With the advent of big-money classes such as the $10,000 Devoucoux Hunter Derby Series and the $100,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals in the United States, derbies are attracting top trainers, riders, horses, sponsors, and spectators. They have become feature attractions at the most prominent horse shows south of the border, offering the prize money and prestige that allows hunter riders to compete at a level usually reserved for jumpers.
According to the United States Hunter Jumper Association, the International Hunter Derby demonstrations held during the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games at the Kentucky Horse Park in 2010 proved a huge draw. USHJA High Performance Hunter committee chair Ron Danta noted, “It was overwhelming to see people that excited about show hunters … each day we had packed stands that quickly became standing-room-only three rows deep.” The eventual goal of the USHJA’s High Performance Hunter Program is to see the hunter discipline approved as an international discipline by the FEI.
Perhaps the most beneficial aspect to the growing popularity of derbies is the opportunity it presents to bring some much-needed excitement back to the hunter ring. For over 30 years, Bobbie Reber has been an influential trainer, coach, and judge in North America. With experience judging at the most prestigious shows on the continent, Reber understands quality and how to elicit brilliance from horses and riders. She has produced over 300 zone and national champions – many who have gone on to become professionals in their own right.
Reber’s enthusiasm for the development and promotion of hunter derbies is infectious. She hopes that the growing popularity of derbies will revive the sport. “It’s unfortunate that we’ve lost the excitement in the sport of show hunters,” she explains, “especially for riders, where they have to be so perfect that they can’t go in the ring and feel like they’ve had a really fun, good ride. Small mistakes like rubs crush people, even if they’ve ridden really well.”
What to expect
In a class that is a throwback to traditional field hunters, a wide variety of natural fences are presented in a hunter derby. Common obstacles include brush fences, walls, coops, natural split rail fences, aikens, gates, logs, and natural features such as ditches and banks.
Reber applauds this departure from generic hunter courses. “It’s great to see derby courses that promote galloping and good horsemanship on the part of the rider – track, control, and pace – all things that make the horse jump a fence well.” A unique aspect of the hunter derby is the lack of related distances in the courses. Ideally held in a large ring, the derby lends itself to a galloping course filled with bending lines and long approaches to fences. “It’s very hard to show brilliance in a generic hunter ring, because the courses get set on a stride length,” explains Reber. “With the unrelated distances in a derby, you can gallop freely and the horse just has to get there and jump beautifully.”
In a traditional derby, a judging panel of four rated judges score the two-round format numerically, and reward great jumping style, athletic ability, manners, way of going, quality, and boldness. Courses must feature a minimum of 10 obstacles which should be reminiscent of those found in the hunt field, and incorporate at least one of the following: a bending line, in-and-out, a line with an unrelated distance, and a long approach to a fence. Fences are set at 3’6′-4′ in height, with four higher options set at 4′-4’3′. Round one is judged as a classic hunter round, with bonus points for negotiating the higher fence options. The second course is judged as a handy hunter course, and may include tight turns and clever approach options. Riders may even jump course decorations to utilize a shorter track, and the course may feature pen-type obstacles, a hand gallop, and a trot or walk fence. Round two is judged as a handy hunter class, with bonus points again awarded for taking the higher fence options, and additional bonus points available to reward riders who make difficult turns and display brilliance and pace.
With jumps that mimic hunt field obstacles not often found in a typical show ring, the result is often two-fold. A spooky horse will generally respect the new obstacles and give a spectacular jumping effort, but the challenging fences may deter juniors or amateur riders from entering the class because of apprehension. To encourage participation, warm-up classes are sometimes offered for derbies. Although Reber does not oppose being able to let the horses see the jumps before the class (“more so that they can get used to the atmosphere of the different ring”), she believes that a warm-up is often unnecessary and beneficial only to the rider and trainer. “Many trainers overtrain in the schooling round,” Reber believes, “and many horses leave their best jumps in the warm-up. If you have a horse that has to look at the jumps, it’s not a derby horse. A derby horse shouldn’t need a lot of de-spooking; it needs to have range, scope, and bravery.”
The right stuff
It takes a special horse to be successful in a hunter derby. Reber is quick to caution that in the fresh enthusiasm for derbies, riders and trainers should not lose sight of the most important attribute in any show hunter: quality. Above all else, a derby horse must possess the innate characteristics that make a show hunter brilliant.
The big derbies are often held in the grand prix ring under lights in an atmosphere that is usually not experienced by show hunters. Derby horses need to rise to the occasion without getting tense; they need to understand when to turn it on in the ring, jump bigger, and become more spectacular. It goes without saying that the horse needs first to look the part – a beautiful, quality animal that is well turned-out. “Most importantly,” explains Reber, “it has to be pleasant across the ground and have a great gallop that doesn’t shake the earth as it goes by. It needs to be scopey and brave over the tricky jumps, and it needs to have a beautiful, free jump with good technique. Also very important is a good mind.”
Some controversy surrounds hunter derbies in Canada, which often attract show jumpers, braided and masquerading as hunters. Reber sees no problem with allowing the jumpers to try their hand in the hunter ring. “Trying to raise the level of hunter derbies in Canada means that it will take time to develop the idea,” she explains. “By letting the jumpers compete, it fills the class for show organizers, and with the warmblood invasion a lot of jumpers are beautiful types and great jumping horses, anyway. It’s not only about jumpers having tight martingales who are brave enough to get around an jump the higher height options. If, as a judge, I give a horse a good score, it has the quality to deserve the high score.” Derbies also give older jumpers who are ready to move down the ranks a job, allowing them to retire into a division that keeps them useful and provides an alternative to being used solely as equitation horses.
Perhaps the best argument for allowing jumper riders to enter derbies is the very reason derbies exist: when you get right down to it, they are fun. “Riding a hunter beautifully and putting twelve fences together is not easy,” admits Reber, “and the jumper riders find it challenging – you can’t pull when you want to pull, and you can’t kick when you want to kick! It’s exciting for the jumper riders as well, and they always leave the ring with a smile.”
Derby development in Canada
Compared to the US, hunter derbies in Canada have existed on a relatively small scale in the past, scattered at events across the country. In 2010, the Jump Canada Hunter Classic was introduced – $5,000 hunter derby events which took place at five selected shows in PEI, Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and BC. In 2011, ten Equine Canada gold shows will host these classes, an important stepping stone for riders wishing to tackle the bigger international derbies. Other lucrative series are currently being developed.
This infusion of prize money provides an extra incentive for owners who in the past had to be content solely with the enjoyment they got out of watching their horses go around the ring. “Owners in the past had great hunters just because they enjoyed watching their horses compete,” says Reber. “The hunter derby prize money makes it worth the investment for the owner to have a great derby horse for the trainer to ride.”
Not just for the pros
In the States, it is commonplace to see amateur and junior riders holding their own in the major hunter derbies against the top professionals. This is a trend Reber would like to see repeated in Canada, but she believes that will only be possible if younger riders understand the importance of cultivating horsemanship and good old-fashioned riding skills. She encourages riders to improve by getting out of the comfort zone that is perpetuated by trainers over-preparing horses and horse shows offering the same generic courses and jumps. “In North America, we have wonderful venues that have beautiful hunter rings where people have to “buck up and ride.” “ The first day, juniors and the amateurs are having a heart attack and then after their first round they come out smiling and say, “that was so much fun”!”
Reber suggests a relatively simple philosophy of training to help riders at home prepare for the challenge of a hunter derby. “Amateurs and younger riders nowadays are so used to having horses prepared for them, and getting on to ride courses of ‘line-diagonal-line.” Practice riding a forward pace and gallop at home. Don’t count strides, don’t care what you get in the bending line. Get out there and just practice good riding.”
Says Reber of her hope for the next generation, “I just want young trainers to promote good riding. So often I see trainers who feel like they can’t give a lesson unless it’s in a ring with perfect jumps. You don’t need big fancy jumps and a big fancy barn, you need a horseman. Some of the best lessons I’ve ever taught are in a field with just one log – learning how to gallop over one log.” Reber wholeheartedly supports the development of a hunter derby series in Canada. “I’m a supporter of anything that can bring excitement to the sport,” she says. “There’s not a trainer out there who loves horses that wouldn’t want to watch a beautiful horse gallop around a four-foot course in beautiful form.”
