Lexington, Ky. – Aug. 21, 2019 – Always a force to be reckoned with in the derby ring, Victoria Colvin once again proved her mastery of the handy course and made history as only the second three-time winner of the Platinum Performance/USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship on Aug. 17, this time topping the scorecard by nearly 25 points in the 2019 installment aboard Meralex Farm, Inc.’s El Primero. As the 2019 champion, Colvin defended her title and successfully etched her name in the history books as the first athlete to ever win the championship aboard three different horses.
“It feels amazing! El Primero was the best he could have been. I couldn’t have done it without the team behind him, especially Bryan Baldwin, Louise Serio and Peggy Gehman. This truly was a team effort, and I’m so grateful for all of their support and instruction. My sponsors, friends and family all deserve recognition, as well, as I wouldn’t be able to compete at this level without them. I’ve been showing in this derby for a long time and the feeling of coming out on top never gets old. Winning this year was just as special as the first time!” commented Colvin.
Entering the day as the frontrunners following the classic round, defending champion Colvin and El Primero extended their lead ahead of 35 of the nation’s best hunter contenders with a textbook trip that earned them near-perfect scores. Garnering base scores of 92, 94 and 95, plus 12 additional points for successfully navigating the high option fences and 26 handy bonus points out of a possible 30, the talented team landed on a chart-topping 319 points in the handy round and a cumulative score of 603 to emerge as the clear 2019 Platinum Performance/USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship winners.
With her victory, 21-year-old Colvin made history as the first athlete to pilot three different horses to the championship honors. In 2017, the young professional topped the leaderboard aboard 10-year-old Cuba, owned by John and Stephanie Ingram, after an exemplary handy round that propelled the pair from second place to first position to capture the coveted title. Colvin returned to the Rolex Stadium in 2018 with a new eye-catching mount, Brad Wolf’s 8-year-old Private Practice, who had only recently transitioned from the jumper ring to the hunters. Over two days of competition, Colvin and Private Practice separated themselves from the pack thanks to the gelding’s impressive efforts and flashy style, ultimately jumping into a league all their own with a 16.5-point victory over the next closest competitor to easily secure the lead spot in the victory gallop. Prior to Saturday’s results, Liza Boyd held the distinction as the only three-time winner of the Derby Championship, each time aboard Brunello, but now Colvin has joined her in the ranks as a triple victor.
Colvin and 10-year-old El Primero have only been paired together since the winter, but have already accrued significant success together in high-profile divisions and derbies across the country including the tricolor ribbons in the $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at Deeridge Farms during Deeridge Derby Week, as well as the $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby to close out the competitive Winter Equestrian Festival.
When she is not competing, Colvin focuses on training and coaching services at her namesake Victoria Colvin, LLC, and also places a strong focus on finding, developing, and selling quality young show horses. She offers clients the opportunity to train with an acclaimed show rider/trainer and compete in “AA” horse shows across North America during the spring and fall, as well as compete in Wellington at the world-famous Winter Equestrian Festival during the winter season.
To read the full coverage of Colvin’s Derby win, please click here.
For more information, please visit www.victoriacolvin.com.
