Jenny Karazissis and Undeniable, owned by Noah Cyrus of Hope Town Farms, win the $2500 USHJA National Hunter Derby at Franktown Meadows Equestrian Facility in Carson, City, Nevada. June 27, 2015. Photo (c) Lindsay Y. McCall

 

Clothing company Kastel Denmark sponsored the "Wear It and Win It Challenge" where they would donate $500 to the Food Bank of Northern Nevada if the winner was wearing their show shirt. Excitingly, Karazissis fulfilled this role. "As soon as I heard that announcement I ran over and got a shirt. It is exceptional for a company to do that for the charitable cause."

 

Olympian Buddy Brown of Derby Hill and his own Finally Ours topped the $500 Welcome Stake on that Saturday morning. Both champions earned their tricolors over a field of almost 50 horses in each class. Judges for Saturday's classes included Jim Dahlquist and Meg Skaffgard.

 

Buddy Brown and Finally Ours Winner of the $500 Welcome Stake June 27, 2015 in Carson City, NV at the Franktown Meadows Equestrian Facility. Photo (c) Lindsay Y. McCall

 

Buddy Brown and Finally Ours Winner of the $500 Welcome Stake June 27, 2015 in Carson City, NV at the Franktown Meadows Equestrian Facility. Photo (c) Lindsay Y. McCall

 

The judging panel watched each horse attempt the beautiful USHJA National Hunter Derby course set upon an open grass field on the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountain range. Round one included 11 jumps with four options while the handy round included 10 jumps with four options. Karazissis consistently earned the top spot in with a 93 in the first round and a 97 in the handy round. She also jumped the same three options in both rounds.

 

Jenny Karazissis was excited to be back in Carson City and riding Undeniable again for new owner Noah Cyrus, who purchased the nine-year-old from Kelly Straeter. She noted, "Saturday went really well, I was so pleased. I felt it was really important to come and try the repeat win even though I know it was going to be a lot of pressure on us. I am thrilled he did so well."

 

Earning the highest score in the first round gave her the advantage as the last horse to attempt the handy course. The duo took three of the four options. She explained, "Fortunately for me, I got to go last so I knew what I had to do to stay in first. Buddy Brown suggested giving up a point for a high option to fence one because people were slipping trying to do the inside turn, so I did and it made the turn very easy for him. I knew Undeniable could handle the scissor I took at the coupe and then I did the high option barn. It was great. I knew I could always count on him.

He is so much fun; The National was such a good positive experience."

 

Karazissis is planning to continue working with Undeniable in the open classes while Noah Cyrus shows him in the low juniors. "I am so happy the Cyrus' adore him as much as I do. He has always been my favorite."

 

Karazissis has been a part of this derby from the beginning and enjoys making the trip to Reno each year. She said, "This event is so special and I am glad I can come every year and support it. Everyone involved, including Phil DeVita and the MacLean family, do a beautiful job with this derby. I am also thankful to Julie Winkel for sponsoring the National Hunter Derby and to my husband Kost. He is there for me on days we do well and on those days that we may not do as planned."

 

Earning the championship rosette in the $500 Welcome Stake, sponsored by Breakaway Farms, was Olympian Buddy Brown with his own horse Finally Ours. Brown has owned Finally Ours for two years and bought him with his father. "My dad got me into this so it is going full circle to own a horse together and connect with my dad again," said Brown. "Other than sale horses and client horses I haven't owned a horse of my own since my early 20's with Sandsablaze."

 

Brown got Finally Ours after he passed a lot of hands. Brown explained, "He was difficult that is how I ended up with him. He's not an amateur horse, he needs a pro that understands him. He still pulls some stuff at times but I have to ignore it. It would get an amateur a little bit nervous and he would feed off of that. So that is how I ended up with him, after he had been given that scarlet letter. He and I really connected."

 

This was Brown's first time at the Franktown Meadows Equestrian Facility for the derby. "It's amazing here," smiled Brown. "This place is so special. Even before I showed I told them I would be back. In California we don't have grass, we have GGT, which is better than nothing, but for the horses to come here and graze and be out and see the scenery is so nice. We even came a day earlier because it was new to us. My wife and I said if they had room we would bring horses we weren't even showing because it's such a nice place to be. For the West coast this is the most special thing I have seen for the horses. I am so happy that we were able to come this year. In the past, the date conflicted with our biggest show, Sonoma. This is on my calendar for sure now."

 

As a child Brown began with the hunters before taking on the elite show jumping world and becoming an Olympian. Brown recalled, "About 4-5 years ago I realized physically and emotionally I couldn't handle the bigger jumps all of the time. Everybody needs to decide when it's the end so I basically hadn't been showing at all. Riding competitively again in the hunters happened by accident two and half years ago when my wife was away at USET Finals." Brown rode a client's horse for his wife and won with that horse and then continued to show at a few more shows, and then he won the finale of the Grand Prix Hunter Derby.

 

"It's been great to be showing the hunters especially being out there with my friends Jenny (Karazissis), Hope (Glynn), and Bert (Hugh Mutch)," concluded Brown. "Ten years ago before they started doing these derbies I don't think I would have been in the hunters again but now that they put these in it's really special. It gives you a good place to gear a horse and it's made the competition fun. Five years ago the night before a grand prix I would be so stressed, this I get excited for."

 

In its sixth year, the Franktown Meadows Hunter Derby has attracted top hunter horses and equestrians from around the United States including athletes like United States Equestrian Team rider Buddy Brown. As always the Franktown Meadows Hunter derby weekend was in support of the Food Bank of Northern Nevada, a non-profit charitable organization.

 

Results:

 

$2,500 National Hunter Derby sponsored by Maplewood Stables, Inc.,

June 27, 2015 

 

Placings Overall, Rider Name , Horse Name, Judging Panel 1 First round score, Judging Panel 2 First Round score, Options, Round 1 Score, Judging Panel 1 Handy Round, Judging panel 2 Handy Round, Options, Handy Round Score Total, Total Overall Score

1, 48, Jenny Karazissis, Undeniable, 90, , 3, 93, 94, , 3, , 97, 190

2, 46, Tommi Clark, Exemplar, 83.5, , 4, 87.5, 90, , 4, , 94, 181.5

3, 21, Hugh Mutch, Bunistar, 88, , 4, 92, 85, , 4, , 89, 181

4, 50, Kristin Hardin, Gambler's Choice, 84, , 3, 87, 88, , 3, , 91, 178

5, 32, Eleanor Hellman, Nigel, 87, , 2, 89, 83, , 3, , 86, 175

6, 34, Hope Glynn, Carson, 77, , 4, 81, 84, , 4, , 88, 169

7, 49, Jenny Karazissis, Puissance R, 81, , 1, 82, 83, , 3, , 86, 168

8, 19, Buddy Brown, Coronation, 82, , 1, 83, 84, , 0, , 84, 167

9, 40, Kristin Hardin, Caruso's Barichello Z, 75, , 3, 78, 75, , 3, , 78, 156

10, 20, Buddy Brown, Ballos Z, 79, , 0, 79, 65, , 0, , 65, 144

11, 12, Hope Glynn, Southside, 86, , 2, 88, 86, , 2, , 88, 176

12, 15, Haley Stone, Seattle, 78, , 2, 80, 45, , 2, , 47, 127

 

 

$500 Welcome Stake sponsored by Breakaway Farms, June 27, 2015 

1. Finally Ours and Buddy Brown
2. Bunistar and Hugh Mutch
3. Puissance R and Jenny Karazissis
4. True Story and Vanessa Brown
5. Gambler's Choice and Kristin Hardin
6. Channing and Hope Glynn
7. Cold Smoke and Hugh Mutch
8. Carson and Hope Glynn
9. Pompeia and Jennifer Paris
10. . Rococo and Hope Glynn