Fenwick arrives at Derby Hill We are really excited to announce that Dakota Gruener has a new mount to ride in the Junior Hunters for the 2007 show season. We owe huge debt of gratitude to Amy Brubaker of Brookway Stables for leasing Dakota her amazing hunter Fenwick. We are thrilled to have the USEF Regular Conformation Hunter Horse of the Year in our barn for next season. Thank you Archie Cox for facilitating this lease, and good luck in 2007 to Dakota!
Fenwick and Archie Cox
Fenwick and Amy Brubaker
Pebble Beach Championships Derby Hill kicked off the end of the show year by attending the Pebble Beach Championship Show with in barn horses Demitasse, Understood, As You Wish, Korbel and Rugby. Out of barn faithfuls C’est La Vie, Unforgettable, Nymphe G joined us there, and it was our pleasure to once again have Santana, and newcomer Valor from Benson Carrol’s Ventana Farm. Benson was busy back East with Adrienne Dixon, and everyone at Derby Hill applauds Adrienne’s 3rd place finish in the National Medal Finals and 7th at Syracuse in the Maclay Finals. Congratulations to the whole team and particularly to Carrie Atkinson who has not only given Adrienne such a wonderful foundation in her riding, but also in life as well.
The early part of the week proved successful for Vanessa in the Professional divisions, culminating in a Reserve Champion for Derby Hill’s mare Demitasse in the Open 3’6” division, and a Championship finish on Carol Vail’s lovely youngster, Valor. Benson has done such a great job in starting this youngster that Carol bred and foaled herself. Annie Bennett’s young horse Understood started the week out right by winning a Warm Up in the big ring with a score of 84! He proved his versatility by trying his hand at the Handy Hunter division, jumping the bank easily, and handling all the bending tracks and rollbacks with maturity beyond his years and was rewarded with good ribbons. Buddy came out of retirement from the show ring to pilot Lisa Frigo’s Rugby to a win and Reserve Champion honors in the Jumper ring, and the handsome gelding drew quite a bit of interest. Buddy continued later in the week with Betty Meyer’s spectacular jumper, Santana. After a 2nd place finish in a Level 5 class, he jumped a breathtaking clear first round in the Open Jumper Classic and the fastest time with a very unlucky rail in the jump off secured a 3rd place finish for the pair.
Buddy and Santana
The customers rose to the occasion and were not to be outdone by the Pros! Tyson West finished her show season in grand style, with a win and several excellent ribbons securing Reserve Championship honors in the Pre-Adult Jumpers with her chestnut mare As You Wish. Kenton Taylor and C’est La Vie also won their share in the Adult Amateur Jumpers, ending their week with a 3rd in the highly competitive Classic on Sunday. Gina Gregory, despite a restrictive school schedule was also able to pull off a win and Reserve Champion honors in the Low Junior/Amateur Jumper division with her huge hearted mare, Nymphe G. In the hunter rings, Carol Vail was a star at the show! She garnered Reserve Champion honors in a crowded field of Low Adult Amateurs with her darling home bred gelding, Valor for his second tri-color of the week! Dakota Gruener contested the ultra competitive Childrens Hunters with Korbel, and garnered some top ribbons in the very tough division!
Congratulations to everyone on a great show. Thank you to Raul for once again keeping everything running without any hitches.
News From Home
Fall is here, and we have all kinds of news to report…Thank you so much to Kelley Farmer and Larry Glefke for our latest addition to Derby Hill. This precious grandson of the late and famous "Spur" has joined our precious Austin (also of Spur lineage) as the canine contingent of the barn!
Martin Brown at 6 weeks
Martin Brown at 3 months
Austin Brown keeps a close eye on Vanessa and Martin
New Horses and People We would like to welcome Dakota Gruener and her horses Allegria, and Korbel to the barn. “Allie” will be getting back into shape for Dakota’s Mom, Amy to ride, and Korbel will finish the show season with Dakota in the Children’s Hunters while we search for a Junior Hunter for Dakota to partner up with for her final year. Both Dakota and Amy are really lovely people, and we are thrilled to have them in our barn!
We enjoyed having the young Swedish horse, Limerick to play with for a couple of weeks. He joined us for an introduction to jumping, and enjoyed it so much that he will return for further training once the show season slows down.
Many thanks to Oregon based trainer, Amy Gau for sending us Lisa Frigo’s talented horse, Rugby to sell. This seasoned Jumper has campaigned up to Level 7, and will be doubling in the Equitation ranks until he finds a new partner. Read on to see how quickly he has assimilated this second career, and check out our Sale page for specifics on this amazing horse.
Leslie Nelson’s customer, Nancy Dias has taken up residence with Derby Hill. We will be in charge of her lovely mare, Brighton when she is between shows. Thank you to Leslie for trusting us with these wonderful girls!
It is also our honor to temporarily have Betty Meyer’s spectacular Grand Prix horse, Santana. We will be keeping him fit for regular trainer and rider, Benson Carroll, while he is busy back East with some of his students. Our gratitude to Betty and Benson for entrusting us with this special animal!
We would like to welcome Mariano to our staff. After working the Woodside Fall Finale with head groom Raul, we were all in agreement that he would be a valuable addition to our permanent staff. He has a soft touch with the horses, and shows great pride in his work.
The Pickwick Fall Classic The Derby Hill aisle at the Pickwick Fall Classic was more densely populated than usual, thanks to fellow professionals Nicole Bloom of Round Meadow Farm, and Micaella O’Neil of Diamond Mountain Stables. While busy with other clients, they entrusted us with some of their customers that judging from results, they have done a fabulous job with. We thank them for showing faith in our program, and giving us the opportunity to work with these talented horses and riders.
The week started out with Vanessa piloting Derby Hill’s Demitasse in the Modified Open, and Open Hunter Divisions. The talented mare showed true to form, jumping beautifully and handling the Handy courses well to secure a tri-color in the Open Hunter Division. Annie Bennett’s handsome youngster, Understood debuted at the Pre Green height, and despite missing the first day due to an exhausting trial, cantered around confidently day two, with Vanessa in the irons. It has been so exciting to watch the progress of this boy! Also competing just one day during the Professional divisions was Dakota Gruener’s Korbel, who Vanessa piloted to a 4th and 2nd place finish in the Baby Green’s.
The Jumper ring was attended by Madchen Giesler, and Gina Gregory. Madchen’s ultra cool horse, Swiss Miss was a solid contender in the Low Junior Amateur Jumpers, and ended up with a victory in the $2000 Junior Amateur Jumper Stake. This pair usually trains with Micaela O’Neil, and will be one to watch for in the future! Gina Gregory made some solid progress with both her veteran Jumper, Nymphe G and her young horse, Unforgettable.
It was our pleasure to take on Diamond Mountain Stables student, Jean Edwards for a second time this season. Her athletic mare, Elisa contested the Amateur Owner Hunters, and a variety of Equitation classes with Jean as pilot. Her flawless round in the A/O Handy not only earned her the blue ribbon, but also stood out as one of the prettiest hunter courses we have seen this year.
Jessie Zlotnick expanded her young horse’s repertoire by not only showing her in the A/A Hunters, but also trying her hand at some Equitation and Medal classes. The 5 year old mare was remarkable, executing all the tests well, and holding the counter canter both directions, despite never having been asked to do it before! Her efforts were rewarded with good placings in the hunters and a ribbon in every Equitation and Medal class entered, including a 6th place in the heavily contested CPHA Child/ Adult Medal, and a win in the Adult Equitation over fences!
Round Meadow Farm’s Amateur student, Peggy Munkdale, and Junior student, Ramsay Kubal represented themselves with style in the Equitation ranks. Peggy and her wonderful gelding, Bradley warmed up with a win in their age group Eq, and then went on to win the first round of the Pickwick Medal Finals with a score of 88, and ride off in the top 4 to become the Reserve Champion of the finals. Ramsay Kubal warmed up with wins in her age group Equitation, and the Pessoa/ USEF Hunter Seat Medal and then went on to accumulate scores over two rounds to finish 9th overall in the Pickwick Medal Finals. Both these riders did a great job of negotiating what proved to be very technical and challenging courses during this event, and it was our pleasure to guide them through the process.
Zoe Kornberg and Rugby showing the form that won the Woodside Junior Equitation Final.
The Woodside Fall Finale Vanessa piloted familiar mounts Demitasse, and Understood at the beginning of the week, and both horses continued to show progress. Demitasse showed in the Modified Open Division with favorable results in the classes where she didn’t trot (oops…I guess she may be getting too soft). Understood showed in the Lows and Pre Greens the first day, and got to jump his first in and outs in the show ring! He handled it with maturity, and culminated the week with a good finish in the last Low class with over 20 entries. It has been a real treat to be part of shaping this youngsters show career, and we feel that he will really be one to watch for next year.
New to our barn is Rugby. The seasoned Jumper is here to be sold, and came in time for the horse show. His beautiful movement, stylish jump, and great range prompted us to see if he has a dual career in him. He cantered around early in the week with Vanessa up, garnering a 4th in a power and speed class before the reins were handed over to talented Junior rider Zoe Kornberg. The 15 year old quickly bonded with him, and placed in every Equitation class entered, executing some great work offs along the way. By Sunday, they were able to lay down the winning trips in the 2 round Woodside Junior Equitation Finals to receive several lovely prizes, including the saddle that was donated by Shaw’s Saddlery. Congratulations Zoe, and thank you to Gwyn Gordon for lending us this capable Junior!
Kenton Taylor and his fabulous gleding, C’est La Vie put it all together twice to win a 1.10 meter Jumper class (against the Pro’s), and an Adult Amateur Jumper class. It is always a pleasure to have Kenton at the shows, and we are so happy to see this partnership gelling.
Dakota Gruener laid down some lovely trips in the Children’s Hunters for top ribbons, and also won the hack with her elegant gelding Korbel. Also in the Children’s Hunters was Julia Nagler and the darling Lennox. This pair normally shows with Benson Carrol, and demonstrated why they are leading the point standings as they clinched the Championship for the division, and won the Childrens Hunter Special.
Once again, we would like to thank Raul for taking such wonderful care of us, and the horses. We look forward to finishing the year with our growing clientele. Next stop will be the Norcal Medal Finals!
