Hunt Tosh and Cannon Creek Claim Third USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship

Lexington, KY – August 17, 2024 – The grand finalé of the Platinum Performance/USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship took center stage on Saturday afternoon in the Rolex Arena during the Bluegrass Festival. The best hunter athletes from all corners of the United States came prepared to showcase their talents and vie for a share of the prize money. In the end, Hunt Tosh and Cannon Creek emerged victorious, claiming their third championship title together and making Tosh the only rider to have won the premier event four times. Liza Boyd and Crooner Brimbelles Z were awarded Reserve Champion honors, while Scott Stewart and Daydream placed third overall and also won the Tier II Championship.

Tosh was thrilled after his victory, saying, “It’s awesome to win four times. The horse went beautifully. I can’t stay enough good things about Cannon Creek. He’s a great horse and every time we show he tries to win.”

Course designers Ken Krome and Meghan Rawlins set a challenging 12-obstacle track, including four high-option fences, unique hay bale fences, an option before the log trot jump, and a final hand gallop to the last wide oxer.

“The last fence was a pretty careful jump,” explained Tosh, “That was something I took a minute and made sure I had a nice clean jump there. It was a different kind of course, you had some different options you could do with the vertical, oxer and the trot jump. My horse likes the right lead a little more, so I chose a little different pattern that way. The last jump I was a little nervous – I didn’t want to have it down. I put a little too much pressure on him, but I was like, ‘don’t knock this jump down because it’s going well!’

It went so well that the judges awarded the veteran duo scores of 93, 95 and 92.5, with all the high options, which would bring their two round total to 580 and claim the championship title for the third year. Cannon Creek won in 2021 and 2022 with Tosh, who also won in 2010 with Lone Star. Cannon Creek is a 13-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by The Wheeler Family, and the duo have been together for over three years with major victories across the country, and also earning the Horse of The Year title in 2022.

Unlike Tosh and Cannon Creek, Boyd and Crooner Brimbelles Z just began their partnership earlier this year. Owned by Lauren Crooks and Crooks Show Jumping, Crooks called Boyd in May to ask her to take over the reins while she is pregnant. The 9-year-old Zangersheide gelding quickly proved how talented he is, even competing with Boyd’s daughter in the Junior Hunters.

“He’s a little horse with a big heart and a big stride,” smiled Boyd.”I’m glad to be back in this class again. Lauren asked me to do him through Derby Finals and then we’ll see if maybe hel likes that job. And he clearly does!”

Boyd and Crooner Brimbelles Z finished the day with a total score of 576, moving up in the ranks to place second with handy scores of 92, 94 and 93.

Stewart made a triumphant return to the USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship with a new mount as well. Daydream is an 8-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare owned by the Gochman family that they purchased last year from Haylie Rolfe of Our Day Farm. In addition to being third overall with a score of 567, Stewart also earned the Tier II Championship. Rider tiers are based on money won from the previous year, with Tier I riders being the 40 riders who earned the most money in derby events, as well as any rider that has won the annual championship.

“It’s great – it was sort of unexpected,” admitted Stewart. “I didn’t really think I was Tier II, but I guess it’s been awhile. Daydream is incredibly easy, which is what I need. I’ve had some bad history in this class a few times, so she really took care of me yesterday. I made a little mistake and she covered it up, but she’s just an awesome horse every day and just a big scopey jumper.”

The night concluded with Jack Towell, Boyd’s father, thanking the entire team from USHJA and the team from Kentucky Horse Shows, LLC for a wonderful week of premier hunter competition during the Bluegrass Festival.

The Bluegrass Festival comes to a close on Sunday with the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby in the Alltech Arena beginning at 10am. Grand championship honors will also be awarded in the rated-hunter divisions, and jumper riders in the junior and amateur divisions will have the opportunity to compete in their respective classics. For more information about the Kentucky Horse Shows please visit www.KentuckyHorseShows.com.