The high-performance competition was hot in today's $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby. Earning scores in the nineties from both judging panels in both rounds, derby veteran John French rode Hiller Farms' six-year-old Center Court to a royal win. Twenty-nine pairs galloped around the Grand Prix Field over a forward flowing course on a gorgeous afternoon in southern California. The esteemed panels of judges sat on either side of the field, with Christina Schlusemeyer and Cindy Merritt as Panel One, and Panel Two consisted of Lisa Forman and Liz Adler.
Seven top professionals and one amateur earned solid scores in the Classic Round to return for the Handy Round. French had three entries in the top twelve - the gorgeous bay Center Court came back in the lead with an excellent score of 191. The handsome grey and previous derby class winner, Soldier, as well as the flashy chestnut Maritime, both owned by Elizabeth Gabler, were sitting second, and fourth, with scores of 183.5 and 175 respectively.
From Elvenstar, Katie Gardner rode the lovely Starlane Farms entry Maldini to third place in the first round with a score of 179. Riding for John Bragg's Bridgeport Farms, Jennifer Jones came back on two entries - the handsome dark bay West Street, who was sixth with 173, and Deanna Sage's Trousdale, a cute chestnut with lots of chrome, came back in the eighth position with a score of 170.
Returning in the fifth spot with a score of 174 was Leslie Steele aboard the classic bay hunter Deal Maker (owned by West Coast Equine Partners, LLC). Rounding out the top twelve were Jenny Karazissis and Hope Town Farms' Undeniable, Gretchen Lof aboard Corduroy (King Wood Farms, LLC, owners), young Amateur rider Conor Perrin on his own Gelato, Tara Metzner on High Five (Tammy Williams, owner) and Joie Gatlin on Lugano (owned by Alexis Meadows).
