Saturday Evening’s Junior Jumper Classic Brings Junior Weekend to a Close
By Halie Greening
As the sun began to set on the Dixon Oval Saturday evening, the $15,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Junior Jumper Classic lit up the ring. The first round consisted of 10 obstacles, a water jump, and a double with a variety of other challenging obstacles that must be completed in a time allowance of 48 seconds. The winner of the event, sponsored by Turner Investments would win the Second Marie Cramp Hill Memorial Challenge Trophy and a hefty $4,500.
As the rounds got underway many would enter the ring and not return for the second timed jump-off. However ten riders did prevail. In this bunch that made it into the timed jump-off were some of the strongest riders from the day including Victoria Colvin, Michael Hughes, Shawn Casady, Abigail McArdle, Kira Kerkorian, Claudia Billups, Katherine Strauss, Kalvin Dobbs and Alexandra Crown. With five competitors finishing the course with zero faults, time was of utmost importance. In the end, after ten thrilling, rapid rounds, Victoria Colvin stole first place on Waminka with a time of 34.190 seconds and second place on Monsieur Du Reverdy with a time of 34.415, both owned by River’s Edge Farm. After her first and second place winnings she was welcomed back into the ring to receive the Junior Jumper Champion on Waminka and Reserve Champion on Monsieur Du Reverdy. Making room on her saddle for one more ribbon, Victoria was honored with the Leading Junior Jumper Rider award to her and Waminka. Ms. Colvin smiled proudly, and with great gratitude she made a victory lap around the ring adorned in numerous ribbons boasting the day’s work.
As Saturday night brought Junior weekend to a close, the excitement at Devon will continue to grow as the adult riders, including the Olympic hopefuls, arrive this week at the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair.
Pleasure Carriage Drive, Old Time Elegance Through the Streets of Devon
By Veronica Finkelstein
Sunday afternoon began with the jingle of bells and flash of polished brass as the carriage pleasure drive arrived at the Dixon Oval. The parade around the Dixon Oval was the last step of a laborious process that started early Sunday morning as teams of grooms and handlers polished every inch of antique carriages, braided rosettes into manes, and curried each horse’s coat until the horses gleamed with dapples. The carriages then took to the streets for 4.5 miles, weaving through the neighborhoods surrounding the grounds and delighting revelers who picnicked on porches and lawns.
The judging began with the horse divisions. Seven presented for judging in the single harness two-wheel division, where the blue ribbon was awarded to Pamela Kister and Markie Blom showing an antique road cart. In the single harness four-wheel division, the winner was Kristen Retter from Hollis, New Hampshire, showing a ladies wicker phaeton. Seven competed in the highly anticipated double harness division, where the class was won by the team owned by Mr. and Mrs. Glenn A. Werry Jr. driven by Michelle Werry from Edwards, Illinois. In the four-in-hand division, the blue went to John Frazier Hunt from Spring City, Pennsylvania who trumpeted in glory as the presenters presented the blue ribbon.
Then the ponies took over the ring, beginning with the single harness two-wheel division, where the blue ribbon went to Karen Martin’s round back gig. The blue ribbon for the four-wheel division was won by a surrey with fringe on top driven by Karen Schell from Northampton, PA. The four in hand class was won by a beautifully braided team of four welsh ponies out to a slab sided dog car driven by Evan Victoria Puddy of Ontario, Canada. The crowd cheered for the team of four gray mules driven by Roberta O’Dell, of West Chester, PA, outfitted in denim overalls and a straw hat, as she won the light commercial/farm vehicle division.
The championship drive off culminated the afternoon’s events. The award was won by the winner of the double harness division, the team of matching bay hackneys put to a brewster cart drag owned by Mr. and Mrs. Glenn A. Werry Jr.
A Great Start is a Perfect Ending
Sometimes the universe yields unexpected moments that are pure delight. Such was the case today when a 26 year old mare, NodAway Genevieve, making Devon her final competition, entered the Devon Pleasure Carriage Drive for the first time. It was also the first time Pamela Kister had entered the Pleasure Drive, and the first time her student, Markie Blom had ever driven at Devon.
Kister, who spent 3 years restoring her antique road cart, has been teaching Blom for just two years. Blom just graduated high school. The old mare and the youngster took the blue ribbon in the single harness two-wheel division. So as NodAway heads for the pasture and Blom heads to vet school in the fall, she and Kister can marvel at the perfect moment that ushered one into the world of
competitive driving, and one to a well-deserved retirement, with a Devon blue.
Pony Jumpers Hit the Dixon Oval
By Halie Greening
Sunday Evening in the Dixon Oval, the sun was still beating down hot as the NAL Pony Jumper-II, 2(a) began with its twenty-five competitors. The entries first competed in a round with a time allowance of 78 seconds with fourteen obstacles to complete. In order to move on to the timed jump off the riders must complete a clean round. Seven of the riders out of the strong group of contestants and their ponies made it successfully to the jump off where, in the end, only one would leave the ring decorated in a blue ribbon and take the victory lap.
Christine Lonsdale on Winds of Magic
With no completely clean rounds in the timed jump-off, Christine Lonsdale of Reisterstown, Maryland riding her own horse, Winds of Magic, got the best round with her safe ride of a time of 43.63, giving her 3 time faults but still put her on top. Winning this class not only meant a first place ribbon for Christine Lonsdale, but also qualified her for the North American League Pony Jumper Finals in Harrisburg, PA at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show.
Christine Lonsdale rode her handsome 16 year-old paint gelding back into the ring to accept her Pony Jumper Champion Award, which won her The Leonard Tose Memorial Challenge Trophy. Ellyn Fritz of Greenwich, CT riding Sailor Moon owned by Back Country Farm took the Reserve Champion Pony Jumper.
Bringing a close to the Pony Jumper classes of Devon 2012, the final title of the Pony Jumper Style Award was graciously presented to Caitlyn Connors of Glen Mills, PA on Break Away. Being honored with this award meant Caitlyn Connors exhibited the best classical jumper style of riding.
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