Halifax, MA – May 22, 2011 – The 2011 Fieldstone Spring Festival concluded its final day of competition on Sunday with an exciting schedule of hunter derby events all held on the Fieldstone Equestrian and Show Facility’s beautiful grass Grand Prix Field. The $10,000 3’3″ Hunter Derby was the feature event of the day with a great win for local professional rider and trainer Cory Hardy, of Waltham, MA. Hardy guided Mary Chase’s seven-year-old German Warmblood gelding Connor to the win following two rounds of competition. A $2,500 2’9″ Hunter Derby immediately followed with a victory for 17-year-old Susan Huyett, of Concord, MA, riding her ten-year-old Oldenburg gelding Huckleberry Finn.

Course designer Nathan Panetta, of Warner, NH, set the tracks for today’s hunter derby classes. The $10,000 3’3″ Hunter Derby was held first on the beautiful grass field with 22 entries and the top twelve returning for round two. Class winners Cory Hardy and Connor finished round one with a score of 78 and then had a fantastic trip in round two to score an 85, tallying the highest two round total of 163.

Elizabeth Kenny and Donald Stewart’s Don Juan finished in second place, just one point behind the winning pair, with a 162 total from combined scores of 80 and 82. David Oliynyk and Generous, owned by Lori Gaudet, finished with scores of 81 and 80 for a 161 total in third place. Hardy and his second mount Le Chasseur, also owned by Mary Chase, finished in fourth with scores of 83 and 77 to total 160. Robert Lee and Shock Top scored a 76 in the first round and then earned an 83 in round two to finish with an overall score of 159 for fifth place.

Cory Hardy and Connor won the $10,000 Fieldstone 3’3″ Hunter Derby

Class winner Connor is just seven years old this year and began his career in the Pre-Green Hunters one year ago. Connor began showing in the Green Conformation Hunters in Wellington, FL, this winter and received good ribbons throughout the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival circuit, also competing successfully during the show’s World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) week. Connor was purchased from Linda and Kenny Langemeier in Connecticut and also competes in the Adult Amateur Hunters with his owner, Mary Chase.

Rider Cory Hardy noted that, although he showed in a smaller class last year, today was Connor’s first real hunter derby. “He was very good and it was cool that he did so well in his first big class,” Hardy stated following the win. “He is a great horse. He is fun to be around, he is easy and he is kind of a ham in the barn.”

Hardy grew up riding with trainers Mitch and Kathy Steege and David Oliynyk and now rides and trains professionally out Newbury Farm in Littleton, MA. Hardy has ridden at the Fieldstone Equestrian horse shows since he was a kid and loves competing at the beautiful hometown facility.

“This is a fun place to come because it is something different,” he explained. “You don’t get to ride on a big grass field like this all the time. It is a fun field to ride on and it is one of the few out there.”

Susan Huyett and Huckleberry Finn Top $2,500 Fieldstone 2’9″ Hunter Derby

The $2,500 2’9″ Hunter Derby immediately followed this morning’s class with 34 entries and the top twelve returning. Susan Huyett guided her chestnut gelding Huckleberry Finn to the victory after earning scores of 80 and 84 to give the pair a two round total of 164.

Andrea Robbins and Goodwill, owned by Linda Cook, finished in second place with scores of 78 and 80 to total 158. Third place was awarded to Jacquelyn E. Maggiore riding Contina to a two round total of 153. In fourth place, the day’s previous winner Connor again finished in the top of the standings, this time with his owner Mary Chase in the irons to score a 152.5 total. Fifth place went to John Porter and his own Ramanessin’s Graffiti for their combined score of 152.

Susan Huyett and Huckleberry Finn won the $2,500 Fieldstone 2’9″ Hunter Derby

Class winner Huckleberry Finn is an Oldenburg gelding that was also purchased from the Langemeier’s in Connecticut. Owner Susan Huyett purchased Huckleberry Finn as a five-year-old and acknowledged with a laugh that, although he is now ten years old, he sometimes acts much younger than his age.

Huyett has been showing at Fieldstone since the beginning of her riding career, competing in her very first show at the facility at the age of nine, where she won a fifth place ribbon in the short stirrup division.

In 2010 Huckleberry Finn won the $5000 USHJA 3′ National Hunter Derby at the Fieldstone Spring Festival and he has done well in many other derby classes in the last few years. Huyett explained, “I love riding out on the field and he is really good out there, so we do those classes every chance we get. It is really fun and he loves it.”

The rider added with a smile, “I grew up showing here and I think that it is a great show, so it is always special to win here.”

In addition to his 2’9″ Hunter Derby victory, Huckleberry Finn also showed in the 3’3″ Hunter Derby today with rider Sarah Tyndall and finished twelfth overall.

Today’s special classes concluded a fantastic week of competition at the 2011 Fieldstone Spring Festival. The exciting Fieldstone Triple Crown Series, sponsored by SmartPak, will continue in June with the second of three great events that will make up the series.

Running June 21-25, 2011, The Plymouth Rock Hunter Jumper Classic is a brand new addition to the schedule of events at the Fieldstone Equestrian and Show Facilitiy this year. The week will feature many top classes, including a $2,500 2’9″ Hunter Derby on Wednesday, June 22, a $2,500 Pony Derby Classic and $7,500 Welcome Stake on Thursday, June 23. Two Junior A/O Jumper Classics totaling $7,500 in prize money and a $10,000 Open 3’3 Hunter Derby will he held on Friday, June 24, and a $7,500 Speed Stake and $25,000 Grand Prix will conclude the week on Saturday, June 25.

As the summer continues, more exciting news and details on The Fieldstone Summer Showcase will become available. Running August 23-28, the Summer Showcase will host a full lineup of top hunter jumper competition, including the New England Hunter Derby Finals with a $25,000 3’3″ Hunter Derby, $10,000 2’9″ Hunter Derby, and $10,000 Pony Hunter Derby. The week will finish with the Massachusetts Hunter Jumper (MHJ) Finals on Sunday, August 28.

Fieldstone would like to thank its many sponsors for their support in the 2011 show season, including: Smartpak ~ The SmartPak Triple Crown Series/Riders Tent, Dover Saddlery ~ Pony Hunter Derby/2’9″ Hunter Derby, CWD Sellier ~ Jr/A-O Classic, Equine Insurance Services, Elite Equine Shavings ~ MHJ Elite Lobster Bake, Deeridge Farm ~ Deeridge Steak and Ribs Dinner, Horseman’s LTD, Woodridge Farm ~ Junior Hunter Division, Esterbrook Farm ~ USEF Pony Medal/ASPCA Medal Maclay, Leather Therapy, EquestrianCollegeRecruiter.com, and The Tack Shelter.

For more information on the Fieldstone Horse Shows, please visit www.showfieldstone.com, call 781-679-0701 or email ShowFieldstone@aol.com.

You can also join Fieldstone on Facebook or follow us on Twitter!

Final Results: $10,000 Fieldstone 3’3″ Hunter Derby
1 Connor Cory Hardy Mary Chase: 78, 85, 163
2 Don Juan Elizabeth Kenny Donald Stuart: 80, 82, 162
3 Generous David Oliynyk Lori Gaudet: 81, 80, 161
4 Le Chasseur Cory Hardy Mary Chase: 83, 77, 160
5 Shock Top Robert Lee Robert Lee: 76, 83, 159
6 Card Party Juan Lavieri Westbrook Hunt Club: 79, 78, 157
7 Church Road Laurel Tinney Matt Nilforushan: 74, 80, 154
8 Valedictorian Abby Bertelson Chansonette Farm LLC: 74.5, 78, 152.5
9 Condesi Jean Sheptoff Jean Sheptoff: 75, 77, 152
10 Thinks Like a Horse Holly French Aaron Vale: 77, 74, 151
11 Campidano Shane Powell Maggie K. McManus: 73, 60, 133
12 Huckleberry Finn Sarah C. Tyndall Susan Huyett: 70, 40, 110

Final Results: $2,500 Fieldstone 2’9″ Hunter Derby
1 Huckleberry Finn Susan Huyett Susan Huyett: 80, 84, 164
2 Goodwill Andrea Robbins Linda Cook: 78, 80, 158
3 Contina Jacquelyn E. Maggiore Jacquelyn E. Maggiore: 77.5, 75.5, 153
4 Connor Mary Chase Mary Chase: 73.5, 79, 152.5
5 Ramanessin’s Grafitti John Porter John Porter: 74, 78, 152
6 Cascadeur Nicole Terry Meredith Stafford: 75.5, 76, 150
7 Roshambo Megan Blair Megan Blair: 76.5, 74, 150.5
8 Wiltord D Melissa Hamlet Redwood Farm: 83, 66, 149
9 Summer Jane Tuckerman Jane Tuckerman: 75, 73, 148
10 Valentine Patricia Moss Kim Sieurin: 76, 70, 146
11 Ramzes Thomas C. Hern Joanne E. Hern: 77, 65, 142
12 Prince Ferdinand Susan Huyett Caroline Hughes: 73,60, 133

Photo Credit: Photos © 2011 Anne Gittins Photography. www.annegittins.com. Photos may be used on in relation to this press release.