Twinning for time: Amanda Derbyshire shares a win at The USA’s Wellington International
Monday 22 January 2024
Amanda Derbyshire hit form in week two of the three-month long Wellington International tour but had to share the win when dead-heating on time.
A competitive field of sixty-two riders took to the course designed by Germany’s Olaf Petersen Jr on the Equestrian Village Derby Field in Friday’s $32,000 Adequan® CSI3* WEF Challenge Cup Round 2. Fifteen competitors returned for the jump-off, and of those returning, two riders laid down an identical track to take a rare, tied win. Early drawn Abigail McArdle (USA) and Olympia Van Het EikenHof set a fast pace on the short course to take her to the top of the leaderboard.
Amanda, representing Great Britain, was twelfth to go on Otto BH with the goal of defeating Abigail’s time. She rode a fast track, galloping across the finish line to stop the clock at a familiar 39.85 seconds to join Abigail on the winning podium.
“When I first finished my course, I actually had no idea we had tied,” said Derbyshire. “When I finished on the lower end of 39 seconds, I just figured that Abigail was faster; she had held the lead since the beginning.
“I knew I could count on Otto for this class,” added Amanda, about the 12-year-old Norton D’Eole x Toulon stallion. “This class is actually his first start of the season. He’s had the last few months off from competition focusing on getting fit at home, but we jumped him on the field at Spruce [Meadows] last summer, so I knew he wouldn’t be fazed by starting out on the grass.”
Of Otto’s talents, Amanda said: “He’s an extremely careful horse, but it can be a bit of a pro and con. I know he will do everything in his power to keep the jumps up, but he is quite powerful, so it’s up to me to control that and put him in the right spot.”
Tim Gredley claimed an early lead in the nine-horse decider of the $32,000 3* Hermes 1.50m Classic, but Imperial HBF dropped down to an eventual fourth, 3.33 seconds behind the winner, Ireland’s Jordan Coyle on For Gold.
Grace Debney guided Zarina De Vidau into third in the £31,020 BrainJuuice Under 25 Grand Prix. Fourteen of the original 58 starters with Grace and the Diamant de Semilly 13-year-old posting another clean round to slot into third place on the podium, 1.92 seconds behind Natalie Dean’s (USA) winning time on Dotcom D’Authuit.
Image: Amanda Derbyshire and Otto BH. Credit: Sportfot
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