Day 2 – Dressage at Devon – Young Horses (and the Sun!) Take Over the Dixon Oval

North American-bred Danae MF (Doctor Wendell MF x EM Rising Star), Grand Champion at Devon

The largest open breed show in the world continued today with 4 and 5 year olds shown in-hand and under saddle in the Materiale classes.

 

A few highlights include:

 

The USDFBC Mare Championship went to Andorra ISF (Sir Sinclair x Hivona), a 16.1, bay, 12-year old mare bred by Iron Spring Farm, Inc. (Coatesville, PA) with a score of 81.675.

 

The USDFBC Stallion Championship went to Sandros Star (Sagnol x Nostalgias Tar), a 16.3 stallion bred by Vicki Bauer and owned by Hannah Salazar (Middleburg, VA) with a score of 77.325.

 

It’s always great to see younger people entering Dressage. Devon Wallish with Armando SFI took the blue in the Youth Handler class with a score of 83.900.

 

The Dressage at Devon Grand Champion ribbon went to Danae MF (Doctor Wendell MF x EM Rising Star), a 3-year- old Hanovarian bred by Maryanna Haymon, Marydell Farm, Columbus, NC  and who was no stranger to the winner’s circle.

 

“It’s been an amazing couple of days,” said Maryanna. When asked about Danae MF, Maryanna said the she’s been a quiet, trusting, affectionate horse from the beginning. She’s a very accomplished 3-year old,” said Haymon, having won, among other honors, the USDF Traveling Trot Perpetual Trophy awarded to the highest scoring dressage Sport Horse In-Hand of all ages and both genders. Danae’s full siblings include Don Pharrell MF (winner of the Yearling Colts/Geldings) and second in the Young Horse Championship as well as other promising youngsters.

 

Successful breeding “takes a village,” said Maryanna. “It’s a team effort that includes the repro vet, the daily vet, starters, farm help, body workers, trainers, riders and the people at home who make it possible for us to come here.”

Haymon breeds for Grand Prix qualities and can offer regional Grand Prix horses who are “safe, sane, and competitive,” CDI competitors, and then there are those who could make any Olympic team. She says horses bred in the U.S. meet or surpass the caliber of horses bred internationally.

 

“As a breeder, you can never be satisfied. You can be pleased, you can be happy but if you’re satisfied, you’ll never improve.”

 

“This is our 26^th year at Dressage at Devon and it’s very special to me. (She won a 10^th out of 72 in a class her first year and was thrilled.) The volunteers are very supportive, helping to keep us on time and safe and the staff is great. It’s a special place, a special event, and a special experience.”

USDFBC Mare Champion Andorra ISF (Sir Sinclair x Hivona), bred by Iron Spring Farm, Inc.

 

Complete results can be found at www.dressageatdevon.org.

 

The breed show continues Wednesday and Thursday four and five year old championships, mature horse championships, stallion and mare championships and the grand championship. Plus Materiale classes, Breeder’s Group, Handler classes and, on Thursday, the Individual Breed classes, from Alkal-Teke to PREUnder the shining sun, colts and fillies entered the Dixon Oval and the Gold Ring, representing the best of the future of dressage. Some handled it well, acting like they had been doing it for years. Others clearly wanted their mother. But all were exceptional, following their handlers (mostly) and showing off their excellent breeding. Here are just a few of the highlights:

 

 

The sun is out and the forecast is great. Join us!

 

Dressage at Devon takes place September 26 – October 1 at the Devon Horse Show Grounds in Devon, PA. General admission tickets are $10 for ages 13 and above; Kids ages 3-12 are $5, and children under 3 are admitted free. Reserved seating is $26 on Friday, $37 on Saturday and $10 on Sunday. Grand Prix 3-Day reserved seat ticket package is $66 and reserves an assigned seat for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. (Seat location may be different each day.) Reserved tickets are available online at www.dressageatdevon.org. General admission is available at the door.

 

About Dressage at Devon

Dressage at Devon (www.dressageatdevon.org) has been a premier North American Equestrian event since its founding in 1975.  It combines world-class dressage competition and the world’s largest open breed show with the international Fall Festival show and special activities for the entire family.  The six-day event attracts hundreds of riders from around the world and thousands of spectators.  Dressage at Devon is a 501(c) (3) PA non-profit organization, benefitting equine education.