In the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, the premier hunter class of the ESP Holiday Finale, John French and Susan Moriconi's Wyatt earned the top score and the top check.
Read MoreThough sidelined in May with a broken femur that required a hip replacement, National Show Hunter Hall of Fame member John French nonetheless managed to rack up an impressive series of accolades in 2022. Over the summer, he earned the top spot in the Platinum Performance USHJA 3’/3’3” Green Hunter Incentive Championship (Kentucky) aboard Susan Moriconi’s Wyatt.
Read MoreAt the ESP Holiday Series, John French dominated the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby 2*, taking the win with Milagro and finishing third with Paradigm. Held in a “Hunt and Go” format, the first portion of the course was judged as the Classic round, while the latter half of the trip was scored as the Handy phase.
Read MoreJohn French rode Marnell Sport Horses’s Babylon to victory for the second year in a row in the $25,000 World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) Professional Challenge, sponsored by The Gochman Family, at the 2022 Capital Challenge Horse Show. The class was the highlight of the schedule on Wednesday, October 5, at Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.
Read MoreThe Walnut Ring welcomed back the most established, professional hunter riders on Thursday morning to vie for the win in the Platinum Performance USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Championship 3’0” to 3’3” and 3’6” to 3’9” sections. The Green Hunter 3’0” and 3’3” came back for round three to ride for the tri-color, while the 3’6” and 3’9” horse-and-athlete combinations entered for their first round of competition.
Read MoreUp-and-coming young hunter horses made their way to the Rost Arena on Friday morning to see who would emerge a champion in the Young Hunter 3”/2’9” (6 and Under) division.
Read MoreJohn French of Wellington, Florida, piloted Babylon to the victory in the $25,000 World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) Professional Challenge, sponsored by The Gochman Family, at the 2021 Capital Challenge Horse Show on Wednesday, October 6, held at Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.
Read MoreJohn French and Babylon earned outstanding results at the 2021 Loudoun Horse Show, taking the 3’6 Green Hunter Championship, the Grand Green Hunter Champion trophy as well as the Overall Grand Hunter Champion trophy.
Read MoreThe Chronicle caught up with French ringside at Upperville to talk about being back at the country’s oldest horse show—39 years after his last appearance—his move east and his Hall Of Fame induction.
Read MoreHunters took center stage on Friday in the International Arena for the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby Hunt & Go. The class had 62 riders, and in the end it was John French and Pony Lane Farm’s Queen Celeste who took home the blue ribbon with a classic round score of 190 and a handy score of 182.5, for a total combined score of 372.5.
Read More42 years ago, in 1978, John French was named Best Child Rider, and Ice Capade earned the novice pony hunter championship at Rose Hill Manor Show (MD) the same year.
Read MoreThe votes have been tabulated! The inductees for 2020 are: John French, Judy Kelley, Scott Stewart, Lu Thomas and Tom Wright.
Read MoreEarlier this year, French became a part of a training team with renowned Olympic show jumping athlete Kent Farrington and Farrington’s riding assistant, Claudio Baroni.
Read MoreThe horses for French to ride wouldn’t need to be sold quickly. They were for French to develop, with a longer-term vision of building out a specialized hunter program for French, under the Kent Farrington LLC umbrella.
Read MoreBabylon arrived to the United States from Europe in December, and French began riding and working with the horse in January. The four-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Crumbie x Die Cera) is owned by Kent Farrington LLC.
Read More“I’m even more fond of my horses now that I have more time to spend with them.”
Read MoreOriginally published by The Chronicle of the Horse in the January 13 & 20, 2020 issue.
Read MoreJohn French claimed the distinguished title of WCHR Professional National Champion at the 2019 Capital Challenge.
Read MoreKicking off the Southwest Championship, John French, of Mill Creek, Washington, piloted Noelle Wolf Stables, LLC’s Quicksus to the 3’0”/3’3” tricolor and a $1,500 check. The duo’s scores of 87 and 88 earned them an overall total of 175 to secure the win.
Read MoreJohn French has once again earned the CPHA West Coast Green Hunter Incentive Top Rider award. This award was presented at the Blenheim Fall Tournament during the CPHA West Coast Green Hunter Incentive Championships.
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