Thermal, CA – January 10, 2025 – Nick Haness and Navarino made their hunter derby debut a winning one on Friday, January 10, at the Desert International Horse Park in Thermal, CA. With scores of 90.5 and 95, the 7-year-old stallion claimed victory in the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby – Open, sponsored by Vogel.
“Navarino is a really special horse,” said Haness of the Dutch Warmblood, owned by Brianne Tsakopoulos. “I’m so thrilled to be a part of this horse’s team. He’s a brilliant jumping horse, but his athleticism and his natural character, bravery and ability to handle the pressure already at a young age are pretty impressive. It takes years to develop that in some horses, and this horse just kind of has that from the very beginning.”
Those traits all came together on Friday to help Haness and Navarino earn a first-round score of 90.5, including high option bonus points.
With strong performances and high scores in abundance in the opening round, that only put the pair into third place coming back for the handy round. Sitting in first place on a score of 92 were Karli Postel and Full Moon Fever, and Jenny Karazissis and Big Shot held second place on a score of 91.
While each of the top three returned to the Main Hunter Ring to turn in seamless handy rounds, Navarino’s most impressed the judges, earning the stallion a score of 95, including high option bonus points, for an overall total score of 185.5.
Karazissis and Big Shot, owned by Dulcie Lou Morris, held on to a very close second place with a handy score of 94 for a 185 total. Postel and Fulll Moon Fever, owned by Jack Strang, rounded out the top three with a handy score of 90.75 and an overall score of 182.75.
While Haness has only had the ride on Navarino for roughly three months, it’s a ride that is extremely familiar, thanks to Navarino’s sire.
“I actually ride his sire, Jenkins, on the East Coast,” said Haness of the 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood, owned by John and Stephanie Ingram and currently competed by Martha Ingram. “He was champion last year at Harrisburg in the Amateur Owner Hunters and lots of other championships in his life.”
Navarino’s winning bloodlines don’t stop there, however. His grandsire, Charisma, was well known for his success in the show ring under the ownership of Heritage Farm, most notably in the equitation where Taylor St. Jacques piloted the gelding to the 2016 ASPCA Maclay Final reserve championship and the win in the 2017 USEF Hunter Seat Medal Final.
“I’ve known this horse’s history – his parents, his grandparents – and that’s amazing,” said Haness. “When I’m riding Navarino, it feels like I’m riding Jenkins. I can trust both of those horses so much. In fact, Jenkins’ first start was also here at the Desert Horse Park in Thermal a few years ago. Riding Navarino at this stage of his career, he feels like he’s on the same path as Jenkins, which is really exciting.”
For full results of Friday’s $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby – Open, sponsored by Vogel, click here.
