Kelley Farmer and Mindful
The $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby was held in the Derby Field, which included unique obstacles such as a bank, a jump made of hay bales, and heavily filled brush obstacles, which many patrons enjoyed from the view of the VIP pavilion. The challenging handy hunter round included a number of high and low options, and only a few competitors were brave enough to take the inside turns and high options. Kelley Farmer on Kensel, LLC's Mindful claimed victory with a total score of 183, and also finished second aboard Kensel, LLC's Symbolic with a total score of 176.
Farmer, of Lexington, KY, celebrated her 55th derby win Friday as both of her Hanoverian mounts proved to be successful in the derby ring.
"Mindful is a little more experienced than Symbolic. This is Mindful's twelfth win, and Symbolic is only a seven-year-old first-year horse," said Farmer. "I can count on Mindful. Mindful is...Mindful. He is an 11-year-old."
"I rode before I could walk, and I have been very fortunate that my mother did everything within her power for me to be able to do this [as a career]," said Farmer. "I have been leading derby rider now five years in a row, and it has been great. I cannot speak enough about my horses [and] my group. It takes a village and I am fortunate enough to have a good one; without them I could not do it."
What's next for Kelley Farmer? "Symbolic will do another horse show in the first years, and Mindful has two more classes before the Derby Finals, which we are gearing up for," Farmer explained.
Larry Glefke, added, "We are headed to Traverse City for the $25,000 [Hunter Derby}, and then we will go to Chicago five days later to compete at Equifest."
$50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby Results:
1. 1640 - MINDFUL - OWNED BY KENSEL LLC - KELLEY FARMER 88/89/6 = 183
2. 1642 - SYMBOLIC - OWNED BY KENSEL LLC - KELLEY FARMER 86.5/85.5/4 = 176
3. 1473 - ANY GIVEN SUNDAY - OWNED BY HAYS INVESTMENT CORP - HUNTER HOLLOWAY 85.5/86.5/2 = 174
4. 886 - MONTERREY - OWNED BY KELLY CRUCIOTTI - KELLI CRUCIOTTI 86/86 = 172
5. 1350 - GREETINGS - OWNED BY MARK ROTHWELL - MORGAN ERBSTOESSER 85/87 = 172
6. 1465 - THE GOVERNOR - OWNED BY HAYS INVESTMENT CORP - HUNTER HOLLOWAY 87/79 = 166
7. 1009 - ALL IN - OWNED BY NICOLE LYVERE - NICOLE LYVERE 76/86 = 162
8. 1487 - SEAMLESS - OWNED BY CONNOR HINCKLEY - CONNOR HINCKLEY 84/77 = 161
9. 1129 - LA ROXX - OWNED BY LORIN MARIE HOWARD - JESSICA HARRIES 75/84 = 159
10. 1395 - ZION - OWNED BY AMY GALLAGHER - JANINE WEATHERBY 77/80 = 157
11. 1466 - MTM RETRO - OWNED BY HAYS INVESTMENT CORP - 74/83 = 157
12. 888 - EXTRAORDINAIRE - OWNED BY STEPHEN BORDERS - TOMMI CLARK 6/73.5/75 = 154.5
The $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby also took place in the Olson Family Main Hunter Ring at the Colorado Horse Park Friday. Riding to an exciting victory was Paul Rohrbach aboard NTM Enterprises' Kingston Lane. It also just happened to be Rohrbach's birthday, which made the day even more special, although he said, "I think I have spent my birthday here every year."
"[Kingston Lane] is a horse that Nancy [his owner] bought sight-unseen by my recommendation last fall as a seven-year-old," said Rohrbach. "He has taken some time to mature and basically understand what he is supposed to be doing. He did some low jumpers in Europe. He is a good mover, he jumps a good jump, and we took a bit of a chance on him. This is [Kingston Lane's] second derby win at Colorado Horse Park, and he is a sale horse."
Paul Rohrbach grew up riding in Hawaii as a junior, and began his professional career in California. He also spent two years training in Holland to perfect his craft, and has been competing in Colorado for almost 30 years. He is based in Parker, CO.
Rohrbach plans to move Kingston Lane up to the 3'6 International Hunter Derbies next season, but wants to ensure that he keeps Kingston Lane at a level that is best for the horse and not push him too far too fast.
Competition at Colorado Horse Park will continue July 11, 2015 in Parker, CO, with highlights including the $1,500 NAL Children's Hunter Classic and the $4,000 NAL/WIHS Children's Jumper Classic. For more information and full results, please visit www.showgroundslive.com.
$5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby Results:
1. 242 - KINGSTON LANE - OWNED BY NTM ENTERPRISES - PAUL ROHRBACH 4/87/4/91 = 186
2. 44 - DRUMLINE - OWNED BY NICLE LYVERE - NICOLE LYVERE 4/83/4/88 = 179
3. 569 - DURGIN PARK - OWNED BY HENRIETTA HALL - SARAH INVICTA WILLIAMS 4/83.5/4/86 = 177.5
4. 1462 - DUET - OWNED BY SUSAN SCHMITT - KIM BARONE 4/84/4/85 = 177
5. 1083 - INDIGO GIRL - OWNED BY KATHY MC CUSKEY - KIM BARONE 4/85/4/83.5 = 176.5
6. 1328 - LUSH - OWNED BY MIMI HERBERT - MIMI HERBERT 4/82/4/84.5 = 174.5
7. 2 - VERITY - OWNED BY MESA VIEW STABLES LLC - AMBERLEE WENTZ 4/80.5/4/83 = 171.5
8. 958 - TESORO - OWNED BY MARLENA CARLSON - MARK MEAD 4/78.5/4/84 = 170.5
9. 1263 - BIRDCATCHER - OWNED BY CLAIRE THOMAS - ALLISON KROFF 2/81/2/81 = 166
10. 1488 - CASIRETTO - OWNED BY KRYSTAL ZUFELT - JAMES HENSEN 83.5/80 = 163.5
11. 239 - CABELLO - OWNED BY NANCY MOORE - PAUL ROHRBACH 4/80/4/60 = 148
12. 1503 - ARGONAUT - OWNED BY ELIZABETH HUND - ELIZABETH HUND 4/78.25/2/58 = 142.25