Gulfport, Miss. – Feb. 10, 2018 – Motown owned and ridden by Angela Millon of Easly, South Carolina, rode home with the blue ribbon in the first installment of the $2,000 Classic Hunter Derby. The pair finished second in the classic round with a score of 79, but their handy round score of 86 moved them to the winner’s circle with their overall score of 165.
“My horse ‘Mo’ is a failed dressage and event horse but a fantastic hunter,” said Millon. “He couldn’t make time on cross country and he wasn’t fiery enough for dressage, but he is the perfect hunter,” she laughed. “He turns, slices and dices really well for the handy round which definitely gave us the lead,” she added.
Dior Flying Ch, owned by Copperhills Sport Horses and ridden by Nicki Mathen of Austin, Texas, had a classic score of 73 but their handy score of 88 moved them to second place with their overall score of 161. Re Chiste, owned by Sabina Holtzman and ridden by Carson Ruff of Jackson, Missouri, earned a classic score of 77 but their handy score of 79 earned them a third place finish with their overall score of 156.
Fourth was awarded to Billy Graffiti, owned by Madison Grasso and ridden by Isabella Bleu Baxter of Wright City, Missouri for their overall score of 155. Rafiki, owned by Colleen Hammer and ridden by Whitney Boyce-Petrey of New Orleans, Louisiana, earned a fifth place with their overall score of 153. Casting Call owned by Hil Cat Farm and ridden by Catherine Castle of Folsom, Louisiana, earned a sixth place with an overall score of 150. Isabella Bleu Baxter, in the irons of White Lightning owned by Helen Gilbert returned for a seventh place ribbon after earning an overall score of 144 and Chapuis owned and ridden by Dallas Thomason of Vicksburg, Mississippi, wrapped up the class with an eighth place finish.
“It was so much fun,” commented Millon. “You know, when the hunter derbies first came out, I did a few. Then, they got so big and popular and top professionals had at least three horses in the class, even if I laid down a good score, I would place fourteenth! So, I decided to stop doing them,” she said. “When I read the Gulf Coast Classic prize list and saw they had the amateur incentive bonus, I thought I’d at least give it a shot and maybe I would get one of the three amateur spots,” she said. “This class got me off the bench and I’m looking forward to competing in the Classic Derby next week too!” she added.
“I love coming to Gulfport!” said Millon. “I started coming around 2004 and love it here-it’s one of the highlights of my year. I’ll definitely be here for three weeks and maybe even four,” she added.
Millon also took first place in the Classic Derby’s Jr/Amateur Rider Bonus, followed by Isabella Bleu Baxter for her ride on Billy Graffiti and Catherine Castle for her ride on Casting Call.
Dallas Thomason won the Classic Derby Child Adult Rider Bonus with her own Chapuis.
The Sidelines 3′ and 3’3″ Green Hunters, offered for only $5 for the division, saw 8 riders compete in the 3′ division and 6 in the 3’3″ division during the opening week of the Gulf Coast Winter Classic.
Championship honors in the 3′ Sidelines Green Hunter went to Revello, owned by Micaela Kennedy and Sabina Holtzman ridden by Carson Ruff of Jackson, Missouri and reserve went to Levity, owned by Lilli Bieler Biedermann and ridden by Paige Parker of Southampton, New Jersey. Ruff returned for the Sidelines 3’3″ Green Hunter Championship this time in the irons of Boure, owned by Belle Rolfe. MTM Amour, owned by Jeanne Pitre and ridden by Katherine Le Blanc of Folsom, Louisiana earned Reserve honors. The wins for these horses and riders put them on the top of the qualifying list for the $30,000 Green Hunter Classic scheduled for the Atlanta Fall Classics.
The Gulf Coast National Classic Week II begins Wednesday, Feb. 14.