Edited Press Release
Chelsea Brittner has had an incredible season so far at Desert International Horse Park (DIHP), and she added another impressive accolade to her resume Friday of Desert Holiday I, taking the win in the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, sponsored by El Cristiano, aboard Berry De Maillet.
Her first-round score of 175 put her in fourth place coming into the handy round, but the pair’s comfort with one another prevailed in round two, where they earned a sky-high score of 206 to take the win. Jenny Karazissis and Lisa Wu’s Ravenswood took second place, and Jamie Sailor captured third with Kaliman, owned by Morgan Wiebe.
“He’s my heart horse,” Brittner said of Berry De Maillet, owned by Kaylin Faidi. “I have so much love for this horse. He can do no wrong. I took over riding him at Sunshine a year ago and we started in the 3-foot hunters and the national derbies and we’ve been working our way up. He’s the bravest, handiest horse I’ve ever sat on and he gives me so much confidence because I can trust him with anything.
“There are very few facilities in North America that offer us hunter riders a chance to do something different and fun,” she added. “Between going out in the Grand Prix Arena, on the grass field, and showing in the big money classes, it gives us something to strive for and work towards. It makes it feel competitive and inspires you to do better, be better, and get out there.”
For now, Berry De Maillet will take a break from hunter derby fun and focus on the Adult Amateur and Amater-Owner divisions with his owner, Kaylin Faidi, until it’s time to shine on the international hunter derby stage once again during Desert Circuit.
The $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, sponsored by HorseFlight, was won by Nick Haness and Reese’s, owned by West Coast Equine Partners LLC, with scores of 94 and 96 for a two-round total of 190. Alexis Taylor and Manhattan, owned by Bella Equine Imports LLC, claimed second place, while Haness and Bernadette Mulliken’s Mardi Gras took third.
Young hunters took center stage as Friday drew to a close in the Main Hunter ring. Topping an exceptional field of young talent in the $20,000 Ramard Young Hunter Championship was True That with Nick Haness aboard. The pair put in two flawless hunter rounds to take top honors.
“He’s actually a very little horse; he stands at about 15.1-15.2 [hands high] so he’s quite a little guy,” Haness said of True That, a 6-year-old Mecklenburger gelding owned by Rainie Rose. “But he has a big stride and a really big jump. He’s a newer horse for us; we just purchased him from Don Stewart, so we’re just getting to know him. He qualified to do this Young Hunter Championship which is very exciting because we’ve never had a young hunter championship for this much prize money. We were really excited to gear up for this week and bring our best young horses to showcase the future that’s so bright for young horses on the West Coast.”
Final Results: $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, sponsored by El Cristiano
1. Berry De Maillet / Chelsea Brittner / Kaylin Faidi / 175 + 206 = 381
2. Ravenswood / Jenny Karazissis / Lisa Wu / 179 + 199 = 378
3. Kaliman / Jamie Sailor / Morgan Wiebe / 170 + 197 = 367
4. Vex Freedom / Kat Barkema / Vex Sporthorse Ltd. / 171 + 194 = 365
5. McQueen / Nicole Bourgeois / Barbara Lovre / 171 + 193 = 364
6. Paperboy / Chad Mahaffey / Brighton Farms / 173.5 + 187.5 = 361
7. Verdict / Alexis Meadows / Alexis Meadows / 170 + 178 = 348
8. Upside / Halie Robinson / Stable Assets LLC / 170 + 177 = 347
9. No Reservations / Leslie Steele / Curtis Holdings LLC / 173.5 + 166 = 339.5
10. Hollywood / Halie Robinson / Mackenzie Greer / 178.5 + 110 = 288.5
11. Top Story / Shauna Pennell / WJC Farms, LLC / 179.25 + 109 = 288.25
12. Galactic / Tonya Johnston / Tonya Johnston / 168 + 108 = 276
Final Results: $20,000 Ramard Young Hunter Championship
1. True That / Nick Haness / Rainie Rose / 90 + 84.75 = 174.75
2. Quintessa WSS / Gabriella Pattinson / Nicole R Lean / 83 + 87 = 170
3. First Class / Nick Haness / Nick Haness / 84 + 85 = 169
4. Remark RW / Michael Dennehy / Jennifer Singer / 85 + 83 = 168
5. Clase Azul / Jamie Sailor / SWS Training & Sales / 81.5 + 86 = 167.5
6. Vagadam PSH / Nick Haness / Margauz Spitzer / 81 + 85.5 = 166.5
7. Speakeasy / Lisa Wall / 3P Equine Partners, LLC / 80 + 84.5 = 164.5
8. Vatikan / John Zambrano / Karin Binz / 75 + 84 =159
9. Concierge / John Zambrano / Kristi C Siam / 74 + 72 = 146
10. Picnic / Katrina Karazissis / Lisa Hankin / 82 + 50 = 132
11. Kingston / Halie Robinson / Stonefield Sport Horses LLC / 89 + 40 = 129
12. Conmiga / Marisa Metzger / Kathryn Fleck Peisach / 82.5
This Post Brought to You by:
The Pacific Coast Horse Shows Association (PCHA)
The Pacific Coast Horse Shows Association (PCHA), a non-profit corporation, has as its main purpose the promotion and development of the sport of horse showing, primarily in the Hunter/Jumper, Western and Reining disciplines. These objectives are accomplished by setting the standards for showing on the West Coast and approving shows that meet these criteria.
Founded in 1946, the Pacific Coast Horse Shows Association promotes the interests of owners and exhibitors, cooperates with exhibitors, officials, and management of competition, publicizes and advertises PCHA sanctioned shows, encourages and assists owners, exhibitors, and breeders of horses to maintain, develop and improve the quality of horses of the Hunter, Jumper, Western and Reining divisions.
