Adrienne Iverson Wins Hunter Derby at Old Salem Farm

Adrienne Iverson And Salto Win Hunter Derby At Old Salem Farm

Saturday, May 18th, was an exciting day for Canadian rider Adrienne Iverson and her mount, Salto Mortale, as they received the champion tricolors for the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Show; A two week long AA-rated event in North Salem, NY.

The 47 entries were nothing short of stellar as they took to the course, designed by Paul Jewel, and exhibited the glitz and glam of being show hunters. Iverson rode Salto Mortale beautifully in the classic round receiving a score of 180, but she really showed him off and wowed the judges in the handy round with a breathtaking ride that demonstrated the gelding’s power, athleticism and brilliance – scoring a 196 and an overall total of 376 that captured first place. Impressive is a complete understatement!

The 8yr old warmblood gelding, whose name actually means “deadly jump,” was trained as a jumper, is completely new to the hunter ring, and was imported a little over 2 months ago. Now owned by Emil Spadone and Redfield Farm in Califon, NJ, Salto Mortale has accomplished a lot in a very small amount of time. His intelligent and kind expression is captivating and he exudes such confidence; one would never guess he was a newbie.

Oakville, Ont. native, Iverson works and rides for Redfield Farm and has had the ride on Salto Mortale ever since he was imported – prior to Saturday’s win she had ridden in 4 International Hunter Derbies, but had never won. In an interview with Jennifer Wood Media, Iverson expressed that they knew he was talented but they remain shocked at how quickly he has learned the ropes, stating, “It takes a lot for a horse who’s only been here for a month, to step up and do something like this… I’m really proud of him.”

Redfield Farm is currently ranked 40th under Leading Hunter Owners and 125th under Leading Jumper Owners, as per the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF). For more information on Redfield Farm visit www.redfieldfarms.com

By: Claudia Lorena

Salto Mortale – USEF standings

1st year Green Working Hunter
156th out of 351 horses (based on money won)
170th out of 301 horses (based on accumulated points)

Green Conformation Hunter
91st out of 119 horses (based on accumulated points)