Thermal, Calif. – India Kulkin and Magic Moment may be a new partnership, but the pair is already two-for-two when it comes to hunter derby victories. After earning a win during Desert Holiday 1, they returned to do it again at Desert Holiday 2, this time taking the top honor in the $15,000 USHJA National Hunt & Go Derby – Junior/Amateur, sponsored by Voltaire Design and held on Friday, December 12.
India Kulkin and Magic Moment. Photo by High Desert Sport Photo
In the $15,000 USHJA National Hunt & Go Derby – Open, sponsored by Andalusia Country Club and also held on Friday, the win went to Sarah Moberg and Trouvaille.
“It’s exciting,” said Kulkin of her back-to-back win with Magic Moment, a 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding that she competed for the first time last week. “He was a really cool boy. I really liked the course. In the handy, there were a lot of inside turn opportunities and just things that you could do to show off. It was a really good course for him because I was able to just let him gallop in a lot of places, like the long bends.”
India Kulkin and Magic Moment. Photo by High Desert Sport Photo
Kulkin’s impressive efforts through both phases of the hunt & go course – set in the Main Hunter Ring at Desert International Horse Park – earned her and Magic Moment scores of 92 and 94 for a winning 186 total. Second place went to Violet Tatum who piloted Uptown, owned by Hadley Lieberman, to scores of 91 and 89 for a 180 total. Rounding out the top three on a 179 (89+90) were Olivia Aul and Copyright, owned by Elizabeth Aul.
In the $15,000 USHJA National Hunt & Go Derby – Open, sponsored by Andalusia Country Club, scores of 89.5 and 91 for a 180.5 total are what it took for Moberg and Trouvaille to take home the win. Finishing in an extremely close second place with a score of 180.3 (88.8+91.5) were Kylee Arbuckle and Cooley Malibu, owned by Luann Berman. The third-place position was also held by Moberg, as she rode Qoriolis Effect SCF to scores of 90 and 90.25 for owner Cowtown Barn LLC.
Sarah Moberg and Trouvaille. Photo by High Desert Sport Photo
“We got Trouvaille almost a year ago now,” said Moberg of the 7-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding, owned by Isabel Dyckerhoff. “We imported him, and it’s been a very slow process. He’s a little quirky. So, it’s been a bit of a work in process, but I’m so proud of him. It all came together today. He was just so brave and so relaxed and just gave me a great feel out there.”
To view full results from both USHJA National Hunt & Go Derbies, visit dihp.showgroundslive.com.