{"id":361251,"date":"2025-11-14T07:50:54","date_gmt":"2025-11-14T12:50:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.chronofhorse.com\/?post_type=article&p=361251"},"modified":"2025-11-21T12:01:33","modified_gmt":"2025-11-21T17:01:33","slug":"french-and-valentino-bf-deliver-dream-week-for-branscomb-at-ushja-nationals","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/www.chronofhorse.com\/article\/french-and-valentino-bf-deliver-dream-week-for-branscomb-at-ushja-nationals\/","title":{"rendered":"French And Valentino BF Deliver Dream Week For Branscomb At USHJA Nationals"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

John French makes it a rule not to catch-ride these days, but he made an exception for his friend Kc Branscomb at the Marshall & Sterling\/USHJA National Championships (Nevada)\u2014even though the horse she\u2019d asked him to compete, Valentino BF, is just 5 and<\/em> a stallion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI told him that if he came to Las Vegas and there was anything the horse did that he didn’t like, he could get off,\u201d said Branscomb, who bred and owns the young Oldenburg (Vagabond De La Pomme\u2014Calida BF). \u201cWhen he took him in for his first schooling round the first day on Monday, they let him go in to just jump around six or eight fences in the big South Point arena. He came out with a smile and he says, \u2018I don’t think I’ll be getting off.\u2019 \u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everyone on the Branscomb Farms, LLC, team was smiling after “Valentino” put down one winning round after another. On Tuesday, French and Valentino topped a field of 37 to win the $25,000 USHJA National Hunt & Go Derby\u2013Open, then they claimed the 3\u20193\u201d grand green hunter championship title on Wednesday, along with blues in the green hunter 3’\/3’3″ classic and the green hunter incentive 3’\/3’3″ stake. The pair was also awarded grand green hunter and high score green hunter titles. <\/p>\n\n\n

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John French said he wasn’t sure what to expect from a 5-year-old stallion, but was pleasantly surprised by Branscomb Farm, LLC’s Valentino BF, who won the $25,000 USHJA National Hunt & Go Derby on Nov. 11 at the Marshall & Sterling\/USHJA National Championships. Andrew Ryback Photo<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cI must say, when she reached out to me, I thought he was just doing the green division, and then I didn’t realize he was doing the derby too, and he’s only 5 years old,\u201d French said. \u201cI was thinking, \u2018Oh, I’m not sure what I signed up for here.\u2019 \u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The horse\u2019s maturity and readiness for the bigger division might have surprised French, who only met the stallion this week, but not Branscomb, who says the horse has always had a \u201cgolden retriever\u201d personality. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe has a very chill brain,\u201d she said of Valentino, who is a fifth-generation product of her breeding program, based in Half Moon Bay, California. \u201cThe horse is very smart. He loves his job. And you know, he’s a show horse: He likes the applause, he likes the ribbons, he likes the coolers. He’s happy to be here doing the job.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The job wasn\u2019t easy, either. French said that Valentino rose to the challenge of the derby, even when the green stallion seemed to be wondering why they were suddenly trotting a fence in the middle of the course. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c[The handy round] was hard enough. As far as the turns, there was a lot of twisty turns where you go in between jumps to get to the next one,\u201d he said. \u201cFor 5 years old, the horse handled it amazing. He just kind of has this pleasant way of going around, so he just looks smooth the way he goes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watch their winning round:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n