Coming into the handy round in third place, young professional Jamie Sailor moved up to win the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby aboard Hopeful, owned by Astrid Van Leeuwen. The pair finished with a two-round total of 370.5 points, while Karli Postel rode Get Rowdy, owned by Teton Farms, LLC, to a second-place finish, scoring a total of 368 points. Nick Haness and Lindsay Schiefelbein’s Verdict finished a close third place, with a final score of 364.5 points.
Jamie Sailor is elated aboard Hopeful as she enjoys their victory gallop. Photo by McCool Photography
Dressed up for the affair, The Oaks International Grand Prix Field welcomed twenty hunters over the gorgeous course set by Canada’s Peter Holmes. The two judging panels consisted of Don Stewart and Patrick Rodes as panel one, while Joni Osteen and Chris Wynne made up panel two. Twelve horses advanced to the second round, where open gallops, tight inside turns, and rollbacks combined to show off a hunter’s handy traits.
“I really enjoyed building this course,” Holmes explained. “This is how horses are meant to be shown. Beautiful animals showing off at the gallop and over fences. And showing how nimble the horses are in the handy round. It’s a special treat to be able to use such fantastic equipment here at Blenheim EquiSports.”
After galloping the handy course on her two other mounts, Sailor gave the seven-year-old Hopeful a confident ride, earning them both their first USHJA International Hunter Derby victories. It was the young bay horse’s second Derby of his career, but certainly not his last. Sailor led the victory gallop not only with a big smile but dropped the reins and gave two fist pumps.
Jamie Sailor with Traci Brooks of Balmoral, Melissa Brandes and Paul Bennett of Blenheim EquiSports. Photo by McCool Photography
Along with earning the tricolor ribbon, Sailor takes home a USHJA Boot Bag and a pair of Roeckl Sports gloves. She also earned fifth and sixth place ribbons on Matador and Quarter Note, respectively.
In between the two rounds of competition, Janie Andrew of Rancho Mirage, CA was awarded the Arthur J. Hawkins Award for Excellence for her decades of support of the show hunter industry. As Vic Carmen announced the credits to her name, she’s owned and shown a long list of top hunters, it was clear she belonged on the list of talented horsemen and horsewomen who have won the award over the last eleven years.
RESULTS
$15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby
Place –Number – Horse – Rider – Owner – R1 Score / R2 Score = Total
1. 711 – Hopeful –- Jamie Sailor – Astrid Van Leeuwen – 174 /196.5 = 370.5
2. 240 – Get Rowdy – Karli Postel – Teton Farms LLC – 174 / 194 = 368
3. 747 – Verdict – Nick Haness – Lindsey Schiefelbein – 176 /188.5 = 364.5
4. 452 –Vanderpump – Augusta Iwasaki – Ashland Farms – 165 /191 = 356
5. 713 – Matador – Jamie Sailor – Taylor Cusmano – 160 /187 = 347
6. 726 – Quarter Note – Jamie Sailor – Sheila Ryan – 153 / 193 = 346
7. 192 – L’Con Reyes – Katie Taylor – Bravado Farms LLC – 174 /166 = 340
8. 297 – Icon – Leslie Steele – Bridgeport Farms LLC – 159 / 177 = 336
9. 180 – Castle – Lexi Wedemeyer – Eaton Place LLC – 171 / 161 = 332
10. 243 – Beach Boy – Emily Williams – Emily Williams – 150 / 173 = 323
11. 650 – C’est la Vie – Morgan Garnett – Morgan Garnett – 137 / 153 = 290
12. 450 – Small Kingdom – Jamie Taylor – Iwasaki & Reilly – 177 / 108 = 285