Shiloh Roseboom and Heavenly Patch of Blue are Small but Mighty in the USHJA Pony Hunter Derby Championship-West
San Juan Capistrano, Calif.—Sept. 16, 2020—The small but mighty duo of Shiloh Roseboom and Enchantment Farms LLC’s Heavenly Patch of Blue were strong from start to finish to come out on top at the USHJA Pony Hunter Derby Championship, West Coast on Friday, September 11 at the Blenheim Equisport Fall Tournament.
“Winning the Pony Hunter Derby Championship felt especially great this year because it’s my last time competing in this class on Anna (Heavenly Patch of Blue) before I age out of the Small ponies this year. It will be a memory I will cherish forever," said Roseboom.
Hosted on the grass Pacific Field, 17 ponies competed in the second annual Championship judged by Liz Adler, Sandy Aston, Robin Rost Brown and Jim Dahlquist. Jasen Shelley of Wellington, Florida, designed the courses.
One of four Smalls in the Championship, Roseboom and Heavenly Patch of Blue took an early lead, placing third in the Classic round. But it was her flawless Handy trip on the Welsh grey mare that earned her a score of 86, for a total of 169, that earned her the tri-color ribbon and the coveted flower blanket. They also earned the High Score Award for the Small section.
"In the Classic Round, I just needed to remember about my pace. The grass field is big for the ponies and it’s a lot of ground to cover, so I had to keep reminding myself about keeping the same energy and pace. The Handy rounds are my favorite. I had a good score from my first round, but the top three were close, so I knew I needed to go out there and not only do some handy tracks but also execute them well," Roseboom said.
"Heavenly Patch of Blue is amazing to ride, and we know each other so well that I just think about what I want to do and she does it. She trusts me so much and I trust her. We have the most special partnership, and we have had so much success together from coast to coast. She’s helped make me the rider I am today," she continued.
Hot on her heels was Katalina Considine-Rickard and her own Medium Pony, Elite Hollywood Smoke. Their consistency in both the Classic and Handy rounds, earning a total score of 166.5, earned them the Reserve Champion title as well as the High Score award for the Medium section.
Returning Champion Skylar Wireman and Having Fun Already LLC's Secret Crush finished third with a score of 166.25 and earned the High Score Award for the Large section. Wireman also placed fourth on Dressed in Gold, owned by Millennium Farm, Inc.
Grooms Jesus Vasquez and Alfredo Javero won the Shapley’s Best Turned Out award for their superior grooming of Heavenly Patch of Blue.
The USHJA extends its gratitude to official sponsors CWD, Parlanti and Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, and award sponsors Charles Owen, Essex Classics, Champion Floral Blankets by Susan Garrett, Shapley's and Boy O Boy Bridleworks. The USHJA also thanks Blenheim Equisports and competition manager Stephanie Lightner for hosting this year's West Coast Championship.
The USHJA Pony Hunter Derby offers Juniors the opportunity to compete ponies in a series modeled after the International and National Hunter Derby programs. Competitors can earn National and Zone Horse of The Year bonus points, year-end series awards, and qualify to compete in either the East Coast or West Coast Championships.
The USHJA Pony Hunter Derby Championships feature two rounds—a Classic Hunter style course and a Handy Hunter course. Fence heights are adjusted by size (small - 2'3", medium - 2’6", and large 2’9"-3’0"), but the class is not split by size. Each derby is pinned through 12th place.
Unfortunately due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the East Coast iteration of this Championship was cancelled. Dates, locations and qualifying information for the 2021 USHJA Pony Hunter Derby Championships will be made available soon.
For more information about the USHJA Pony Hunter Derby, visit ushja.org/PonyHunterDerby.
Photos by McCool Photography
USHJA Pony Hunter Derby Championship-West Results
Placing / Horse / Rider / Owner / Overall Score
1. Heavenly Patch of Blue / Shiloh Roseboom / Enchantment Farms LLC / 169
2. Elite Hollywood Smoke / Katalina Considine-Rickard / Katalina Considine-Rickard / 166.5
3. Secret Crush / Skylar Wireman / Having Fun Already LLC / 166.25
4. Dressed In Gold / Skylar Wireman / Millennium Farm LLC / 159.75
5. Buzzworthy / Lauren Padilla / Highland Farm LLC / 159.25
6. Why Worry / Skylar Wireman / Millennium Farm LLC / 158
7. D'Artagnan / Paige Walkenbach / Paige Walkenbach / 151.5
8. Girl On Fire / Devin Roseboom / Ellie Wexler / 149.5
9. Infinity & Beyond / Peyton Dopf / Peyton Dopf / 145.5
10. Party Favor / Sophia Donald / Sophia Donald / 139.5
11. Black Tie Affair / Tessa Buchanan / Tessa Buchanan / 135.5
12. Lakeview Pickpocket / Selma Eriksen / Selma Eriksen / 115
