Source:  News Release/Sara Cavanagh

 

 

Friday

 

Christina Kelly, an 18-year-old English girl who now lives in Kentucky, where her Father runs a thoroughbred breeding farm and takes the offspring to sales, won the first junior Jumper class Friday at the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair.

Kelly, riding HH Narcos Du Marais, was fastest in the 10 horse jump-off, posting a clean round in 29.511 to best Victoria Colvin on Monsieur Du Reverdy, who was clean in 32.743.

“He’s a super horse,” said Kelly of her mount. “He’s cool to ride, but he has his quirks.”

Maria Van Buskirk of Chester, N.J., rode her VDL Tjheresa’s Lady to win the evening Gambler’s Choice Junior Jumper class with 1010 over Chloe Reid on Toulon, who accumulated 890 points.

Charlotte Jacobs of East Aurora, N.Y., won the R.W. “Ronnie” Mutch Equitation Championship after two days of competition in that division.

Jacobs, who trains under Missy Clark and John Brennan, won one section of the Washington Equitation class and one section of the Medal Thursday, and placed third in two other classes to just edge out Michael Hughes, who had won three classes over the two days.

“It would have been fun to have tied for Champion with Michael, because we’re best friends,” said Jacobs of Hughes, who also trains with Clark.

Saturday

Charlotte Jacobs of East Aurora, N.Y., won the $15,000 Junior Jumper Classic on Karona V Schl’hof Ch at the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair Saturday evening, making her mount the Junior Jumper Champion and giving Jacobs the title of Leading Junior Jumper Rider.

Jacobs won with a clean jump-off round in the quick time of 42.542 over Samantha Schaefer on Trezebees, also clean in 43.160, in a seven horse jump-off.

“She’s such a naturally quick horse,” said Jacobs. “She has an enormous stride for such a little horse.”

Jacobs had also won the Equitation Championship on Friday and had placed in an earlier Junior Jumper class toaccumulate 17 points towards that championship.

“I never imagined I would have a weekend like this at Devon,” said Jacobs, who is in her fourth year of competing at Devon. “Last year I won one class, and before that got just one ribbon.”

HH Narcos du Marais, ridden by Christina Kelly of Lexington, Ky., and VDL Theresa Lady, ridden by Maria Van Buskirk of chester, N.J., tied for Reserve Junior Jumper Champion with 10 points.

Victoria Colvin of Loxahatchie, Fla., rode both champions in her age section of Junior Hunters, and the judges named her Best Child Rider on a Horse.

Colvin, who rode four horses in hunters and two in jumpers, also won one of the equitation classes on Thursday.

She was Champion on Sanzibar in Small Junior Hunters, 15 & under and on Touchdown in Large Junior Hunters, 15 & under.

Touchdown is fun, but he’s green, he’s only 6, so he spooks sometimes,”said Colvin. “Sanzibar has an amazing canter, he feels like a couch.”

Colvin, who trains with Scott Stewart of Flemington, N.J., who has been Devon Leading Hunter Rider for the past eight years, says she plans to stay for the next week of Devon and will help Stewart, riding some of his horses in the morning to school them.

Caretano, ridden by Hannah Goodson Cutt of Beverly Hills, Calif., was Small Junior Hnter champion, 16 & 17, and Quality Time, ridden by Hasbrouck Donovan of Ocala, Fla., was Large Junior Hunter Champion, 16 & 17.

Sunday

Lucy Matz of Coatesville, Pa., rode her mother’s Wise Guy to win the $2,500 Pony Jumper bonus point class last evening at the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair, and with that win also took the Pony Jumper Championship.

Matz, daughter of Michael Matz, trainer of Barbaro as well as other winning thoroughbred race horses, and previously a top show jumping rider, and Dorothy (DD) Matz, also a top show jumping rider, not only took the championship but also was awarded the Pony Jumper Style Award.

It was the good turns Lucy made in the jump-off that gave her the win. She rode a clear round in 35.934 to beat Nicole Kehrli on Northwind’s Opus, who was clean in 37.211.

“Wise Guy is really fun, he likes to go fast,” said Lucy, who was riding at Devon for the first time. “I learned how to make good turns (in the jump-off) by watching videos of Mom and Dad. And from my trainer, Lisa Jacquin.”

“I’m thrilled for her,” said DD Matz. “She had a tough year in the beginning, but she stuck with it, and she really clicked with Lisa.”

Tucker Johnson of Hobe Sound, Fla., won the Championship Drive-off of the Carriage Please Drive with his four-in-hand team put to a Brewster Private Road Coach.

Johnson, who also has a farm in New Jersey near the USET’s headquarters in Gladstone, has competed in driving internationally since 1987, and he won a team silver medal and an individual bronze medal at the World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Ky., last fall.

He said that he showed a tandem at Devon in the 80’s, but this is his first time showing here since then and his first with a four-in-hand.

Johnson, who has retired from driving competitively and drives only for pleasure now, said he is looking forward to competing in the coaching competitions at Devon, today through Friday.