Dorothy Douglas and MTM In The Moment Top the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby Presented by Meg and Damian Fine Homes & Equestrian Properties

The $37,000 Horseware Ireland Welcome Stake CSI 3* Win Goes to Kimberley Bird and Cera Cassina 

For immediate release:

Lily Yampolsky for TIEC

Mill Spring, NC – October 14, 2022 – The $20,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby presented by Meg and Damian Fine Homes & Equestrian Properties championship was awarded to Brooke Kemper (USA) and Carolina Blum’s MTM Kappa Kappa Gamma with a total score of 381. Second place honors were given to Dorothy Douglas (USA) and Abigail Davenport’s MTM Lolah LOL with a score of 319. In third place was Danielle Menker (USA) and Sergent Stables, LLC’s 2012 Oldenburg stallion Sedrick (Spartacus x Ratanja) with a score of 307.

Brooke Kemper and MTM Kappa Kappa Gamma
©Sarah Sturgis for TIEC 

Competition took place on the Derby Field with eleven pairs jumping the course designed by Skip Bailey (USA). The classic round was won by Dorothy Douglas riding the 2013 Westphalian mare MTM Lolah LOL (Los Angeles x Palma) with a score of 183. The handy round was won by Brooke Kemper riding the 2013 Warmblood gelding MTM Kappa Kappa Gamma (Casiro x Sue) with a score of 202, who, combined with her second place finish in the classic round, ultimately took the overall title.  

Despite being new to the International Derby ring, MTM Kappa Kappa Gamma went around like an old pro: “This is MTM Kappa Kappa Gamma’s first international derby. He’s only done two national derbies before this. So he was a little bit nervous in the first round. The jumps are bigger than he’s ever seen in the show ring. It’s late, it’s a little cooler. But overall he was really, really good. He started to relax more and more as the round went on, so I was really happy with that. I  never have to worry about the high options with him because he’s really scopey. I’ve actually jumped a Grand Prix on him and he was Eight Year Old National Young Jumper Champion last year. So we know we have lots of scope, we’re just trying to teach him a new job.”

Dorothy Douglas and MTM Lolah LOL
©Sarah Sturgis for TIEC 

“In the handy he was really good,” Kemper remarked, “I decided not to do the inside one to two because I thought it was maybe a little bit risky. But he rode great to two, and turned back really nice to three. He’s really good at trot jumps. Then it was really handy back to the vertical after that, and I knew I could trust him to be careful at the tall vertical. He jumped that great and then was just nice and smooth for the last three.”

 Danielle Menker and Sedrick
©Sarah Sturgis for TIEC 

Kemper has known MTM Kappa Kappa Gamma for a while now, however he was in the barn for one of her students. This year she took over as his main rider to teach him the ropes of the hunter ring:  “We’ve had him in our stable for a little over two years. We bought him from MTM farm to be a junior jumper for [his owner] Caroline Blum. This year she just went to college and she was starting to focus more on her other jumper and so we just decided that we thought that he could make a really good derby horse and decided to give him a chance to try to learn that job. He stepped up to the plate his first time out and won!”

Brooke Kemper and MTM Kappa Kappa Gamma in their presentation ceremony alongside presenting sponsor Meg Atkinson.
©Sarah Sturgis for TIEC 

Kemper has been coming to TIEC for many years now, saying “I love coming to [TIEC] because there’s something for everybody. We can bring all of our clients here. We have international level jumpers as well as green ponies and there’s something for everybody to show in. The stabling is beautiful and it’s safe. The footing is always beautiful and safe and the jumps are nice. They get good course designers and the management’s really nice to work with. They’re always trying to accommodate the exhibitors and do a really nice job of putting on the shows. We’ve always come here and this is one of our favorite venues to come to.”

For full results from the $20,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby presented by Meg and Damian Fine Homes & Equestrian Properties, click here.

Dorothy Douglas and MTM In The Moment Top the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby Presented by Meg and Damian Fine Homes & Equestrian Properties

October 14, 2022 – Dorothy Douglas (West Bridgewater, MA) and MTM Farm’s MTM in the Moment took the win in the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby presented by Meg and Damian Fine Homes & Equestrian Properties with a total score of 181. In second place was Julie Pickering (Louisburg, KS) and Anna Pemble’s 2010 Dutch Warmblood mare Arendelle (Arko II x Anoek) with a score of 171. In third place with a score of 169 was Ella Thomas (Leawood, KS) riding her own 2014 Zangersheide gelding Searchlight (Nixon x Hipolyte).

Dorothy Douglas and MTM in the Moment
©Bailey Beck for TIEC

Twenty-five entries rode Skip Bailey’s (Wellington, FL) course on the Derby Field at TIEC, with the top 12 coming back for the handy. Douglas topped the classic round with a score of 89, including all 4 high options, having her return to the handy last aboard the 2013 Warmblood gelding MTM In The Moment (Diarado x Joyblesse of Ballmore). She was able to keep her lead, earning the highest handy score of a 92 for a combined 181.

Julie Pickering and Arendelle
©Bailey Beck for TIEC

“I work for Mike McCormick and Tracy Fenney, and Tracy typically rides him. We figured since he’s already broken his first pre-green year, that I might as well take him to another venue and put some miles on him in the field. He jumps really nice, his leads are good, and he doesn’t spook at anything. So my whole plan was just to be smooth for both rounds.”

Ella Thomas and Searchlight
©Bailey Beck for TIEC

“It’s probably my fifth time riding him,” Douglas explained, “but he’s so straightforward that you get on and anybody can ride him. He’s a really easy, straightforward horse. The cool thing is that every single class he’s done this week, he’s won. So he’s had a great week.”

Dorothy Douglas and MTM in the Moment in their presentation ceremony alongside presenting sponsor Meg Atkinson.
©Bailey Beck for TIEC 

Douglas is competing this week in a variety of classes, from FEI jumpers to the hunter derbies: “TIEC is great to put different miles on horses,” she described, “to be there to be able to jump derby horses in the field, or put other jumper miles on young jumpers that we brought, or do the Grand Prix is amazing. It is just a very diverse place and we’ve always loved coming here.”

For full results from the $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby presented by Meg and Damian Fine Homes & Equestrian Properties, click here.

The $37,000 Horseware Ireland Welcome Stake CSI 3* Win Goes to Kimberley Bird and Cera Cassina

October 13, 2022 – The $37,000 Horseware Ireland Welcome Stake CSI 3* win was claimed by Kimberley Bird (NZL) and her own Cera Cassina with a quick time of 38.60 seconds. In second place was Nicholas Dello Joio (USA) riding The Berry Group LLC’s 2012 Oldenburg gelding Cornet’s Cambridge (Balou du Reventon x Cambridge 8) with a time of 39.18 seconds. Finishing the podium was Kent Farrington (USA) aboard Kent Farrington LLC’s 2014 Oldenburg mare Greya (Colestus x Contender) with a time of 39.51.

Kimberley Bird and Cera Cassina
©Sarah Sturgis for TIEC

Of the 59 entries to tackle Peter Grant’s (CAN) course, 17 were able to advance to the jump-off, with three riders electing to withdraw. Bird and her 2009 Holsteiner mare Cera Cassina (Cassini II x Caletto I) were able to keep their lead in the jump-off despite going early in the order: 

Nicholas Dello Joio and Cornet’s Cambridge
©Sarah Sturgis for TIEC

“She felt amazing in the first round. She’s jumping out of her skin [today]. I knew I could be a wee bit cheeky in the jump off and she wasn’t going to touch anything. I just tried to keep the time tight and keep moving. She is naturally fast. She’s a very quick moving horse and I rely on that a lot. I just try to look for the next fence as quickly as possible.”

Kent Farrington and Greya
©Sarah Sturgis for TIEC

“I’ve had [Cera Cassina] since she was five years old,” Bird explained, “I got her as a pretty frisky five year old that was not very easy to ride. She’s now thirteen and we’ve jumped World Cup classes in New Zealand before COVID came along and then had the opportunity to bring her over here.”

Kimberley Bird and Cera Cassina in their presentation ceremony
©Sarah Sturgis for TIEC

Bird is a newcomer to TIEC, having come here for the first time this year: “I love [TIEC]. I love the vibe and everything. I just love jumping here and the footing suits her. It’s just a great place.”

For full results from the $37,000 Horseware Ireland Welcome Stake, click here.

Tryon Fall 4 continues through Sunday October 16th, featuring the $139,000 Coca-Cola® Grand Prix CSI 3* in the Tryon Stadium at 7pm. Saturday Night Lights presented by Tryon Horse & Home will feature Pumpkinfest, which will include pumpkin painting, a meet and greet with Tryon Resort’s mascots Pumpkin and Daisy, and pumpkin specials in the restaurants starting at 5pm in Legends Plaza.

Photos © TIEC (Bailey Beck and Sarah Sturgis as noted). These photos may only be used once, in relation to this press release. Official show photos can be viewed and purchased at www.Tryon.com/photos. With questions, please contact media@tryon.com.