VideoJennifer Hannan and Cellestino are no strangers to the Platinum Performance/USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship. In 2025, the pair was the reserve champion of the event, commonly referred to as the Derby Finals. Hannan and “Cello” returned to this year’s Derby Finals, held Aug. 14 & 15 at the Kentucky Horse Park, aiming for another top performance.
In the Classic Round, Hannan and the 11-year-old warmblood gelding owned by Stephanie Riggio Bulger (Cornet Obolensky x Unknown) won the class on a score of 293.5 after tallying scores of 94, 93.5 and 94. They delivered in the Handy Round despite a stormy weather delay, winning the round and claiming the champion title. Hannan and Cellestino’s base scores of 95, 94.5 and 94 plus the handiness and high option points earned them a Handy Round score of 308.5 for a final overall score of 602.
We caught up with Hannan to discuss the highlights from Derby Finals, what a typical show week looks like for Cellestino, his training routine at home and more.
Getting to Know the Derby Finals Champion
PH: Could you tell us a bit about your partnership with Cellestino?
JH: We bought Cellestino at Harrisburg 2024. He was doing the 3’3” amateurs and his 3’6” green year. We brought him to Florida and started out in 3’6” performance, and we were sorting through exactly what his future would be. He has obviously a lot of scope and a great demeanor to handle the derbies, so that’s where we chose to focus all of his abilities.
I think last year was a great growing year for us, and we’ve become fairly consistent really this year. He started to shine, and we started to know his and our partnership and capabilities last year. But I think this year has really sort of solidified, and we found our way to being consistent.
PH: What were your highlights from this year’s Derby Finals with him?
JH: I think I went into Derby Finals obviously with a little bit of pressure knowing last year’s results, and we’ve had some good results this year. The first round this year I thought was really right out of stride, and it was one of those rounds that you came out and thought, “That felt great, and there’s not really a lot to fix.” So that was the first highlight.
And overall just the ability for he and I after that weather break [during Saturday’s Handy Round] to come back and maintain focus and put in really the round of our careers, I think all of that culminated together, and it was wonderful. Both Stephanie [Riggio Bulger] and her mom were there as well as her son and [R.] Scot [Evans] and his whole team, so it was great to have everybody there. That’s certainly a highlight.
PH: Is there anything special you did coming back after that weather delay?
JH: I think the name of the game is focus. Stay focused, stay relaxed, and really stick to your plan. I think those are the main goals. No, I didn’t do anything special, but I made sure that all of those things were in play and then you need a little luck.
PH: Was he fazed by the weather delay at all or going in the rain?
JH: No, he’s a pretty easygoing guy, so honestly he was just fine.
Cellestino’s Showing and Training Routine
PH: What does a show week look like for Cellestino?
JH: He lives with the MeadowView Farm crew in New York. On our off weeks, I get there once a week generally to ride or school him. But when we get to the horse show, we generally aim for one to two classes with a day in between the derby, and he doesn’t do any warming up or anything like that. We have that pretty dialed in as his schedule.
During Derby Finals week, he did one 3’6” performance class, which he won, and then we did the derby. And at normal shows, it would just be a two-day week for him. Obviously at Derby Finals, it was a three-day week, but we try to keep him pretty fresh and happy about his job.
PH: Are there any training exercises that you like to do when you go and ride him at MeadowView Farm?
JH: I do a little bit of gymnastic work and placement poles. For him, I think that just sort of helps his jump and his getaway stride. So really, we keep it pretty simple. He’s a horse that goes better when he’s going forward, so that’s what we work on mostly is him going forward. He’s a pretty straight horse, so it’s just giving him those tools to work on his jumping style.
PH: You mentioned in one of the press conferences that he has a pretty big stride. Do you feel like that suits these hunter derby classes?
JH: I think for sure, yes. When I do a regular class, it definitely rides a bit easier in the sense of a slower pace. But I think he shows himself best on the gallop, and the bigger the ring, the bigger the jump is definitely better for us.
A Few Fun Insights
PH: Now for a fun question about Cellestino. If he were a person, what would he be like?
JH: Well, he’s a bit grumpy. I think he loves his people. He’s not a fan of other horses, so he definitely doesn’t want anybody in his space. The occasional mare is OK, but most everybody else he wants out of his space.
I think he’s got a little bit of a quirky personality, but I would say he’s a real showman. He definitely rises to the bigger occasions when it counts.
PH: Is there something that you kind of like to tell your students before they go into the ring?
JH: I always try to focus on everybody’s individual needs and come up with two or three things that they should keep in mind while they’re going. And then, of course, good luck.
Lessons Learned from Mindful
PH: We wanted to ask about Mindful because you had him for several years, and he was competing until last year at age 21. Could you talk a bit about his routine to keep him like thriving into his senior years?
JH: He retired happy and sound, and I think there’s several components to that. I think the ability to have owners who realize horse’s specialties is part of it. For instance, Mindful was blessed to have Selma [Garber] as his owner. She just allowed us to create a program that was best for Mindful, that kept him fresh, that didn’t overuse him, that focused on the derbies. And I think that provided a lot of longevity for him. There were some years that he showed in six classes; he went to particular places or showed three times during Florida. I think there’s a lot to be said for that. Our industry has changed a lot. There are a lot of horse shows out there; there’s a lot of competition. More, more, more is not always the answer. So I think that’s a big component.
Secondly, it’s fitness. We certainly weren’t sitting at home trail riding; he was kept fit. He wasn’t always jumping, but he did exercises; mostly for him it was cavalletti bounces. It kept everything limber. I think fitness is something that you have to maintain. You can’t turn it on in two weeks for a big event and think that they’re not going to feel sore or gain an injury. If you look at sports medicine, those are key points to his longevity.
I hope it’s the same for Cello. Again, the Riggios are wonderful owners, and now his program is really just tailored towards these derbies. So that’s our plan.
PH: Do you know what’s up next for Cello?
JH: He’ll be off for a while, to be honest. Last year, we pulled his shoes and let him just flat for a couple months. I won’t show him again until Florida. He’s on vacation.