Lexington, Ky.—Aug.15

You could hear a pin drop.

It sounds like a cheesy line for a movie, but it is the truth.

Watching the livestream doesn't even come close.

The crowd’s applause was thunderous after Kelley Farmer and Mindful finished their trip, but after Liza Boyd and Brunello’s names were announced over the loud speaker, everything went quiet. The sound of the frogs and bugs in the adjoining lake were louder than anything coming from the Rolex Stadium. 

Aug. 13—Lexington, Ky.

The question all derby season has been: Is Brunello retired?

The 17-year-old chestnut gelding and longtime rider Liza Boyd answered with an emphatic "no" from the moment they walked in the ring, scoring in the 90s to finish on a 287, just one point ahead of Kelley Farmer and Mindful who led for 32 trips.

When? The first round kicks off with the opening ceremonies at 8 a.m. EST on Friday, Aug. 14 with the first horse on course at 8:15 a.m. There will be a challenge round for those who didn't make it to the handy round on Saturday, Aug. 15 at 3:00 p.m. A mimimum of 20 horses will qualify for the handy which starts with opening ceremonies at 6:00 p.m.

Where? The USHJA International Hunter Derby Championships will take place at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky.

Three years ago Brandon Gibson made headlines not just for winning Best Young Horse at Devon (Pa.) in 2012 with Arbor Day, but also for wearing bright red pants in the Dixon Oval.

“The pants really got more attention than my horse did,” he said with a laugh. “Then from there it became tradition. The three big shows I wear them always.

“In 2012 I wore Nantucket Reds, but everyone called them pink, so I was the boy in the pink pants,” he continued.

Whether you’re watching this year’s USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship from the Kentucky Horse Park, or your desk at the office, you’ll want to have someone to cheer for. It’s easy to pick out the obvious choices whose names are on top of the money-won standings, and we we’re excited to see perennial favorites like Mindful and Jersey Boy compete. But there are lots of reasons to cheer for someone, and with 89 entries set to jog on Thursday, there’s bound to be a derby finalist who will suit your personal style.