July/August 2024 Issue

Page 6 July/August 2024 EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN By Marcella Peyre-Ferry Junior riders across the region grow up dreaming of the day they get to ride in the Dixon Oval at the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair. For some, the dream came true at the 2024 edi- tion of the event, May 22 through June 2. Juniors from across the coun- try took center stage in equitation competition in the early days of Devon this year. One local rider at the top of the ribbons was Reese Merna of Mendham, NJ, winner of the prestigious R. W. “Ronnie” Mutch Equitation Championship. Reese won one of three sections of the WIHS Equitation Classic - Jumper Phase riding Castlefield Spartacus. Trained by Stacia Klein Madden of Colts Neck, NJ, Reese also was a blue ribbon winner in the Dover Saddlery/USET Hunt Seat Medal class and placed 3rd in the ASP- CAMaclay Horsemanship Class. Also trained by Stacia Klein Madden is Taylor Caldwell of Wellington, FL. winner of the William W. Cooney Jr. Style & Sportsmanship Award as well as a blue-ribbon winner in both the WIHS Equitation Classic – Jump- er Phase and the Platinum Per- Locals Score Wins at the Devon Horse Show formance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search. Taylor also placed second in the ASPCAMaclay Horsemanship Class section A. In the Large Pony Hunt- er Division the championship went to Hey Scooby, owned by Madeline Schaefer of Westmin- ster, MD and trained by Stacey Weiss also of Westminster. Hey Scooby, a warmblood – Welsh cross gelding, was ridden by Ella Tarumianz of Charlotte, NC. The pair won the Handy Class, and was second in their Stake Class. Ella was also the winner of the Pony Sportsmanship award. In the professional hunter divisions, New Jersey’s Scott Stewart rode both the Champion and Reserve Champion in the Green Hunter, 3’9” Division. Champion Ever After is owned by Bikoff Equestrian LLC of Whitestone, NY while reserve winner First Class is owned by Sophie Gochman of New York, NY. Both are trained by Kenneth Berkley of Wellington, FL. Ever After was also the winner of the coveted Devon Grand Hunter Championship, which spans mul- tiple hunter divisions. In the Local Hunter Divi- sion, the championship went to Kadootje, owned and shown by Sasha Deringer of Bryn Mawr, PA, trained by Jonathan Martin of Chester Springs, PA. A regular feature of the Sunday before Memorial Day, the carriage pleasure drive at Devon brings out the region’s top drivers in carriage turnouts that could have been seen in the early years of the horse show before the turn of the 20th century. East Fallowfield, PA driver Richard O’Donnell driving a Spider Phaeton, was at the peak of the competition, winning the Orleton Farm Challenge Trophy for the Horse Double Harness Pairs and Tandems Class; the Championship Drive Off for the Robert and Virginia Weaver Challenge Trophy and the Susie S Buchannan Perpetual Trophy for the best amateur whip on the pleasure drive. Even after more than a cen- tury, the Devon Horse Schow and Country Fair continues to add new features. One of the latest additions and a crowd favorite is the exciting Arena Eventing class. Only four other horse shows in the world are currently offering this class that brings some of the thrill of eventing into the show- ring. At Devon this year, horses took on a course designed by Captain Mark Phillips featuring 25 obstacles across both show arenas that simulated what might be found on an eventing cross country course, followed by sta- dium jumping style fences. Out of 11 entries that came back for the jump off, it was Boyd Martin riding Miss Lulu Herself who turned in the fastest time for the top prize of the $50,000 purse. Miss Lulu Herself is a Hanoveri- an mare owned by Bonnie Stedt. Jumper Classes are always an exciting feature in the Dixon Oval at Devon. This year, the $145,100 Idle Dice Open Jumper Stake was won by Alex Matz of Coatesville, PA riding Dorothy Matz’s Cashew CR. The pair finished the course in a time of 34.71 seconds while his sister Lucy Matz on Fyolieta went clear in 38.03 to earn a third-place finish in the Stake. Matz and Cashew CR were also second in the $38,700 Jet Run Devon Welcome Stake turning in a clear round just 1.3 seconds behind the first place finisher Darragh Kenny on Serencepety. Cashew CR ended the week at Devon as the reserve champion in the Open Jumper Division. Winning the $10,000 NAL/ WIHS 1.15 MAmateur Jump- er Classic and the 1.10/1.5M Amateur Jumper Championship was Copain, owned by Stephen Di Pasqua of West Chester, PA, ridden by Alexis C. Di Pasqua and trained by Beth Wicas of Newtown Square, PA. Another Pennsylvania win- ner in the jumpers was Vulkato, owned by Southfields Farm LLC of Collegeville, ridden by David Oberkircher of Collegeville, and trained by John Roche of Wellington, FL. The team won the $20,000 JHF 1.45 MAma- teur Jumper Classic, the division championship and Oberkircher was presented with the Leading 1.40/1.45 Amateur Owner Jumper Rider Award. Some of the best horses in the world are bred in this region. While local winners are too numerous to mention there were a few notable local winners in the breeding class- es at Devon this year. Annings Legacy, owned by Peggy Owens of Frederick, PA, handled by Hayley Raach and trained by Jay Raach of Schwenks- ville, PA, was awarded the PBHA Trophy for Highest Scoring PA Bred Pony. The black Welsh cross stallion is by Canadian Crown Royal out of Mapleside Oops. Jay Raach trained and exhib- ited the Best Pennsylvania Bred Horse, Dynasty, and Oldenberg Mare owned by Dawn Taylor-Bell of West Chester. Jay also won the Best Yearling and Leading Han- dler award with Dynasty. Not all classes at Devon are for the hunter/jumper disciplines with Saddlebreds, Hackney Po- nies and Roadsters well repre- sented. Local champions among American Saddlebreds include $500 Western Country Pleasure Horse Champion Ro & Me’s Alla Kazam, owned and shown by Jane Frisch of Schnecksville, PA and trained by Tara Wentz-Goos- ley of Orefield, PA Wentz-Goosley is also the trainer for Expect To Fly, owned by Amanda Krall of Lebanon, PA, winner of the $350 ASB Hunter Country Pleasure Horse Championship Class. t 1G ' · 1 Wor s To $ave H I rses trom l Standard Treatment for Colic Treatment of Future - Past 30+ Years Available Now! • Wait on Veterinarian - some vets no longer make house calls • Walk horses for Hours • Give SHOT in vein - Muscle Relaxant! • Stuff stiff tube up horse's nose and down into his mouth - complications • Mineral Oil placed down tube - does not dissolve the impaction Order NOW Why is there a need for an alternative treatment for colic? Colic, World Wide in 2008, killed a record 5.9 Million Horses or approximately 1 horse every 8.9 seconds! 98%, died from impactions! 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The popular spectator event features a blend of cross country obstacles and show jumping style fences spread over both the Dixon Oval and Wheeler ring. Photo by Olivia Airhart, Mane Source Media for Phelps Media Group