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USHJA Continues to Make Strides and News with the
ASG Software Solutions/
USHJA International Hunter Derby
Presented by Dietrich Insurance
Featuring Walsh Harness & Saddlery

The following are excerpts from the original press releases.
Click here to view the press releases in their entirety.

David Wright and Renaissance Triumph in the ASG Software Solutions/USHJA International Hunter Derby presented by Dietrich Insurance featuring Walsh Harness & Saddlery

GULFPORT, MS.—MAR 7, 2008—David Q Wright of Murfreesboro, TN partnered with Renaissance have the distinct honor of winning the $10,000 USHJA 2008-2009 ASG Software Solutions International Hunter Derby presented by Dietrich Insurance featuring Walsh Harness & Saddlery, being held for the first time at the Gulf Coast Winter Classics.
 
Shadbelly jackets, shined boots, braided manes and tails were the fashion all about as a talented mix of 30 professional and amateurs jogged before the panel of four judges-Penny Walher, Wayne Eubank, John Roper, and Meg Skaffgaard as well as veterinarian Juan Gamboa. Once soundness was established, the top of the order prepared to take on the first round course of 10 obstacles [12 efforts] comprised mostly of natural materials such as logs, brush, and gate planks all from the creative mind of designer Allen Rheinheimer.
 
“I walked around it early, got the horses in the ring this morning just to look at it, because this is very different from what we jump in the hunter rings today” David began of his experience with the unique course, “this was more like what we jumped 20 years ago at Devon, but it’s so cool and the course is so nice!” David added. Early in the first round Grand Bay, AL favorite Holly Shepherd lead the pack riding Ashbury for owner Mary Walker with a high score of 171. David and the coming 10 year-old Hanoverian gelding Renaissance followed 4 rides later to land a 172 and take over the top spot. “You got a lot of really good jumps out of the better horses. They were impressed enough to think it [the course] interesting, when it’s the same old hunter jumps day in –day out they get a little bit bored.” David spoke of the first round, “It was fun to have the option to leave out strides in a few places, it was fun to have the option to jump the bigger jumps [4 foot], and the lines rode nice and open.”  

Moving to round two, where designer Rheinheimer upped the ante in the handy 10 obstacle [11 efforts] layout that included a sizable brush jump after which riders rolled back to trot over a small log and a few inside turns. However, the p’est de resistance came at the #9 obstacle, a gate that riders were to open, walk through it and pick up a hand gallop to the final oxer.
 
“My theory was just canter as late as I could, then pull up to a walk, leg yield over to it-open up and be ready to canter out.” David shared, “And don’t do anything stupid!” he added with a big laugh. A theory that served him well with a textbook perfect execution through the course and the dreaded gate earning an amazing score of 191. He later admitted his first thought on the handy course had been “just how many risks could I take.” Then confided what had actually transpired on the second track, “The 8 [strides] down the first line rode great. It’s really about 8 ½ but he made it easy. And I wanted to trot very few steps to the log [trot fence] to show handiness, and I chose to jump the higher options. Although my plan was to turn inside and jump the high option at the logs, which I did, but it caught him by surprise enough that my follow-up of another inside turn to a 4’ option out was best changed to give him a few canter strides around to enable him to get up for it.” Quick and decisive thinking no doubt guided the pair on to cinch both the second round and overall $10,000 victory.
 
Sully’s full time trainer Daphne Thornton of South Point Farms, located in Village of Loch Lloyd, MO, chatted about Renaissance, “He’s a fairly new purchase for us. We only began showing him this past December.”  Both David and Daphne expressed their sincere admiration to the show management, USHJA, and the “hardest working ring crew” for what they felt was a “beautifully done class. Everything was just perfect; footing was great. I’d even go so far to say Gulfport has the best footing and care for exhibitors over any other events going now.” David said very pointedly while Daphne and others around nodded in agreement.
 
Presenting a host of goodies to this morning’s winners was Melanie Fransen from the United States Hunter Jumper Association, “This was a perfect event! Bob [Bell] and Allen [Rheinheimer] did an amazing job. I’m just thrilled that I could be here for it.” Along with the custom ribbons from USHJA, the top placings also received fine leather lead lines and/or custom leather halters with engraved plates commemorating the event, all courtesy of Walsh Harness and Saddlery.  
  

Mandarin Shines in the Moonlight

March 21, 2008 Scottsdale, Arizona-It was one of those perfect Arizona evenings that the Scottsdale chamber of commerce wishes they could bottle and sell. March 21st, the first day of spring, featured sunny highs in the low 80's. By the time the first horse in the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby came to the ring that evening, it had cooled down to a shirtsleeves 75. A full moon rose glorious and round over the McDowell Mountains, and all in all it was a perfect setting for the big event.

California professional Peter Lombardo had the best of it, taking three spots in the top twelve. He returned last to the ring in the handy round on Mandarin, Jane Fraze's wonderful amateur hunter. The course gave riders the opportunity to gallop from the gate to the first jump, a big oxer. The course finished as it had begun, with a long gallop toward home to yet another large oxer. Lombardo showed off for the crowd to that last fence, letting Mandarin open his stride all the way up. Lombardo never touched the reins, and Mandarin soared to an impressive victory. Lombardo also earned third in the class with Ashley Pride's Chaucer.

Second in the class was George Dixon's Calvin K, with Kim Dixon up. Arizona trainer Tim Herrick took fourth aboard Chloe Parker's Aristotle, and Tina Dilandri earned fifth with Ashley Pride's Truly. Dilandri, who also finished seventh on Wesley, had some bad luck in the first round. The junior from Scottsdale, Arizona sat in ninth when they came back for the second go. She and Truly redeemed themselves in the handy with an averaged score of 90.5, second only to Mandarin's 92.5.

Scott Stewart & Lazy Sunday Win $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at WEF

WELLINGTON, Fla., Mar. 21--With victory in the $50,000 ASG Software Solutions/USHJA International Hunter Derby presented by Dietrich Insurance featruring Walsh Harness & Saddlery assured, Scott Stewart decided to take a risk on Beyond that if it paid off could have meant filling the top two places and going home with $26,000.

The pair was the last to go in the second round under lights before a crowd estimated at about 2,300 spectators in the International Arena at the CN Winter Equestrian Festival presented by Zimmerman Advertising at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.

But they pulled a rail at the last jump--the only combination of the 26 that started the second round to do so--and Stewart received the first place check for $15,000 for his victory on the Keli Colby-owned Lazy Sunday. The combination with 730 points over two rounds beat out Patricia Griffith and Kosta, owned by Bradley Cox, with 728 points and Jennifer Alfano and Rock Star owned by Bright Star 158 with 719 points.

Fifty nine horses started the first of two rounds in the Grand Hunter ring on Thursday. Stewart, of Wellington, and Beyond finished the first day in first place with Canada's Erynn Ballard and Cabardino second.

Friday night's round, for which the top 26 came back to compete in the International Arena before four panels of judges, brought upsets and surprises. As Stewart said, "I wondered about the big rocks but they were not a problem for any one." And neither was the bank that designer Richard Jerffery incorporated into his course.

Stewart and Lazy Sunday went in 19th in the order and posted a round of 377 points that, combined with their Thursday score, put them in the first place. The next pair was Griffith and Kosta who came within two points of catching Stewart. Then, Alfano and Rock Star came into the ring two rides later and they finished in third place at that stage. Few could have believed that would be the final result. Ballard and Cabardino pulled two rails and their 163 for the round dropped them out of contention.

Show management praised both Bobbie Murphy who designed Thursday's course in the Grand Hunter ring and Jeffery as well as the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association's High Performance Committee Chairman Ron Danta for his work on the event.

Pletcher Wins $10,000 Pin Oak Charity Horse Show USHJA International Hunter Derby 

March 31, 2008 KATY, Tex. - Peter Pletcher of Magnolia, Tex., was the overall winner of the $10,000 Pin Oak Charity Horse Show U.S. Hunter/Jumper Association International Hunter Derby presented by Valobra Jewelry and Antiques. This was a member event of the ASG Software Solutions/USHJA International Hunter Derby presented by Dietrich Insurance, featuring Walsh Harness & Saddlery - and it was presented on March 28 during the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center.

Presented by Valobra Jewelry and Antiques, the stunning ringside reception was a nod to the rich heritage and sport of show hunters.  Under a perfectly appointed tent elegantly attired guests dined on French cuisine and sipped Moet & Chandon champagne while enjoying classical music and a display of Ferraris and Maseratis; show officials arrived in a traditional carriage pulled by a Gypsy Vanner horse. "It was the quintessential hunter derby for our sponsors and guests," said Lynn Walsh, president of the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, "and a Pin Oak afternoon that will long be recalled for its elegance and style."

The top five finishers in Round I all included "the Pletcher element."  The class was won by a Pletcher-trained amateur rider, Becky Gochman of Houston, aboard her own horse Godiva.  Pletcher finished second on Leonardo (owned by Julia Eads) and third on MacArthur Park (owned by Lynn Walsh).  Fourth was the Pletcher-trained Vicki MacNaughton of Burnet, TX, on her horse Studio 54, and fifth was again Pletcher himself on Argentum.  

Round II (the handy round) was won by Argentum, followed by MacNaughton on Studio 54 in second, Pletcher on the Gochman-owned Tuscan Sun in third, Pletcher on MacArthur Park in fourth, and Jamee Crawford of El Paso on her horse Travis in fifth.  Points earned from the two rounds resulted in a grand final order of finish that included Pletcher on Argentum (1st), MacNaughton on Studio 54 (2nd), Pletcher on MacArthur Park (3rd), Pletcher on Tuscan Sun (4th) and Gochman on Godiva. 

Pletcher says he was "thrilled" with the win on Argentum (whose nickname is "Gem"), a seven-year-old Oldenburg gelding that was recently purchased by Basaldua while she was showing on the winter horse show circuit in Thermal, CA, with Pletcher's stable.  "This horse has such an unbelievable jump," Pletcher said of Gem, "even though he's very green - so I knew he could be the winner if he could just use the jump that he has, stay calm and hold it all together." 

Gem is "really, really a trier," Pletcher continued.  "And this afternoon, he proved that he's going to be a very nice horse."  Said owner Basaldua: "I am so excited and thrilled; nothing like this has ever happened to me.  I'm still shaking; it's surreal.  Peter is the best trainer." 

Course designer Alan Lohman of Westminster, Md., also received kudos from Pletcher "Overall," Pletcher said, "it was a really good course.  I thought it was so well-planned, because the ring is not huge.  So I think Alan did a fantastic job of where he set those jumps in that ring.  It rode picture-perfect."

As for sponsorships of hunter classics such as this one, Pletcher said: "I think it's great.  Any time you can get sponsors to give money in this sport, they should get as much coverage as they can.  I love it - I feel like the hunters are getting more and more money in our area now, and to have two of these Classics at two back-to-back horse shows is great money for the hunters."

Click here for more information on the USHJA International Hunter Derby. Please refer to the USHJA website for the most up to date schedule. For information on hosting a class, please contact Melanie Fransen at mfransen@ushja.org.
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The open Zone 3 Jumper Nominating meeting will be held at the Commonwealth National in Culpeper, VA on Friday April 18^th after the show.  If you have any questions please contact Oliver Kennedy, at oliverkennedy@verizon.net or (443) 878-8143.