Hardin Towell Takes on Del Mar

Hardin Towell finished second in the $150,000 Longines FEI World Cup Qualifier in Del Mar

Hardin Towell continued his grand prix successes with top performances in the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping in Del Mar, California that culminated October 18.

The energy and excitement were palpable as spectators congregated in a full Del Mar Arena to watch some of show jumping's greatest stars tackle Heiko Wahlers' Longines FEI World Cup Show Jumping Del Mar course for a purse of $150,000.

There were 28 horse-and-rider combinations that tackled the imposing horse, and in the end it was USA No. 1 rider Beezie Madden aboard Simon who took the top prize, with Finally Farm's Hardin Towell taking an impressive second place aboard Lucifer V.

"Hardin had a great great show in Del Mar, and we're so proud of him," said sister Liza Towell Boyd. "First, he won the Wednesday Welcome class on New York and then he was second to Beezie in the World Cup class, which is really like a win since she's currently the No. 2 rider in the world!

Hardin Towell won the $33,000 Del Mar Welcome Grand Prix aboard New York

"Our parents (Jack and Lisa Towell) went out to Del Mar the week before to cheer Hardin on," Liza added. "They enjoyed being out there and had fun. Hardin’s come a long way, and he commented to me afterward that he's really working on his body position and the small details of his riding. He's at that level where there’s no room for even the smallest mistakes. With all of the different medal finals going on now around the country, I thought his comment was especially meaningful. Even after your equitation days are over, even the most successful riders still work on their positions to be their most effective." 

To read about Hardin's past equitation victory in the Washington International Equitation Classic Finals--and the springboard it created for other top show jumpers--please see the article "From Junior Riders to Show Jumping Superstars: Past WIHS Equitation Winners Share Their Memories" in The Plaid Horse magazine.

To show's press release documented more about Hardin's performance, including some valuable lessons he's learned and the strategy he chose for this class. Here are excerpts:

Against a field stacked with seasoned, international competitors, Beezie Madden reinforced her ranking as the USA’s No. 1 jumping athlete, and the world No. 2 in the Longines Rankings, by riding the fastest clear in an eight-man jump off for the $150,000 Longines FEI World Cup Qualifier at the Del Mar International (Calif.).

The stands in the indoor venue were packed as Madden strategically maneuvered the 16-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Simon (Mr. Blue x Polydox) to the win in 37.33 seconds, more than a second faster than Hardin Towell’s 38.75-second round with Lucifer V. 

The solid, 13-obstacle track designed by Germany’s Heiko Wahlers presented multiple challenges to the horse-and-rider pairs that included optional striding and a very large triple combination. One of the biggest questions, according to the riders during the course walk, was the decision between six or seven strides from a double combination to a wide oxer over a liverpool. The decision to set a really big course stemmed from the many great riders featured in the class, Wahlers said.

“I thought [before my jump-off round] that Kent [Farrington] had already gone and [Richard] Spooner had already gone and had a rail, and knew I had Beezie behind me, but with Lucifer this year, too many times I’ve gone too fast and had the last jump down in several grand prix in Europe that I could’ve easily taken one more,” Hardin said. “My turns on him are not great, and I knew from the beginning that Beezie was definitely going to be able to go faster. Going to the last jump, I saw one less [stride] and then I thought, ‘You know what, I’m probably going to gallop down there, knock it down, and I would’ve still been slower than Beezie.'

“So, I decided to take one more [stride], and Beezie beat me," Hardin added. "But I’ve been the bridesmaid a lot in the past couple months, so it is what it is. But having Beezie behind me, you can only do so much, and I was thrilled with my horse. He’s really improved in the past two years, and even in the past year. This was his first World Cup last year, and I hope next year that he’ll have a bright future ahead of him.”

1. Simon (Beezie Madden), USA, 0 faults/37.33 seconds (JO);

2. Lucifer V (Jack “Hardin” Towell), USA, 0/38.75 (JO);

3. Nikh Quanto (Christian Heineking), GER, 0/40.80 (JO);

Hardin did enjoy a victory at Del Mar when he guided New York Win to the blue ribbon in the $33,000 Welcome Grand Prix, presented by Trelawny Farm.

Excerpts from the show's press release: 

The Welcome class set the stage on the show's opening day as 53 elite equestrian athletes including Georgina Bloomberg, Quentin Judge, Jack Hardin Towell, Eduardo Menezes, Nayal Nassar, Kent Farrington, Lauren Hough, Karl Cook, Eric Navet, Beezie Madden, Mandy Porter, Ray Texel, Richard Spooner, and Samuel Parot tackled renowned German course designer Heiko Wahlers' first Grand Prix of the week.

Eleven riders made it to the jump-off, and four went clear, but it was Jack Hardin Towell who expertly navigated the shortened course aboard New York and emerged victorious. Towell's time was a blistering 37.04 seconds, with Kirsten Coe on California 62 following close on his heels to finish second in a time of 38.12. Third place went to Cornet 39 with Lauren Hough in the irons and a jump-off time of 38.66, and our fourth-place finisher was Richard Spooner riding the aptly named Mighty Mouse who came in clean at 40.12 seconds. 

Finally Farm horses and riders also enjoyed success the same week while attending the Tryon Fall 5 Horse Show in North Carolina, where there were ample championships and reserve ribbons collected under the watchful eyes of trainers Liza and Jack.

This week Finally Farm will divide and conquer, with Hardin traveling to the East Coast to meet Liza at the Washington International Horse Show to train and show, while Jack remains in Tryon for the Fall  6 show. Best of luck to all of our clients and friends competing at these two competitions.

A special congratulations to Zola Thompson on the recent purchase of the Medium Pony Elegance, the Reserve Champion at the Pennsylvania National. We look forward to working with you as you develop a partnership with this special pony!

Harrisburg Junior Weekend Blues

The Finally Farm team traveled to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania for the 70th Annual Pennsylvania National Horse Show, October 7-11, and it was a banner Junior Weekend with lots of great performances and a few well-earned blue ribbons.

Congratulations to Lily Bennett and Maraschino for winning the Small Junior Hunter, 15 and under, Under Saddle and her great rides aboard Carasco. It's All Good and Elly Ficca also collected a blue ribbon over fences in the Medium Pony Hunters with a score of 87! 

Congratulations also to Mary Carton Mitchener with Trinity and Laura Critz on Quatrain for their performances in the 3'3" Juniors and to pony rider Ruby Sloan with Highlands Heaven Sent for her excellent rides. Great job everyone for the wonderful weekend with lots of fun and smiles!

Special thanks to Nichole Sloan for the fantastic photos!

Capital Challenge Highlights

Despite the historic flooding in the Carolinas last week, Finally Farm, based in Camden, South Carolina, escaped with little damage. Our hearts go out to our friends who weren't as fortunate, and we continue to support and assist those in need.

Although the weather at this year's Capital Challenge Horse Show in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, September 27-October 4 wasn't without some rain as well, Finally Farm horses and riders rose to the occasion to overcome the trying conditions for some excellent performances.   

Liza Boyd's ride aboard Bridget Hallman's Gala resulted in the Future Hunter Mare Championship over a super field. In addition, the pair placed third in the Future Hunter North American Championship, where they earned 172.65 points in the two-round competition, with averages of 86.47 and 86.18.

Gala and Liza Boyd

"She really stepped up in that indoor ring during the Championship, and she went forward and jumped beautifully," said Liza. "Third was a great ribbon in that company, with Hunt Tosh and Jen Alfano taking first and second. It's been a fun class to watch over the years because so many of these Future Hunters have gone on to be top Green, Junior and Amateur hunters."

Liza last piloted Gala, a 7-year-old Oldenburg, for trainer Rachel Kennedy during the USHJA Pre-Green Incentive Championship in August, and she felt a difference in the mare's confidence level.

"She just seemed a bit easier and more focused," said Liza. "Maybe it's because Bridget and Rachel have more miles on her, or maybe she learned a lot at Capital Challenge! I did a lot of flatwork with her and worked to have her come off my leg. She was really going well and was never less than fourth in her classes. Rachel and Bridget were so fun to work with, too, and I enjoyed being a part of that team."

Once again, Liza contested the WCHR Professional Challenge class with Laura Critz's Quatrain, where they placed sixth. This year, Liza didn't quite have enough points to qualify for the WCHR Professional Finals on Friday night, and she finished eighth in the WCHR National Professional Standings. She and Quatrain also earned the reserve championship in the 3'6" Performance Hunter section behind Cold Harbor and Hunt Tosh.

"I think this is the most competitive it’s been to qualify," noted Liza. "You had to have four strong WCHR horse shows during the year and then do well here at Capital Challenge. The numbers were big as well, and I think that’s good for the sport, that it’s becoming more and more competitive."

Liza was also pleased with Quatrain's performances and enjoyed riding him at the Capital Challenge again after clinching the WCHR Professional Finals win in 2013 with his help. "The Pro Challenge is always fun, and it was great to be in there and get a top ribbon," she said. "I show Quatrain here and there to warm him up for Laura, but I hadn't done him for a while. He's such a good horse and great in the Show Place Arena here. The 3’6” is really his niche, and he'll now be for sale because Laura is a freshman at Wake Forest University. She’ll show him at the National Horse Show in Kentucky next month, and then we'll look for a new home for him. I'll sure miss him, but I know he has a lot of years left to be someone’s star Junior or Amateur-Owner hunter."

Highlands Heaven Sent and Ruby Sloan

In the pony sections, it was Elly Ficca and It’s All Good who were awesome. The pair placed fourth and fifth over fences in the Medium Pony Hunter section on the second day, which was arguably the most competitive pony section at the show with 40 top-quality entries. 

"That was such a tough division," said Liza. "Everybody from California to the East Coast brought out their top ponies. I watched that last day, and any one of the top eight could have won. To be fourth and fifth was huge! Elly was also sixth in the WCHR Pony Challenge, which was amazing. I was so proud of her. That kid is especially good under pressure. She stays the same, whether it's a small or a big show, and she handled the pressure really well. Sadly, she's now outgrown and aged out of the Medium section, so It's All Good will be for sale after the Washington International Horse Show. I look forward to seeing her carry this momentum forward for their final show together."

Trainer Jack Towell, Ruby Sloan and Elly Ficca 

Liza also praised pony rider Ruby Sloan for her fifth place over fences aboard Highlands Heaven Sent. "She rode great, and it was the same thing there as with Elly, a great ribbon in excellent company.  

"Ruby has learned so much this year. She's never been to indoors before and it was a big deal to go and show at Capital Challenge," added Liza. "I think she might have been more star struck if she hadn't gone to the Winter Equestrian Festival in Palm Beach last year, but that experience helped her so much because she showed against the same kids there. She ended up 14th in the WCHR Pony Challenge, just out of the ribbons, but to be in that company was so great for her."

Both pony riders will continue on to the Pennsylvania National at Harrisburg for their next indoor competition this week.

Likewise, Lily Bennett will head to Harrisburg with some nice ribbons under her belt from Capital Challenge. "Lily did a great job with her Junior hunters, including Maraschino and Carasco," said Liza. "She hasn’t been doing the 3’6” for too long and she really showed some nice efforts. She should be  ready for a great Harrisburg."

Aiken Fall Festival II

Erin McGuire and Kasarr with Jack Towell and Liza Boyd

The Aiken Fall Festival II, held in Aiken, South Carolina, concluded with some special moments for Finally Farm. Erin McGuire and Kasarr finished second in the $25,000 R. Bruce Duchossois Cup, their first national-level grand prix.

"It was a really exciting atmosphere," said trainer Liza Boyd. "Bruce’s family came, and it was a great tribute to Bruce. It looked like it would be terrible weather, but then the clouds lifted and it was a beautiful evening."

Liza was proud of Erin for maintaining her riding while also attending college. "She’s very dedicated to the gym and maintaining her physical strength and keeping the horse managed," said Liza. "She doesn’t go to all of the shows we go to, so she manages the horse herself. She also  keeps up good grades in school and is doing an internship this year as well. She has a lot going on, but she shows that kids can balance riding, school and work and still keep up the grades."

Erin and Kasarr were one of four pairs to jump clear in the first round to qualify for the jump-off. "She actually would have won but had that heartbreaker last jump down," said Liza. "With a little bit of luck it could have been blue, but we were thrilled with second. Tommy John Russell won, so a big congratulations for him."

Liza also credited Erin's mother Jayne McGuire for enabling Erin to continue to pursue her riding goals. "Jayne has supported Erin's riding career through her junior years and beyond, and everybody owes her a big thank-you for standing behind Erin's passion all of these years," added Liza.

Maddy Thatcher also balanced riding and college to show at Aiken with tricolor results. She guided Summer Place to the Amateur-Owner 3'6" Reserve Championship and won the NAL Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic on Dolce Vita.

"Maddy is doing a great job keeping the balance," said Liza. "She's keeping her grades up and is organized and getting to the shows. I think it's almost easier for them because they're used to juggling a lot. Some people say it's easier than high school because you aren't in classes all of the time. You have time in between to study. But they all have good work ethics."

Grace Howard is also combining her studies at the University of Georgia with riding, and she welcomed back her junior hunter Bethel’s Peri who had time off. She started him back in the 3’3” Juniors and claimed the championship. "She’s really excited to have him back in the barn," said Liza. "It was good to see him return so strong."

Eloise also picked up another championship, this time in the 3’6” Juniors with Stella Styslinger. In the pony hunter ring, It’s All Good and Elly Fica earned the Medium Pony Hunter championship.

"The pony riders were great, and I want to send a special congratulations to Zola Thompson on qualifying Mr. McGregor for the East Coast fall indoor shows," said Liza.

Pony Lane Farm's Coronado, a 5-year-old stallion by Coriano, earned the 3'3" Pre-Green Hunter tricolor in his first show with Liza in the irons.

"We took our time getting him fit, but he's straightforward," said Liza. "To be 5 and a stallion and to have his first outing go so easy was wonderful. He's brave and quite scopey. I think he’s going to be a derby horse, but he's also a nice mover, and he’s very handsome. From a distance, he looks like Brunello, and he has those good qualities that Brunello has. He'll make his next outing at WEF in 2016."

Nevada and Maggie Hill moved up to the Children's Hunter, 14 and under section, and earned the reserve championship. "It was a big jump, but Maggie was great," said Liza. "She handled the height well and understood she had to work off more of a pace, and she really impressed me."

The Debut of Bruce's Field

Finally Farm horses and riders traveled to the Aiken Fall Festival I, in Aiken, South Carolina, on September 2-6, where the new Bruce's Field facility made its debut.

Situated within the infield of the steeplechase racetrack, Bruce's Field, named for the late Bruce Duchossois, provides exhibitors with the old-fashioned feel of a traditional horse show while featuring state-of-the-art footing and stabling.

"Knowing Bruce and knowing this was his dream, I think he'd be very happy with this first show at the facility," said trainer Liza Boyd. "The Aiken Horse Park Foundation and all of Bruce's friends have been so dedicated to step up and make this happen. Bruce's friends really wanted to see his dream come true, and it was so great that it did."

The horse show featured three show rings with warm-up areas as well as eight new barns for stabling. The Aiken Fall Festival II continues through September 13.

"It really had a wonderful old-time feel," said Liza. "In the spring they'll also have a big grand prix field on the grass. This is a facility that's similar to the Kentucky Horse Park, where you can ride on wonderful footing in a ring or go out in the field and gallop around.

"The new footing felt like they were landing on a cloud and had nice give," she added. "The horses really seemed to like it. Daniel Geitner, who is on the board, made sure the footing was right. This might look a little deeper than other facilities, but it was super forgiving."

The Finally Farm-trained horses seemed to enjoy the new footing and jumped to many accolades.  

"Too Cool and Addison Byrd had a really good show," said Liza. "She just started at College of Charleston and so it was fun to see her return. Actually, a lot of the kids come back from college for this show, and it was great for them to have a weekend with their horses." 

In addition to Addison, Maddy Thatcher, Grace Howard, Erin McGuire and Sarah Isgett all traveled to Aiken from college, some enjoying the competition and others taking a break from studying.   

Erin McGuire and Kasarr

"Maddy, who was home for the weekend from Clemson, got nice ribbons on Sterling and her Amateur jumpers. Grace Howard got excellent ribbons in the Junior/Amateur-Owner jumpers on Houdini and is doing well at the University of Georgia where she's riding on the team," said Liza.

Erin McGuire didn't miss a beat from her studies at the University of South Carolina and posted excellent results with Kasarr, including fifth in the Welcome Stake and Fenwick Jumper Classic. "She had the fastest time in the Welcome but had a rail, and then in the mini prix she set the bar, but it was a great jump-off and everyone went faster and faster. It was an exciting jump-off, and she rode well."

Other riders were using Aiken as a prep for the upcoming fall indoor shows, including Trinity and Mary Carton Mitchener who picked up the tricolor in the Junior 3'3" section. "Trinity got into [the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in] Harrisburg, which is so exciting for her," said Liza. "Highlands Heaven Sent and Ruby Sloan were champions in the Pony Hunters, and it will set them up well for the Capital Challenge in a few weeks." 

Liza Boyd and Janet Peterson with the Brunello Breyer campaign ad pictured in The Carolinas Horse. 

In the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, Liza guided Fieona to second place for owner Kelly Maloney. "It's great to see these horse show managers having substantial money in their National derbies," said Liza. "Fieona is coming off an injury, and she sat out while I was pregnant last year. Sarah Isgett showed her at Blowing Rock last month and did well in 3’3”. I decided to bring her here for the derby. She jumps that 3'3" height cute despite being an ex-grand prix jumper! It's really nice to have a second horse again, and I'll keep showing her until she's leased or sold."

Back on the home front, Brunello is continuing his life of leisure and pampering following his third consecutive victory in the USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship.

"Laura McNair, who rode with us and who now lives and works in Columbia, comes out to ride him now," said Liza. "She wants to be a yoga instructor and is so laid back. He just loves her. She doesn’t train on him but keeps him fit and has fun riding him out. It's so nice that she can still come and ride him."

Grace Howard and HiHo Houdini

Finally Farm will remain in Aiken for week 2 of the Fall festival before attending the Capital Challenge Horse Show at the end of September.

"As a trainer, I have to say how fortunate we are to have so many nice facilities so close to us in South Carolina," she said. "In Aiken we have High Fields and Bruce’s Field, we have the Tryon International Equestrian Center in North Carolina and here in Camden we have the Horse Park. As well just three hours away we have the Georgia International Horse Park in Atlanta. They’re all different in their own ways and great facilities."

Grace Howard and friends

Brunello Should be a Breyer!

Thanks to our friends at the Tryon Riding & Hunt Club, a campaign has been established to see Brunello become a Breyer Animal Creations Horse Model!

Look for Facebook updates on Finally Farm and promotions via local and regional publications, including The Carolinas Equestrian!

A Visit From Mrs. Peterson

Brunello and Janet Peterson

Brunello enjoyed hosting a local delegation from Tryon Horse Country, including co-owner Janet Peterson, who visited Finally Farm last week.

The newsletter This Week In Tryon Horse Country documented the group's visit with the 2015 USHJA International Hunter Derby Champion in their weekly newsletter. An excerpt included:

“At 17, Brunello proved again that he can rule the ring. Brunello and his rider Liza Towell Boyd also took the title in 2014 and 2013. Janet Peterson, of Landrum, South Carolina, is the proud co-owner. Brunello is 17 and Janet is 17 at heart."

Jack Towell and Liza then presented Janet with a signed poster from the Derby Championship while the delegation presented the Towells with an America Loves Brunello banner. Special thanks to Judy Heinrich for the photographs!

“It was all so cute,” said Liza. “We’re going to take the banner to horse shows and hang it up. Alberto brought Ike out of the barn, and he was such a ham. His ears were pricked, and he stuck his neck out for the photos. He couldn’t have been cuter. He must have had a million treats!”

After their visit, the ladies enjoyed lunch in the gazebo near the ring before taking a field trip to the Wateree Correctional facility near Camden where they toured the Second Chances Farm Groom Elite program.

Brunello poses for photographs with long-time groom Alberto Ramirez.

The program, established by the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation-South Carolina, is a vocational course that’s become a model for other rehabilitation programs that utilize retired racehorses. 

“The inmates take care of the horses, and it’s a second chance for the Thoroughbreds and the men to have a career when they get out,” said Liza. “It was really interesting. They learn good horsemanship, the care of legs and even trimming their hooves. It’s a great program for the retired Thoroughbreds to have this sanctuary and a way for these guys to get out and learn. Most had never been around horses, and it was neat to see how the horses could change these men’s lives.”

While Brunello and Liza enjoyed some down time last week, brother Hardin Towell and his string of jumpers continued to rack up placings and points in Europe.

Hardin traveled to Gijon, Spain, for the penultimate leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping 2015 Europe Division 2 league. There, he guided Emilie De Diamant AS and Lucifer V to impressive placings. The trip to Spain came on the heels of competitions in Dinard, France and La Coruna, Spain, where their performances vaulted Hardin up the Longines FEI Show Jumping World Rankings.

As of August 31, Hardin stands tied for 77th, having moved up from 148th a month earlier. Hardin’s performances at the Thunderbird CSI3* in Langley, B.C., also contributed to his ranking, with top ribbons aboard Jennifer Gates’ New York in the Grand Prix and World Cup classes there.

Hardin Towell and Emilie De Diamant AS (Mike Sturk Photo)

In the Nations Cup in Gijon, on August 29, Hardin and Emilie De Diamant AS were members of the United States team, which placed 10th.  However, during the final day’s Grand Prix, Hardin and Lucifer V posted the fastest jump-off performance. Unfortunately, a pulled shoe and a rail cost them the win, though, and they had to settle for seventh.

Finally Farm will travel this week to the Aiken Fall Festival I and II, to be held on Bruce's Field, a new equestrian center in Aiken, South Carolina.

The Nation's Top Hunters to Compete in Inaugural U.S. Open at Central Park Horse Show

Liza Boyd was invited to compete at this year's Central Park Horse Show

For Immediate Release
August 28, 2015

New York, NY - Hunter riders will compete in the heart of New York City during the second-annual 2015 Rolex Central Park Horse Show on Sept. 26. The hunter competitions will feature a $1,000 Small/Medium Pony Hunter Class, $2,500 Junior/Amateur Class, presented by Meralex, and the $50,000 U.S. Open Duchossois Cup, presented by the Gochman Family.

Celebrating significant growth in 2015, the Rolex Central Park Horse Show has expanded with a more robust show schedule, growing sponsorships, and an impressive list of top equestrians ready to attend. The event generated more than 640 million media impressions in 2014.

A talented cast of the nation's top Professional Hunter riders will compete against the backdrop of the Manhattan skyline. The Professional Class will include 10 riders for a two-round competition. The 10 riders for the $50,000 U.S. Open Duchossois Cup will be Louise Serio, Peter Pletcher, Jennifer Alfano, Kelley Farmer, Amanda Steege, Liza Towell Boyd, Scott Stewart, Maggie Jayne, Peter Wylde and John French.

Becky Gochman commented, "I attended the Rolex Central Park Horse Show last year and believed it was important to include the Hunter disciplines. This venue offers a great opportunity to showcase these great riders, horses and the hunter discipline. Our family is thrilled to support this competition and believe it will only grow in stature over the next few years."

Scott Stewart added, "Having competed at Madison Square Garden many years ago, it is great to be able to return to compete in the heart of New York City. I am honored to be included in the Inaugural U.S. Open and am inspired to be the first winner of The Duchossois Cup. I am grateful to the Gochman Family for their support and sponsorship of the Hunter discipline."

After the 2014 debut of the sold-out Rolex Central Park Horse Show, Mark Bellissimo, CEO of International Equestrian Group, LLC (IEG), is proud to welcome varying disciplines to this year's event.

"Seeing the reach of this very special event extend to Hunters is exciting for the Rolex Central Park Horse Show," he said. "We are very proud to present the best in horse sport across so many disciplines in an iconic U.S. location."

Rolex Central Park Horse Show Hunter Schedule:
Saturday, September 26th

• 10:00 AM - Matinee Performance
• 1:30 PM - U.S. Open Hunters Duchossois Cup
• $1,000 Small/Medium Pony Hunter Class
• $2,500 Junior/Amateur Class presented by Meralex
• $50,000 Professional's U.S. Open Duchossois Cup, presented by the Gochman Family

The second-annual Rolex Central Park Horse Show will feature five days of multi-discipline equestrian sport. The schedule will include the inaugural U.S. Open in the following categories: Jumpers, Dressage, Hunters, U25 Jumpers, and Arabians. For a complete schedule go to: www.centralparkhorseshow.com.

Tickets are now on sale for all events at the 2015 Rolex Central Park Horse Show. Tickets can now be purchased at http://bit.ly/1AV2imv. 

Emotional Three-peat Championship for Liza Boyd and Brunello

Written by: Kendall Bierer and Elaine Wessel of Phelps Media Group
Client: Kentucky Horse Shows LLC http://www.kentuckyhorseshows.com
Release Date: 2015-08-15

Lexington, KY – August 15, 2015 – Last year, Brunello won the USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship for rider Liza Boyd. This year, the tables were turned as Boyd gathered her emotions, picked up the reins and rode to their third consecutive USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship victory.

“Last year, he definitely did it for me and boosted me back up and got me confident,” Boyd smiled. “This year, I did feel obligated to do it for him. I just really wanted to keep it together, and it was all for him.”

The 17-year-old Hanoverian gelding has proven himself year after year for his rider, yet this year he exceeded all expectations, figuratively jumping out of his skin to the high scores of 94, 96 and 94. The pair earned additional handy scores of 9, 9 and 8, and took all high fence options to top the leader board with an impressive second round score of 322 points. Combined with Friday’s classic round score of 287 points, Boyd and Brunello held onto their first-day lead with a final cumulative score of 609 points.

“The horse is unbelievable,” Boyd said breathlessly, fumbling over the words as the shock of her third victory settled on her. “I was so nervous in the schooling area; I couldn’t get it together. I should just get off and let him do it himself. It probably would have been a score of 100. He’s just amazing. I’m in a little bit of shock, and I’m so lucky to have that horse in my life.”

Nerves definitely played a large role prior to Boyd and Brunello entering the ring as the last horse and rider combination of the class.

“I was definitely nervous today, all day. It was a different pressure from last year. Last year was just go in and have fun. This year, I really wanted to win for that horse. I really wanted him to have three wins in a row. That horse feels better than ever,” Boyd said. “I was nervous, but the moment I cantered to the first jump, I got more relaxed. The crowd actually got me relaxed. They whooped when he jumped high, and you don’t see that in the hunter world very often. The more they did that, the more relaxed I got. I just tried to keep my mind slow. He is such an amazing animal, and it felt great to pull this off for him tonight.”

If retirement was ever a question for Brunello, more affectionately referred to as ‘Ike,’ Saturday night was not the night to ponder it. 

“Jack [Towell] talked about [retiring] tonight,” Boyd explained. “I said, let’s just enjoy tonight. I just couldn’t go there. I mean, a horse that jumps like that? He still wants to do it; he loves doing it. I don’t think he would be happy not. As soon as he tells me that he doesn’t want to do it, we’ll stop, but he sure didn’t give me any inclination tonight.”

Second place finisher, Kelley Farmer laughed and responded, “As much as I would like to be the first person to tell you that he should be retired, he didn’t look like he was done tonight.”

Farmer and Boyd entered into the handy phase with only a one-point differential separating them in the rankings. Though Boyd led the way, Farmer was hot on her heels with Mindful. They closed out the competition with scores of 86.75, 90 and 88.30 with 8, 9, and 8 points added for their handiness on the course. Farmer also opted for all four high options, to land the second place with a final total of 588.05 points.

“I think he speaks for himself,” Farmer said of Mindful. “He’s an amazing animal, and I’m blessed to have him. He’s done nothing but be a great horse for me. I have a great support team, everyone at the barn, I couldn’t do it without them.”

Farmer continued, “I got in his way tonight. He was trying to win, and I didn’t let him. Liza’s horse went beautifully. I didn’t ride him as well as I could have. He’s a hell of an animal. I’m so lucky; he’s done nothing but be a fantastic horse for me, and he never lets me down. He tries 150 percent every time.”

Mindful is a rare horse, one that trusts Farmer implicitly, so much so that he is ridden without a martingale and in a rubber D-ring snaffle. Steve Stephens and Allen Rheinheimer’s course catered to his rideability, and the top finishers praised the design.

“You really had to have rideability,” Boyd said. “You had to have rideability, like an equitation horse, plus scope, as well as form.”

Farmer echoed, “You had to have two good leads out there for the course, as well as ability and readability, and that is hard to find.”

Third place finisher, Brady Mitchell, not only finished with the yellow ribbon in the Section A 2015 USHJA International Hunter Derby Championships, but he also captured the Section B victory with Cassanto, owned by Emily Perez, taking home the largest check of the night.

“I’m honored to be in the company of these riders, and I knew that to try to get ahead of them I had to do something special tonight,” Mitchell expounded. “I feel like I had the best possible round that I could have had out there, and I’m absolutely thrilled to be third in this class. It’s a dream of mine to be in this class, let alone in the top three.”

It was Darcy Hayes of Ontario, Canada, who slid into the second place position in the Section B handy phase. Her scores of 89, 88 and 86.50 along with her 8, 8 and 7 handy points netted her the sixth place finish overall, as well as the cumulative score of 571.50 points to fall just behind Mitchell with a 16.45-point difference.

Jennifer Alfano and Maggie May were awarded the fourth place with 573.5 points, while Farmer captured another ribbon as the fifth place finisher with Dalliance.

Boyd could not praise chairman Ron Danta, as well as the other members of the board for their exceptional work and ideas in creating the derby program, enough.

“Ike wouldn’t have had a career right now,” Boyd explained. “As hunter riders, the opportunities you have given us is huge. I don’t think that you get thanked enough. We know you don’t get paid the big bucks for doing this. It is a full-time job. Now we have opportunities for a 17-year-old horse, as well as opportunities for a 5-year-old horse to go out there, make money and make their owners proud. Thank you to the USHJA and everything you have done.”

For those competitors whose scores did not qualify them for the Section A or B Handy rounds, the $10,000 Derby Challenge, sponsored by Moyer Farm, was available as another opportunity to end the day with a chunk of change. Taking advantage of this second chance, Peter Pletcher rode CR Beethoven, owned by Kirby McCool out of Houston, Texas, to the win with a 300-point score, 13 whole points ahead of the reserve champion.

Thirty-five entries tackled Rheinheimer’s abbreviated handy track, which consisted of a substantial number of turn options, giving horses and riders a chance to ride a strategy that accentuated their strengths and showed off handiness. As is typical, four fences presented height options and the potential to earn additional points. Pletcher and CR Beethoven set the bar high as the 10th in the order to go with three high scores: 84, 87, and 88 plus handy bonuses of 9, 10, and 10.

“There were some really tough choices to make,” Pletcher said. “A lot of us were like ‘No way, that’s too tight,’ especially from the big wall and the inside turn afterwards, but I was lucky to be on the horse that I was on. If you’re a gutsy enough rider and you have a horse that tries, it pays off.”

Pletcher calls CR Beethoven his “go-to super saint” horse, and has been riding him for three years. Unfortunately, a slight lead change hiccup Friday kept the pair out of contention for the Section A round, but Pletcher felt confident headed into the Challenge that the two had a strong chance at the tricolors.

“I felt pretty good about today with him because he is so straightforward. There were two nearly impossible turns, but I knew I could count on him to try. I definitely questioned whether or not I was going to take those options, but once I was in the ring I felt that he would give me a good effort. He tries harder the bigger they get,” Pletcher commented.

A proponent of the Derby Challenge, Pletcher supports the “second chance round” as a means of redemption. As small missteps can often hold competitors out of contention for the Section A and B Finals, he believes this class alleviates the worries and teaches a lesson to many riders, owners, and trainers whose scores may have suffered from slight mistakes.

“I think this type of class gives some of these riders and owners reassurance that there is more to it, and even if they make a little bit of a mistake, there is another chance to shine and prove themselves. It was still a great group of horses,” Pletcher noted.

Reserve honors went to Louise Serio aboard Eagle, owned by Clementina Brown out of Loxahatchee, Florida, with their mark of 287.000. Holly Shepherd, in the irons for Margaret Camp of Birmingham, Alabama, navigated Cascaron to a 285.500-point ride to clinch the third position.

Liza Boyd and Brunello Are Unbeatable at USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship

Liza Boyd and Brunello clear the final 4'9" oxer. Shawn McMillen Photography.

United States Hunter Jumper Association Press Release

Lexington KY---August 15, 2015---After Brunello and Liza Boyd cleared the final 4'9" oxer in front of a sea of spectators at the Kentucky Horse Park, there was little doubt in anyone's mind that history had been made.

Then, when the base scores of 96, 94 and 94 flashed on the scoreboard along with the No. 1, cheers and hugs enveloped Brunello and Boyd. They had claimed their third consecutive $200,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship by the biggest margin thus far.

"This was absolutely amazing and surreal," said Boyd. "The horse is unbelievable. I was so nervous in the schooling area that I almost couldn't get it together, and I said, 'I should get off and let him do it himself.' He probably would have [scored] 100. He's just amazing. I'm a little bit in shock and so lucky to have him in my life."
 
Kelley Farmer and Kensel LLC's Mindful jumped to second place overall in Section A with a stellar performance in the Handy, while Brady Mitchell and Emily Perez' Cassanto claimed third in Section A and won Section B, which was open to Tier II riders only.
Mitchell, of Katonah, NY, who had placed fourth in the Classic Round, returned to the ring determined to give it his best shot.
 
"I'm honored to be in the company of these riders, and I knew that to try and get ahead of them, I needed to do something special tonight," he said. "And I feel like I had the best possible round that I could have had, and I'm absolutely thrilled to be third in this class. It's been like a dream of mine to be in this class, let alone in the top three."
 
Mitchell's impressive Handy Round on the talented 8-year-old Holsteiner earned base scores of 90, 92 and 88.50, which were second only to Boyd and Brunello.
"I would like to thank the horse's owner, Emily Perez, and Heritage Farm. They took a shot and really believed in me and the horse to come and do this, and I could not be more thankful for the opportunity."
 
Darcy Hayes, of King City, Ontario, guided Danielle Baran's 7-year-old Dutch Warmblood Say When to an impressive fourth place in the Handy Hunter Round and claimed the reserve championship in Section B.
 
"I've done him myself in the First Years and Second Years, but mainly his job is an adult amateur hunter, and his owner rides him for the most part," said Hayes. "I do him every once in awhile in the derbies. I don't get to him very often because he does the adults, but he's a very, very nice horse."
 
Farmer, of Keswick, VA, was thrilled with her horse and thanked her team.
 
"I mean, I think he speaks for himself," she said of the 11-year-old Hanoverian who was the Leading Horse of the International Hunter Derby Championship Qualifying Series. "He's amazing animal. I'm blessed to have him. He's done nothing but been a great horse for me. The Garbers, Larry [Glefke], everyone...I have a great support team. I got in his way tonight; he was trying to win, and I didn't let him. Liza's horse went beautifully."
 
Boyd, of Camden, SC, who co-owns the 17-year-old Hanoverian with Janet Peterson credited her team at Finally Farm for helping her achieve yet another major milestone in her career and for keeping the aged chestnut in top form.
 
"He's a little like his name Brunello, a big red wine from Italy, and he just gets better with age," she said. "He just jumps higher and higher every single year. Like my dad says, 'The horse knows when it counts.' He's learned over the years to peak at the championships, and he certainly did tonight."
 
The competition in the Rolex Stadium at the Kentucky Horse Park featured a beautiful Handy Hunter course by acclaimed designers Steve Stephens and Allen Rheinheimer. The fences, supplied by Tucker Williams and Fuzzy Mayo, and decorations created a feeling of cantering through hunt country, with natural jumps of planks and logs, abundant trees and shrubbery and decorative elements such as carriages and barns. The fence heights ranged from 3'6" to 4' and offered riders an opportunity to pick up bonus points by taking any one or all of the four option fences set at a minimum of 4'3".
 
The 12-obstacle course featured several areas where riders could show off their handiness with tight turns and rollbacks, a log trot fence at 5, and for the grand finale, Stephens set an oxer directly in front of the stands, where riders could choose the safe 3'6" oxer or the imposing higher option set at 4'9" to impress the judges one last time.
 
The judges included Danny Robertshaw and Claudia Roland (Panel 1), Linda Andrisani and Mike Rosser (Panel 2), and Steve Wall and Rick Fancher (Panel 3), who were placed in strategic positions around the Sheila C. Johnson Ring at the Rolex Stadium.
 
The Handy Hunter scoring included three components. Each judging panel gave their base score for each horse-and-rider combination based on accepted handy hunter judging principles. Then, each judging panel gave their High Option Bonus Score (the number of higher fences jumped) followed by the Handy Bonus score. The Handy Bonus Score consists of between 0-10 points based on each judging panel's opinion of how handily the round was ridden, such as brilliance, pace and tighter turns.
 
This year the riders once again contested a tiered Handy Hunter Round format. The top 25 pairs from Friday's Classic Hunter Round returned for action in the $158,800 Section A Handy Hunter Round, with 12 horses shown by Tier I Riders and 13 horses shown by Tier II Riders.
 
The $39,700 Section B Handy Hunter Round included a field of 20 riders, with seven jumping for Section B money only. The scores for the 13 Tier II Riders in the Section A Handy Hunter Round carried over to the Section B Handy Hunter Round and Overall Standings. 
 
Jennifer Alfano and Miss Lucy were presented with this year's Shapley's Best Turned Out Award. Sally Stith-Burdette was on hand to present Alfano and groom Alicia Heberle with a Shapley's Awards Package.
 
Olympian Peter Wylde received this year's Rider Style Award. The new award, presented by Bill Rube, went to the rider who best displayed the American style of riding in the ring and sportsmanship outside of the competition arena. The recipient will serve as a role model for preserving the integrity of the sport and maintaining a standard of excellence and tradition in his or her riding.
 
Danny Robertshaw and Ron Danta also provided a $1,500 rider bonus award, of which $1,000 was presented to Liza Boyd for the Section A win and $500 to Brady Mitchell for the Section B win.
 
The $10,000 Derby Challenge, supported by Moyer Farm LLC, attracted 36 competitors and allowed those who didn't qualify for the Section A or Section B Handy Hunter Rounds to return with a clean slate. The class was held at 3:45 p.m., prior to the Section A and B Handy Hunter Rounds, and gave competitors another shot at one of Stephens' and Rheinheimer's challenging handy hunter courses.
 
Peter Pletcher will now return home to Texas with a blue ribbon and a check for $3,000 after claiming victory in the Derby Challenge with Kirby McCool's CR Beethoven.
 
Kelli Cruciotti, of Elizabeth, CO, won the top Junior Owner Rider Award in the Classic Hunter Round. She finished 15th aboard Monterrey with a 264 totalå. The pair also placed fifth in the Section B Handy and fourth Overall.
 
Piper Benjamin, of Lake Forest, IL, finished in 25th place in the Classic Hunter Round and earned the top Amateur Owner Rider Award aboard Corvine. When combined with her Handy Hunter Round score, the pair earned 17th in the Section B Overall results.
 
Additional awards presented included the 2014-15 Championship Qualifying Series winners.

Virginia-based professional Kelley Farmer once again won the 2014-15 Leading Rider of the Qualifying Series with $135,850.
Mindful, owned by Kensel LLC, won the 2014-15 Leading Horse of the International Hunter Derby Championship Qualifying Series with $47,610.
Courtney Calcagnini earned the Leading Developing Pro Rider of the 2014-15 International Hunter Derby Championship Qualifying Series with $23,600. 

The 2015 USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship is generously sponsored by: Major Sponsor Dietrich Equine Insurance; Official Cooler:Blue Ribbon Custom Blankets; Challenge Prize Money Donor: Moyer Farm LLC; Awards Sponsors: Essex Classics, Grand Prix/Pikeur/Konigs,McGuinn Farm, The Gifted Paddock, Shapley's, Ariat and Bill Rube; Hospitality Sponsor: SmartPak; Donors: Janet Peterson, Ron Danta, Danny Robertshaw and Douglas Wheeler. The USHJA Official Sponsors include: Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, Standlee Hay Company and Charles Owen, Inc. USHJA Contributing Sponsors including Perfect Products and Professional's Choice. The Official Broadcast is EQSportsNet.
 
A special thanks to Kentucky Horse Shows LLC for their outstanding management of the USHJA Championship Week.
 
For additional information on the 2015 USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship and complete results, please visit www.ushja.org.
 
EQSportsNet provided live stream coverage and offers on-demand videos from this year's Derby Championship. Please see their website for links.
 
For full coverage please look for the USHJA International Hunter Derby and Pre-Green Incentive Championships In Stride Digital Special Editionarriving in your email as well as the September print issue of USHJA In Stride. For complete results, please visit www.ushja.org.