The last $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby of the 2016 Gulf Coast Winter Classic took place yesterday and twenty horse and rider teams took to the hunt over a course designed by Allen Rheinheimer, Gulf Coast Classic Company's Course Designer and Technical Coordinator. Holly Shepherd of Grand Bay, Alabama who Week II earned the top three ribbons in the Gulf Coast Winter Classic Circuit's $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, proved herself again to be the 'Derby Queen' of the Gulf Coast after she led both the Classic and Handy Rounds in the irons of Sabina Holtzman's Re Chiste. The pair earned a first round score of 88 and a Handy score of 89 for a total of 177 which awarded them a first place ribbon. Ramble On Farm's Little Rock, ridden by Kaitlyn Williams of Wayne, Pennsylvania, finished in second place after earning a first round score of 87 and Handy score of 79 for a total of 166. Roland Park, owned by Mount Fair Equine, LLC and ridden by Dudley MacFarlane of Crozet, Virginia followed in third with a first round score of 80.5 and second round score of 85 for an overall score of 165.5. Kathleen Caya of Oconomowo, Wisconsin, in the irons of Andy Kocher's Icali, earned a fourth place ribbon after earning a Classic round score of 83 and a Handy score of 81.5 for a total of 164.5. Sarah Percy MacMillan's Space Cadet, ridden by Callie Schott of Versailles, Kentucky, earned a first round score of 78 and a Handy score of 83 for a total of 161 and a fifth place ribbon. Sixth was awarded to Megan Martin's Signature, ridden by Caroline Wilson of Germantown, Tennessee, after earning a Classic round score of 79 and Handy score of 83 for a total of 161. Honor, owned and ridden by Salter Hydinger of Birmingham, Alabama, earned a seventh place ribbon after earning a first round score of 76 and a second round score of 82 for a total of 158. Williams returned for the eighth place ribbon, this time in the irons of Ramble on Farm's Shaq, after earning a first round score of 77.5 and a Handy score of 77 for a combined total of 154.5. Cathleen Driscoll of Elk Mills, Maryland, rode her own Good Times to a ninth place finish after earning a first round score of 80 and a second round score of 74 for a combined total of 154. Hydinger returned for a tenth place ribbon, this time in the irons of her own Motivation, and Shepherd returned for eleventh place in the irons of Helen Gilbert's White Lightening. Williams and Ramble On Farm's Casan wrapped up the class in twelfth place.
The last $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby of the 2016 Gulf Coast Winter Classic took place yesterday and twenty horse and rider teams took to the hunt over a course designed by Allen Rheinheimer, Gulf Coast Classic Company's Course Designer and Technical Coordinator. Holly Shepherd of Grand Bay, Alabama who Week II earned the top three ribbons in the Gulf Coast Winter Classic Circuit's $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, proved herself again to be the 'Derby Queen' of the Gulf Coast after she led both the Classic and Handy Rounds in the irons of Sabina Holtzman's Re Chiste. The pair earned a first round score of 88 and a Handy score of 89 for a total of 177 which awarded them a first place ribbon. Ramble On Farm's Little Rock, ridden by Kaitlyn Williams of Wayne, Pennsylvania, finished in second place after earning a first round score of 87 and Handy score of 79 for a total of 166. Roland Park, owned by Mount Fair Equine, LLC and ridden by Dudley MacFarlane of Crozet, Virginia followed in third with a first round score of 80.5 and second round score of 85 for an overall score of 165.5. Kathleen Caya of Oconomowo, Wisconsin, in the irons of Andy Kocher's Icali, earned a fourth place ribbon after earning a Classic round score of 83 and a Handy score of 81.5 for a total of 164.5. Sarah Percy MacMillan's Space Cadet, ridden by Callie Schott of Versailles, Kentucky, earned a first round score of 78 and a Handy score of 83 for a total of 161 and a fifth place ribbon. Sixth was awarded to Megan Martin's Signature, ridden by Caroline Wilson of Germantown, Tennessee, after earning a Classic round score of 79 and Handy score of 83 for a total of 161. Honor, owned and ridden by Salter Hydinger of Birmingham, Alabama, earned a seventh place ribbon after earning a first round score of 76 and a second round score of 82 for a total of 158. Williams returned for the eighth place ribbon, this time in the irons of Ramble on Farm's Shaq, after earning a first round score of 77.5 and a Handy score of 77 for a combined total of 154.5. Cathleen Driscoll of Elk Mills, Maryland, rode her own Good Times to a ninth place finish after earning a first round score of 80 and a second round score of 74 for a combined total of 154. Hydinger returned for a tenth place ribbon, this time in the irons of her own Motivation, and Shepherd returned for eleventh place in the irons of Helen Gilbert's White Lightening. Williams and Ramble On Farm's Casan wrapped up the class in twelfth place.