Last Updated on April 13, 2024 by adminahb
It was derby day for professionals, juniors, and amateurs in the International Arena at Wellington International on Friday. Thomas Carlson (USA) set the courses for a field of 28 in the “hunt-and-go” format class.
In the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, presented by Perfect Products, professional Victoria Colvin of Loxahatchee, FL topped the field of 28 on high scores of 93 and 96. She piloted Southland, an eight-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding by Omos Quality owned by SG Equestrian, LLC.
“I’ve been riding him since late last year and we’ve just moved up to the 3’6”,” said Colvin. “We showed in the [WCHR] night class during WEF 6 and he was a little nervous. So, we thought it would be good for him to get back in the ring. He did wonderfully.
“This week has been really exciting for the hunters, getting to show in the International Arena,” continued Colvin. “It’s so much fun to have these [hunt-and-go] classes and even more fun to be able to get in this ring so much during the season.”
Sixteen-year-old Colvin Hall of Amelia Island, FL collected scores of 82 and 87 to top the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby in the junior/amateur ranks. He rode Easter, a 12-year-old gelding by Carpalo owned by Huntley Equestrian.
“When I was growing up, I rode my mom’s horse and it was a big hunter. I rode him in a lot of lower-level derbies at smaller shows in Florida,” said Hall, a junior at St. Andrews in Boca Raton, who rides with Ken and Emily Smith at Ashland Farm.
David O’Brien Does It Again during ESP Spring Series
David O’Brien (IRL) is on his way to a winning streak after scoring his second victory in as many days in the $32,000 Freejump CSI3* Grand Prix Qualifier on Friday during the second week of the 2024 ESP Spring Series, presented by Florida Coast Equipment. The win came on 12-year-old Oldenburg stallion El Balou OLD on the grass derby field at Equestrian Village, home of the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival during the winter season.
Mexico’s Ana Catalina “Catsy” Cruz designed the courses for 52 athletes. Clear rounds were few and far between during the first half of the class, but came like a storm near the end of the day. Twelve jumped clear in the opening round with 11 electing to jump off.
O’Brien left nothing to chance and took the win by nearly two full seconds (40.89) over Andrew Welles (USA) riding Idol H&H. Welles finished second in 42.22 seconds for owners Itasca Group & Evergreen Stables. Rounding out the podium for the second day in a row, Lebanon’s Jad Dana was third riding Caro W, owned by Peter Howard & Laure Sudreau, with a jump-off time of 42.57 seconds.
O’Brien is coming off a successful circuit with El Balou OLD (Eldorado vd Zeshoek x Balou du Rouet) with four international podiums during the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), including leading the Irish team to victory in the CSIO4* Nations Cup, presented by Florida Coast Equipment.
“We showed four weeks during circuit and he was incredible,” said O’Brien. “He hasn’t shown since week nine. He lives to be at the show and was happy to be back in the ring. In this big, open field, I can let him loose and have him really travel.”
Wellington International
news@wellingtoninternational.com
www.wellingtoninternational.com