Devon, Pa. – June 2, 2018 – Since Tuesday, international horses and athletes have been competing for valuable points towards the week’s coveted Open Jumper championship. Following their top performances throughout the 2018 Devon Horse Show and Country Fair, Top Line Sport Horse International, LLC’s Kahlua, ridden by USA’s Andrew Kocher, and Beyaert Farm Inc.’s Eyecatcher, ridden by USA’s Mattias Tromp, were crowned the 2018 Open Jumper champions and winners of the Little Big Man Challenge Trophy. Both horses tied with 16 points at the conclusion of Saturday’s $70,000 Idle Dice Open Jumper Stake CSI4*, sponsored by Harvest Seasonal Grill and Wine Bar – Radnor, which was won by Kocher and Kahlua.
Lisa Arena Davis and Balou Fulfill Devon Dream with Grand Amateur-Owner 3’3″ Hunter Championship
The Amateur-Owner Hunter divisions crowned their respective champions on Saturday at the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair, where Lisa Arena Davis returned to Devon after six years to earn the Devon Grand Amateur-Owner 3’3″ Hunter championship title aboard Balou.
Miller Young Fina and Maximum Velocity Find Victory in English Pleasure Saddle Seat Championship
The Dixon Oval hosted the English Pleasure Saddle Seat championship on Saturday evening, where 11 competitors put on their best show to vie for the tricolor ribbon. At the end of the evening’s class, it was Miller Young Fina who claimed the top prize with Maximum Velocity. Reserve champion was awarded to Elizabeth Ruffner and SSL Ringo.
Volunteers Behind the Scenes
By Veronica J. Finkelstein
One of the things that make the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair unique is that the entirety of the country fair is run by volunteers. In fact, Devon welcomes over 2,000 volunteers each year! Each person who rings up your order for a Devon Special or helps you find a table in the Garden Café is generously donating his or her time. However, there is even more volunteering that goes on behind-the-scenes.
The most iconic Devon food is the fudge. No visit to the show would be complete without buying a container of this decadent treat. For decades, Devon fudge has been painstakingly created by hand in small batches. Initially, the fudge was produced by the volunteer chairmen of the country fair. In the weeks leading up to the show, all of the chairs would assemble for “fudge-a-thons” in a small kitchen on the horse show grounds, where chairs would take turns stirring huge pots of fudge. You could smell chocolate for at least a mile! Today, Devon sells over 1,500 pounds of its signature fudge each year.
This year, Devon unveiled its newly redesigned website, www.devonhorseshow.net. On the website, you can find the show schedule, ticket pricing, information about special events and more. Volunteer chairman Beth Wright took the lead on revamping the website, working alongside marketing and communications firm Zer0 to 5ive. The website redesign took many months and resulted in a truly appealing, comprehensive and user-friendly finished product.
Each year, the executive committee for the Devon Horse Show and the executive committee for the country fair selects a Champion of the Year. The Champion of the Year is a volunteer who supports and promotes Devon in exceptional ways. This year, Wright was selected, not only for her work on the website but for her decades of service as a volunteer, chairman and member of the corporate board. You won’t see her name in bright lights, but Devon would not be possible without her.
The Devon Horse Show and Country Fair is the longest running and largest outdoor multi-breed competition in the United States. With the grandeur of Philadelphia’s prestigious Main Line setting the stage, the event features a world-class field that annually ranks among the most prominent internationally. The event also includes the country fair, which benefits Bryn Mawr Hospital and has donated over $14 million to date. The country fair offers world-class shopping, rides, games, multiple dining options and special entertainment events.
For more information about the Devon Horse Show, please click here. To purchase tickets, click here or email tickets@devonhorseshow.org. We look forward to seeing you at the 2018 Devon Horse Show and Country Fair!
