Former Derby Championship winner returns to Traverse City with victories aboard Central Park and Et Cetera
Traverse City, MI – June 11, 2026—A major name has been notably absent from the Traverse City hunter rings for the past several years, and that finally changed in 2026 as Victoria Colvin took back-to-back wins Thursday of Traverse City Spring 2 in the $10,000 Green Hunter Incentive.
Aboard Central Park, Colvin topped the $10,000 Green Hunter Incentive with scores of 87 and 88 in the respective rounds. The effortless rounds Central Park put in undoubtedly made the gelding one to watch in the hunter rings as the season progresses.
“He’s a really cool horse,” Colvin said of the 6-year-old (Grandorado x Stutbuch). “It’s my first week on him so we don’t know each other too well, but he went amazing. He doesn’t really spook at anything and he’s very comfortable. He’s just a very easy horse.”
Owned by Wade Equestrian Farms, LLC, Central Park only began competing stateside in December of 2025, with his Traverse City victory being one of his most notable results to date. Paired up for the first time this week with Colvin, who holds five USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship titles, they are off to a winning start already.
Not long after her first win, she scored another in the $10,000 Green Hunter Incentive 3’6″ & 3’9″, this time aboard Et Cetera, owned by Glade Run Farm LLC. With sky-high scores of 90 and 91 in the first and second round, respectively, Et Cetera edged out an impressive field of green hunters for the top prize.Colvin knew her partner better in this class, taking over the ride last fall, and the horse is also a past winner of this class during the Traverse City Spring Series. While Colvin proved earlier she could ride to the win regardless of experience together, their more solidified partnership certainly helped.
“It feels great,” Colvin said following her second win, reflecting on a great day. “Et Cetera jumped incredible in both rounds. I think [the Green Incentive] is a fun class to add before we go to Kentucky for the Green Incentive Finals. It gives an extra class for them to do and the rounds are a little longer, so for the Finals in a big ring we can test their fitness and see where they are.”
While Colvin has been to Flintfields Horse Park in the past, there have been a good number of years that hunter riders haven’t had to face her in the various hunter classes. She’s hoping to keep building upon Thursday’s success as the season goes on, with plans to stay and show until late July.
“I was here about five or six years ago,” she reflected. “I love it here. They changed it a little bit since I’ve been here; the hunters used to go [up top] the last time I was here. They’ve done a really nice job. Everything is really beautiful here. I wanted to come back here and I had clients that wanted to come here and experience Traverse City. It’s a beautiful horse show.”
Competition continues Friday at Flintfields Horse Park with the $31,000 CSI4* 1.45m Speed Classic and the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby. Fans and competitors can view full schedules, results, and live updates through the Traverse City Horse Shows Mobile App.
Feature Photo: Victoria Colvin rode Et Cetera to victory in the $10,000 2026 USHJA Green Hunter Incentive North Central 3’/3’3” during the Traverse City Spring Series at Flintfields Horse Park. Photo © Natalie Suto Photography
