Lindsey Mohr and Cristiano de Léau Z Dominate in the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby During the 2024 HITS Vermont Summer Festival
The impressive backdrop of Manchester’s mountains at the HITS Vermont Summer Festival set the stage on July 11, 2024, for the featured class of the day, the USHJA $5,000 National Hunter Derby. Top hunters took to the main hunter rings in their best attire for the second national hunter derby of the competition series. Several riders delivered impressive performances, but in the end, it was Lindsey Mohr and Cristiano de Léau Z that took home top honors.
Forty-two horse-and-rider combinations set out to challenge the hunt-and-go style course set by Dina Mazzola of Bolton, Massachusetts. The classic portion of the course featured in Hunter 1. Riders then continued cantering through to Hunter 2 where they completed the handy phase. Mohr and Cristiano de Léau Z dazzled from start to finish, earning the top combined score OF SCORE for the blue ribbon, in only Cristiano’s second hunter class ever.
“I really liked the hunt-and-go format,” said Mohr. “The first part of the course was quite inviting; all of the lines rode perfectly. The handy phase was fun because it left some options to do a few slick inside turns, which is where I think we got his bonus points.”
Mohr imported the seven-year-old Zangersheide gelding (Cantaloupe x Ustinov) about a year ago as a jumper for her fourteen-year-old client, Luca Buono. As soon as ‘Cristiano’ landed, however, Mohr knew he’d make up to be a special derby horse.
“He’s just a rare find,” enthused Mohr He’s so forgiving and kind. His ears are always up, and he loves his job so much.”
It’s a busy week for Mohr, who bases out of her WinMohr Show Stables in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey. With 17 horses from her barn competing during Manchester Summer Festival, her derby win is certainly a highlight in an action-packed week.
“We’ve been coming here for seven years,” said Mohr of including HITS Vermont in her show schedule. “My entire barn comes. The town is great, the show is run well, and the rings are super nice to ride in. It’s just a nice show for everybody.”
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