International Hunter Derby An Exciting New Event

June 11, 2008

I was already missing my hunter show days and starting to scheme about how I can back into the competition ring, when I caught wind of a new event called the International Hunter Derby. I’ve always enjoyed the working hunter and equitation classes, and would be perfectly happy to stay there. Of course, that was until I started reading up on the Hunter Derby. My goals are quickly changing.

The ASG Software Solutions/USHJA International Hunter Derby Presented by Dietrich Insurance Featuring Walsh Harness & Saddlery (that’s a mouthful of a name, thanks to the practice of incorporating major sponsors) debuted in December 2007 at the Lake St. Louis show.

The Derby’s purpose is tri-fold:

1. returning hunters to their hunt-field roots
2. taking hunters to an international level
3. promoting hunters as a spectator sport and thus a worthy sponsorship opportunity

George Morris and other top trainers have had enough of the outside, diagonal, outside, diagonal courses of jumps that all look the same and are relatively simple to negotiate. The rounded jumps with ample groundlines are a far cry from the natural obstacles like ditches and coops in the hunter classes of days gone by when they were truly based on a traditional hunt (sans foxes and hounds of course).

Practical Horseman magazine says,

“The new Hunter Derby program revives traditional horsemanship, adds excitement to the hunter ring and promises a ‘trickledown effect’ for the sport.”

That “trickledown” effect includes more challenging courses, more spectators, and more money.

Hunter Derby Courses

The courses for the new International Hunter Derby are designed to more closely resemble the hunt field, with fewer groundlines, taller, narrower fences, ditches, gates, banks, walls, hedges, and more. The approaches to jumps vary greatly, from short to long to serpentine, and are completely negotiable. Riders are rewarded for choosing more difficult routes, which can even include optional jumps. They differ from current hunter classes primarily in the construction of the fences and the track between them. The United Stated Hunter Jumper Association says,

“The courses will be built to encourage and reward brilliance and daring from the rider and true athletic ability from the horses.”

Each Hunter Derby consists of two rounds: the Hunter Classic Course and the Handy Hunter Course.

Hunter Classic Course
The first round of any International Hunter Derby event is the Hunter Classic Course. Courses must adhere to the following guidelines:

• 10 jumps minimum
• Fence height 3′6-3′9
• There must be four 4′0 fences in the course, set as option jumps
• At least one In and Out
• At least one Bending Line
• At least one line with an unrelated distance
• Jumps: Obstacles must simulate those reminiscent of the hunt field and the course should offer a variety of jumps with different appearances such as: natural post and rail, stone wall, white board fence or gate, coop, aiken, hedge, oxer, brush, logs, natural foliage. Natural obstacles such as banks and ditches are encouraged.
• A 3″ difference is required for the back element of an obstacle
• Ground lines must be of one material for each jump
• Ground lines are not to exceed 18,” but less is encouraged where possible
• For appropriate jumps, no ground line is acceptable

Handy Hunter Course
The Handy Hunter Course isn’t about just cantering a series of jumps; it incorporates elements such as a walk or trot fence, opening a gate from horseback, and dismounting and leading your horse over a jump. The rules for the Handy Hunter are:

• Fence height 3′6-3′9
• There must be four 4′0 fences in the course, set as option jumps
• The course must have a minimum of 2 of the following options: trot jump, open gate while mounted, lead over a jump, tight turn option, clever options for jump approaches, halt and/or back, walk a jump
• A minimum of 12 entries must return for Round 2, if available.
• the top 12 will return for the second round over the Handy Hunter Course. If 12 or less show in the first round, all horses will return for the second round

In case of a tie, horses will be asked to compete in a shortened version of the course for a jump-off.

Hunter Derby Dress

Attire for the Hunter Derby is formal. Riders must wear a shad-belly, dark coat, buff or canary breeches, and white shirt. Horses show in traditional hunter tack including snaffles or pelhams and double bridles. Standing and running martingales are permitted.

Winning the Hunter Derby Purse

A purse of at least $10,000 is required in a Hunter Derby Class. (The season final is already pinned at a jackpot of $100,000.) To win it, you must impress the judge with your horse’s true jumping style and the brilliance of the round (successfully navigating a more difficult track will reward you!).

Each Hunter Derby is overseen by at least two teams of two judges. Each team assigns a score to the ride, and the scores are then combined for the overall total. Round One, the Hunter Classic Course, is judged on style and brilliance. Round Two, the Handy Hunter Course, is judged on style, brilliance, and handiness. The judges may award up to 20 bonus points on the second round for exceptional handiness.

In normal hunter classes, horses are marked down for behavior like shaking heads after a jump or swapping leads. In the Hunter Derby, however, these behaviors are encouraged as the horse showing a little life. Balance, straightness, and good jumping style is still important, but horses who are daring, athletic, and show some expression will be rewarded.

Here are videos of the winning Handy Hunter trips in the Inaugural Hunter Derby at Lake St. Louis. You can see that the horse who won took more difficult tracks and did indeed show a little more life.

Hunter Derby Winner Tammy Provost riding Daquiri:

Second Place Finishers That’ll Do ridden by Brenda Mueller:

Third Place Winston ridden by Catherine Rinehart:

Hunter Derby Taking Hunters International

Last fall I wrote an article in defense of taking hunters international, a concept that people seem to either love or hate. Half a year later, I can see how this new International Hunter Derby is a big step towards doing just that. I love that it is helping hunters to get the recognition they deserve and working to bring the sport up to the same level as show jumping, dressage, and eventing. Founders are even hoping that it will eventually become the ninth event of the Word Equestrian Games. I sure hope so!

Plus I think it looks like a whole lot of fun– and an exercise in good horsemanship for this hunter loving girl. Give me a few years, and I may just come back and write about my own experience competing in a Hunter Derby.

Posted in Horse Events, Riding and showing