It takes a special horse to successfully compete in the ever-popular USHJA International Hunter Derbies, one that has style and charisma without being overly enthusiastic or ungainly. Nine-year-old Warmblood “Unbelievable” is well on her way to becoming America’s hunter derby sweetheart with numerous top-ten placings at Deeridge, WEF and Devon in the last few months.

The stunning grey mare owned by Forget Me Not Farm of Wellington, Florida has been wowing east coast crowds with her handy style and eager attitude under the guidance of trainer Stefanie Mazer. Jacob Pope currently competes Unbelievable, although high-ranking hunter rider Peter Pletcher first introduced her to the international derby ring.

Unbelievable is undeniably one to watch over the next few years. Excellent form, world-class riders and a committed trainer almost guarantee her stardom. HorseScents is proud to support Unbelievable on her journey; calming lavender Scent Straps are now a mainstay of her grooming and course-walking routine. We’ll be keeping an eye on this one, and cheering her on along the way!

So, how does an USHJA International Hunter Derby work?

Traditional Format

1. Jog: Each horse is jogged before the judges to determine whether they are sound enough to compete.
2. Classic Hunter Style Round: Horses are judged numerically over a course of 3’6”-4’0” fences resembling those found in a hunt field (i.e. banks, ditches, logs, hay bales, post-and-rail fences). Option Bonus Points may be added if horse and rider choose to jump a higher fence (4’3”).
3. Handy Hunter Round: The scoring system remains the same, but with the addition of a Handy Bonus Score given out of 10. Horse and rider may be asked to complete “handy” movements (i.e. hand gallop, trot fence, walk fence, pen-type fences, tight turns) during their course.
4. Final Score = Classic Hunter Style Round Score + Option Bonus Score + Handy Hunter Round Score + Option Bonus Score + Handy Bonus Score

Hunt and Go Format

1. Jog: Each horse is jogged before the judges to determine whether they are sound enough to compete.
2. Classic Hunter Style Round immediately followed by the Handy Hunter Round, and delineated by a set of markers.
3. Final Score = Classic Hunter Style Round Score + Option Bonus Score + Handy Hunter Round Score + Option Bonus Score + Handy Bonus Score

Want to learn more? Visit the USHJA’s website here.