Shane Powell and Emerald City Follow the Yellow Brick Road to Victory in the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby During the Final Week of the 2025 HITS Vermont Summer Festival
The Vermont Summer Celebration, held August 6-10, ushered in the final week of the 2025 HITS Vermont Summer Festival with another exciting chapter of world-class sport in Manchester, Vermont. Framed by the scenic Green and Taconic Mountains, the iconic venue once again provided a spectacular backdrop for elite competition, drawing top riders and horses from across the country. Exhibitors and spectators alike enjoyed a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere as the week unfolded with highlight events, including the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby and the $24,500 Voltaire Grand Prix, the celebrated six-week series.
In the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, a competitive field of 23 horse-and-rider combinations—from juniors and amateurs to seasoned professionals—vied for top honors. The class featured a thoughtfully designed hunt-and-go course by Charles Throckmorton of Fort Collins, Colorado. Riders began the classic portion in the Hunter 1 arena before seamlessly cantering through a connecting path to Hunter 2 to complete the handy phase.
In the end, it was professional Shane Powell and Emerald City that delivered the winning performance, earning the highest overall score to clinch the victory. Powell posted an 85.25 in the classic portion and matched that in the handy round, adding four bonus points for high options to finish on a two-round total of 174.50.
“He’s the most consistent horse I have,” said Powell. “Sometimes I pull him out for the International Derby, and sometimes I trail ride him down the road.
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