It has been a busy week here at the Flintridge Autumn Classic! From the USHJA National Hunter Derby and the Grand Prix of Flintridge to all the special exhibitor parties and fundraisers, there have been fun activities each day! Tonight, we saw a great class of riders compete in the Grand Prix of Flintridge with a delicious dinner to support CPHA! Course designer John Manning knows the ring well and built a course to test the riders and their horses for the evening performance. The course contained 15 efforts, including three combinations. The triple combination was on the far side of the arena, which lead you to a vertical - vertical combination on the diagonal to a bending line, then a line to a double combination on the rail by the crowd. Round one produced three clear rounds to head into the jump off. The jump off course was made up of 8 efforts, including the oxer - vertical combination on the rail and finished over a stout oxer on the diagonal heading back to the in gate. Tiffany Sullivan and The Gladiator lead the way in the jump off and ended with just one rail down. Mark Watring rode his own Balyon on a quicker tracker than Sullivan, but also with a rail. Sullivan then came in to finish the class on Christian Grey in a clear round and fast time to take the class!

PLACE NUMBER HORSE OWNER RIDER
1 275 Christian Grey Haley Farms LLC Tiffany Sullivan
2 235 Balyon Mark Watring Mark Watring
3 272 The Gladiator Haley Farms LLC Tiffany Sullivan
4 503 Delmonde Q Of E Farms Llc Kaitlin Dawn Campbell
5 303 Little Indian Misti Cassar Misti Cassar
6 111 Rien Myrtle Hill Farm Greg Hedrick
Last night closed out the month of September with a bang with the USHJA National Hunter Derby and the Wine and Cheese Party to support CPHA! The competitive class of 32 horses and riders took the stage under the lights in the main arena for a fun evening of competition.The derby course was also created by the talented Manning, who designed the Grand Prix of Flintridge's course. The track tested the horses and riders on their handiness and adjustability. "The course was wide open with very few related distances," said Manning. "Horses jumped well and the riders looked like they were having fun. The handy round had a lot of options and was a crowd pleaser!" In the end, it was the Michael's who came out in the top three spots, with Michael Leon claiming first and third on Nil Du Buffant Rouge and Pebble Beach, respectively, and Michael Hebert and Cardozo placing second. Congratulations to all our competitors and thank you for such a great class!
USHJA National Hunter Derby Results:
Place Number Horse Owner Rider
1 298 Nil Du Buffant Rouge Michael Leon Michael Leon
2 994 Cardozo Shelly Gambardella Michael Hebert
3 297 Pebble Beach Robert Peters II Michael Leon
4 186 Chacaquido Emily Raich Emily Raich
5 247 Quarter Note Sheila Ryan Michael Hebert
6 185 Apostador Gold Creek Alison Raich
7 277 Caravaggio 12 Tierney Smith Michelle Morris
8 126 Chanel David Florimbi David Florimbi
9 296 Ziggy Stardust Melhill Stables Llc Michael Leon
10 196 Nat King Cole Rollin Sykes Rollin Sykes
11 233 Leopold Von Bayern II Blake Lindsley Blake Lindsley
12 280 Edgewater Tami Thosath Michelle Morris