Thermal, Calif. – At 13 years old, Josephine Bumgardner has had Rosehaven Gummy Bear for nearly half her life, and on Friday, March 20, the pair’s longtime partnership paid off with a victory in the $1,500 USHA Pony Hunt & Go Derby at Desert Spring Fling 1.
Bumgardner and her 11-year-old roan Welsh Pony earned the win with a score of 154.5 over the one-round, two-phase course at Desert International Horse Park. Finishing in a very close second place with a score of 154 was Amelia van der Werf and her own Hat Trick. Rounding out the top three with a score of 151 was Iva Owens aboard Wheels Up, owned by Riley Conant.
“I’ve had [Gummy Bear] since I was 7, and we got him when he was 5,” said Bumgardner of the pony, owned by Kingsbury Lane Farm. “We’ve been to Pony Finals once, and he was really good. He’s really fancy, so it’s always fun to hack him. He’s just really fun to ride.”
In speaking of Friday’s derby course, Bumgardner continued, “It was really fun. I’m kind of glad there wasn’t a trot jump because those kind of scare me sometimes! Gummy Bear was really good, and he jumped everything so well. He’s a really good jumper, so it was really fun.”
When they are not jumping, Bumgardner – who hails from Hailey, Idaho – can also be found at home working hard on her flatwork.
“I do dressage at home, so I work on shape and stuff,” explained Bumgardner. “We mostly stay on a circle, and then we do leg yields and turn on the haunches and turn on the forehand.”
For full results from the $1,500 USHA Pony Hunt & Go Derby, click here, and to learn more about all competition at Desert International Horse Park, visit deserthorsepark.com.