Grace Tenbroek Sweeps Lamplight 2’6” Hunter Derby with Quiet Hunter and Vulkano

Wayne, Ill. – July 9, 2022 – Veteran partner or brand-new partner, it made no difference for Grace Tenbroek during Saturday’s Lamplight 2’6” Hunter Derby at HITS Chicago. Tenbroek had all the answers with both her 18-year-old mount Quiet Hunter and her new 6-year-old mount Vulkano to place first and second, respectively, during her first rated competition at Lamplight Equestrian Center.

“We just got Vulkano, so this is my first show with him,” she explained after her victory. “I did not expect to do that well. I trust my other horse with my life, so I knew that he would do pretty well, but I definitely did not expect this outcome!”

 
Grace Tenbroek with Quiet Hunter and Vulkano. Photo by: Alison Hartwell

The Lamplight 2’6” Hunter Derby began with a classic round that featured a bending line as the last test. The top riders were invited to return for the handy round where they had a rollback as the second test of the course, and then continued to two related lines, showcasing their mount’s rhythm between the fences and brilliance over them.

After earning an 80 in the first round with Quiet Hunter, Tenbroek returned to lay down another graceful effort during the handy round to earn the winning total of 156. She also delivered two beautiful rounds with Vulkano for a score of 152, which would earn the second-place prize, while Liliana Nora Menesi and Keefer HDH rounded out the top three.

 
Grace Tenbroek and Quiet Hunter. Photo by: Alison Hartwell

Tenbroek was thrilled with both of her horses, especially Vulkano, who they only entered after top performances earlier in the week. “I was originally just going to do my first horse, Hunter, but then Vulkano had been great all day, so we decided to try him in the derby and see how it would go. They are two very different horses. Hunter is older, he’s 18, so he can be kind of lazy, but he definitely has a more forward step. Vulkano is only 6 and has a very wide step, so he gets you up the line – Hunter needs more leg.”

Saturday’s victory was extra special for Tenbroek, who was competing in a rated competition at Lamplight for the first time. “I was here a few weeks ago to try Vulkano, and it was very busy. Overall I love it here – it’s beautiful, and I like that there are so many rings!”

 
Grace Tenbroek and Vulkano. Photo by: Alison Hartwell

Two more weeks of hunter action remain as part of the Lamplight Summertime Series at Lamplight Equestrian Center during the HITS Chicago Series, which runs through September at the world-class facility. Lamplight Summertime II will feature another $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby, as well as the $1,000 USHJA Green Hunter Incentive, the $750 USHJA Green Challenge, and the Lamplight 2’6” Hunter Derby. Lamplight Summertime III will feature a $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby and the $5,000 USHJA Hunter Team Challenge to close out the series. For more information click here.