Standlee/USHJA National Hunter Derby Regional Championships Crown Junior, Amateur, and Open Winners

Lexington, Ky.—Oct. 6, 2026—The sixth annual Standlee/USHJA National Hunter Derby Regional Championships wrapped up in September after five championships held across the country saw more than 280 horse-and-rider combinations. Following the same two-round format as the regular National Hunter Derby class, the Regional Championships are offered in three sections—Open, Amateur, and Junior—across six regions of USHJA Zones.

The North Central Championship was held June 9-14 at the Split Rock Hunter Jumper Classic II CSI2* in Lexington, Kentucky. Congratulations to the champions:

• Open: Michael Britt-Leon and Private Party, owned by Kelly Sims
• Junior: Faith Schuttemeyer with Atlas, owned by Sloan Sherman 
• Amateur: Colvin Hall riding Easter, owned by Huntley Equestrian 

“This win means a lot to me because I spend most of the year away at college and don't get many opportunities to show my horse anymore,” Hall, of Amelia Island, Florida, in Zone 4, said. “I've had him for four years, so coming home and having the chance to compete together again was incredibly special. This was my first year as an Amateur, and getting to compete against my mom, Allyson Hall, made the experience even more special. The Amateur Derby was so much fun, and having a class just for Amateur riders made it unique.”

The South Championship was June 17-21 at the World Equestrian Center Summer Series II in Ocala, Florida. Congratulations to the champions:

• Open: Brady Mitchell on Silver Lining, owned by Float On Equestrian, LLC
• Junior: Carsyn Korotkin with Hurricane, owned by Cavalieres Sporthorses, LLC
• Amateur: Hayley Waters Wear riding Nitemoves, owned by Mr. & Mrs. Chuck Waters

"Winning this championship was a great feeling, and I’m incredibly grateful for the team behind me that helped make it possible," exclaimed Korotkin, of Wellington, Florida, in Zone 4. "The USHJA provides fantastic classes to compete in, including this championship. It’s always a great feeling to win a USHJA class."

The Southwest Championship was July 8-12 at the Del Mar Sunshine Classic in Del Mar, California. Congratulations to the champions:

• Open: Sarah Moberg on Ultimate Romance, owned by Isabel Dyckerhoff 
• Junior: Kathryn Padilla riding Cassario 8, owned by Zoe Wolf 
• Amateur: Soleil Teubner Boughton with her own Crown Calido 

The Northwest Championship was held at the Oregon Summer, August 19-23, in Wilsonville, Oregon. Congratulations to the champions:

• Open: Emily Perkins with Alexandra's Coming Soon 
• Junior/Amateur: Alexis Apostol riding Quotation, owned by Katie Mayfield 

"This win means so much to me because Derbies are my favorite class," Apostol, of Seattle, Washington, in Zone 9, said. "It was incredibly rewarding to have everything come together with Quotation, also known as Cas. It was also such a fun night because the atmosphere at the show was so community-oriented and celebratory, which made the experience even more special."

"The Handy Round was definitely the most memorable part of the class for me," she continued. "Cas was an amazing partner, and completely game for all the inside turns while still jumping like a star. Those are the moments that make me love Derby competition so much and are a big reason why I enjoy competing in this program."

The North Championship was August 19-23 at the Princeton Summer Encore in Princeton, New Jersey. Congratulations to the champions:

• Open: Julie Oliver with Erika L. Hayne's Opportunity Knocks  
• Junior/Amateur: Addison Gingras with her own Talk of the Town

The championships wrapped up with the South Central Championship at Southwest Showdown on September 16-20 in Katy, Texas. Congratulations to the champions:

• Open: Adrianne Gamboa and Paxton, owned by Jennifer Clark
• Junior: Shay Mlak and her own Cinzano
• Amateur: McKayla Brombach with her own El Salvador

"I think this program is so much fun," exclaimed Brombach, from Wimberley, Texas, in Zone 7. "I love the opportunity to compete in a special class in my own age group. It’s very rewarding and gives Junior and Amateurs an opportunity to shine in a Derby format!"

The USHJA would like to thank Title Sponsor Standlee; Official Sponsors Herm Sprenger, Parlanti, Stridefull, and Nutrena; and Supporting Sponsor of the USHJA Hunter Championships GumBits. A special thank you also goes to the teams at Split Rock Jumping Tour, World Equestrian Center, Princeton Show Jumping, Team NW Equestrian Sports, and Southbound Show Management for hosting the Championships.

Learn more about the USHJA National Hunter Derby program at ushja.org/NHD. For more information about the Standlee/USHJA National Hunter Derby Regional Championships, visit ushja.org/NHDRC.

Photos: Winslow Photography, Andrew Ryback Photography, Amy McCool Photography, Paws and Rewind