Thermal, Calif. – Feb. 11, 2022 – Friday afternoon’s feature hunter competition transitioned to the stunning grass field at Desert International Horse Park (DIHP) during Desert Circuit IV. Twenty-seven entries vied for top honors in the prestigious $50,000 Butet USHJA International Hunter Derby, the first hunter event to be held on the grass at DIHP. Among the West Coast’s top hunter riders and horses, ultimately taking the win was Katie Taylor-Davidson and L’con Reyes with a total score of 372.
The first round tested the riders with a winding course and options to show off their horses’ scope and style on the large field with a total of four high options on the course. Pathfinders on the grass field, Taylor-Davidson on L’con Reyes set the standard as first on course with a score of 84 from both judges to total 176. After round one, Nick Haness and Jenkins, owned by Brianne Tsakopoulos, were on top with a score of 179. In a close second was Haness aboard his second mount, Dalmore, owned by Julia Nagler, on a score of 177.5. Taylor-Davidson held a top three position heading into round two, tying with Haness and his third mount, the Double Down Farm, LLC, entry Caldiano, to round out the top three after round one drew to a close.
The top 12 pairs returned for the handy to further demonstrate their horses’ skills and abilities to maneuver an impressive course, with the cut-off score to return being 149. The handy course included a trot jump, a bank, and four high options for the riders to contest, plus several options after fence eight regarding which direction to turn, which way to jump a reversible fence nine, and which final oxer to choose coming home. Riders typically ride in reverse order of merit, however some pairs went out of order to accommodate riders with multiple horses to compete over the second round track.
Haness took advantage of being able to jump the course twice and put in a bold effort on his third mount, Dalmore, taking all four high options and being rewarded accordingly with eight handy bonus points for a handy score of 191 and a total score of 368.5, taking the lead. Taylor-Davidson and L’con Reyes returned with a well-ridden round for a handy round score of 196 and a total score of 372, knocking Haness off his throne and putting him into second, where he would ultimately land. Rounding out the top three at the close of the class was Lisa Wall and Tangled Up In Blue, owned by 3P Equine Partners, LLC, on a total score of 358.
Earlier in the day, hunter competition got underway with the $5,000 TALUS USHJA National Hunter Derby – Open section, welcoming 35 entries into Hunter 1. After the first round, Haness and Reese’s, owned by West Coast Equine Partners, LLC, captured the lead with a score of 91, then solidified his win by scoring a 91.5 in the handy round on a total score of 182.5. Second place honors went to Julia Rossow aboard Crowd Pleaser, also owned by West Coast Equine Partners, LLC, with a total score of 178.5, and third place went to Haness and Jennifer Berman’s Stiletto with a total score of 178.25. Rossow was also named Leading Lady Rider, sponsored by Rusty Brown Jewelry.
Following the Open section, competition continued with 42 junior and amateur athletes contesting the $5,000 G2 Insurance USHJA National Hunter Derby – Junior/Amateur. Emma Post on her own Won Love was leading the first round with a score of 90, but Paige Walkenbach’s impressive score of a 94 in the handy round, with Walkenbach Equestrian LLC’s Classic, skyrocketed her to victory with a total score of 177. Post and Won Love came in second place with a 77 in the handy round and a total score of 167, and rounding out the top three with Noah Nelson and Annapolis, owned by Tulucay Farm LLC, with a total score of 161.
Source: Press release
Photo by Olivia Nazworth
