USHJA Hunter Derby at WEG Lexington, KY Four of the country's top hunter riders demonstrated their skills during the USHJA International Hunter Derby at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. The course, designed by Bobby Murphy, demonstrated the tight turns necessary for a handy hunter, a variety of derby fences, and the hand gallop. The USHJA riders were: Jennifer Alfano and Jersey Boy, Peter Pletcher and Argentum, Louise Serio and Rock Star, Liza Boyd and Brunello and Tammy Provost and Peridot. October 10 was Jennifer Alfano’s birthday, so the “birthday girl” wore a crown on her helmet at Friday’s Derby. In the first round, riders showed their traditional hunter style and finesse. The next round was “handy hunter,” which simulated the foxhunting experience in which horses may have gallop, stop and wait, or jump a fence without a lot of preparation. Riders came into the arena and immediately jumped the first fence without the traditional circle, then at the end of the course, hand galloped to the last fence. In the third round, all four riders entered the ring and jumped the course following one another in line, simulating how the field would jump coops in the hunt field. Chairman of the High Performance Hunter Committee, Ron Danta said, “Our dream is to get Hunters recognized so they will be part of WEG in the future, and this is the first step in doing so. "It is an incredible opportunity for the American Hunter system to be shown to the world."