Kristen Bumpus and Diadora Dominate $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at Devon

Devon, Pa. – May 30, 2019 – Thursday’s competition in the Dixon Oval brought the nations top hunter horses and riders to compete in the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, sponsored by the Wheeler Family. Kristen Bumpus, who fulfilled her lifelong dream of showing at the Devon Horse Show and County Fair, made her first trip to the Dixon Oval a memorable one by defeating fellow competitors to take home the top prize aboard Diadora with a total score of 372. The pair impressed judges with their best efforts over two rounds of competition.

Kristen Bumpus and Diadora 

The classic round course designed by Paul Jewell, which featured a total of 12 obstacles, utilized the best of the iconic Dixon Oval. Crowds watched on as athletes and their mounts tackled the various obstacles, including two double combinations and four high option fences. Two panels of judges, Linda Arisani and Ralph Caristo with Keri Kampsen and Scott Fitton, carefully evaluated each and every competitor’s round, adding extra points for those who opted for the high option fences.

Kristen Bumpus and Diadora

In the first round of competition, Bumpus and Barbara Le Stage’s Diadora scored a 172, taking all four high options. Heading into the second round of competition with the top 12 scoring athletes, Bumpus sat in the sixth position. However, after hitting all of the marks in the handy round to score a 200, the pair soared to the top. Diadora, an 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood, excels in the handy rounds, thanks to her large stride and incredible scope. The mare, who was previously a 1.40m jumper in Europe, has been partnered with Bumpus since January. The pair spent the winter circuit in Ocala, Florida showing in the High Performance Hunters and various derbies.

Jimmy Torano and California 19

Finishing in second place was Jimmy Torano aboard Pessoa Stables LLC’s California 19, ending on a total score of 362.5. The 10-year-old German Warmblood gelding was previously a jumper with Olympian Rodrigo Pessoa, but made a seamless switch to the hunter ring with Torano during the 2019 winter season in Wellington, Florida.

Greg Crolick and Carollo Z

Greg Crolick and Renaud Farm, LLC’s Carollo Z rounded out the top three after finishing on a total score of 360. Continuing with the theme of Thursday’s top three, the 10-year-old Warmblood gelding also started his career as a jumper before transitioning to the hunter ring. The pair championed during Week 10 of the Winter Equestrian Festival in the High Performance Working Hunters.

Competition at the historic Devon Horse Show will resume on Friday morning at 7:30 a.m. in the Dixon Oval with the Amateur-Owner Jumpers before the 3’6” Amateur-Owner Hunter 18-35 division gets underway.

FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE

Kristen Bumpus – $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby winners

On the handy round:
“I know that [Diadora] is very handy and that’s our strong suit. So I knew that if I made into the handy I had a shot of moving up, but I had no idea I could move up this far… I don’t watch other people go because I don’t like to change my mind and second guess. I walk my plan and I have it in my head. The only reason that I will change is if she doesn’t land on the track that I want. My horse is different than everyone else’s so I don’t like to compare to others. If I don’t feel my plan happening then I will abort the plan and go on to plan B. I’m not a big watcher.”

On Diadora:
“One of my customers owns her and bought her a year and a half ago for her granddaughter. I got the ride in January when I got to Ocala. She was great in Ocala. She was circuit champion in the High Performance Hunters and second in two international derbies. She is pretty handy. Our goal is [USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals]. That’s why I wanted to come here and have it be a little more similar to Kentucky in terms of the horses, track, and course designers… [Diadora] has a giant stride. She is also really scopey so I feel like I can crawl down to any height fence and she still jumps across. She used to be a jumper in Europe where she did 1.40m classes. She feels like she could jump a building from anywhere. It doesn’t matter where I put her, as long as it’s in range, and she can do anything. She has a great rhythm and flow too. She is a great mare. She is the best one I’ve ever had. She has a great attitude and always tries.”

Jimmy Torano –  $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby second place

On California 19:
“This horse actually used to be one a grand prix horse of Rodrigo [Pessoa]. He was showing him in Europe and brought him to Florida to show in 2* and 3* grand prix classes. The horse is very careful and it was a little bit over its head in the jumper ring. I asked Rodrigo at the end of circuit if we could try to make him a hunter. That was literally on a Tuesday and showed him the next day in the High Performance Hunters and he won both over fences classes. He’ll go to [Upperville Colt & Horse Show] next to do the derby there. At this point, I’d like to do derby finals. He is not spooky and is dead quiet, even though he was a jumper. I can really count on him for the special events.”

On the handy round:
“It was great today. Kristen [Bumpus] kicked our butts today. The judges had it right, she won the class. I made a mistake on the second to last jump. There was a very difficult inside turn off of a large oxer. Kristen did that turn and we all had to do it after that. I had a hard rub at one of the jumps. My horse was really good today and was really good all week.”

On competing in both the jumpers and hunters:
“This is my business and I really do like both. I like a good horse, I don’t care what division or discipline it’s in. I won a lot of grand prix last year, but I have to say one of the things I enjoyed the most last year was derby finals. That was an event, I didn’t win, but it was a real event. I enjoy that as much as winning any grand prix. It all comes down to riding a good horse and what they give you in the ring.”

RESULTS

$25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby
Place / Horse / Rider / Owner / R1 Score / R2 Score / Total Score
1. Diadora / Kristen Bumpus / Barbara Le Stage / 172 / 200 / 372
2. California 19 / Jimmy Torano / Pessoa Stables LLC / 176 / 186.5 / 362.5
3. Corallo Z / Greg Crolick / Renaud Farm LLC / 171 / 189 / 360
4. Midas / Holly Shepard / Margaret Camp / 169.5 / 188 / 357.5
5. Flamingo-K / Hunt Tosh / Ceil Wheeler / 185 / 171 / 356
6. Argentus / Jimmy Torano / Isalou, Inc. / 165.5 / 179 / 344.5
7. Spectacular / Havens Schatt / Shp Barn LLC / 166.5 / 177 / 343.5
8. Red Ryder / Hannah Isop / Tracy Freels / 175 / 140 / 315
9. Spotlight / Jacqueline Attwood-Dupont / 165 / 138 / 303
10. El Primero / Victoria Colvin / Bryan Baldwin / 181 / 121 / 302
11. Diamante / Patricia Griffith / Callie Seaman / 165.750 / 86 / 251.750
12. Unbelievable / Jacob Pope / Forget Me Not Farm / 173 / 75 / 248

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