Showing over two days, Colvin guided Way Cool to Devon's 2014 Grand Junior Hunter Championship, sponsored by Courtyard Marriott. For the win, they were awarded the “Ovation” Perpetual Trophy donated by Dr. Betsee Parker. Way Cool, a 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding, won all three classes over fences in the Large Junior Hunter 16-17 division with high scores of 92, 95, and 93, to take top honors. He was also overall Large Junior Hunter Champion and was then awarded the Angelo Perpetual Trophy donated by the Miller-Dinan Family as the horse who, in the opinion of the judges, best exemplifies the classic hunter horse in movement, jumping, style and presence.
For her success aboard Way Cool, in addition to wins aboard Parker's Canadian Blue, Inclusive, and Ovation, Colvin was named Best Child Rider on a Horse, an award sponsored by the Peacock Family. She was champion with Canadian Blue and reserve champion with Ovation in the Small Junior Hunter 16 & 17 as well as champion with Way Cool and reserve champion with Inclusive in the Large Junior Hunter 16 & 17.
Colvin also won the Best Child Rider award three consecutive years in 2011, 2012 and 2013, and retired the original trophy. This year, Dr. Betsee Parker donated a new trophy that turned out to have a lot of Devon history. The 1902 Edward T. Stotesbury Perpetual Trophy was found, purchased and returned to Devon from many years past.
“A friend of mine that is a silver dealer in New York found the trophy at an auction, and I jumped at the chance immediately and bought it,” Parker detailed. “Historically, it is so important for the legacy of these kinds of shows, to preserve these pieces. It was originally for the Ladies Champion Hunter and it is still engraved, which seems so unusual 115 years later. Not only is finding the trophy a piece of very significant history for Devon, but it is also significant that for the first time in Devon's long history, a child has won Best Child Rider four years in a row. That has never happened before.”
For Colvin, earning the Best Child Rider honor four years in a row, retiring the first trophy and then winning the next, was an incredible accomplishment. “I never thought that would happen,” the rider acknowledged. “It is amazing. I have had dreams about doing this, but I didn't think they would come true.”
Although she has a room full of ribbons and trophies at home, continuing to win and build relationships with her horse's is always important to Colvin, and she takes her improvement as well as theirs very seriously.
“I am completely different from when I won it the first time,” she said of the honor. “I have the same horses though, and they are still good; they still love this show. I have gotten to know them all much better. I think I have gotten to know their quirks, and how they go, and when they are happy and not every day. In the mornings, I love to ride them to feel how they are.”
Recalling her winning rounds with Way Cool, Colvin remarked, “This year he was probably the best he has ever been I think. All three rounds, he was spot on. He was really great. I thought he would get a little distracted by the crowd, but he wasn't fazed by it at all.”
JUMPERS
On Saturday evening, Addison Gierkink of Harpswell, ME, guided Candy Tribble and Windsor Show Stable's Promised Land to victory in the $20,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Junior Jumper Classic to
Addison Gierkink and Promised Land
Michael Hughes and Christina Fried's Luxina finished second in 43.15 seconds, and Virginia Ingram and Riverview Farm LLC's Urban placed third in 44.86 seconds. Lillie Keenan and Chansonette Farm LLC's Balance had eight faults in the jump-off in 42.78 seconds to finish fourth.
Concluding two great days of Junior Jumper competition, 14-year-old Giavanna Rinaldi of Wayne, IL, earned the overall Junior Jumper Championship to win the Barry G. Balmer Memorial Trophy donated by Blair Balmer. Lucy Deslauriers was the reserve champion.
Rinaldi also earned the Leading Junior Jumper Rider Award, sponsored by The Capital Grille King of Prussia, and was presented with the Second Richard W. Atkinson Memorial Challenge Trophy donated by The Atkinson Family.
Just last year, Rinaldi was still riding in the pony divisions and stepped up quickly training with the Jayne Family at Our Day Farm. She won her first grand prix in Florida this April and was excited to have a very successful weekend at Devon with her horse G.P.S. Brilliant Disguise.
Giavanna Rinaldi in her winning presentation
“It just feels so amazing because I never thought I would get this far in the Junior Jumpers, especially at Devon,” Rinaldi stated. “I did the juniors over the winter at WEF and that went really well. I was just so happy how things went.”
Talking about G.P.S. Brilliant Disguise, better known as 'Hugo' in the barn, Rinaldi smiled. “He has the best personality ever. He is so fun to be around, and he makes me happy.”
She bought Hugo just over a year ago from Hunter Holloway. “We saw him in Ocala last year, and he just really stood out. He needs a strong rider with a lot of arm because he gets really excited, but if you pull him back too much, he falls behind your leg. It is kind of getting used to something like that, but he is really straight forward. He is such a nice horse and I love him.”
Photos © The Book LLC
JUNIOR HUNTER CHAMPIONS
Overall Small Junior Hunter Champion, sponsored by Courtyard Marriott - Hays Investment Corporation's Lyons Creek Bellini and Hunter Holloway
Awarded the Milton Kulp, Jr. Challenge Trophy donated by Mr. & Mrs. Harold Rothstein
Small Junior Hunter 16 & 17, sponsored by Meridian Partners LLC – Dr. Betsee Parker's Canadian Blue and Victoria Colvin
Awarded the Captains Perpetual Trophy donated by The Hill & Lark Families
Reserve Champion – Dr. Betsee Parker's Ovation and Victoria Colvin
Small Junior Hunter 15 & Under – Hays Investment Corporation's Lyons Creek Bellini and Hunter Holloway
Awarded the John J. Moran Memorial Perpetual Trophy donated by Pat Moran
Reserve Champion – Akinda and Victoria Press
Overall Large Junior Hunter Champion, sponsored by Courtyard Marriott - Dr. Betsee Parker's Way Cool and Victoria Colvin
The Lestat Memorial Perpetual Trophy donate by Miss Alison G. Firestone
Large Junior Hunter 16 & 17 – Dr. Betsee Parker's Way Cool and Victoria Colvin
Awarded the Carter R. Buller Perpetual Trophy donated by his family
Reserve Champion – Dr. Betsee Parker's Inclusive and Victoria Colvin
Large Junior Hunter 15 & Under Champion – Hays Investment Corporation's Cascina and Hunter Holloway
Awarded the Martin F. Bucko Family Perpetual Trophy donated by Martin F. and Laurie F. Bucko
Reserve Champion – Happenstance and Bergen Sanderford
PONY HUNTER CHAMPIONS
Devon Grand Pony Hunter Champion – Spellbound and Bernadette Chungunco
Awarded the Wizard of Oz Challenge Trophy donated by Susan and Nancy Burr
Best Child Rider on a Pony, sponsored by Vintage Oaks Horse Farm – Bernadette Chungunco
Awarded the Dresden Challenge Trophy donated by Friends of Mr. Gerald Goldman
Small Pony Hunter Champion – Peacock Ridge LLC's Rollingwoods Knee Deep and Zayna Rizvi
Awarded the Chocolate Drop Challenge Trophy donated by Mrs. William Sellers & Mrs. J. Hall Glass
Reserve Champion – Pretty Penny Farm's Armani and Caroline Passarelli
Medium Pony Hunter Champion – Redfield Farm's Sassafras Creek and Devin Seek
Awarded the “Lucky Too” Perpetual Trophy donated by Rachael Herkowitz
Reserve Champion – Scott Stewart's Show Me Love and Natalie Jayne
Large Pony Hunter Champion – Spellbound and Bernadette Chungunco
Awarded the Pride N' Joy Perpetual Trophy donated by Alexandra and Erich Meyer
Reserve Champion – Loose Buttons and Madeline Schaefer
Pony Sportsmanship Award, sponsored by the Peacock Family – Grace Boston
Awarded the Beatrice M. Marshall Sportsmanship Award
Another special award was presented on Saturday night to Virginia Ingram of Franklin, TN. She earned the Shalanno Style of Riding Award sponsored by Shalanno Farm LLC.
The 2014 Devon Horse Show and Country Fair will continue on Sunday with Carriage Pleasure Driving and Pony and Adult Jumper competition. For full results, please visit www.devonhorseshow.org.
For those unable to attend the Devon Horse Show in person, the Dixon Oval is being live streamed on the USEF Network.