A new $25,000 Thoroughbred Hunter Derby will make its debut at the Upperville Colt & Horse Show in June, replacing the recent Upperville Thoroughbred Hunter Classic. The Derby will take place Tuesday afternoon, in the Parker Ring beneath Upperville’s iconic oaks. A post-class reception will be held in the Friends of Upperville tent adjacent to the grandstand.
The new Derby reflects a growing, industry-wide effort to expand opportunities for Thoroughbreds at recognized horse shows. In recent years, trainers, owners, and Thoroughbred advocates have worked to elevate the visibility and competitiveness of Thoroughbreds in hunter and jumper sport.
TAKE2—founded by the late Bruce Duchossois and Rick Violette Jr. of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association—has been at the forefront of that movement. The program partners with USEF-rated horse shows to offer hunter and jumper divisions restricted to Thoroughbreds eligible for registration with The Jockey Club. More recently, Carrie Brogden—a Thoroughbred enthusiast active in the racing industry—told Camden, South Carolina-based trainer Ron Danta that the racing industry was interested in promoting the idea of a Thoroughbred-only derby series offering significant prize money.
At the same time, Middleburg trainer Sue Lyman, an active USHJA member who chairs its Horse and Riders Advocates Committee, and Second Wind Thoroughbred Aftercare founder Dayle Eldredge made repeated efforts to revive the long-dormant USHJA Thoroughbred Taskforce. Ron Danta helped by making them aware of Carrie Brogden’s interest.
Their efforts finally started taking off following the national success of one exceptional Thoroughbred. Catherine Brown’s Ifwhizkycouldtalk, known as “Whisky,” drew widespread attention during his second year showing with Lyman. Not only did he excel in the Thoroughbred hunter divisions, he also placed consistently and sometimes won in the competitive 3’3” Green Hunter division against warmbloods and participated in the USHJA Green Incentive Program, showing beautifully at the finals in Kentucky in August.
An article by Lindsey Berreth in The Chronicle of the Horse chronicling Lyman and Whisky’s success at Upperville in June 2025–when Whisky won both the TAKE2 Division and the Thoroughbred Hunter Classic–found its way to USHJA President Britt McCormick. Soon after, McCormick reached out to Lyman, and the USHJA Thoroughbred Taskforce was officially revived, with Eldredge serving as Chair and Lyman as a member. Their first objective: turning Brogden’s vision of a high-dollar Thoroughbred derby into reality.
The Taskforce agreed that a single, successful event was needed before expanding into a series—and Upperville was the natural choice. “At Upperville, they know how to do a Derby, and the Thoroughbreds are already successful divisions,” said Lyman.
She approached UCHS Board member Tom Brennan, who brought the proposal for a Derby in 2026 to the Show Committee, where it received a favorable response. Brennan estimated that at least $20,000 in prize money, along with $10,000 for a competitor reception, would be necessary to attract top-level participation and support.
Undaunted, Lyman immediately reached out to people she knows have a special interest in Thoroughbreds. Funding followed quickly, for the Derby prize money as well as the reception. One of the earliest prize money supporters was longtime Thoroughbred advocate and former Lyman client Ann Hormel. Others include Jacqueline Mars, for whom Lyman has also trained, and Tisbury Stud. The purse quickly rose to $25,000, while TAKE2 and Aspire Equine, LLC. signed up to sponsor the reception.
“I love Thoroughbred horses,” said Hormel. “I hate to see them cast away because they didn’t make it big on the track. I would love to see them coming back into the hunter and jumper rings, and I feel like this Derby could help make that happen.”
With strong industry support, substantial prize money, and Upperville’s historic setting, the inaugural Thoroughbred Hunter Derby is poised to become a defining moment for Thoroughbreds in sport horse competition. Tom Brennan added, “Upperville is truly raising the stakes with the launch of this brand-new $25,000 Thoroughbred Derby. This class underscores our commitment to honoring tradition while creating meaningful new opportunities for Thoroughbred horses, owners, and riders.”
Photo Credit KMK Photos