Edited Press Release
Thermal, CA – November 8, 2024 – Alexandra Pielet, 23, earned the first major hunter derby victory of her career on Friday, November 8, at National Sunshine Series 2 – and it was not just any hunter derby. With Vex Freedom, Pielet rode to the win in the $65,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby Regional Championship.
“I’m over the moon; I have never won a big derby before, and I was crying before I came in!” said Pielet, who currently works as a trainer for October Hill Farm, based out of Texas. “[Vex Freedom] is unbelievable. She’s owned by Wendy Davis Gerrish, and she is her heart horse. As you can see, she is incredible.”
Pielet and Vex Freedom were one of 30 entries to take on the regional championship course, set on the Desert International Horse Park’s spacious grass field. At the end of the opening round, they held third place on a combined score from the two judging panels of 178.5 – but the handy round proved to be their time to really shine.
With all four high options taken, and a great display of handiness, the judges awarded Pielet and Vex Freedom a second-round score of 184 for an overall, winning total of 362.5.
Finishing in second place with an overall score of 358 were Dustin Goodwin and Reputation, and Nicole Bourgeois and Vino Bianco took home third on a score of 348.
“I thought the course was really, really nice,” said Pielet. “It suited [Vex Freedom] really well. She just gives such an incredible feeling. When you have all those single jumps, you can really just show off. In the second round, I trust that horse like the back of my hand, and I knew I could just turn on a dime and just be as slick as I possibly could, and it really paid off.”
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Words From the Winner
