Lexington, KY – July 26, 2015 – When it comes to winning the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby at the Kentucky Summer Horse Show, Molly Sewell and EL Raymond are two-for-two. The pair won the class last year at the Kentucky Horse Park, and they returned on Sunday to do it again this year.
“He never lets me down,” Sewell smiled following her victory “I think we’ve been in the top four of every derby that we’ve ever done – usually winning because that’s what Raymond does.”
At 17 years old, the Warmblood gelding is owned and regularly competed in the Adult Amateurs by Leslie Campbell and can still out jump and outshine horses half his age, as he did on Sunday.
Sewell and EL Raymond went early in the order over the Joseph Carnicom-designed course to earn a score of 90 plus four high option points for a 94. That score would hold up through the entire first round as the best in the class. Sitting in second going into the handy round were Emma Kurtz and VIP Z on a score of 92, while Lilly French and Candor rounded out the top three on a score of 91.
As the top 12 returned for the handy round in reverse order of their standings, it was Addison Piper and Billy the Kid, owned by Cory Olson, who made the biggest jump up the ranks. The pair came in to round two in seventh place on a score of 84.5, but seamless round utilizing great handiness and all four of the high options would earn them a score 88 and shoot them to an overall total of 172.5. That total would end up being good enough to capture the third place award.
Heading into the top three contenders, French and Candor, owned by Redfield Farm, were the first to return. They gave a second solid performance, earning a score of 89 for a two round total of 180, which would put them ahead of Piper and Billy the Kid by 7.5 points.
“This is only my second hunter derby on this horse,” 15-year-old French said. “He's only 7, and he just started doing the 3'6, so now we're doing the 3'6 juniors. He’s the scopiest horse out there. He's never bucked. He's never done anything wrong, and he has the sweetest personality. You can just stand in his stall, and he'll just play with you for forever.”
Following French’s impressive performance, it all came down to Kurtz and VIP Z and Sewell and EL Raymond. Kurtz returned next, but a disappointing refusal at the trot fence dropped them from second to 12th with an overall total score of 136.
Sewell and EL Raymond returned next, picked up an immediate and direct canter to the first jump and went straight to another score from the judges of 94. Together the pair’s dual scores of 94 would give them a 188 total and clinch their victory.
“He was really, really good,” Sewell said. “He was kind of dull in the schooling area so I thought ‘oh come on, Raymond. Wake up.’ I don’t know why I ever doubt that he’s going to wake up and jump flawlessly and beautifully. He was so high over everything and so smooth. He didn’t touch one jump; he was just right on it.”
EL Raymond, whose name stands for Everybody Loves Raymond, is extremely well loved in the barn and around the horse show, where Sewell says he has quite the fan club.
“He just brings us a lot of joy – the whole barn,” said owner Leslie Campbell. “He’s got a huge personality and all this talent. He’s just a treat. He’s really a gift.”
Campbell forewent showing EL Raymond in the Adult Amateurs this week in order to save the horse for the derby with Sewell, and Sewell will return to the derby ring on him again during the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show.
Riders competing in the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derbies held throughout the Kentucky Horse Show series are eligible for leading rider bonuses awarded to the leading professional, junior and amateur riders and sponsored by Hallway Feeds.
While Sewell is not necessarily contending the bonus this year, French says she may give it a go now that she continues to do well in the derbies.
“Originally I was just trying to enjoy it, but then I came down here, and I was like, ‘oh, I actually can do well, so I'll just keep doing it,’” French said. “Whatever happens, happens; it wasn't like a ‘at-the-end-of-the-year-you're-going-to-be-top-5 thing.’ That wasn't a goal for me; the goal for the year was just to get to know him and make the best out of whatever happens. Now I'm going to keep doing the derbies as much as I can.”
While Sunday marked the conclusion of the Kentucky Summer Horse Show, hunter/jumper competition at the Kentucky Horse Park continues on Tuesday with the start of the Kentucky Summer Classic.
Results - Class 605, USHJA NATIONAL HUNTER DERBY Order Entry # Horse Name Rider Name Score Score 2 Total Score 1 369 EL RAYMOND MOLLY SEWELL 94.000 94.000 188.000% 2 1487 CANDOR LILLY FRENCH 91.000 89.000 180.000% 3 750 BILLY THE KID ADDISON PIPER 84.500 88.000 172.500% 4 1757 LPF LOST SHAKER OF SALT CALLIE SCHOTT 87.000 84.500 171.500% 5 685 CONVERSE EMMA ROBERTS 85.000 86.000 171.000% 6 1371 CALIPO 39 WINN ALDEN 83.500 85.000 168.500% 7 98 SUBTIL JENNA VANERSTROM 80.000 83.000 163.000% 8 832 MTM DO RIGHT DIDI MACKENZIE 89.000 72.000 161.000%
Blue for Brett Burlington in $25,000 U25 Grand Prix at Kentucky Summer Horse Show
Fresh off a successful week at the North American Junior and Young Rider Championships (NAJYRC), rising star Brett Burlington returned to the Rolex Stadium ready to give it her all during Sunday’s $25,000 Under 25 Grand Prix at the Kentucky Summer Horse Show.
Out of 24 horse-and-rider combinations that attempted the Alan Wade-designed course, Burlington and Anders Wictor L were one of only three entries to advance to the jump off. Burlington was the final rider to go clear, joining previous qualifiers David Blake and Lorcan Gallagher.
Blake and Pine Hollow Farm’s Baron were the first to attempt the short course, clocking a time of 39.932 seconds and lowering two heights to earn the third-place spot.
Gallagher and Esquina Van Klapscheut stepped up to the plate next, delivering the fastest round with a time of 39.093 seconds, but clipping an unfortunate rail on the final fence to finish with four faults and the second-place ribbon.
“[Esquina Van Klapscheut] gets in the ring, and she fights hard to leave the jumps up,” Gallagher said. “She's a trier; she's really good at her job.”
Gallagher took over the ride for one of Sweet Oak Farm's riders, Alexander Devries, just before the Country Heir Horse Show at the Horse Park, and he has seen great success with the mare since – including winning the $50,000 George Hennessy Grand Prix during Country Heir.
“Alex had been showing it all winter in Florida in the High Amateur classes and mediums. He's been off doing something with school for the summer,” Gallagher explained. “It's nice to be able to take over when he's not here and be able to get some nice results.”
Burlington and Anders Wictor L were the final competitors to jump off, completing the short course in a conservative 44.714 seconds, simultaneously turning in the only double-clear effort of the day to secure the top spot.
“Since David had two down, and Lorcan had the last fence down, it kind of took the pressure off of me to go fast,” Burlington explained. “I knew that all I had to do was jump clear to win. Since Andrew’s stride is so big, you can’t really have a big jump into lines, because then you have to slow down a lot, so it’s important for time allowed to try to take room off the corners wherever you can and give him room at the oxers.”
Burlington and Anders Wictor L partnered up just before this year’s Winter Equestrian Festival, and the pair has experienced success ever since, most recently riding to team bronze during the NAJYRC.
Both Burlington and Gallagher train with Shane and Ali Sweetnam’s Sweet Oak Farm, based out of Spy Coast Farm conveniently located adjacent to the Kentucky Horse Park.
“Michael DelFiandra trains Brett, and they do a great job together,” Gallagher said. “For her to be able to step up and be jumping against David and I in the jump-off is great. We're a little bit older and more experienced, but she's come out on top. That's a great win for her.”
Gallagher continued, “We're incredibly lucky to have the farm next door. We're lucky that Sweet Oak Farm bases out of there, and I have to say thank you to Spy Coast and Lisa Lourie.”
Sunday marked the conclusion of jumper action during the Kentucky Summer Horse Show, but classes will resume Tuesday as the Kentucky Summer Classic gets underway at the Kentucky Horse Park. Jumper highlights include the $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic on Thursday and the $50,000 Kentucky Summer Grand Prix on Saturday.
For more information about the Kentucky Summer Horse Show series, please visit www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.
Class : 625 UNDER 25 GRAND PRIX II sec 2a NATIONAL ST Results
Pl Nbr Horse Rider Faults Time Faults Time
1 1607ANDERS WICTOR L BRETT BURLINGTON 81.582 44.714
2 1602ESQUINA VAN KLAPLORCAN GALLAGHER 77.046 4 39.093
3 434 BARON DAVID BLAKE 76.591 8 39.932
4 347 WAMIRA SYDNEY SHULMAN 4 74.297
5 1252CAMILLO MADELEINE STOVER 4 79.471
6 41 DELINQUENT JX WILTON PORTER 4 80.458
7 1592FIDALGO VAN HET KAELY TOMEU 4 81.980
8 1052WINDOCTRO KATE MORRISON 4 82.454
