Wellington, Fla. – January 2, 2026—Victoria Colvin of Loxahatchee, FL, was last to return for the handy round of Friday’s $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby and held on for the win riding Golden Road for owners John & Stephanie Ingram. The USHJA International Hunter Derby highlighted hunter action during opening week of the 2026 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) and Wellington International.
Victoria Colvin and golden Road are presented as winners of the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby during opening week of the 2026 Winter Equestrian Festival. Golden Road also earned the Champion Equine Insurance Hunter Style Award, presented by Laura Fetterman (second from left). Photo ©Sportfot
Sitting on a score of 188 from the opening round, Colvin’s plan was to play it safe and pass up an inside turn to the trot jump to hold on to her lead. Michael Britt-Leon made a move that forced her to change that plan.
“I wasn’t planning on doing it,” Colvin, 28, explained. “I walked with Michael and I definitely saw the inside turn, but if nobody did it, I wasn’t doing it. Then he did, so I had to give it a shot.”
In the handy round, a score of 206 from judges Randy Roy and Scott Fitton secured the win for Colvin and Golden Road, a 10 year old Selle Français gelding sired by Cornet Obolensky. They finished on a total score of 394.
Britt-Leon of Alpharetta, GA, riding Prime Time, owned by Mark Dorfman, held on as the runner-up with a total score of 385.5. Jennifer Hannan of Wakefield, RI, took third on a score of 383 with Cellestino, owned by Stephanie Bulger.
“He has a very powerful jump, so he does get very high,” Colvin said of Golden Road, a ride she recently took over for the Ingram Family. “He’s very comfortable and has a great character, too.”
Victoria Colvin riding Golden Road to victory in the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby during opening week of the 2026 Winter Equestrian Festival. Photo ©Sportfot
While the partnership is still new, Colvin and Golden Road are focused on taking things in stride.
“It’s our first derby together; I rode him during indoors, but the derby environment is new for us,” Colvin said of the International derby that was built by course designer Danny Moore of West Palm Beach, FL, using a combined ring 11 and 12 on Wellington International’s famed Pony Island. “These rings are really nice; it’s good to mix it up a bit. My favorite thing is when the hunters show in the International Ring or on the Derby Field—it’s nice that we get to change up the venues.”
Golden Road is no stranger to high-stakes derbies, and Colvin will focus the gelding on derby competition throughout the winter season with the first goal being World Championship Hunter Rider Week (WCHR) during WEF 6.
In addition to the win, Golden Road was awarded the Champion Equine Insurance Hunter Style Award from Laura Fetterman of Champion Equine Insurance. The Champion Equine Insurance Style Awarded is awarded to one hunter and one jumper horse each week throughout WEF.
For complete results from the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, click HERE.
Full results from WEF Premiere are available HERE.
