The rides on Sunday, were of top quality, and featured the Young Rider Freestyle, the Grand Prix Freestyle (ages 16-25), the fantastic Grand Prix Special, and the Intermediaire 1 Freestyle. Stallion, Rosevelt, Dominates the FEI Grand Prix Special Allison Brock and Rosevelt, a black stallion owned by Claudine and Fritz Kundrum, won the FEI Grand Prix Special. It was Alison’s second trip to Devon, but the first time she rode in the Grand Prix. She was thrilled that Rosevelt handled Devon’s charged environment like an old pro. As for her experience, she says, “to ride in the Grand Prix at Dressage at Devon is a childhood dream. Devon has a special atmosphere and tradition.” Allison has been riding Rosevelt for five years and is grateful for the support of the Kundrums as well as trainers, Michael and Vera Barisone. She notes that while horse and rider are in the spotlight, it takes a team to get them there. Will Allison and Rosevelt be back at Devon? “Absolutely! I want to come back next year and do the Freestyle,” she says. And the Winner Is…. David Ziegler rode Penisula Top Man (You Can Do x Kings Master) to the top position in the FEI Young Rider Freestyle with an impressive score of 71.700. Fling was in the winner’s circle again in the Grand Prix Freestyle (16-25), with a score of 67.950 with rider Alexandra Dvorak (whose father also rode today in the FEI Intermediaire 1 Freestyle on Ribot and the FEI Grand Prix Special aboard Viva’s Salieri W). The victory gallop in the Intermediaire 1 Freestyle was led by Olivia Lagoy-Weltz on Rassing’s Lonoir (Lorani x De Noir), a 17.2 hand Danish warmblood gelding. Crowd Pleasing Exhibitions The Dixon Oval fills with sounds from A Chorus Line, as eight riders – a quadrille - resplendent in gold-sequined tail coats with their equine partners that are adorned with gold leggings and brow bands. They move in unison, riding intricate patterns for their fourth year at Dressage at Devon. The members of Delaware Valley Combined Training Association (DVCTA) quadrille, all hailing from Delaware and Chester Counties in Pennsylvania, come together as a team to perform. Their squad manager, Anne Miller, wears many hats — trainer, choreographer, costume designer, costume selector and fund raiser. It was the DVCTA that put on a dressage show in the early 70’s and eventually moved to the Devon Horse Show Grounds in 1975. That show blossomed into what Dressage at Devon is today. The quadrille members practice together once a week, trailering in to Kealani Farm in West Grove from all over the Delaware Valley. Other members of DVCTA provide support --- lending horses when a horse is lame, helping create costumes and videotaping rides. It takes a community to create a quadrille. This year, Anne was inspired by the gold-sequined coats, which she found online. They fit the new theme of adding bling to dressage and also reminded her of costumes that might appear in Broadway shows. So, the music from Chorus Line, well-known and upbeat, was fitting.
