Incentives of $20,000 for Saddlebreds and Hackneys at Devon
Monday, March 19, 2007
DEVON, Pa.— For the second year, Saddlebred, Hackney and Harness pony trainers and owners in gaited, Hackney and harness pony divisions at the 111th Devon Horse Show and Country Fair will compete for an additional $20,000, with $10,000 to be awarded to trainers, $4,000 to junior exhibitors and $6,000 in door prizes. The Devon Horse Show and Country Fair, which benefits the Bryn Mawr Hospital, runs May 24 to June 3, with Saddlebreds competing May 30 to June 2.
Jimmy Miller of Missouri is judging the Saddlebred competitions in the Dixon Oval this year.
The trainer who brings the most horses and shows the most horses will receive $5,000, the trainer bringing and showing the second largest number of horses earns $2,500. The trainer bringing the most ponies and showing the most ponies at Devon will receive $1,500, the trainer with the second largest number of ponies brought and shown earning $1,000. There will be $1,000 scholarships awarded in the four Junior Exhibitor classes, and six $1,000 awards will be drawn as door prizes. In this way of awarding the money, both exhibitors and trainers have the opportunity to win.
This year, four amateur championships have been reinstated, and two hunter Country Pleasure classes have been added. As has been the practice for the last couple of years, the majority of the Saddlebred Championship classes are offered with no entry fee. Entries at Devon were up 20 percent last year, and hopes are high for an even greater increase this year.
Devon is committed to doing everything possible for Saddlebred exhibitors at the show, in part because the Hackney is the logo of the show but also to maintain the diversity for which the show is famous.
Devon is an all-breed show with great spectator appeal and attendance. The format for Thursday evening, which always attracts a sell-out crowd, has been changed, and the evening is being called “Devon at Sunset.” Saddlebred and coaching classes will begin late Thursday afternoon, at 5:30, and the Grand Prix will be the last class on the schedule, scheduled to start at about 8:15 or 8:30. This will give Saddlebred exhibitors a full house to perform before as well as giving them an early finish to their competitive day. Saddlebred classes also kick off the final Saturday evening performance.
Along with these incentives and changes in the Saddlebred division, Devon includes a great variety of shops, delicious food and a fair. Boutique shopping includes sporting clothes, paintings and prints, gorgeous gold and silver jewelry, fancy hats, leather goods, antiques and collectibles and souvenirs.
For further information, call (610) 964-0550 or visit the show’s web site at www.thedevonhorseshow.com.
|