It takes a pretty special horse to go from success in the jumper ring to success in the international hunter derby field, all in less than eighteen months. But it takes an exceptional horse to be so consistent in his new career that he becomes not only the winner of the Platinum Performance/USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship, but also the 2023 Leading International Derby Horse and US Equestrian Federation Horse of the Year in the High Performance Working Hunter Division. Yet Paradigm, owned by Meredith Lipke and ridden by John French, achieved all of this, and more-- and as a result, was named 2023 USEF National Horse of the Year.
As both an owner and a rider, Lipke has been an enthusiastic supporter of the hunter derby finals since its inception, and when she purchased "Mikey" from Mike and Tracy McCormick in 2022, she hoped the talented Holsteiner/Hanoverian would allow her to compete there one more time.
"I said to John at the beginning of 2022, 'I would like one more horse, can you look around'," remembers Lipke, of Wellington, Florida. "John is very, very good at finding the right horse. You don't just go 'try horses' with John; he waits until he finds the right one."
So when French called a few months later and told Lipke he had a horse he wanted her to ride, she made it to the farm that same day. Once on board, she knew almost immediately she had found her next horse, and when French put the fences up to 3'6", Lipke trusted her unfamiliar mount implicitly.
"His presence, his demeanor-he's a big guy, and he rides like a big horse," says Lipke of Mikey. "You know when you get on a horse, and you can feel this confidence right away-like, no matter what you do, this horse is going to get you to the other side. He just gives you that feeling."
French showed Mikey lightly in spring 2022, but the gelding ended up with most of the summer off when French was seriously injured after a freak fall from a young horse. Due to his agreeable temperament and comfortable way of going, Mikey was one of the first rides French took back up after his recovery.
From late 2022 through early 2023, Lipke herself competed Mikey a handful of times in the Amateur Owner Division at the Winter Equestrian Festival (Florida). But as Mikey's inherent talent began to shine, Lipke asked French to concentrate on qualifying her gelding for the derby finals.
"I would school him at home, occasionally, and once in a while, I'd take him over on a Tuesday and school him at the showgrounds," says Lipke. "Mikey is that kind of horse-he can take an amateur ride, then be a superstar with a superstar rider."
Despite Mikey's successful season-including a win at the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at the Saratoga (NY) Classic I, the High Performance Hunter Championship at the Middleburg (VA) Classic, and the High Performance Hunter Championship at Lake Placid (NY)-- Lipke wasn't expecting her horse to win at the international derby finals in his first appearance there.
"But John has a way of bringing horses along, and the program just worked, giving Mikey the best opportunity possible to be all that he is," says Lipke. "It's been a really incredible year to watch how John has transformed this horse."
French will campaign Mikey again in 2024, with the goal of returning to the finals to defend their title. But after that, Lipke plans to show the gelding herself.
"He truly has a great personality, and he is one of the most comfortable horses out there," says Lipke. "His canter is kind of becoming legendary-everyone who watches it says, 'ooh, I'd love to ride that canter.'
"He really is such an agreeable horse," she continues. "He'll do anything you ask. All he asks in return are strawberries and watermelon. He prefers to have a bowl of watermelon, so he can make watermelon soup. He loves that."
At home, Mikey enjoys turnout time with his friends (Lipke reports that while he isn't the instigator of trouble, he willingly joins in the fun) and prefers to school in a hackamore (he wears a plain rubber bar snaffle in competition).
Lipke credits French with her horse's success.
"It's such a testament to John's ability, and the way he treats every horse as an individual," says Lipke. "He gets inside their head, and creates the program that is just for that specific horse. To be with the whole team at KPF has been an amazing experience-it's truly exceptional."
