Devon, Pa. – June 2, 2018 – The Dixon Oval hosted the $500 English Pleasure Saddle Seat Championship on Saturday evening where 11 competitors put on their best show to vie for the tricolor ribbon. At the end of the evening’s class, it was Miller Young Fina who claimed the top prize with Maximum Velocity. Reserve champion was awarded to Elizabeth Ruffner and SSL Ringo.
Fina, a recent graduate of Skidmore College, was determined not to miss this year’s Devon Horse Show, admitting she would have skipped her own graduation had the two events overlapped. Maximum Velocity, a 12-year-old gelding owned by Jessica Mann Baker, has been partner with Fina for just over two years. The pair has shown all over the country, including placing third in the English Pleasure Saddle Seat Championship during 2017’s Devon Horse Show.
Later on in the evening the Three-Gaited English Show Pleasure Horse Championship took place with 14 entries, but it was Amanda Murchison and CH Spread the Word who took home the top prize of the division for the second year in a row.
To wrap up the evening’s events, the Hackney/Harness Pony Championship prize was presented to Susan Spann and Mimi after they accumulated the most points throughout the week’s competition.
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Miller Young Fina – English Pleasure Saddle Seat Championship winner
On Maximum Velocity:
“His name is Harley and he is 12 years old. We found him about two years ago. They threw me on him a show that year and we just had a really fun ride and I remember thinking he was really cool. So my mom leased him for me and we ended up coming to Devon where we were third in the championship and I remember thinking it was one of the most incredible rides of my whole life. He loves this ring here. He is just really cool. He just went three days in a row and he can’t stop giving. He is a quirky guy, but he is really fun to ride. He loves attention so much.”
On showing at Devon Horse Show:
“I just graduated from Skidmore College and the first thing I check about graduation dates were how they compared to Devon. Honestly, I would have come here instead of walk at graduation, but it worked out. It’s such fun show. It’s so fun to be in front of a crowd and it’s fun to see what other people think of what we do and they think it’s so cool. I can tell everyone is having a fun time. So it’s so fun to come here and show them what we do. I love this show so much.”