Emotional Victory for Kelley Farmer and Reigning Champion Kodachrome at $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby

Kelley Farmer rides Kodachrome to victory in the $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby during the last day of the Winter Equestrian Festival.

Wellington, Fla. – April 2, 2017 – Sunday afternoon marked the conclusion of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) for competitors coming back for round two of the $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby. Of the 25 combinations who qualified to return for the handy round at the stadium derby field, it was Kelley Farmer and Kodachrome who came out on top with an overall score of 378.75.

Kodachrome and Kelley Farmer receive the top honors in the $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby.

It was a bittersweet win for Farmer and her mount Kodachrome, owned by Nina Koloseike Moore, with memories of the horse winning this same derby last year with Russell Frey aboard. Farmer was thrilled to have won the class a second year in a row in Frey’s honor.

“This was actually Frey’s last class on Kodachrome so it’s a little emotional, but very exciting for Nina and for the horse. Kodachrome has been nothing but a winner for me and I am really honored that Nina let me continue where Russell left off and keep going with what he had planned for that horse. He had big plans for Kodachrome and that horse has done nothing but try to succeed and fill them,” said Farmer.

Riders were asked to navigate ten obstacles in the course designed and judged by Kenny Krome with four options to exhibit their skills at fences one, three, nine, and ten. Fence six presented a trot jump followed by fence seven between two pools of water.

Two panels of judges were positioned at opposite ends of the field with position one by the tiki hut occupied by Ken Krome and Danny Robertshaw and position two closest to the in gate supervised by Rob Bielefeld and Jimmy Clapperton.

 

Coming into the second round Kelley Farmer qualified with three mounts, Kodachrome in fourth, Point Being in tenth and Mindful in fifteenth place, increasing her chances of taking the overall title. Kodachrome navigated the course well, receiving a handy round score of 199.5 from the judges which was enough to move the pair into the first position. Farmer also ribboned with Point Being finishing in fourth place.

Peter Wylde and MTM Hands Down

Coming in just behind Farmer in second place was Peter Wylde aboard MTM Hands Down, a 2003 Warmblood gelding owned by Beechwood Stables, LLC. Wylde, who was previously sitting in ninth place after round one, moved up in the ranks with a high score of 203.5 to win the handy round, but ended behind Farmer with 377 overall.

“The horse went great. I’m thrilled he won the handy round. He turned really well and I knew I had nothing to lose because I was ninth coming into today and I knew I had to go for it in the handy. I was happy to get tens from both judges for the handy score and I think that really helped me,” praised Wylde.

Amy Momrow and Aeroplane

Amy Momrow piloted Aeroplane to a third place finish with an overall score of 374.5, retaining her position from round one.

“I actually changed my strategy because at first, going into today’s round I thought maybe take some of the lower options and be conservative and then we decided since this really is our breakout year and we do have a goal of going to derby finals maybe we should just test ourselves out and do all the high options” explained Momrow. 

Last year the first round of the $50,000 International Hunter Derby was held in a traditional arena and all three competitors unanimously agreed that they prefer riding both rounds of the class on grass.

“The grass is what makes it a hunter derby as opposed to just another hunter class. And when they have it in that ring it’s sort of just like another hunter class until you come out here and that’s why I fully agree both rounds out here makes this class much better because this is what being a hunter derby is about. It should be prestigious. I commend the horse show for holding both rounds out here.”

As competition at WEF comes to a close today, we look forward to see these riders qualify for Derby Finals in the coming months.

Results: $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby

Rank   Horse   Rider   S1   S2   Score
1 4684 – KODACHROME KELLEY FARMER 179.25 199.5 378.75
2 3010 – MTM HANDS DOWN PETER WYLDE 173.5 203.5 377
3 1138 – AEROPLANE AMY MOMROW 181.5 193 374.5
4 4686 – POINT BEING KELLEY FARMER 173 196.5 369.5
5 1751 – GENEROUS DAVID OLIYNYK 174 190.75 364.75
6 6484 – MOSTLY SUNNY HAVENS SCHATT 165 196 361
7 6498 – GALAN AMBER HENTER 166 191 357
8 6324 – EDITORIAL MEAGAN MURRAY-TENUTA 173 181 354
9 1415 – POKER FACE JENNIFER BLISS 175 170 345
10 427 – LIKE I SAID MAGGIE JAYNE 186 155 341
11 4204 – COMMON SENSE ALEXANDRA PIELET 157 181 338
12 3306 – CELTIC FIRE ERICA QUINN 147 187 334

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