Hannan Sweeps Green Incentive, Isop and Something Else Hunt and Go to Derby Victory at 2025 Saratoga Women In Business Spectacular

Hunters were the main attraction on Friday, July 11, 2025, at the Saratoga Women In Business (WIB) Spectacular. Jennifer Hannan of Wakefield, RI, dominated the morning competition by winning the $10,000 USHJA 3’/3’3” Green Hunter Incentive Regional Championship with Rindy Dominguez’s Chilled and the $5,000 USHJA 3’6”/3’9” Green Hunter Incentive Regional Championship on Lyrical, owned by Suzanne Duncan. In the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby Hunt and Go, Hannah Isop and Something Else, owned by Marcie Marcus, put together the top round for the win. The Saratoga WIB Spectacular hosts a week full of exciting events and stellar competition through Sunday, July 14, including World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) qualifying and educational opportunities.

The Saratoga WIB Spectacular, held at White Hollow Farm in Stillwater, NY, is the first-ever horse show created by women, operated by women, benefitting women’s health, and showcasing businesswomen throughout the equestrian industry and beyond.

Hannan and Dominguez have had years of success with another handsome black horse named Frosted, who is the sire of Chilled, the seven-year-old Westphalian gelding that handily won the $10,000 USHJA 3’/3’3” Green Hunter Incentive Regional Championship with scores of 90 and 89 for a 179 total. With Prospero, owned by Stephanie Bulger, Hannan was second with scores of 85 and 88 for a 173 total. Sarah Tom rode Storm King, owned by Sally Gibb, to 83 and 81 for a 164 total and third place.

Hannan and Dominguez had been searching for Frosted’s offspring for years and found Chilled in Ukraine, where he had little competition experience. He was imported in August 2024, and Hannan began showing him in mid-February 2025.

Hannan found similar characteristics to Frosted immediately. “He has an amazing attitude, and he's so smart,” she described. “He took to this job so easily and very fast. He has the same great canter as Frosted.

“His demeanor is so quiet and so chill,” she added with a smile. “He's very easy to get to the ring. He barely does anything to show. He's like a 10-year-old in a seven-year-old’s body.”

Hannan described her rounds in this class as consistent and straightforward until the final jump in the second round, where Chilled gave extra effort. “He thought that was a little more exciting,” she said. “I think as the jumps get bigger, and there's more of a challenge he's really going to be into it. He has a lot of scope and stride, so we're excited to keep going slowly, but keep going.”

Since they began competing, Chilled developed faster than Hannan thought he would, and Dominguez took up the reins in the Adult Hunters two weeks after Hannan. Hannan is gearing up for the Platinum Performance/USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Championships this August.

While Hannan’s relationship with Chilled is fairly new, she has bonded with Lyrical for four years, in a “nice, long journey.” Now eight years old, Lyrical has just started competing in the USHJA International Hunter Derby classes and competes in the Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’3” division with his owner Suzanne Duncan. With Hannan aboard, Lyrical picked up multiple championships at this winter’s Winter Equestrian Festival.

The rangy bay Holsteiner gelding by Uriko has “a very funny personality,” said Hannan. “We sort of need to let it be ‘Lyric’s’ world. But he is very willing, and he would jump a house. He has so much scope, really endless, and he's an enjoyable young horse. He's very soft, and he has a massive stride, so you kind of need to underride everything a little bit. He's a lot of fun because you never have to worry about the jumps. They're never too big or too spooky for him.”

The class was a good warm-up for Lyrical before Duncan gets in the saddle, and Hannan enjoyed the course design. The judges rewarded them with scores of 84 and 88 for a total of 172. She noted, “Lyric has the right amount of mileage to canter around there smoothly, and he was a little impressed by the jumps, so he went well.”

Second place went to Bosun, ridden by Robert Lee for Brook Run Farm LLC, who scored 75 and 80 for a total of 155. Shane Pope rode his own Finch Hill to third place when he scored 70 and 79 for a 149 total score.

Isop and Something Else Hunt and Go to Derby Victory

Out of 34 entries in the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby held in the Hunt and Go format, Hannah Isop of Brewster, NY, and Something Else rose to the top with a score of 88 in the first half of the “classic” derby course and 90 in the second half of the handy derby course. With four more points for the high options, they finished with a winning total of 182.

It was a satisfying win for Isop, who started riding Something Else again two months ago after having ridden him as a younger horse. This was their first hunter derby together.

“He’s truly a pleasure to ride,” said Isop of the 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding by Bisquet Balou vd Mispelaere. “He's a very scopey, naturally very brave horse. The derbies are extremely well suited for him and his style, and he really enjoys doing them. He's a lot of fun. I think I was smiling the whole time around.”

This is Isop’s second time competing at Saratoga Horse Shows, and she loved showing over this hunter derby course. “They really dressed this ring up,” she said. “I love the green wall. I love the bounce, the hay bales, the brush, and the flowers. It was all set up for them to jump well and was a lot of fun.

“I love how they take time,” she continued to describe the show. “They dress everything up. It has kind of an old-school feel to it, but with plenty of quality.”

Second place went to Call Me Cool, ridden and owned by Chrysopylae Locke. They scored 84.5 and 86.25 with four bonus points for a total of 174.75. Isop also rode Elain 10, owned by Blue Star Investments, to a total of 174 for third place after they received scores of 83 and 87 with four bonus points.

Special Events
All events are free and open to all members of the public. Everyone is welcome to attend!

Saturday, July 12 – Big Top Observation Tent
8-10 a.m. – Breakfast and Coffee Bar – Everyone is welcome to enjoy iced coffee, pastries, granola, yogurt, and more.

9 a.m. – Ask the Veterinarian – Bring your questions about a career as a vet

10 a.m. – How to Become a Steward – Sue Blessing talks about being a show steward, how to become one, and why the role is so important

Competition Highlights

Saturday, July 12 – Bainbridge Main Hunter Ring
8 a.m. – $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby

Saturday, July 12 – Dammerman International Ring
$25,000 WIB Grand Prix

Sunday, July 14
USHJA Pony Hunter Derby, Hunter and Jumper Classics

Looking for horse show photos? Visit official photographer Dashing Paws Photography at www.DashingPaws.net to view all of your show proofs!

For more information on the Saratoga Horse Shows, visit www.saratogahorseshows.com.