Out of a starting field of 40 horses, the 24 highest-ranking pairs in the $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, presented by the World Equestrian Center, advanced to take on the handy phase on Sunday afternoon to culminate the final day of the inaugural Deeridge Derby Weekend. Riders tackled the course despite unusually cool and windy conditions, and it was Kristy Herrera who reigned supreme and was crowned the winner of the highly-anticipated class aboard Candid, owned by her longtime trainer and mentor, Jennifer Alfano.
The challenging and technical track was designed by Skip Bailey and featured bending lines, tight rollbacks, a trot fence to a natural log set on a tight angle and a hand gallop to the final oxer. There were endless possibilities for riders to show-off as they were given the option to jump any two of the white birch verticals as the first and second obstacles in their course that were positioned on a circle in the center of the Hollow Brook Wealth Management Grand Prix Field.
Herrera, of Wellington, Florida, experienced the sweet taste of victory yet again as she showcased her talents to capture the championship title. In August, at the Kentucky Horse Park, Herrera took the reins for Alfano on Miss Lucy to win the 2016 USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship.
While Herrera qualified for the handy phase on both of her entries, Candid and Miss Lucy, it was with Candid that she had the most success. The duo was sitting in second place going into Sunday afternoon's round, just narrowly missing the first place spot by 0.75 points. 'Sheldon,' as he is called back in the barn, has far less experience than Miss Lucy, but that didn't stop Herrera from riding to victory.
"Candid was amazing today. This was only his second derby and he stepped up like a champion. He was so awesome," Herrera said of her mount who typically campaigns in the Regular Conformation Hunters.
Judges gave the 2008 Holsteiner gelding scores of 87 and an 86 plus three handy points. Herrera was so confident with her trip she chose to forego the four high options on course, instead focusing on implementing a smooth and flowing round. Over the course of both days, Herrera ended up with an impressive 364.00 points in total.
"Sheldon has a lot of personality and he has a couple of quirks of his own, but what's best about him is he trusts his rider so that made today go really well," Herrera said.
Alfano, who owns both of Herrera's mounts in the class, is currently sidelined from a riding injury that occurred at the Devon Horse Show in 2016. She said, "[Kristy] and that horse - she's done things for me during my injury that have made it okay for me to be on the ground."