Thermal, Calif. – For the second time this winter season, Nicole Bourgeois and Mc Queen are going home from Desert International Horse Park with a USHJA International Hunter Derby victory. This time, the pair topped a 45-horse field to win the $49,900 Meadow Grove Farm USHJA International Hunter Derby on Friday, March 6, during Desert Circuit 9.
Nicole Bourgeois and Mc Queen. Photo by High Desert Sport Photo
At the conclusion of the first round in the Grand Prix Stadium, Bourgeois and the 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare sat in third place with a score of 183 (92.5+90.5). From there, Bourgeois knew that she could count on Mc Queen’s handiness to ideally help move them up the ranks.
“The first round was good,” said Bourgeois. “She actually had quite a bit of energy out there in the first round. The last time we did an international [hunter derby] it was out on the grass, so I think just coming back into the grand prix ring was fun and a little exciting…I was pretty happy with where I sat after the first round. She can be a really handy horse, and we’ve again gotten to do quite a few handies together. So, I really trust her a ton, and I felt pretty confident going into that second round that we could deliver a pretty nice round.”
Nicole Bourgeois and Mc Queen in their winning presentation. Photo by High Desert Sport Photo
Mc Queen rose to the occasion and did just that, earning a score of 188 for an overall winning total score of 371. Second place with a score of 369 (177+192) went to Karli Postel and Cavaletto Loma Z, owned by West Coast Equine Partners LLC. Rounding out the top three with a score of 366.5 (184+182.5) were Leslie Steele and No Reservations, owned by Curtis Holdings Inc.
“[Mc Queen] is a queen through and through!” said Bourgeois of the mare, owned by Barbara Lovre, that she has now been partnered with for several years. “She wears a little tiara on her forelock when she shows. I’m just lucky to have a horse that I’ve gotten to develop into the derby star that she is. I’m very lucky, her owner, Barb, has bought her for me. I’m the only one that gets to show her. So, it’s so nice to just have that horse that really is kind of my own to show in the big classes!”
Second place went to Karli Postel and Cavaletto Loma Z. Photo by High Desert Sport Photo
The next big class that Bourgeois and Mc Queen will target is Desert Circuit 10’s finale $150,000 World Championship Hunter Rider West Coast Hunter Spectacular on Friday, March 13. To view more season-end highlights at Desert International Horse Park, visit deserthorsepark.com, and for complete results from the $49,900 Meadow Grove Farm USHJA International Hunter Derby, click here.