PrintOne of the course designers shares his philosophies behind this event and the series.
What was your vision for the Wellington Hunter Derby’s handy course?
The U.S. Hunter Jumper Association High Performance Hunter Committee developed the USHJA International Hunter Derby to bring the art and tradition of horsemanship back to the show ring.
The series has brought attention to show hunters at the international level, increased spectator, media and sponsorship interest, and brought tradition and basic riding principles back to the sport. I feel the handy course this year far exceeded all the goals of the program.
It was one of those classes that was a changing point for the industry for a number of reasons.
The $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby in Wellington was as close as you can get to the derby finals, in both the highest quality of horses/riders and meaning behind the class. The handy round had 17 obstacles (16 in 2010, 14 in 2009) with very little room to make mistakes. The riders who were prepared were rewarded, and the riders who weren’t prepared made obvious mistakes.
A perfect example was Lyman T. Whitehead. He had difficulties on the table top bank in 2010, and you could see he felt uncomfortable with the natural obstacles. This year, his client Visse Wedell held a derby practice class at her Foundation Farm on the Tuesday before the class, and he was a different rider.
He rode the course and natural obstacles with pure confidence on a horse that has shown in several derbies but never placed. Because he cared and made it a point to practice he placed in the top 12. His hard work and dedication will make him a top derby rider in the future. I hope he comes to derby finals—that would be the next step for him to further his development into a derby rider.
Another great example is Liza Towell Boyd and the straw circle, where she refused out with Brunello last year at the Wellington Derby. So her father Jack and brother Hardin went home and built the straw circle, and she returned to the derby finals, conquered the straw circle and claimed third place. She walked away a better rider that day. I could see it in her at the press conference after the class. She was proud, and I was proud of her—not only for conquering the circle but for the way she did it. She never blamed the course; she just admitted she had an off day, and she practiced so next time she would prevail.
What were you trying to accomplish with this course?
This class sets an example of what a top derby class should be. Over time the courses progress on top of one another. In this class the hunt coat on the fence was just decoration, but at the finals the riders might choose a route where they must jump the hunt coat. So the courses are all in steps, and when the horses and riders are ready, we can take another step.
I always work closely with [USHJA High Performance Committee Chair] Ron Danta when designing the high-profile courses because in the end we want what’s best for the horse, and sometimes that’s a learning process on the course designers’ side and sometimes a learning process for the trainers. When we work together as a group we make better decisions, so I always try to get many viewpoints before bringing a new challenge to the table.
