McKayla Langmeier Makes Winning Debut at Desert International Horse Park

McKayla Langmeier Makes Winning Debut at Desert International Horse Park

After Friday, Mark Kinsella and Emma Tangen have at least two things in common. The professional and junior rider both took home $15,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby victories, and they both earned those wins aboard mounts that are new to them.

For Kinsella, his win on January 31 at the Desert International Horse Park came aboard Totally in the $15,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby – Open, sponsored by Renaissance. In the $15,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby – Junior/Amateur, sponsored by Cavalor, it was Tangen’s turn to take the win aboard Sinatra.

In the Open Hunter Derby, Kinsella and Teddi Mellencamp’s Totally were one of 27 entries to take on the course in the Main Hunter Ring, and, at the end of the first round, they sat in second place on a score of 91. Holding the lead with a score of 92 were Nina Alario and While Away, owned by Middlepath Farm LLC.

With only one point separating them, it very much came down to the handy round, and there, Kinsella and Totally edged out the win. They earned a second-round score of 93 for a winning total score of 184. Alario and While Away took home second place by less than a point, finishing with a handy score of 91.25 and an overall score of 183.25. Rounding out the top three was Jessica Gleason who rode Ocho to a score of 178.75 (89.75 + 89).

“He’s a really cool horse,” said Kinsella of Mellencamp’s 11-year-old Westphalian gelding that he just began riding a week ago. “He’s a beautiful horse. He has lots of quality; he has very big step. Honestly, he’s a pleasure. In the middle between my first round and the handy, he went to Ring 2 and did the [Amateur-Owner Hunters] with Teddi, and I believe he scored an 88, so he’s a very versatile horse.”

While Kinsella can more frequently be found in the jumper ring, he is happy to have the opportunity to spend more time in the hunter rings with Totally.

“I just do the show ring riding with [Totally], and I’m having a lot of fun,” said Kinsella. “I really like the bigger hunter days. I think it’s good to cross over a little bit the two sports as well. For the mental aspect, it’s very good because the hunters keep our mind and body a little bit slower. I think as a training style it makes a lot of sense.”

For Tangen, her time aboard her winning horse Sinatra began roughly a month ago – and her first ride on the gelding did not go nearly as well as Friday’s hunter derby.

Read more:

Mark Kinsella and Emma Tangen Take Home USHJA National Hunter Derby Wins | Desert International Horse Park



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