Devon, Pennsylvania – September 12, 2026 – Junior/Amateur riders had their moment in the spotlight Saturday afternoon at the 13th annual Devon Fall Classic, taking center stage for the featured class of the 1.30m Junior/Amateur Jumper division—the $7,500 SJHOF 1.35m Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic, sponsored by Meridian Bank.
In a competitive race for the blue, Leah Harrison and her Oldenberg mare Riviera BF rose to the top, delivering a fault-free performance before returning for the jump-off and stopping the clock in 40.374 seconds to capture the coveted blue ribbon.
For Harrison, the victory marked a milestone with a partner she has ridden for five years.
“It’s really cool. This is the biggest class I’ve won, so it was really exciting,” Harrison said. “She was awesome out there.”
Harrison first competed at Devon in 2023, when she and Riviera BF were jumping at the 1.20m level. Since then, the pair has continued to progress together, culminating in Saturday’s victory in the historic Dixon Oval.
“She jumped so well in this ring,” Harrison said. “The crowd always gets her performing better. She’s awesome.”
While Harrison and Riviera BF claimed Saturday’s Classic, consistency throughout the three days of Junior/Amateur Jumper competition ultimately earned Grace Haley and her Oldenburg mare Concentalla PS the 1.30m Junior/Amateur Jumper division championship. The pair finished second in both Thursday’s and Friday’s $1,000 1.30m Junior/Amateur Jumper classes before adding a third-place finish in Saturday’s Classic, accumulating the most points in the division.
For 17-year-old Haley, who lives just 30 minutes from Devon in West Chester, Pennsylvania, earning the championship at a venue she has visited since childhood made the achievement particularly meaningful.
“Amazing,” Haley said of the championship. “I’ve been showing here for about five years. I started showing here when I was 12 or 13, but I’ve been coming here since I was about five years old.”
Haley and Concentalla PS are a relatively new partnership, having only come together earlier this summer. Despite their short time together, Haley said the mare has quickly earned her complete confidence.
“She’s just been amazing and has taken so much care of me,” Haley said. “She has not stepped a foot out of place since I’ve had her. She’s been perfect, so I trust her with my whole heart.”
The championship is even more significant considering the Devon Fall Classic marked only Haley’s second show competing at the 1.30m level with Concentalla PS.
“I’m just going to keep sticking with the 1.30m Juniors and see where it takes us,” Haley said. “Hopefully, we’ll keep advancing and eventually be in the Grand Prix, but that’s a little bit away.”
The Junior/Amateur Jumper division featured three different winners over three days of competition. Melissa Strawser and Darwin De Mars opened the division with a victory in Thursday’s $1,000 1.30m Junior/Amateur Jumper class, followed by Kristiane Pellegrino and Java Joe taking the blue ribbon Friday. Harrison and Riviera BF capped the division Saturday with their victory in the $7,500 SJHOF 1.35m Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic.
Competition at the 13th annual Devon Fall Classic concludes Sunday, September 13, with a final day of jumper competition in the historic Dixon Oval.
