Patricia Griffith Wins USHJA International Hunter Derby Regional Championship North at Lake Placid

Details: July 10, 2023; By Staff Writers

LAKE PLACID, N.Y.--Patricia Griffith of Katonah, N.Y., on Champs Elysees won the USHJA International Hunter Derby Regional Championship North, the highlight of Sunday, June 9, the final day of the Lake Placid Horse Shows.

Patricia Griffith on Champs Elysees (Photo by KIND Media)Eighteen finalists competed over the two Derby courses set by course designer Tommy Brawley on the all grass Grand Prix Field.

The judging panels of Tucker Ericson and Scott Fitton and Gary Duffy and Linda Hake scored Griffith and Champs Elysees on top in both rounds, giving Griffith a score of 190 in the Classic Round and a score of 195 in the Handy for a two-round total of 385.

“Typically on this field with the hill, they have a nice flowing course, not a ton of short lines but a lot of longer lines where the hill always comes into play,” Griffith said. “I hadn’t ridden in this ring yet this week, but I’ve ridden in here many times, and I was quickly reminded of the hill. You have to allow for the hill to take you a little closer than you think coming down and the reverse on the way up, where you have to keep going a little more. The hill for sure was a factor today. It requires a little more accuracy from the rider, and my horse rode amazing and was super responsive.”

JOHN FRENCH, formerly from California but now based in Wellington to run the hunter side of Olympic show jumper Kent Farrington’s sales and training operation, took the next two spots behind Griffith, finishing second on Milagro with a score of 367 and third on Paradigm with a score of 362.

Avery Glynn of Petaluma, Calif., won the Kathy Scholl Equitation Classic, open to first, second and third placed finishers in the Hunter Seat Medal, Maclay, USEF Talent Search, National PHA and WIHS equitation classes.

The trainer’s award went to North Run.

Sunday’s jumper classes were highlighted by the $5,000 Adult Jumper Classic, won by Michelle Stacy on I Watch, the $5,000 Low Amateur Jumper Classic, won by Jerry Chu on Shark, and the $5,000 Low Junior Jumper Classic won by Eleanor Pieters on Tibri’s Franzie 95.