Devon, Pa. – June 4, 2022 – The Saturday evening session in the Dixon Oval featured the crowning of champions in several breed divisions, and the Three-Gaited English Pleasure Horse division was brought into the spotlight of the historic venue. Impressing the judges with her performance, manners, presence, quality and conformation against 11 other competitors, Jennifer Verre and Come As You Are took home the top prize and the Three-Gaited English Pleasure Horse Championship and were awarded with The Second Dennis Mayer Memorial Challenge Trophy, donated by his friends.
An impressive group of 11 competitors showed their horses to be judged 75% on manners, performance and presence and 25% on conformation and neatness of attire. Verre taking home the prestigious championship allowed her to add her name to the Challenge Trophy and take home a championship cooler, sponsored by Saratoga Horseworks Ltd. Partnered with her very own Come As You Are, a 6-year-old mare, for about two years, she spoke highly of her talent and thanked her team at Fairfield South for their support. The reserve championship was awarded to Molly Codeanne and CH Roselane’s Town Topic, owned by Eac Equine, LLC.
In the Five-Gaited English Show Pleasure Horse Championship, Ceil Wheeler and her own CH Callaway’s Brioni, a 9-year-old Saddlebred gelding, went home with the tricolor ribbon and the championship cooler, sponsored by Saratoga Horseworks Ltd. Wheeler also rode to the champion title with the gelding in 2019. Candy M. Chieppo and her own Air Above the Clouds went home with the reserve championship honors.
Competition at the Devon Horse will conclude Sunday, June 5, welcoming the Pennsylvania Bred Yearling Colts and Geldings to the Dixon Oval at 8:00 a.m.
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Jennifer Verre – Three-Gaited English Pleasure Horse champion
On earning the Three-Gaited English Pleasure Horse championship:
“I came to Devon five years ago and wanted to make my way back. To be back with my barn [Fairfield South], in a way that I am truly supported, it’s awesome to come back in this fashion. I never expected it. I’ve been with Fairfield for three years now. We got rained on in the qualifier but it was so exciting to ride in that.”
On Come As You Are:
“We’ve been together for almost two years now. I saw Kyle [Gagnon] bring her into the ring one time and I said, ‘I need to ask, I have to find out what that’s all about.’ It was love at first sight. She’s 6 years old. She’s an intense girl and if you ask for a little more, she’s going to give it. I appreciate that she is there for me and she’s taught me a lot as well to step up my game. It’s been an awesome trip. When Kyle is happy I’m happy.”
On The Devon Horse Show:
“I love Devon, I think everyone should take the opportunity to come to this show. Save up, do whatever you’ve got to do. There is something here for everyone. I try to tell people outside the horse show industry to take the trip, it’s worth it. We love it here.”
Ceil Wheeler – Five-Gaited English Show Pleasure Horse champion
On her win:
“The Devon Horse Show is an important horse show to the Wheeler Family. My mother-in-law and my father-in-law showed here forever so it’s always been special to everyone in the family. We have hunters that show here throughout the years as well as we’ve supported them with the Saddlebreds and the Hackneys. It’s just a special place. We brought as many as we had this year to support the show.”
On showing at the Devon Horse Show:
“This is my first show of the season to get qualified for Louisville in August, so I wanted it to be his first show here. He likes it here and it means a lot. The competition used to be stronger back in the day when I first started showing here but we hope to improve our numbers in the next couple years. It means a lot to our breed and to have exposure at this beautiful venue with the crowd and to expose the Saddlebred to the hunter/jumper world. I would like to thank Smith and Alexandra Lily at Mercer Springs for bringing our horses here as well as the other clients of Smith’s to support this horse show. I would also like to thank the other Saddlebred and Hackney exhibitors that have come from all around the country to support the show.”
On CH Callaway’s Brioni:
“His name is Callaway’s Brioni, we bought him when he was 3 years old, I believe he is 9 years old this year. We show in the summer and he comes to our farm in Keswick every winter, he gets turned out for three and a half months during the days and goes up at night. It keeps him happy, healthy, and sound. He is a special horse. He can be a bit cocky and pushy at times, but if he hears my voice when I come in to ride he starts talking to me. I see him every day when he’s at the farm in the winter time so he knows my voice.”
On her performances:
“We were a little rusty in the first class, the second class was better. [CH Callaway’s Brioni] is usually pretty consistent and he loves his job. I will show at Shenandoah at the Virginia Horse Center in two weeks, then I won’t show again until the Kentucky State Fair in Louisville in August.”
RESULTS
Three-Gaited English Pleasure Horse Championship
Place / Horse / Rider
1. Come As You Are / Jennifer Verre
2. CH Roselane’s Town Topic / Molly Codeanne
3. Hands Down / Maxine Cohen
4. Lady Coco Nut Chanel CC / Keira Casey
5. Pop Fizz Clink / Erin Obenauf
6. Sunset’s Pemberley / Jennifer Lash
7. He’s A Cool Cat / Morgan Ats
8. Game Day / Andrea Maeder
Five-Gaited English Show Pleasure Horse Championship
Place / Horse / Rider
1. CH Callaway’s Brioni / Ceil Wheeler
2. Air Above the Clouds / Candy M. Chieppo
3. Feel the Fury / Allyson Ehle
