Tuesday October 11, 2005

Red, White and Blue, Blue, Blue Characterize the 31st Dressage at Devon

In an event rife with championships, the first champion of Dressage at Devon, Halleluja, said it all. The three-year-old Oldenburg took the Filly Championship on Tuesday afternoon. Competitors, judges, officials and spectators who have learned to greet Devon with iffy weather also said “Hallelujah!” for the uncharacteristically blue skies and sunshine that set a fine opening stage for the CDI***/CDI-Y held at the Devon Horse Show Grounds outside of Philadelphia, PA.

The Breed Division of this six-day event is widely considered the most complete Breed Show outside of Europe. This year entries were up only slightly, but the addition of the Grande Georgian Georgian Grande, the Cleveland Bay and the Native Ponies of the British Isles bumped the number of classes during Thursday’s individual breed classes to 33.

Tuesday’s competition focused on colts and fillies, Halleluja was named show champion filly, as well as Young Horse Champion. Iron Spring Farm’s Dutch Warmblood Andorra earned the Cosequin®/USDF Filly Championship. Hilltop Farm’s Cabana Boy, the three-year-old Hanoverian by Contucci, took home the Cosequin®/USDF Colt Championship. Three-year-old American Warmblood Raison de Joie, bred by Dreamtime Farm, was Colt Champion.