carry me through. I didn’t want to go inside the standard after jump one, but that was how it worked out! I went for it and it paid off.”
The duo secured the win with a handy score of 89 and a two-round total of 178.5.
Samantha Cooper and Ellen Malson’s seasoned 16-year-old Brandenburg Warmblood gelding, Nandino, added another top three finish to their already impressive record with scores of 83.5 and 91.
Hampton Baker rounded out the podium with her own 14-year-old Zangersheide mare, Summer Song (Clintissimo x Showtime Z), with scores 90 and 79.
$10,000 Shoo-fly USHJA National Hunter Derby Results:
1 Lugatti, Nicole Lyvere, Nicole Lyvere | 178.5
2 Nandino, Samantha Cooper, Ellen Malson | 174.5
3 Summer Song, Hampton Baker, Hampton Baker | 169
4 Udefix, Colleen Holton, Colleen Holton | 168
5 Bernard, Richard Rinehart, Sarah Lothmann | 166
6 Fineas, Jessica Jurkowitz, Clover Hill Farm | 165.6
7 Clayton 35, Colleen Holton, Sarah Steele | 165
8 Kiss And Make Up, Melissa Donnelly, Vivien Kosal | 164
9 R Du Sol, Devin Milan, Devin Milan | 162
10 Captain Maverick, Abbygale Funk, Gracelyn Haydel | 161.5
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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.