Tammy Provost and Peridot Triumphant in the $10,000 ASG/USHJA International Hunter Derby at Horse Shows by the Bay

Traverse City, MI - Another gorgeous day in Traverse City, MI brought many spectators and exhibitors to the Flintfields Horse Park for Horse Shows by the Bay and the $10,000 ASG Software Solutions/United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) High Performance International Hunter Style Derby Classic. Janet P. Read of Wellington, FL generously sponsored the evening's class, which was won by Tammy Provost and Peridot, owned by Stephen Martines of Lafox, IL, and trained by Lynn Jayne.

The Hunter Derby was a very exciting and highly anticipated class, unlike any other held at the horse show. The class was created by the USHJA to bring back the deeply rooted tradition of the discipline of hunter riding and this was the first time that Horse Shows by the Bay had a chance to host such an event.

Fifty-one horses and riders competed in the first round of the competition, but only the top twelve were brought back to ride the handy hunter course in the second round. In the end, it was the combination of both round scores that gave Provost and Peridot the win and the honor to be the first winners to have their names engraved on the Horse Shows by the Bay Stanley Rheinheimer Memorial Trophy.

The course was designed by course designer JP Godard along with the help of show manager Dean Rheinheimer's fence designs. The course was full of elaborate natural jumps and an interesting, well thought-out track. In a recent interview, Dean Rheinheimer explained how he designed the jumps mimicking visions of what his father used to jump in the backfields of their family horse farm.

After round one, Jamee Crawford of El Paso, TX and her horse Tuscan Sun were in the lead and Tammy Provost and Peridot were in second place, just two points behind them. However, the second round handy hunter course switched up the first round places quite a bit and it was Provost and Peridot who pulled it out for the overall win.

"I thought the course was great," Provost said after her win. "The course was beautiful and I thought it was pretty straightforward. The new ring is so nice and so big to ride in; it is wonderful. The setting is wonderful too. Between all of the trees and the view down into the valley, it is absolutely beautiful."

Provost has only ridden 6-year-old Peridot a few times, but thinks that he is a really sweet horse. "He is an absolutely beautiful jumper and a beautiful mover," she said. "For me, when you have a First Year green horse that can just go out and do all that, it must be a really special horse," she continued. "Most of the horses that do these classes are like 10-year-old horses. I think a lot of this horse for being able to go out there and do it so well at such a young age."

Both Provost and Peridot have had some experience in doing the hunter derbies before. Peridot did a derby in Chicago with rider Charlie Jane and Provost won a derby in St. Louis and also made the top cut for one at the Winter Equestrian Festival.

"I just think that it is a great class, and we really needed to promote the hunters," Provost said. "It is definitely nice that the USHJA is doing that."

Provost also thinks that the horse show did a great job. "I think Horse Shows by the Bay is the best," she said. "I think that it is probably going to become one of the biggest shows, for sure in the Midwest, but maybe even in the country because they do so much extra. They do things like throw parties and put food out in the morning for everybody. If something needs to be fixed, they fix it, and if you suggest anything they are right on it."

Along with Janet P. Read's generous sponsorship of the hunter derby class, there was also an exhibitor derby dinner thrown beforehand. The dinner, catered by Outback Steakhouse, was co-sponsored by Hillside Farm, Heather Irvine and family, as well as Brookwood Farm and Carl and Rush Weeden. Everyone at the event also got to enjoy live entertainment from the band The Saucecats thanks to their generous sponsorship.

There are many more exciting events still to come at Horse Shows by the Bay in beautiful Traverse City, MI. Tomorrow the Team Elmer's Grand Prix ring will feature the $25,000 Grand Traverse Bay Grand Prix. The highly anticipated competition is one that will be full of excitement for exhibitors and spectators alike.

For more information on Horse Shows by the Bay, please go to www.horsesportsbythebay.com.

Final Results: $10,000 ASG/USHJA International Hunter Derby, sponsored by Janet Read
1st - Peridot and Tammy Provost - 366 points
2nd - Sirius Black and Patricia Griffith - 357.5 points
3rd - Concerto and Louise Serio - 349 points
3rd - Borealus and Katie Dinan - 349 points
5th - North Country and Patricia Griffith - 342.5 points
6th - Lord Lorenzo and Alyssa Mansfield - 341 points
7th - Charade and Kirsten Coe - 331 points
7th - Angelo and Katie Dinan - 331 points
9th - American Beauty and Mary Kate Hassett - 327 points
10th - Tuscan Sun and Jamee Crawford - 313 points
11th - Radscha A.W. and Johanna Hyyppa - 302.5 points
12th - Mid-Accord and Maggie McAlary - 271.5 points

Photo Credit: Peridot and Tammy Provost won the $10,000 ASG/USHJA International Hunter Derby at Horse Shows by the Bay. Photo (C) 2008 Randi Muster.