Thermal, CA (March 2, 2016): Hunter riders gathered at HITS Desert Horse Park on Sunday to vie for a blue-ribbon victory in the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix and the $1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix.
$5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix
Alexis Taylor-Silvernale and Campari winning the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix. ESI Photography
Riders competed for the winning title in Sunday’s $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix, a qualifying opportunity for the $500,000 Diamond Mills Hunter Prix at the HITS Championship in September. The top 15 returned for the second round to put in their best effort, but the team to beat was Alexis Taylor-Silvernale and Campari, owned by Aleron, LLC.
The equestrian from Medina, Washington, and Campari flowed through the 13-fence course in the two-round classic. They earned a second-round score of 86, which combined with their first-round score of 85, totaled 171 for the win.
Coming in behind Taylor-Silvernale was John Bragg of Laguna Beach, California, aboard Lukatoni, owned by Pamela Moellenhoff. As the final pair in the Order of Go, they earned a second round score of 86.5, which combined with their first-round score of 84, gave them a total of 170.5, just a half of a point away for second-place.
Belynda Bond of Pilot Point, Texas, came next in the ribbons showing Eileen Fontaine’s Norderney. They scored a consistent 83 in both rounds for a total of 166, awarding them third-place for their efforts.
Fourth-place went to Canby, Oregon, rider Dustin Goodwin and Know-How, owned by Karson Parry. With a first-round score of 78.75 improving to an 83, gave them a total of 161.75. The top five rounded out with Lizzie Kerron of Woodinville, Washington, and Juno, owned by Johanna Sixt. They were awarded a first-round score of 80, which combined with a second-round score of 79.5 gave them a total of 159.5 for fifth-place.
| Place | Horse | Owner | Rider | Prize | R.1 Score | R.2 Score | Total |
| 1 | Campari | Aleron LLC | Alexis Taylor-Silvernale | $1,500 | 85 | 86 | 171 |
| 2 | Lukatoni | Pamela Moellenhoff | John Bragg | $1,000 | 84 | 86.5 | 170.5 |
| 3 | Norderney | Eileen Fontaine | Belynda Bond | $700 | 83 | 83 | 166 |
| 4 | Know-How | Karson Parry | Dustin Goodwin | $500 | 78.75 | 83 | 161.75 |
| 5 | Juno | Johanna Sixl | Lizzie Kerron | $400 | 80 | 79.5 | 159.5 |
| 6 | Fabricio | Morgan Geller | Morgan Geller | $350 | 78 | 81 | 159 |
| 7 | Cool Charm | Wendy Valdes | Wendy Valdes | $300 | 78.5 | 80 | 158.5 |
| 8 | Einstein | Ashlyn Matheus | Ashlyn Matheus | $250 | 79 | 79 | 158 |
$1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix
Leila Templin and Beach Drive winning the $1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix. ESI Photography
British Columbia equestrian Leila Templin stacked the leaderboard in the $1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix, claiming both the first- and second-place titles of the Sunday class.
Templin garnered the highest scoring second-round with her winning mount Beach Drive, owned by Susan Lund. With a second-round score of 84, combined with a first-round score of 82, they received an overall total of 166 for the blue-ribbon and a slice of the prize purse.
Not far behind her winning round was Templin aboard Genoa Bay, owned by Ellen Brown. They were awarded a second-round score of 80, which combined with their first-round score of 83, earned them a total of 163 for second-place.
Third in the ribbons was Bunistar, owned and ridden by Naomi Rubin of Portula Valley, California. They received a first-round score of 77.5, improving to am 83 for a total of 160.5.
Annika Singh of Medina, Washington, earned fourth place with Charlie, owned by Singh Family Farms, LLC. They placed just behind Rubin with a consistent score of 80 in both rounds for a total of 160. Lorient finished out the top five with owner and rider Haley Sherwood-Coombs of Woodside, California. They were awarded scores of 79.5 and 79, respectively for a total of 158.5 for fifth.
| Place | Horse | Owner | Rider | Prize | R.1 Score | R.2 Score | Total |
| 1 | Beach Drive | Susan Lund | Leila Templin | $450 | 82 | 84 | 166 |
| 2 | Genoa Bay | Ellen Brown | Leila Templin | $300 | 83 | 80 | 163 |
| 3 | Bunistar | Naomi Rubin | Naomi Rubin | $200 | 77.5 | 83 | 160.5 |
| 4 | Charlie | Singh Family Farms LLC | Annika Singh | $150 | 80 | 80 | 160 |
| 5 | Lorient | Haley Sherwood-Coombs | Haley Sherwood-Coombs | $125 | 79.5 | 79 | 158.5 |
| 6 | Moonrise Kingdom | Allison Talbot | Allison Talbot | $100 | 73.5 | 81.5 | 154.5 |
| 7 | Fortunate | Beth Ugoretz | Beth Ugoretz | $100 | 73 | 81 | 154 |
| 8 | Uberich D | Rainie Rose | Kaitlin Baldwin | $75 | 75 | 78.5 | 153.5 |