Havens Schatt and Sans Souci (Elaine Wessel)
Headed into the second phase of competition, the handy course, 12 competitors had earned a place amongst the top of the field of the original 58 entries. Schatt and Sans Souci, owned by CH Farm LLC out of Delano, Minnesota, led the pack with their score of 94, followed by Martha Ingram and Cayero with a 92 score. Kirstie Dobbs and Tea Party sat in third with a 91.25 score, which was just one quarter of a point ahead of the current fourth position contenders, Molly Sewell and El Raymond. All told, only seven points separated the top 12 returners, thus requiring Schatt and her mare to turn in another solid round if they hoped to hang on to the lead.
As the last to ride, the duo was faced with Sewell’s total score of 183, which had elevated them into the lead position, but Schatt and Sans Souci rose to the challenge with their handy score of 91.50 to capture the top spot with a 185.50-point score. Although the winning pair had some time off last year, you could not tell as the pair masterfully navigated designer Danny Moore’s derby tracks.
“Sans Souci has become the mascot of Milestone Farm in the five years we have had her. She is a big winner, but has a hard time staying sound. She had a year and a half off, and it looked like we were going to retire and breed her, but luckily she has been sound for a while now and has gotten back in the ring,” Schatt said. “I’m so happy to have her back. She is so fun to ride and is such a class horse.”
Schatt and the 13-year-old mare started competition again during the Florida circuit, riding in classes with the fences set at a smaller height to ensure the horse’s soundness. They graduated to the Performance Working 3’3” Hunters during the May Kentucky shows, and continued to improve, winning the 3’ Country Heir National Derby. Since then, there has been no turning back.
“She is a beautiful horse, and is always there to do her best. She has everything you would want in a top, top hunter. If this is all she wants to do, then this is all she’ll have to do,” Schatt commented. “It kind of makes me sad because I think she could be a nice High Performance horse or do the bigger derbies, but we’ll keep her where she is happy and comfortable. I’m just happy to get to show her.”
Sewell and El Raymond, a 17-year-old Warmblood gelding owned by Stuart and Leslie Campbell of Wellington, Florida, captured the second place position. As an added bonus, Sewell was named the Hallway Feeds High Point Leading Professional Rider for her strong performances throughout the series with El Raymond, resulting in a $10,000 bonus and a free flight for a horse in the continental U.S., thanks to Tex Sutton.
The USHJA National Hunter Derby program, in its sixth year now, has consistently grown in prestige and popularity throughout its tenure. Amateurs, juniors, and professional riders are eligible to compete, giving it a wide base of support and interest. The $15,000 Hallway Feeds Leading Rider Awards present a $10,000 cash prize to the professional rider accumulating the most points in the five classes that make up the Series. The leading amateur rider, Missy Luczak-Smith, and junior rider, Lilly French, will each receive a $2,500 cash prize.
“He loves the Derbies, and has been doing them for years. He still has plenty more competing left in him, he loves it,” Sewell said. “I think consistency is what it’s about. You don’t have to be the top every single time to have the lead in the end.”
Sewell and the chestnut gelding rode to top placings throughout the five-part series this year, and have never placed below third in their career together.
“I know him so well, and really trust him. He is such a good jumper, and just walked right around there. He doesn’t look at the jumps since he has been doing this for so long. Plus, he knows when it is a big class. He’s good under pressure,” Sewell complimented of the horse.
Coming in just behind the two frontrunners with a score of 181.250, Dobbs and Tea Party, owned by Treesdale Farms out of Carmel, Indiana, clinched the third position. Annabel Revers aboard MTM Hands Down, owned by Beechwood Stables LLC out of Weston, Massachusetts, place-jumped from sixth to fourth with a cumulative 180.510 score, trailed by David Beisel and Lavish, owned by Phyllis Harlow out of Mason, Ohio, in fifth position with marks of 180.500. Cassandra Kahle and Corinna RS, owned by Redfield farm out of Califon, New Jersey, rounded out the top six spots with their final score of 179.500.
For more information on Kentucky horse shows, please visit www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.
Class 605, USHJA NATIONAL HUNTER DERBY
ORDER ENTRY # HORSE NAME RIDER NAME SCORE
1 1339 SANS SOUCI HAVENS SCHATT 185.500
2 1777 EL RAYMOND MOLLY SEWELL 183.000
3 1870 TEA PARTY KIRSTIE DOBBS 181.250
4 1265 MTM HANDS DOWN ANNABEL REVERS 180.510
5 1645 LAVISH DAVID BEISEL 180.500
6 1300 CORINNA RS CASSANDRA KAHLE 179.500
7 1646 SALEM DAVID BEISEL 177.750
8 57 CAYERO MARTHA INGRAM 174.000
9 1402 CONCERTO LAUREN SOGARD 173.000
10 412 VOILA PETER PLETCHER 170.250
11 21 SWINGTIME CLAUDIA FREEMAN 168.000
12 1114 JET BLACK VIRGINIA INGRAM 130.500