Katy, TX – March 29, 2025 – When RVF Petersburg came into Susan McMorris’s care as a young horse, McMorris knew she had something special. That inkling has paid off numerous times, including on March 28 when the pair strutted through both rounds of the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, sponsored by Baybridge Hunter Jumpers, to win the class with a score of 174 (85 + 89).
“We’ve had him since he was 4 or 5 years old, and we liked him, so we decided to keep him instead of selling,” said McMorris, who operates Rio Vista Farm. “He’s just a good match for me – kind of a light ride.”
Now 11 years old, RVF Petersburg comes from a star-studded lineage. By Dinken and out of California 6, the bay Holsteiner gelding has ties to performance horses like Coletto II and Diarado.
Owned by Rio Vista Farm, RVF Petersburg faced some stiff competition in the derby field. McMorris and the gelding held onto their first-place finish by just a quarter of a point. Jennifer Alfano and Freedom, owned by Rachel Miller, gave them a run for their money but finished in second place with a score of 173.75 (87.750 + 86). While the top two were neck and neck, the competition was slightly more defined for third and fourth place.
Avery Erickson came in third with Laura Carvajal’s Lorenzo Van Stal Romano with a score of 169 (83 + 86). Erickson was the only rider in the top five to forgo all the high-option fences. Meanwhile, Rebecca Buchanan rounded out the top four places with Jewell Bridwell’s Visconti, finishing on a score of 168 (82 + 86).
McMorris went for all the higher fence options possible in both rounds, adding a total of eight points to her total score. “The course was nice; it was fun,” McMorris said. “He was very soft and responsive today. So, he had a nice first round, and we came back and rode the same for the handy [round].”
RVF Petersburg and McMorris are no stranger to the spotlight. In 2024, the pair was named the Texas Hunter Jumper Association Champion and the USHJA Zone 7 Reserve Champion in the 3’6” Performance Hunter division. The duo’s 2025 competition season is also off to a strong start with this; however, as the head trainer at Rio Vista Farm in Dripping Springs, TX, McMorris and RVF Petersburg have to fit their goals around those of their clients.
“He’s done one international derby,” McMorris said. “I just do it based on how many clients I have to help that day – whether or not I’m going to do the international. I didn’t get to show him yesterday because of the rain, and I had too many clients showing, so I thought I’d just do the national derby this week.”
“If I can get him prepared to do the international, then I’ll do it,” McMorris continued.
To see the complete results of the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, sponsored by Baybridge Hunter Jumpers, click here.
About the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show
Recognized as a US Equestrian Heritage Competition, the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show is one of the oldest and most prestigious horse shows in the United States. Today, the show features three weeks of top-caliber hunter/jumper events and one week of breed show competition at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, TX.
