May 29, 2015






New Zealand's Kirk Webby Zips to $25,000 Devon Speed Challenge Victory
By: Rebecca Walton

Riders in Friday night's $25,000 Devon Speed Challenge gave the crowd a reason to cheer at the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair as they raced to win the coveted title. Multiple riders managed to traverse the track without error, but it was Kirk Webby and Brando du Rouet who won the "hoof race" with a blazing round in 59.443 seconds.

Brandi Holloway set the pace to beat with Lucky Strike, faultless in a time of 60.070 seconds as they sliced the fences and galloped through the timers. Thursday's third place finisher in the $100,000 Sapphire Grand Prix of Devon, Devin Ryan, came close, but his clear round was just fractions behind Holloway in 60.509 seconds to take home third place for the second night in a row.

Katie Dinan left all the fences intact with her scopey mount Bijou de Balou, but the extra airtime over the fences cost them on the clock. Their time of 62.288 seconds would hold up for fifth place.

When New Zealand native Webby entered the ring with the 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding Brando du Rouet by the legendary Baloubet du Rouet, he knew he could use his mounts natural speed to win the class. They zipped through the timers in 59.443 seconds to take over the lead. Laura Chapot was the last in the class and the last to clear the course with Zealous, but their time of 61.696 seconds would only be good enough for fourth, sealing Webby's win.

"The horse is pretty naturally fast so I didn't really have to go crazy," admitted Webby after leading the victory gallop. "He always lands going. He was really snug everywhere. I was lucky enough to be fast enough."

Webby began riding Brando du Rouet at the beginning of year, but the pair quickly figured each other out, winning the $50,000 HITS Grand Prix in Ocala, Florida. With natural speed and quality, Webby hopes to continue their winning partnership at the Upperville and Lake Placid Horse Shows.

Friday night's victory at Devon was special for Webby, who has made multiple trips to the historic event. "I love it here," he smiled. "I think it's a fabulous show. The facilities are great. The crowd is great. It's really special to come here. It's a shame that we don't get to do shows like this more often."

Adrienne Sternlicht is another rider who returned to Devon to take home a blue ribbon today, winning the Amateur-Owner Jumper Accumulator event with Quidam MB.

"The ambiance and atmosphere has almost an international feel," said Sternlicht. "Winning a class is really important. I actually have only been here one time since I showed in the ponies. I remember it was such a big deal. Even winning here in the junior hunters, it's such a big deal. I jumped the grand prix last night, and the atmosphere is unparalleled in the United States."

During Friday's class, Sternlicht managed to earn the highest number of points by jumping all of the course's obstacles and also clearing the 20-point "joker" for 65 points in 49.785 seconds.

"I did a hit and hurry in the open jumpers the other day, and I had no idea what I was doing," laughed Sternlicht. "It's a little bit of experimentation. It's fun to jump classes with different formats. I think it adds a little bit of diversity to the sport. These classes are fun for the crowd because they're easy to follow, and they add a little bit of excitement. I enjoyed it."

Also earning 65 points to take home second place was Melissa Rudershausen with Charmeur Ask in a time of 51.987 seconds. Callie Smith rounded out the top three aboard Upstaire, who earned 65 points in 52.439 seconds. Smith also won the first Amateur-Owner Jumper event in the morning with her second mount Bigshot as the only double clear entry. Kelsey Thatcher also qualified for the jump-off with Athena to place second. 

The Amateur-Owner Jumpers will conclude Saturday afternoon with the $20,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Classic. The final event for the Open Jumpers will be Saturday night's highlight event, the $50,000 Idle Dice Open Jumper Stake.

For more information about the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair and complete results please visit www.DevonHorseShow.net.

RESULTS: Class 247, $25,000 OPEN JUMPER - DEVON SPEED CHALLENGE
1    1268    Brando du Rouet     KIRK WEBBY     0    0    0    59.443   
2    1522    LUCKY STRIKE     BRANDIE HOLLOWAY     0    0    0    60.070   
3    1018    Liratus     DEVIN RYAN     0    0    0    60.509   
4    175    ZEALOUS     LAURA CHAPOT     0    0    0    61.969   
5    945    Bijou de Balou     KATHERINE DINAN     0    0    0    62.288   
6    176    BRADBERRY     LAURA CHAPOT     0    0    0    64.000   
7    265    Bahrain 8     DANIEL DAMEN     0    0    0    64.636   
8    654    Zippo CG     Juan Pablo Pivaral     0    0    0    66.758

RESULTS: Class 212, $3750 AMATEUR OWNER JUMPER - ACCUMULATOR
1    716    Quidam MB     Adrienne Sternlicht     65.990   
2    1010    CHARMEUR ASK     MELISSA RUDERSHAUSEN     65.750   
3    1114    UPSTAIRE     CALLIE SMITH     65.500   
4    385    FINEMAN     CLOE HYMOWITZ     65.400   
5    625    DULF VAN DEN BISSCHOP     KELSEY THATCHER     65.300   
6    900    ACANTO 7     KATE MULLIGAN     65.200   
7    1009    ABRACADABRA     MELISSA RUDERSHAUSEN     65.100   
8    1112    BIGSHOT     CALLIE SMITH     57.250

RESULTS: Class 211, $3750 AMATEUR OWNER JUMPER
1    1112    BIGSHOT     CALLIE SMITH     0    0    0    70.750    0    32.530   
2    624    ATHENA     KELSEY THATCHER     0    0    0    67.949    8    37.956   
3    1150    Quite Dark 2     Haley Gassel     0    1    1    72.051                      
4    900    ACANTO 7     KATE MULLIGAN     4    0    4    69.357                      
5    976    CADZAND     DAVID OBERKIRCHER     4    0    4    69.872                      
6    1021    ORIENTALES     SIMA MORGELLO     4    0    4    70.091                      
7    1010    CHARMEUR ASK     MELISSA RUDERSHAUSEN     4    0    4    70.199                     
8    716    Quidam MB     Adrienne Sternlicht     4    0    4    70.286

Stephanie Danhakl and Dorli Burke Top Amateur-Owner 3'3" Hunters 
By: Emily Riden   

Stephanie Danhakl and her horses have been extremely successful at the Devon Horse Show since her junior hunter days. However, while Danhakl has multiple Devon reserve championships to her name and her horse First Light won the Green Conformation Hunter championship just this week, Danhakl does not yet have a Devon championship title of her very own. That is something that she hopes to change this weekend. 

Danhakl got off to a strong start in the Amateur-Owner 18-35 3'3" Hunters on Friday afternoon with Enough Said, her 9-year-old Warmblood gelding. Danhakl and Enough Said finished second in the first over fences class of the division with a score of 84, and they then picked up the blue ribbon in the under saddle. First place in the over fences class went to Reid Patton and Sincere, who earned a score of 86.

"I got [Enough Said] two [years] ago, and I have been showing him in the 3'3" Amateur-Owners," Danhakl said. "He hadn't shown before I got him, so he was a bit green, but he's a sweet horse and knows his job. He learned it very quickly. He's been a great horse for me, and we sort of clicked right from the beginning."  

Originally from California where she trained with Archie Cox, Danhakl made the move to the East Coast to attend the University of Pennsylvania where she received her master's degree in art history just last week. While pursuing her master's, Danhakl began training with Scott Stewart and Ken Berkley of Rivers Edge Farm.

"[Scott and Ken] found all of my horses. They have a great eye for a horse," Danhakl said. "Most of my horses - First Light, Enough Said and Golden Rule - came from Europe and either were doing jumpers. Enough Said might have been a dressage horse before."  
Now Enough Said is performing consistently well in the hunter ring with Danhakl, and she is hopeful that the consistency will continue into Saturday and through the remainder of the Amateur-Owner 18-35 3'3" Hunter division. 

"Devon is a show that I have been for preparing for. It's always been my dream to really do well here as an amateur and so far, I don't want to jinx myself, but all of my horses feel great and have been so good. If I can hold it together I hope I have a shot at [a championship], so it's really exciting," Danhakl said. 

In the Amateur-Owner Over 35 3'3" Hunters, Dorli Burke also could also have a real shot at a Devon championship. Like Danhakl, Burke rode her own Charming to a second place finish over fences and the win in the under saddle. The blue ribbon over fences went to Missy Luczak-Smith and CS Online. 

For Burke, this year marks her first time back in the Devon show ring for a few years and prior to that the first time since her pony years. 

"I came here with ponies, so a very long time ago," Burke said. "I showed in this same ring with my ponies. I am embarrassed to say how long ago that was, but it was a long time ago."

Burke, of Salisbury, Maryland, now trains with Louise Serio who initially imported Charming, a 10-year-old gelding who has proven to be the perfect fit for Burke.  

"He's actually really easy to ride. I am small, and he has a motor, so he will take me around the ring," Burke said. "I don't have to worry about having a lot of leg. He's really, really brave. He really wants to go over all the jumps, and he tries really hard. He's really fun." 

Burke continued, "It's very exciting to do well here. It's got so much tradition here, and every horse you look at is amazing. To be able to do well against horses like that is what you are trying for." 

The Amateur-Owner 3'3" Hunter divisions will conclude Saturday in the Gold Ring beginning at 8:15 a.m. The Amateur-Owner 3'6" Hunters also kicked off on Friday and award the division championships on Saturday morning in the Dixon Oval. 

Misdee Wrigley Miller Victorious in Return to Devon
By: Mary Adelaide Brakenridge

Misdee Wrigley Miller has proven her talent many times over in multiple equestrian disciplines. She has competed successfully in pleasure driving, racked up the ribbons in Saddlebred divisions, and traveled to the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France, to represent the United States in combined driving.

Now, making her return to the Devon Horse Show, Wrigley Miller is in the spotlight again. She demonstrated her skill over five days of coaching competition to claim the championship.

"It was really special to come back and come back in a big way," Wrigley Miller said.

The coaching division transports spectators back in time. Competitors dress to the nines to present their matched four-in-hand teams and antique vehicles, many over 100 years old. During the five classes of the division, entrants are judged on numerous qualities including performance, presentation and appointments.

The division ended Friday night with a timed competition over an obstacle course. Wrigley Miller added a third place finish in that class to three wins and a second place over the previous days of competition, clinching the championship.

"Coaching challenges me as a horsewoman, and I like that," Wrigley Miller said. "It's a good test, and it's an accumulation of several nights."

She and her team also have a strong presence in the Saddlebred divisions at Devon. She has two mounts in championship classes on Saturday, and her trainer, Larry Hodge, and husband, James Miller, are both competing as well.

"Devon is like coming home," Wrigley Miller said. "It really is. The people here are so lovely. Being able to compete in front of a large and knowledgeable crowd is really special and something that we don't do with the Saddlebreds so much. We basically show to ourselves. To be able to come here to Devon with the whole county fair atmosphere is so much fun. It's so much more than a horse show. It's an experience."

Hodge rode Hillcroft Farm LLC's Two Sweet To Kiss to victory in the Five-Gaited Saddle Horse Stake Friday evening, and taking the Three-Gaited Saddle Horse Stake was Luman Wadhams on Thunderboomer, owned by Overtime Farm LLC. Several of the Saddlebred, Hackney and Friesian divisions crowned their champions Friday night:

Western Country Pleasure Championship
Lynn Finelli and her own CH Winsdown Edgecliff

Fine Harness Championship
Smith Lilly and We Must Be Nuts, owned by Grace Arnold

Hackney Pony Amateur Championship 
Kathleen Comeau and her own X-tremely Grand

Friesian Horse Pleasure Championship
Shawnda Smoker and her own Rouke H

Hackney/Harness Pony Amateur Championship
Carl Nichols and Crystal Creek's Hot To Trot, owned by Kathryn Nichols

Show Pleasure Driving Championship
Cathy Rogers Holmes and her own Who

Roadster Pony Championship
Joe Harrod and Heartland River Dance, owned by Susanne Har