Lexington, Ky. – The final day and phase of the 2017 USEF Single Horse Combined Driving National Championship at the Kentucky Classic CDE proved to be a challenging test for the drivers and horses.

Nifty Hamilton (Alva, Fla.) and Makari Design, a nine-year-old KWPN gelding owned by herself and Milton Hamilton, completed the cones course with 2.85 penalty points, but they could not be caught by the competition. Hamilton secured the title of national champion with a combined score of 143.31 points after the dressage, marathon, and cones phases.

Donna Crookston (Saltsburg, Pa.) and  her nine-year-old Dutch Harness gelding, Viktor, were one of only three clear rounds in the cones phase of this division. With no penalty points to account for, Crookston advanced from third place to second place overall with a combined score of 151.94 points.

Leslie Berndl (Newcastle, Calif.) and her 16-year-old Royal Dutch Warmblood gelding, Uminco, had 3.00 penalty points coming out of the cones course, positioning them in third with 153.96 points.

Daphne White (Durango, Colo.) and her 12-year-old Hackney mare, Halstead by Legacy, came into the day in the sixth position. White moved through the obstacles of the cones phase with precision and accuracy for a clear round and an overall score of 171.01 points after the three phases, maintaining their sixth position.

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