Adrienne Iverson and Salto Mortale (The Book LLC)
Watch an interview with Adrienne Iverson
There were 46 entries in the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby presented by Houlihan Lawrence Real Estate. The top 12 returned for a second round. Iverson and Salto Mortale scored a 180 in the first round and jumped up to a high score of 196 in the second round for a total of 376 for the win. They took all four high options in both rounds as well.
Second place went to Louise Serio on Bonaparte, owned by Annette Lauer. They won the first round of the derby and finished on a score of 371. Victoria Press rode Mayfair to a score of 365 for third place.
Iverson, who is originally from Oakville, ON, Canada, has worked for Emil Spadone's Redfield Farm for two and a half years. Her relationship with Salto Mortale, an eight-year-old Westphalian gelding by Sandro Boy, is significantly shorter. Having just been imported from Europe two months ago, he has quickly adapted to his new life as a hunter. The Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows are his first competition in the United States. Salto Mortale showed in the First Year Green Hunters for the first time last week, showed again this week, and entered the derby.
“I didn't have these expectations,” Iverson admitted. “I knew he was brave and going to do well, but this was beyond what we were expecting for this horse. He was easy from the first day. He's just a sweet, easy horse. I knew he would be easy, but the quality we were shocked by a little bit. It takes a lot for a horse who's only been here for a month, to step up and do something like this, especially at this late in the day. I'm really proud of him.”
Iverson said in the short time they've been together, she has worked on smoothing out the time between the jumps. “He's picked it up really quickly. He's really become a lot more fluent in the two weeks he's been here at this horse show,” she noted. “This was the third handy course in his life and the third jump he's trotted (at a show) in his life. I couldn't be happier with how he handled everything, being such a newbie to this game.”
Iverson praised the courses designed by Paul Jewel. “It was really fun to ride,” she said. She described of her derby rides, “I was planning one inside turn after the fifth jump, but I got my eye on it a little bit late. I think he could have done it. We did some tighter turns. From being a jumper, that I think he's used to. He just stayed slow and relaxed. He's a natural at it.”
This was Iverson's fifth international hunter derby. “I'd like to do more,” she said. “I really enjoy them. It gives a little bit more interest and sponsorship to hunters in this country. It's my first win (in an international derby), and it's exciting.”
Final Results: $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby presented by Houlihan Lawrence Real Estate
1 SALTO MORTALEADRIENNE IVERSON
R1/J1 85 4
R1/J2 87 4 180.00
R2/J1 87 7 4
R2/J2 88 6 4 196.00 376.00
2 BONAPARTE LOUISE SERIO
R1/J1 94 1
R1/J2 90 1 186.00
R2/J1 85.5 6 2
R2/J2 84.5 5 2 185.00 371.00
3 MAYFAIR VICTORIA PRESS
R1/J1 84.25 4
R1/J2 83.25 4 175.50
R2/J1 85 5 4
R2/J2 85.5 6 4 189.50 365.00
4 SIENNA LEXI MAOUNIS
R1/J1 85.25 1
R1/J2 86.5 1 173.75
R2/J1 86 8 1
R2/J2 85 7 1 188.00 361.75
5 SUNDANCE MEREDITH LIPKE
R1/J1 85.3 3
R1/J2 84.25 3 175.55
R2/J1 82.5 7 3
R2/J2 84 6 3 185.50 361.05
6 CINEMAGIC LOUISE SERIO
R1/J1 86 1
R1/J2 88 1 176.00
R2/J1 82 6 2
R2/J2 86 5 2 183.00 359.00
7 MEDALIST BRADY MITCHELL
R1/J1 83.5 4
R1/J2 83.75 4 175.25
R2/J1 83 6 4
R2/J2 83 3 4 183.00 358.25
8 POOLSIDE HOLLY ORLANDO
R1/J1 89 4
R1/J2 85.5 4 182.50
R2/J1 78 5 4
R2/J2 79 5 4 175.00 357.50
9 ALASKA TODD MINIKUS
R1/J1 82 4
R1/J2 85 4 175.00
R2/J1 79 7 4
R2/J2 78 10 4 182.00 357.00
10 TIDAL WAVE HOLLY ORLANDO
R1/J1 84 1
R1/J2 86 1 172.00
R2/J1 84 4 2
R2/J2 82 4 2 178.00 350.00
11 DYNASTY BRIAN FEIGUS
R1/J1 80.5 4
R1/J2 84.5 4 173.00
R2/J1 70 7 4
R2/J2 75 6 4 166.00 339.00
12 SKYFALL ADRIENNE IVERSON
R1/J1 85.5 4
R1/J2 87.5 4 181.00
R2/J1 50 5 4
R2/J2 58 5 4 126.00 307.00