Wellington, Fla. – Feb. 18, 2020 – This past weekend, Victoria Colvin once again showed her style in the 24th Annual $100,000 WCHR Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), securing the win and her sixth-ever title in the class. This is Colvin’s second consecutive year winning the Hunter Spectacular aboard Brad Wolf’s Private Practice, a 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding. As a six-time winner of the class, Colvin holds the clear record as the winningest rider in the history of the contest. She had already claimed victory in the WCHR Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular with four consecutive wins as a junior rider from 2012-2015, and another win in 2019 as a professional.
“What a great night! I am so thankful to everyone on our team, especially Brad Wolf, Tom Wright and Torrey Hardison, for trusting me with the ride on this special horse and allowing me to continue to work with him in such amazing ways. This class is such an important part of the hunters, and I’m proud to have been able to participate in it for many years and luckily win it a handful of times!” reflected Colvin.
In Saturday night’s event, Colvin and Private Practice bested a field of 37 of the best horse-and-rider combinations in the country, each having qualified for a slot in the class by earning a champion or reserve champion title in weekly hunter divisions at WEF. As the defending champions, the talented duo continued to prove why they consistently rank at the top of the leaderboard, once again laying down two high-scoring trips to earn the lead spot in the lap of honor.
Private Practice made his debut in the hunter ring in 2018, and he and Colvin have been a winning pair ever since. The team has claimed victories at the Palm Beach Masters, Devon Horse Show and the USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship at the Kentucky Horse Park, to name only a few of their many accomplishments. Additionally, the flashy gelding was deservedly recognized as the best in hunter sport when he was awarded the WCHR Hunter of the Year Award during the 2019 Hunter Spectacular.
“Private Practice is an amazing horse. He’s incredible and always a blast to ride,” said Colvin. “He’s one of my favorite horses, and [the $100,000 WCHR Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular] is one of my favorite classes because it’s a blast to ride under the lights and in the International Arena.”
In 2020, Private Practice will continue to make his mark on the hunter world, campaigning with Colvin in the professional divisions, and with his owner, Wolf, in the Amateur-Owner Hunter division, adding to his already impressive list of accomplishments.
For more information, please visit www.victoriacolvin.com.
Other highlights from Colvin’s time at the Winter Equestrian Festival include:
Week 1
WEF Open Hunter 3’3″ Champion – Cashmero
Week 2
ESP Open Hunter 3’3″ Champion – Cashmero
ESP Open Hunter 3’3″ Reserve Champion – I Love Lucy
Performance Hunter 3’6″ Reserve Champion – Aristocrat
Pre Green Hunter 3 & 4 Year Old Champion – Wish List
USHJA Hunter 3′ Champion – Sunset Hill
Week 3
Performance Hunter 3’6″ Champion – Snowday
Performance Hunter 3’6″ Reserve Champion – Aristocrat
USHJA Hunter 2’6″ Reserve Champion – Flint
Week 4
High Performance Conformation Hunter Reserve Champion – Gabriel
ESP Open Hunter 3″3 Champion – Cashmero
Green Hunter 3’3″ Champion – Doctor’s Orders
Performance Hunter 3’6″ Champion – Aristocrat
Performance Hunter 3’6″ Reserve Champion – Private Practice
Pre Green Hunter 3 & 4 Year Old Reserve Champion – Wish List
USHJA Hunter 2’6″ Champion – Catbird
Week 5
Green Hunter 3’3″ Reserve Champion – Impression
WEF Open Hunter 3’3″ Champion – Tyrion
Young Jumper – 6 Year Old Champion – Emilion Manciais
Week 6
Performance Hunters 3’3″ Reserve Champion – Adelina
Pre-Green Hunter 3 & 4 Year Old Champion – Wish List
USHJA 2’6″ Hunters Champion – Catbird
WEF Open Hunter 3’3″ Champion – Cashmero
