Kaitlin Campbell and Rocky W Conquer $50,000 Idle Dice Open Jumper Stake
By: Rebecca Walton

Every rider hopes to have that special horse that carries them through the ranks, and for Saturday night's $50,000 Idle Dice Open Jumper Stake winner Kaitlin Campbell, that horse is Rocky W. Now 17 years old, the Royal Dutch Warmblood carried Campbell to both a Junior Jumper Championship and an Amateur-Owner Jumper Championship at the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair, and this year the impressive duo rode away with the Open Jumper Championship.

"I think that's pretty rare to be junior jumper, amateur jumper and open jumper all on the same horse," smiled Campbell, who is now a professional working for Marigot Bay Farm. "I've had him since he was 8. We know each other so well now."

Twenty-five combinations entered the Dixon Oval to compete during Saturday's highlight event. The first rider to complete Michel Vaillancourt's opening round without error was Olympian McLain Ward and Sagamore Farms' Rothchild. The duo went on to be the pathfinders in the tiebreaker, setting the pace to beat at 40.236 seconds.

Their time would not hold up for long when 2013 Idle Dice Stake winners Campbell and Rocky W entered the arena. The pair picked up a quick gallop to the first obstacle and, taking the inside track, they overtook Ward's time by a full second when they broke the beam at 39.007 seconds.

"Going after Rothchild you pretty much have to go for broke and hope that you get lucky," admitted Campbell. "That's really all you can do. Rocky's really fast across the jumps. He's a little bit of a skimmer, but he knows where his legs are. That's where I really think we saved time, across the jump."

Daniel Damen and Bahrain 8, owned by Seth Vallhornrat, also qualified for the jump-off, but a refusal trying to slice a vertical across the middle meant they would settle for fourth place. Hometown hero Callan Solem of Chester Springs, Pennsylvania, took home the third place award with B Amelusina for Horseshow Trail Partners, choosing to keep a conservative pace with her young mount.

After leading the victory gallop for the $50,000 Idle Dice Open Jumper Stake, Campbell and Rocky W returned to the center of the Dixon Oval to accept the Open Jumper Championship, tying with Kelli Cruciotti and Chamonix H, winners of the $100,000 Sapphire Grand Prix of Devon. The Leading Lady Rider Challenge Trophy also went to Campbell for her performance during this year's Devon Horse Show and Country Fair, an event that has always been special for her.

"It's the crowd," noted Campbell. "It's the only horse show all year that has a crowd this enthusiastic that is six rows deep, standing room only, and they come to watch the jumping. There's no other entertainment that they're coming for. They're here to watch the jumping, and they get so into it. For sure it pumps Rocky up. It pumps the riders up, and it makes all the difference. "

The crowd also made a difference for Ward who, in addition to placing second and sixth on Saturday night, won three events earlier in the week to capture the Leading Open Jumper Rider award for the third time in four years.

"Leading rider is always great," expressed Ward. "It shows consistency throughout a show, which is something to always be proud of. This is such a special venue with as good of crowds as anywhere in the world. They've really done great things here with the facility and with the footing. It's nice to be able to support it and be part of it and hopefully have some success."

Earlier in the day, the Amateur-Owner Jumpers competed in their highlight event, the $20,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic. After winning a class on Friday, Adrienne Sternlicht came back for a second victory with Quidam MB.

Five combinations advanced to the jump-off, with Haley Gassel setting the pace to beat aboard Werner. They turned in a clear effort in 34.891 seconds. Their lead would not hold for long though, and Sternlicht galloped over the track with veteran mount. The duo left out a stride in the first two lines, and with a tight turn to the double combination they finished in a clear and faster time of 33.59 seconds.

Kelsey Thatcher's attempt to catch Sternlicht with Athena was thwarted when the pair had two refusals and was eliminated. Gassel returned with her second mount Quite Dark 2, but a rail at the third fence would mean third place with four faults in 33.387 seconds. Melissa Rudershausen tried to slice one of the verticals too hard aboard Charmeur Ask, resulting in a refusal and a rail for fourth place and sealing Sternlicht's win.

"We have a real relationship," said Sternlicht of Quidam MB. "I've had him for three years. We've developed together, and he's such a winner. I feel so lucky to have him because he's really, really special to me."

Sternlicht and Quidam MB not only led the lap of victory for Saturday night's event, but they also returned to the center of the Dixon Oval to accept the Amateur-Owner Jumper Championship and Amateur-Owner Jumper Leading Rider Award.

"This is my first leading rider," smiled Sternlicht. "It's nice that they have that. I think it holds a show in a certain sort of esteem, and the environment here is just amazing. The amount of spectators we get and people are so excited - I think it adds a little bit of pressure and a little intensity."

Sternlicht concluded, "I want to say thank you to the sponsors. Their generosity and continued support of this show is amazing. It's a really neat show. I hadn't been back in awhile, and it has certain esteem and significance that I haven't experienced elsewhere in the states, so for that I say thank you."

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

RESULTS:  Class 249, $50,000 IDLE DICE OPEN JUMPER STAKE
1    167    ROCKY W     KAITLIN CAMPBELL     0    70.877    0    39.007   
2    1818    ROTHCHILD     MCLAIN WARD     0    70.225    0    40.236   
3    1127    B AMELUSINA     CALLAN SOLEM     0    73.749    4    55.273   
4    265    Bahrain 8     DANIEL DAMEN     0    70.688    56    103.454   
5    1347    Zephire     HAYLEY BARNHILL 1    75.086                      
6    1820    HH ASHLEY     MCLAIN WARD     4    69.115                      
7    177    QUOINTREAU UN PRINCE     LAURA CHAPOT     4    69.844                      
8    605    I LOVE LUCY     HUNTER HOLLOWAY     4    70.392

RESULTS: Class 213, $20,000 SHOW JUMPING HALL OF FAME - AMATEUR OWNER CLASSIC
1    716    Quidam MB     Adrienne Sternlicht     0    0    0    72.666    0    33.159   
2    1151    Werner 61     Haley Gassel     0    0    0    72.73    0    34.891   
3    1150    Quite Dark 2     Haley Gassel     0    0    0    72.758    4    33.387   
4    1010    CHARMEUR ASK     MELISSA RUDERSHAUSEN     0    0    0    70.994    19    54.101   
5    624    ATHENA     KELSEY THATCHER     0    0    0    69.078     Refuse        
6    1447    MI PHONE     MALLORY VALE     0    2    2    75.114                      
7    1245    Herault     DANIELLE TORANO     0    2    2    75.137                      
8    1021    ORIENTALES     SIMA MORGELLO     4    0    4    71.124    

Katie Robinson and Amarillo Awarded Grand Amateur-Owner Championship  
By: Emily Riden   

Katie Robinson and Amarillo have won tricolors up and down the East Coast, but until Saturday there was one that neither of them had earned: a Devon Horse Show championship. That changed this weekend as Robinson claimed not only the Amateur-Owner Over 35 Hunter championship, but also Devon's highest Amateur-Owner Hunter honor: the Grand Amateur-Owner championship title.

"It's as special as it gets. For me and for this sport - this is it. This and the National [Horse Show]," Robinson said. "I've been showing here since my teenage years, and I've been reserve but never champion. This is my first time, and I'm really, really, really happy. I'm glad it was with Milo because he's a good boy. He's my steady guy." 

Robinson and Amarillo kicked off the division on Friday with two scores of 88, earning them back-to-back blue ribbons in the day's over fences classes. Robinson then returned Saturday morning to earn two more identical scores, giving her and Amarillo the second place spot in the stake class and the blue ribbon victory in the handy.

"[The handy] is something that we've been really, really working a lot on, Andre [Dignelli] and Brady [Mitchell] and I," Robinson said, referencing the team at Heritage Farm, with whom she trains. 

"We practice over low jumps at home and just work on getting more comfortable with the turning and the changes. They're hard; handies are hard. It really has paid off. We got lucky we were able to win it. That was great.

"We've also been working on just galloping and cantering and trying to jump jumps out of pace, which I really felt like I was doing particularly in the last class," Robinson said in reference to her stake round. "I loved that class. I know I didn't win it, but the round was fun. It was such a fun ride on both of my horses. They were great." 

Robinson's second mount in the division, Tradewind, was also successful throughout both days, finishing second in the handy round on Saturday. 

"I was a little nervous my first time in because they're not old horses. They've not done a lot," Robinson said of Amarillo and Tradewind, both 8. "They definitely brought their attention, and they jumped really, really well. They tried hard, and it was fun. I just had a really fun weekend. Andre and Brady have been so good to me. They have been really patient and worked really hard, and I really appreciate it."

Finishing as the reserve champions in the Amateur-Owner Over 35 Hunters were Ellen Toon and Mirror Image.

In the Amateur-Owner 18-35 Hunters, the championship went to another first time champion, Taylor Willever and her mare, Whisper. 

"I haven't been champion at anything major yet," Willever said. "I've been reserve like four times so it means a lot. It's very awesome. Especially with [Whisper]."

This year marks Willever's fourth year showing at Devon and second year showing with Whisper, an 8-year-old Holsteiner mare imported by Cindy Bohn of Heron Hills. 

"We were trying other horses, and we just happened to come across a video online," Willever, who trains with Troy Hendricks, her mother Joni Willever and her sister Hayley Willever said. "We hurried over [to Heron Hills] and tried her and rode her for about 10 minutes and then bought her the next day!"

Willever continued, "In the beginning, she was pretty jumper-y. She got really excited in the handies. She thought that they were quite fun. Over the past year and a half she's totally settled in. Her jump has gotten way more hunter-y. She's become really handy. She's gotten more acclimated to the hunter jumps. She used to kind of look at them, but she's totally okay with them now."

More than okay, Willever and Whisper competed successfully in the Amateur-Owner 18-35 3'3" Hunters throughout their first year together, receiving the reserve championship in the division at last year's Devon Horse Show. This year, they made the move up to the 3'6" division, and they have been champion at every horse show they have entered so far this year.   

Finishing as reserve champions behind Willever and Whisper in the Amateur-Owner 18-35 Hunters were Stephanie Danhakl and Golden Rule. Danhakl also earned the Amateur-Owner 18-35 3'3" Hunter championship aboard Enough Said. The reserve championship in the division went to Reid Patton and Sincere.

In the Amateur-Owner Over 35 3'3" Hunter division the championship went to Caroline Moran and Bacardi, and the reserve championship was presented to Dorli Burke and Charming.

American Saddlebred and Hackney Champions Crowned
By: Mary Adelaide Brakenridge

Ashlee Wheaton was not sure what results to expect at her second Devon Horse Show. She and her American Saddlebred mare, CH Extremely Fortunut, had a fantastic first year showing together in 2014, when they were champions at Devon and went on to earn the title of World's Champion of Champions Junior Exhibitor Country Pleasure. In 2015, the pair moved up into the Adult division, taking on a new set of competitors.

Wheaton proved she could handle the challenge Saturday night, riding CH Extremely Fortunut to the Three-Gaited English Country Pleasure Horse Championship.

"I am so excited," the 19-year-old said after collecting her tricolor. "It means that my hard work has paid off."

To compete at Devon, Wheaton flew in from her home in Nova Scotia. Her horse, nicknamed Chalupa, is based in New Hampshire with Cater Stables, and she travels back and forth to train and prepare for shows. She feels Devon is a special experience.

"I love it," she said. "I think it's so cool at night under the lights. We don't really get to do that very often."

Maureen Quackenbush is competing at her first Devon Horse Show, and she will be taking home great memories and a tricolor ribbon. She and C B Party Girl clinched the Hackney/Harness Pony Pleasure Driving Championship Saturday afternoon.

"I'm so excited," Quackenbush said. "It's fantastic. It means a lot. This is the home of the Hackney; the show is all about the Hackney. To come here and actually win something is great."

She added, "Everyone said you've got to do it at least once in your lifetime. I'm not getting any younger, so that's why I'm here!"

Quackenbush and C B Party Girl, a 7-year-old mare, have been competing together for the past year. After a string of good results, she thought Devon might be worth the trip from her home in upstate New York, and the decision paid off.

"We did some winning last year, so we figured we'd come down here and try it!" she said.

Hillcroft Farm had a strong showing Saturday night. Misdee Wrigley Miller started the evening by riding Moonbeams And Dreams to first place in the Three-Gaited Saddle Horse Amateur Stake. Her husband, James Miller, captured both the Single Roadster Horse Championship on Ring of Fire and the Five-Gaited Saddle Horse Amateur Stake on CH Fox Grape's Dauntless.

The Hicks family also impressed throughout the day. Danny Hicks drove Janet Hicks' Jackie O to the Single Roadster Pony Amateur Championship Saturday afternoon. Rodney Hicks then picked up three wins in the evening: the Hackney Pony Championship with Ed Ochsenschlager's The Spiderman, the Single Hackney Horse Championship with Ed Ochsenschlager's Heartland Good, and the Harness Pony Championship with David & Kierstin Cater's Mimi.

Janet Sterba earned multiple tricolors as well, taking the Five-Gaited English Show Pleasure Horse Championship with CH Callaway's Born For This and the Fine Harness Horse Amateur Championship with CH Caraway's New York Minute, owned by Janet and Jeff Sterba.