Romond Repurposes Jumpers for Repeat Derby Win, Copper Canyon Continues Derby Domination, Yzerman Clears $25,000 Saratoga Grand Prix at Saratoga Classic I

Two feature classes were on the schedule on Saturday, June 14, 2025, at the Saratoga Classic I Horse Show. Leading the victory gallop in the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby were Laena Romond and Fellow Z, owned by Heritage Farm. As the only double clear in the $25,000 Saratoga Grand Prix, Maria Yzerman and Pepe 348 were victorious. On Friday, June 13, Copper Canyon and Jennifer Jones won the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby presented by Dover Saddlery. Held at White Hollow Farm in Stillwater, NY, the Saratoga Classic I continues through Sunday, June 15, with World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) competition, while the Saratoga Classic II Horse Show will run the following week on June 18-22.

When Laena Romond won the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at the 2024 Saratoga Classic I, she accomplished the feat with Little Lord 112, a former international jumper competing in its first hunter derby and third horse show as a hunter. In 2025, Romond repeated the derby win, this time with Fellow Z, a junior jumper competing in its first show as a hunter and with Romond.

“We got him at the beginning of Florida this year. He's been doing junior jumpers with one of our kids all winter,” explained Romond of the nine-year-old Zangersheide gelding by For Pleasure x Clinton, “and she's traveling for the summer, so we thought he could have a career change for a moment and see how he liked the hunters. He likes it!

“He truly has been a jumper until this week,” she continued. “We've known with his range, his stride, his scope, his technique, and his brain, that he could excel in any of these rings. He could also for sure win an equitation class. He's truly a three-ring horse, but not a jack of all trades. He's like a master of all trades.”

Romond had schooled Fellow Z a handful of times and always wanted to show. “He's a horse that I've watched with other people in the barn, and from the ground, he's the one that we're always like, ‘I want to ride that one,’” she recalled, “because he's so much fun.”

Romond and Fellow Z led the first round with a score of 183. “In the first round, I think the second fence caught a lot of horses off guard, just where it was placed and the way the equipment was used. I would say even my horse noticed that a little bit,” she described. “He was going to jump it, but I think a lot of horses were a little startled to see that jump so early on in the course. He handled it well, and then he got very relaxed as he went.”

Fellow Z returned for the second round and upped his score to 193 for a total of 376 to win by a half point over Sara Taylor and Gambit, owned by Christy Violin, who scored 182 in round one and 193.5 in round two for a 375.5 total. Third place went to On The Bay, ridden by Jennifer Jones for Jennifer Dean. They scored 181 and 190 for a total of 371.

Romond noted that Fellow Z’s good brain translates to the barn as well, and he’s just known as “Fellow.”

“He's an unflappable character,” she said. “It's a good name for him. He's a good fellow.”

Copper Canyon Continues Derby Domination

Copper Canyon is no stranger to the winner’s circle for the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby at Saratoga Horse Shows, having taken the title twice in 2024. With two other national derby wins and many other top finishes, Copper Canyon was named the 2024 high score award in the USHJA National Hunter Derby - National Horse Standings for Professionals. The winner of the 2024 USHJA National Hunter Derby - National Rider Standings for Professionals, Jennifer Jones, was in the saddle for the win in Friday’s class, where they rose to the top of the class of 33 entries.

Including bonus points for the high options, Copper Canyon and Jones scored 98 in the first round. “He was really nice and smooth and felt great,” said Jones of the eight-year-old Zangersheide gelding (Irish Wiskey Z x Nabab de Reve). “Everything just kind of came up. I was super happy with him.”

Going into the handy round, Jones changed her strategy mid-course. "I didn't plan on going in between the two verticals to the last jump,” she said, “but I know him so well, and he's done so many of these derbies that you can call on him if you need to. I felt like I could trust him to do that well, even though it wasn't my plan. He was great.”

The judges rewarded the pair with a score of 97 in the second round for a total of 195 for the win. Lainie Wimberly rode Say It Right for owner Chris Brown to second place with scores of 96 and 91 for a total of 187. Third place went to Buffalo Bay, ridden by Keirstin Scott for Kimberly Witherspoon. They scored 94 and 92 for a 186 total.

“It's always nice to win a class with him,” reflected Jones. “He won a class at the Devon Horse Show, and that was really special. Sometimes the first show coming back, you're like, ‘Hopefully, that wasn't the only highlight of our year.’ But he was really good here, there were a lot of nice horses in it, and it's always a fun derby.”

Yzerman and Pepe 348 Clear $25,000 Saratoga Grand Prix

When Maria Yzerman entered the ring for her jump-off, she had the benefit of knowing that she could take a little more time and aim for a clear round on Pepe 348, her eight-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Perigueux x Diarado). As the second of two in the jump-off, she breathed a little easier when Robert Lee and MTM Logo had a rail at the third jump. They had a smooth, efficient second round and finished clear with a time of 47.363 seconds for the win.

“In the first round, I was seeing all kinds of distances, and he was really there for me helping me out. I just wanted to give him a nicer ride and the jump-off he deserved to have,” said Yzerman. “I felt a lot more confident in the jump-off, and I felt more prepared. It was nice that there were only two of us because I just had to see what Robert did and then I could change my plan from there. And unfortunately, he had one down, so my plan changed.”

This was the pair’s first grand prix victory together since the 27-year-old Yzerman imported the handsome gray a year ago from Belgium. They competed in their first grand prix in May at the Ottawa Spring Horse Shows in Canada, Yzerman’s home country, where “Pepe” finished second and Yzerman’s second mount Lazzaro – who placed fifth in this grand prix – took the win.

“He's getting better and better, but he's still quite young, so I take it slow with him,” said Yzerman. “I let him develop on his own time. He's super cool, he's super quick, he loves to win, and he's fun. He has a bright future ahead, but I'm going to let him take his time getting there.”

In the past year, Yzerman said that while she is helping Pepe learn, he is also helping her become a better rider. “He's a little bit of a nervous horse, so I had to grow myself to become calmer and more confident because he's a younger horse,” she explained. “I have to get myself in the right headspace before I get on him. I think it's going to be a really great partnership.”

Lee and MTM Logo, owned by Brook Run Farm LLC, finished second with four faults in the jump-off in a time of 45.020 seconds. Third place went to Kristen Bumpus on Carpe Diem CV Z, owned by Carpe Diem Z LLC, who just missed the jump-off with two time faults in the first round and a time of 89.327 seconds.

Saratoga Classic I Horse Show Highlights

Sunday, June 14
President’s Cup Equitation, $1,000 Non-Pro Hunter Derby, and Grand Champion awards

Looking for horse show photos? Visit official photographer Jess Windhurst Photography at www.JessWindhurst.com to view all of your show proofs!

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