Absolutely Amazing driven by Tara Wentz for owner Glenn Moyer was reserve Open Fine Harness champion. Credit: Shiflet.
Candi Covino Aversenti of Aversenti Equine Partners in Bethlehem, PA, rode her chestnut American Saddlebred mare, The Veldt Queen, to the Reserve Amateur Five-Gaited Championship. She shows under the direction of Randy and Denessa Harper of Harper Stables.
Aboard her chestnut gelding, Kalarama’s Blue MAC, Candi won the qualifying class and championship in the Amateur/Junior Exhibitor Park division.
Candi’s husband, Ed, had fun watching Denessa show his bay, Standardbred gelding, Roller Coaster. Denessa drove Coaster into the winner’s circle in the Roadster to Bike qualifying class and was the Reserve Roadster to Bike Champion.
Candi’s granddaughter, Renna Russo, rode Heir Highness to the Junior Exhibitor Three-Gaited Championship. Renna shows the eight-year-old chestnut mare under the Scottfield Stables banner of Alicia Owens in Lenhartsville, PA.
Absolutely Amazing was the Reserve Open Fine Harness Champion. The chestnut Saddlebred was also reserve in the qualifying class. Tara Wentz Goosley of Wentz Stable in Orefield, PA drove her for owner Glenn Moyer.
Showing under the Wentz Stable banner, Amanda Krall of Lebanon, PA won the Local Country Pleasure class riding She’s The Rage. Michelle Rivard owns the five-year-old Saddlebred mare.
Tara also coached The Bluesmaster and Patrick McMurtrie to the blue ribbon win in the Junior Exhibitor Country Pleasure class. The Bluesmaster also represented the Saddlebred breed during the barn tours. Several hundred visitors got to see an ambassador to the breed up close and personal.
CH Winsdown Edgecliff and owner Lynn Finelli were Reserve Country Western Pleasure Champions. This duo has been champion or reserve in this division at Devon since 2012.
In her spare time, Tara also volunteered on the show’s Saddlebred and Hackney Committee.
Nancy and Ally Ehle, also of Orefield, had a successful show riding under the direction of Smith Lilly of Mercer Springs Farm. Nancy rode CH Trust In Love to win the Adult Country Pleasure class and the Country Pleasure Championship. Mountainview’s Last Dance and Ally were reserve in the Local Three-Gaited Show Pleasure class.
Pittsburg resident Caitlyn Brannon rode CH Harlem’s Sweet Success to a reserve in both the qualifying and championship classes in the ASB Hunter Country Pleasure division. This was the first time the 19-year-old and her mother, Phyllis, stepped on the Devon show grounds. They also do their own training and showing.
“We loved Devon,” Caitlyn said. “It was so cool to watch the Grand Prix, and to see all that happens behind the scenes of the different breeds and disciplines. The enthusiasm of the crowd made me speechless. I’m already looking forward to returning next year.”
Morgans
Showing under the direction of Mike Goebig and Dwayne Knowles of Broadmoor in Kutztown, PA, Tony Lee drove his gelding, CBMF Uprising, to the Open Pleasure Driving Championship. Tony’s entry and Kim Germ-Cramer’s Toscanini GCH finished in the top ribbons in the qualifying class of that division. Kim also rode her gelding to a blue ribbon win in the Open English Pleasure qualifying class and placed well in the championship.
Coaching
Jody Hess of Bryn Taran of Spring City, PA, drove a pair of Morgan geldings owned by Dr. Linda Weinberg. CRMF Hanovi and Kelso Silver Kieran, pulling a Back-to-Back Trap, finished fourth in the Pair Horses Pleasure Turnout and won the Pair Horses Scurry Driving. The Morgans were the Reserve Pair Horses Champions.
For more than 20 years, Paul and Karen Martin of New Holland, PA, have continued their success at Devon with their four-in-hand of Welsh and German Sport ponies. “There’s no place like Devon in this country for us to compete with our ponies showing a coach,” Karen explained. “And like the sign says over the gate, ‘Where champions meet,’ it’s exciting to show here every year with such great competition.”
Showing a Brewster Park Drag, the ponies were reserve in the Four-In-Hand classes on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night. On Friday night, Paul drove them to top honors in the Timed Obstacle class. As they were negotiating the course, the show announcer kept the audience up to date with Paul’s time and its relationship to the fastest four-in-hand at the time. They were really close, so the crowd started cheering loudly as they finished the course. “It is inspiring for our ponies and our team members to hear the encouragement of the crowd,” Karen said.
The Martins’ ponies finished the show as the Reserve Four-In-Hand Champions.
Todd Oehler of Skippack, PA won the Weaver Challenge Trophy during Tuesday night’s Coaching Horn Competition and the Geoffrey Dougherty Perpetual Memorial Trophy during Friday night’s Coaching Horn Competition.
The 20-year-old is a third-year undergraduate at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, with a dual major in Trumpet Performance and Music Education. While growing up, Todd’s mother always took him to the Devon Horse Show. As his interest and skills matured playing the trumpet, it was only natural that Todd was drawn to the Coaching Horn competitions at the show.
“It’s great to be able to join two things that I enjoy so much, the equine community and music,” Todd said. “My mother has been involved with carriage driving and introduced me to various people. I met Matt Stout, who has won the horn blowing competition at Devon many times, and I’m reading the book of coach horn music that was written by Richard O’Donnell.”
Todd has been riding on the Paul and Karen Martin’s coach for about three years. He currently is playing a Kanstul horn and hopes to compose his own songs for the coach horn in the future.
Pony Jumpers
Alice Nolen-Walston and her own Wishlea Star Dasher captured the Pony Jumper Championship. The 14-year-old from Landenberg, PA trains with Lisa Perri. Her mount, a 13-year-old Welsh gelding, secured the Zone 3 reserve champion Horse of the Year title for the Pony Jumper division in 2017 and they were reserve champions at Devon last year.