Wailea, owned by Ohana Equine LLC, has only competed in two hunter derbies throughout her career, but continued her 100% win streak by topping the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, presented by NetJets, with Jennifer Bliss aboard on Friday of Week 7 at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF).
“She’s only done two national derbies and she’s won both of them,” Bliss said of the 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare who took naturally to the grass derby field at Wellington International. “She came to us last fall and didn’t have a lot of experience at all. We wanted her to feel confident and have a good experience out there on the field today as it was her first time, and I’m so proud of how she rose to the occasion.”
Wailea cruised around Danny Moore’s hunt-and-go course to scores of 94 and 91, respectively, in the classic and handy portions of the round. Her combined score of 185 gave her the win by a margin of just one point.
Second place was awarded to Clem Brecourt, owned by Tracy Freels and ridden by Hannah Isop of Pawling, NY, on a score of 184. Many Moons, owned by Fayetteville Farms, claimed third with Morgan Van Nortwick of Reston, VA, aboard on a score of 181.
“We all love this field,” Bliss continued of the change of scenery for derby action this week. “We always plan our schedules a bit around these classes so we can do them. I had not shown her on grass before so I wanted to get a read on how she’d handle it, and I’m obviously very proud of her.”
Wailea’s owner, Jenn Meth, imported the mare and brought her into Bliss’s program to take her to the next level. Bliss has loved the chance to get to know the horse and be part of its story.
“She is a bit unorthodox in that she is tiny and a bit spicy, but we have all believed in her and tried to develop her in a really thoughtful way,” Bliss said of Wailea’s progress. “Days like today are a reward for that. It’s a testament to the whole team: her owner for being so patient and supportive and my husband for the management of her care. I’m the one in the ring but I could not get that result without all of their contributions.”
So far, the team behind Wailea has planned everything day by day, so they’ll continue with that approach as the season goes on and then see what she continues to want to do.
“Everything we’ve asked of her so far she’s done nicely,” Bliss explained. “The big thing this year was moving up to the 3’6” and she’s been so consistent. In the derbies, she’s learned the handies and is very brave. The plan for this year is to keep going with the 3’6” greens and perhaps next year step up to the International Derbies. She’ll tell us what she wants to do but for the time being I joke that she’s my horse and I’m just doing as much as I can with her.”
Kind words from within the team and outside of it really filled Bliss’s cup as she and Wailea finished for the day.
“My friend Hannah Isop, who was second and who I really respect as a rider as she also develops a lot of young horses, was standing there as I came out of the ring today,” Bliss went on. “She said, ‘Wow, that horse has come so far.’ That meant a lot to me, and she really has.”
Based year round in Wellington, Bliss enjoys having the opportunity to stay in one place consistently while still competing at the highest levels.
“We’re so lucky, and that’s why we chose to base here because we're able to show at a high level and sleep in our own beds for so much of the year. My daughter is five and started kindergarten this year, so from that perspective having some semblance of a normal, settled home life, that’s why we chose to settle here.”
To see full results from the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, presented by NetJets, click HERE.
Brendan Weiss scored a victory Friday on the field as well, topping the Junior/Amateur section of the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, presented by NetJets, aboard Jaguar.
“I’ve been riding Jaguar for about a year and a half,” Weiss said of his partnership with the Dutch Warmblood gelding by I’m Special de Muze. “I took about a 10-year break from riding and got back into it in 2023. I was lucky enough to get matched up with him and have owned him for the last eight months or so. He’s a horse that tries to go out there and win every time and winning is his favorite thing. He always shows up and gives it his all.”
Jaguar’s “all” led to scores of 91 and 92 for a combined 183 to take the top position. Finishing second was Grace Carucci of Sheldon, SC, aboard Mr. Right, owned by Fait Accompli, LLC, and in third was Henry Hollis of West Grove, PA, aboard Mythic 11.
Both Jaguar and Weiss enjoyed the change of scenery and jumping on the grass derby field during WEF 7.
“It’s a very nice opportunity for us to have a different ring and to jump on the grass,” he continued. “I’d say only a couple times a year I get to do that and I think my horse really likes it. It was a lot of fun out there and I think my horse enjoyed it too.”
Jaguar knew it was a special occasion, and Weiss knew to expect the horse to shine. While the victory was still an exciting one, he knows his horse can show off on a stage like this.
“It’s nice to come over here and get him excited again,” he said of the horse’s added flair in a derby on the grass. “I think he knows when there’s an option so he can jump the bigger one and he likes when the jumps look a little different so he jumps a little harder and looks at them a little more.”
During Weiss’s 10-year hiatus, he focused on his career in medical sales in New York City with limited access to horses. Now that he’s established in his career and back in his hometown of Haverford, PA, he is diving in head first by flying down to Wellington every weekend of the season to compete.
“I moved back in 2020 and was lucky enough to start riding with Kim Buzby at Windfall Farm,” Weiss explained. “From there everything blew back up again. I think riding was a big portion of my adult life that I was missing. I’m very grateful to be back in it and be with horses as much as I am now. I never thought I was going to get to compete here and it keeps getting better and better. I’m very grateful and I feel very lucky.”
To see full results from the Junior/Amateur section of the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, presented by NetJets, click HERE.
