Competition at the 2021 AIR Show Jumping Winter Classic resumed Friday with the debut of the $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby. Nineteen top amateur, junior, and professional hunter riders took to the main hunter ring at the Florida Horse Park to challenge Paul Jewell’s classic round course. The top 12 of those original entries were invited to return for handy phase. With both phases complete, it was young amateur competitor Isabel Harbour who rose to the occasion with IHM Equine, LLC’s Fitz.

Photo – Isabel Harbour and Fitz (Eye Was Here Photography)

Jewell created a flowing, elegant classic round to test the combinations on their ability to produce an overall smooth round then incorporated several rollback options and a trot fence in the handy for riders to display their quick and efficient skills. Both rounds also featured four high options which could be jumped in order to receive extra points.

Harbour and the 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Numero Uno x Kootje) combined their scores from judges Robin Rost Brown and Otis Brown for a final score of 170.00 which put them in the lead by a single point.

“Fitz and I have been partners for four years now as I got him as my high school graduation present and he is really my prized possession,” Harbour gushed.

Before moving into the amateur hunter and international derby classes, Harbour and Fitz were strong partners in the equitation division and Large Junior Hunter classes throughout her remaining junior years.

She added that she found the course inviting for both green and experienced horses and riders by offering multiple track options.

“I enjoyed the course very much today,” she explained, “it gave a lot of options where you could display the best qualities of your mount. There were various areas you could chose the inside track and show off or chose to go on the outside and stay consistent.”

Wyette Felton and the nine-year-old Warmblood gelding (Cador x Unknown) Condor rose to the reserve position on a total score of 169.00 points. Shannon Dickinson and Stacey Vertullo’s 12-year-old Warmblood mare (Unknown x Unknown) My Way rounded out the top three after landing a two-round total of 165.50 points.

The $25,000 Winter Classic Grand Prix will be the next featured class as the Winter Classic moves in to the final two days of competition.

Final Results: $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby

1 FITZ: 2007 Dutch Warmblood gelding by Numero Uno x Kootje
ISABEL HARBOUR, IMH Equine, LLC: 170.00 

2 CONDOR: 2012 Warmblood gelding by Cador x Unknown
WYETTE FELTON, Wyette Felton: 169.00

3 MY WAY: 2009 Warmblood mare by Unknown x Unknown
SHANNON DICKINSON, Stacey Vertullo: 165.50

4 RELEVANT: 2013 Hanoverian gelding by Red Wine x Willaglanz NC 
WINN ALDEN, Oliver Brown: 160.00

5 HASHTAG: 2012 Dutch Warmblood gelding by Eurocommerce Napels x Kicky
LINDA RADIGAN, Emily Bobo: 159.50

6 HANNA PAOLA: 2012 mare 
BRENNA DOHERTY, Open Horses: 156.50

7 QUINTILUS: 2009 Dutch Warmblood gelding by Unknown x Unknown
PAIGE MOOSE, Paige Moose: 156.00

8 FARCOLLE: 2010 Warmblood gelding by Unknown x Unknown
MCKENZIE CLAYTON, McKenzie Clayton: 155.50

9 CHARISMATIC: 2010 Hanoverian gelding by Chap x Hauptstutbuch
CHARLES CASEY, Alexa Kaas: 155.00

10 NEMISIS 11:
JULIA ZUG, Julia Zug: 147.00

11 VIOLA BF: 2011 Holsteiner mare by Contiano BF x Veronique BF
KATHERINE ATHERTON, Katherine Atherton: 137.00

12 SUNKIST: 2012 Westphalian gelding by Unknown x Unknown
HANNAH TOERING, Holly Sims: 129.00