JUDGES’ POINT OF VIEW By Katie Shoultz
Judges and competitors share their thoughts on what makes a good derby horse.
had to grapple with in past years. Cue in the USHJA International and National Hunter Derby Program. As an ode to the roots of the sport, the derbies are bringing a good dose of novelty and sportsmanship back to center stage. Premiering in 2009, the program hosted its fourth Derby Finals in Lexington, Kentucky, on August 17–18, 2012. The response garnered for the program has been tremendous, with derby classes showcased at the WTI Winter Equestrian Festival, Hampton Classic, Thunderbird Show Park, along with numerous others throughout the nation. In fact, the 2012- 2013 series has 64 international derbies scheduled. Although there will always be a divide from
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field hunter to show ring hunter, the derbies have lessened the gap. As Jeanne Smith of Clear View Farm explains, “Foxhunting is reality. Hunters take tradition into sophistication. They will always be different and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.” Spanning the gap between the two, the derbies pose greater demands for horse and rider than traditional hunter classes, and exhibitors have happily risen to the challenge. Each derby consists of a classic round and handy round with
professionals, amateurs, and juniors all competing together. Competitors walk in on equal ground with no warm up, and the courses are designed to be reminiscent of the hunt field with natural-looking obstacles such as stone walls, coops and hedges. Banks and ditches are also allowed. The national hunter derbies, instituted in 2010 from the overwhelmingly positive response of the international derbies, are designed to give less experienced horses and riders an approachable test over the derby elements. There is much exciting insight from this developing program from those most closely involved. Most certainly at the forefront is what type of horse will “cut it” as a derby horse. After all, a rare opportunity is being afforded. The horses that are successful at derbies will likely shape the ultimate direction of the hunter industry.
ALREADY CLASSICS Jersey Boy, winner of this year’s finals, has been dubbed the “poster child” for the derbies. He is owned by SBS Farms of Buffalo, New York and ridden by Jennifer Alfano. Together they create a
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ull rounds, repetitive courses, drugging concerns and artificiality. These are just some of the issues the hunter sport has
Jersey Boy and Jennifer Alfano captured the $100,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals Championship at the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show in August 2012. Jennifer Alfano and Jersey Boy win the $50,000 Chicago International Hunter Derby this past September.
formidable team. Jersey Boy, a Hanoverian gelding by White Star, was a striking performer at the 2010 World Equestrian Games Demo, helping to bring hunters to a new level of international recognition, as well as winning multiple derbies since the inception of the program. Troy Hendricks, a USEF ‘R’ licensed judge and trainer at Kimber-View Stables, sees Jersey Boy as embodying the very essence of what the program is about. “He has all the qualities that a top derby horse needs. He’s athletic, brilliant and every jump is great. He’s brave, scopey and a beautiful mover with great rideability. He can jump and turn and be handy. He puts all the parts together.”
Kendall Bierer
Aullmyn Photography, courtesy SBS Farms
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