Press release from Split Rock Jumping Tour

Amanda Derbyshire (USA) was knocking on the door of a win all week long during the Lugano Diamonds Split Rock Jumping Tour (SRJT) Hunter Jumper II CSI3* as she stood on the podium of every FEI class, but never at the top. As the last pair to contest the series’ finale, the $100,000 Lugano Diamonds 1.50m Grand Prix CSI3*, presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Derbyshire finally secured her victory aboard the horse she co-owns with Gochman Sport Horse LLC, Otto BH (Norton D' Eole x Toulon), to culminate an eventful two weeks of competition at the Kentucky Horse Park.

Ireland’s Alan Wade set a first-round track that saw more than 20% of the class fall victim to the tight 81-second time-allowed, ultimately producing four of the strongest combinations through to the jump-off round. Aside from Derbyshire, all athletes in round two had already secured an FEI win during the week, and all horse-and-rider combinations had jumped fault-free throughout the week. First of these was Thursday’s $10,000 1.40m Power/Speed CSI3* winner Francisco Goyoaga Mollet (ESP) with Sigma Stables LLC’s PST de Muze. He was followed by the $35,000 C. Jarvis Insurance 1.45m Welcome CSI3* winners from Friday, Molly Ashe Cawley (USA) and Berdien, owned by Louisburg Farm. Saturday’s $35,000 1.45m Speed CSI3* winner, Richie Moloney (IRL), would add his name to the good list just after, producing a clear round aboard Equinimity LLC’s Sherlock 46, ahead of Derbyshire and Otto BH as the final combination.

The pressure was on with all jump-off contenders in peak performance. Goyoaga Mollet entered first with his new partner PST de Muze, taking some tight turns and sharp slices in a quick pace, but the penultimate fence would fall and he finished on four faults in 40.68 seconds. Cawley followed, but as the second fence fell, she steadied her pace, finishing in 44.48 seconds on four faults. Moloney also had the second fence down, the Split Rock oxer that many approached on an angle, but he knew a fast time would still put him on the podium and he crossed the timers in 42.67 seconds. Derbyshire only needed to produce a clear jump-off round, however, she still set off with pace across the track, leaving no risks for the possibility of a dropped rail setting her back.

"As soon as I cleared the second to last vertical, I knew I was pretty safe and we just cruised home," said Derbyshire of her winning round as she produced the only double-clear finish, coming home in 43.44 seconds. Goyoaga Mollet would hold on to second place, while Moloney took third and Cawley finished fourth, meaning all jump-off contenders earned an FEI win for the week.

Sunday's big win was the perfect conclusion to Derbyshire's podium week after she finished third with Renkum Oriana in the $10,000 1.40m Power/Speed on Thursday, second with Otto BH in Friday’s $35,000 C. Jarvis Insurance 1.45m Welcome, and second with Vogue TW in the $35,000 1.45m Speed on Saturday.