Thermal, Calif. – The first USHJA National Hunter Derby wins of Desert Circuit 2026 went home with Chelsea Brittner and Avery Glynn on Friday, January 9, at Desert International Horse Park in Thermal, Calif.
Brittner piloted Yellowstone to victory in the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby – Open, sponsored by Renaissance, while Glynn and Davina RW earned the top call in the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby – Junior/Amateur, sponsored by Voltaire Design.
Chelsea Brittner and Yellowstone earned the win in the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby – Open, sponsored by Renaissance. Photo by High Desert Sport Photo
Both winning horses share in the fact that they are more frequently ridden by Hope Glynn, but this week, Brittner and Avery Glynn stepped into the irons.
“Hope is unfortunately injured, so it’s a bit of a newer ride for me,” said Brittner of Yellowstone, owned by Talia Parks. “Thankfully, I did ride him for one week at [Desert] Holiday, so I knew him a little bit better than the other horse that I did, but he’s still very new. This is my second horse show with him. I’m super excited. He’s so lovely.”
Chelsea Brittner and Yellowstone. Photo by High Desert Sport Photo
Brittner led the 31-horse class from beginning to end, as she and the 9-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding took over the first-round lead with a score of 92. With the top 12 returning for the second, handy round, Brittner and Yellowstone impressively only improved on their previous performance. They secured a score of 93 to ultimately clinch the win with an overall total score of 185.
“The first round was a very nice, inviting course, especially in the beginning,” said Brittner. “It gave you a few single jumps just to kind of get going which I like because, again, he’s a bit newer for me. I could kind of feel out his energy and what his thought process might be…He was just on task today.”
Chelsea Brittner and Yellowstone. Photo by High Desert Sport Photo
Brittner continued, “Coming back for the handy, I was a little nervous since I don’t know him very well, and there were some really good, tight turns in there…As soon as I jumped jump one and turned back to jump two, I was like, ‘Okay, I can take a deep breath and just focus on riding and not worry about anything!’ He’s just really straightforward. He’s got this nice, big gallop. He’s very scopey; so, you can kind of go slow, but for how big and slow his step is, he’s very handy. He’s very easy to turn – light in the mouth and light off the leg.”
With Yellowstone earning the win, second place on a score of 183 (91+92) went to Jenny Karazissis and Anacapa, owned by Jennifer Geisler. Simon Schroeder and Conway Hill Farms LLC’s Santino took home third place with a score of 180.5 (89.5+91). For full results, click here.
Avery Glynn and Davina RW. Photo by High Desert Sport Photo
In the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby – Junior/Amateur, Avery Glynn and Davina RW similarly led from round one through to the end. They earned scores of 90 and 92 for a 182 total and a commanding victory.
Second place with a score of 164 (79+85) went to Karin Binz and Vatikan, and Luciana Gonzalez So and Sincerely took third with a 158 final score (72+86). For full results, click here.
“I was really happy with my first round, but I felt like there were maybe one or two jumps I would have liked to just smooth out a little bit,” said Avery Glynn. “Maybe I was a little nervous. Then, I felt like the handy was pretty much right on. I don’t think I would have changed much about it. I felt like, from the moment [Davina RW] walked into the ring, she was even more relaxed than I felt she was in the first round. I, as a rider, also just trusted her more which helped keep her relaxed. I took all the inside turns and the inside track, and she just followed me really well.”
Avery Glynn and Davina RW were presented as the winners of the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby – Junior/Amateur, sponsored by Voltaire Design. Photo by High Desert Sport Photo
While 20-year-old Avery Glynn has quite the impressive winning resume to her name, her nerves on Friday came from her first time competing Davina RW – and following a bit of time out of the hunter derby arena.
“I haven’t done the derbies in a while; I was just happy I didn’t let that horse down!” said Avery Glynn, of the 11-year-old Hanoverian mare, owned by Anna Hunt-Binkley. “[Davina RW] is a really special mare. I’ve known her for quite a few years. My mom, [Avery Glynn], helped find her a few years ago. My mom pretty often competes on her. Unfortunately, my mom is hurt this week, and our good friend Anna very kindly leased this sweet mare to me for the two weeks that I’m home from college to show so that I could have a nice hunter to compete on in the derbies.”
Avery Glynn and Davina RW. Photo by High Desert Sport Photo
Avery Glynn plans to return to contest the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby – Junior/Amateur on the Grass Field during Desert Circuit 2 before she heads back to her junior year at Auburn University, where she competes on the school’s National Collegiate Equestrian Association team.
To view a complete schedule of all competition offerings at Desert Circuit 1, presented by Barnwalkers & IDA Development, click here, and to learn more about all competition at Desert International Horse Park, visit deserthorsepark.com.