A Day-by-Day Look at Devon
RELEASE: June 5, 2008
AUTHOR/ADMINISTRATOR: By Sara Cavanaugh
Thursday, May 22Ten different riders representing nine different states took first place in the seven equitation classes at the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair on its opening day. The wide geographical dispersements of the prizes showed the country-wide appeal of Devon.
Shelley Wakeman of Westlake Village, CA, took the first blue in section A of USEF Show Jumping Talent Search, followed in the next section by Grace Rogers of Burlington, VT, then Joanna Hyyppa of Portland, CT, won the third section.
Jennifer Waxman of Chagrin Falls, Ohio won one section of Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) Equitation, Jumper Phase, with Kimberly McCormack of Clermont, NJ, taking another, Chase Boggio of Canton, GA, winning the third section and Jacqueline Lubrano of Glenmoore, PA, winning the fourth section.
Meanwhile, in the Gold Ring, Matthew Metell of Falmouth, MA, won section A of the USEF Hunter Seat Medal, Michael Desiderio of Chester, NJ, won section B and Emma Lipman of Bedford, NY took section C.
In the pony hunter breeding division, Hometown Hero, owned by Meg Rhodes of Keswick, VA, handled by Kenny Wheeler, was Colt Champion, with Northwind Marissa, owned by Brenda Draper of Pefferlaw, Ontario, Canada, handled by Richard Taylor, as Filly Champion.
Friday, May 23Jacqueline Lubrano, 17, of Glenmoore, PA, won the Ronnie Mutch Equitation Championship on Friday at the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair. In equitation, junior riders 18 and under are judged on their position and control of the horse over jumper-type courses, and Lubrano placed first, second and third in three of the four classes. Lubrano said she first rode at Devon in lead line classes, then showed a couple of times in local hunters before beginning to ride in 2004 in the very competitive equitation classes. “I’m very excited,” said Lubrano. “I wasn’t expecting this at all.”
Lubrano said her win was particularly exciting because she lives nearby and her parents and many of her friends were in the stands watching. “I have a greener horse than I usually ride, so it was nice to have it all come together today,” said Lubrano.
She said that, to enable her to concentrate on riding, she is now home schooled instead of attending high school. “I won one section of the Maclay here two years ago, so to win the championship is really big for me,” said Lubrano.
With about 160 juniors entered in the equitation classes, each class was divided into three or four sections. Reed Kessler of Wellington, FL, rode her Flight to win the fist junior jumper class, a timed first jump-off competition. Fifteen horses jumped clean in the first round to qualify for the jump-off, where Kessler’s time of 30.885 beat second-placed Jennifer Waxman and Shakira, whose time was 31.432.
Kimberley McCormack, last to go in the $3,500 Junior Jumpers Gambler’s Choice, proved to be the best, riding her Hetoile Platiere to win with 1,220 points over Alexandra Arute on Saphira.
Saturday, May 24Jessica Springsteen, 16, of Colts Neck, NJ, was named Best Child Rider on a Horse after dominating both younger junior hunter sections, riding the Grand Junior Jumper Champion, and, two days earlier, winning an equitation class. “I had so much fun,” said Springsteen. “I look forward to coming to Devon.” Springsteen’s father, Bruce, is on tour and so missed her exciting wins, but her mother Patti was thrilled with her victories.
Springsteen was Small Junior Hunter Champion, 15 and Under, on Sublime, with 20 points, and Large Junior Hunter Champion, 15 and Under, on Tiziano, with 22 points. Tiziano was also Devon Grand Junior Hunter Champion. “Both horses are pretty much alike,” said Springsteen. “They both have big strides.”
"I call Jessie 'the computer,' said one of her trainers, Stacia Madden of Beacon Hill. “You just program her and hit enter.
Of all my students