Victoria Colvin Wows at Devon with Derby Victory

Victoria Colvin Wins USHJA Itn’l Hunter Derby At Devon

June 2^nd, 2013. – It’s great to be Victoria Colvin! The 15-year-old junior superstar wrapped up the Devon Horse Show aboard Inclusive with the champion tricolor in the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby on Sunday afternoon.

The classic and handy courses were composed of 10 perfectly decorated fences that simulated natural obstacles one would encounter on an open hunt field. Spectators sipped on ice cold beverages and donned colorful hats, in attempts to escape the scorching heat, as they gathered around the Dixon Oval to watch the 29 entries ride it out for the win.

The classic round presented some difficulties and a few of the horses knocked a rail or refused a fence. But the course mostly brought out some beautiful rides and the 12 horse/rider combinations with scores of 152 or higher advanced to the handy round for a chance to impress the judges and take first place.

Among the 12 to advance, Kelley Farmer piloted Skorekeeper, Commentary and Mythical to earn top ribbons. Scoring a combined classic and handy total of 364.5 aboard Skorekeeper and a 361 aboard Mythical, they claimed 3^rd and 5^th place. But Commentary really impressed, receiving a 202 that included 8 high option points and 14 handy points for a total combined score of 373 that claimed 2^nd place.

Not impressed? The 8-year-old chestnut mare was purchased just a few weeks ago and was actually a 3-day eventer – a discipline that is polar opposite from the hunters. Now owned by David Glefke, of Virginia, and Kenneth Garber, of Florida, Commentary had never stepped foot into a hunter ring prior to the derby.

Farmer laughs a bit and explains, “I tried her after the first week of the Kentucky Spring Horse Show and it’s now been three weeks, barely. She hasn’t had much time to learn to be a hunter and she’s gotten it pretty quickly.” The professional rider, whom rides out of Lane Change Farm in Keswick, VA., was quite chatty and nonetheless ecstatic of the mare’s accomplishment, stating, “We certainly knew we bought a good horse and I knew I was throwing a lot at her, but she exceeded my expectations by far.”

So, what’s the deal with Victoria Colvin and Inclusive? Well, they certainly dazzled! The pair scored a 189.5 in the handy round that included 8 high option points and 13 handy points and combined with their classic round of 187 to total 376.5 – exciting her fans as she was announced grand champion. The young Colvin has quite the show record and has had the ride on the 10-year-old bay gelding, owned by Dr. Betsee Parker, since 2010.

Upon receiving the tricolor the attention loving gelding with 4 white socks and a jump that is far past perfection makes his way over to a group of little girls standing ringside and kindly lowers his head to say hello. This is normal behavior for him and Colvin says, “He is a very sweet horse; he’ll just stand there for hours and let people pet him.” No doubt about it, those little girls will probably never forget that moment.

And as if he couldn’t get any more perfect, Colvin shares his typical show day prep, saying, “he gets a 10 minute lunge and then I ride him for about 15 minutes…” Thinking to herself, she laughs and then adds, “my first show it was more like a 20 minute lunge with a half an hour or more ride, maybe two… But now it’s much easier. He’s the easiest horse to get prepared and he’s just so much fun.”

The accomplished rider from Loxahatchee, FL. is certainly no newbie to the winners circle, but when asked about her win she says, “I’ve never done the derby at Devon,” seemingly a bit overwhelmed with excitement, “it’s amazing to win anything at Devon because it’s such a prestigious show.”

The pair is set to show next at the Upperville Horse and Colt Show taking place June 3^rd through 9^th in Upperville, Fauquier County, VA.

Congrats to Victoria Colvin, Kelley Farmer and all of the exhibitors at this year’s Devon Horse Show and Country Fair!

By: Claudia Lorena