Devon, Pa. – June 1, 2019 – Saturday evening in the Dixon Oval closed out with several championships in the breed divisions of the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair. In the exciting Three-Gaited Park Horse Stake, Smith Lilly and Ceil and Kenny Wheeler’s Extreme Ways took the top spot after impressing the judges with his performance, manners, presence, quality and conformation against six other competitors. They were awarded the championship cooler, sponsored by Misdee Wrigley Miller, as well as the Betsy Van Duren Memorial Perpetual Trophy.
In the Three-Gaited English Show Pleasure Horse Championship, an impressive group of 11 competitors showed their horses to be judged 75% on manners, performance and presence and 25% on conformation and neatness of attire. The prestigious championship was won by Nancy Ehle and Trust In Love, adding their names on the Second Dennis Mayer Memorial Challenge Trophy, donated by his friends.
Earlier in the day, in the Five-Gaited English Show Pleasure Horse Championship, Ceil and Callaway’s Brioni claimed the tricolor ribbon and championship cooler, also sponsored by Miller. Five competitors were judged on manners, performance, presence and quality, but it was Ceil who walked away with the win.
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Smith Lilly – Three-Gaited Park Horse Stake winner
On Extreme Ways:
“He’s new to us. He’s fairly new to showing. That was his fourth show ever in his life. He showed three times last year as a five-gaited horse but we converted him to a park horse over the winter and this was his go with us. I think that is the best he’s ever worked for me. That’s what we want in a show horse — to have an atmosphere like Devon help them get better — we want them to enjoy showing and rise to the occasion with the applause and the lights and the crowd. All that should make a horse feel better about themselves and give a better performance, and that’s what he did tonight. I was thrilled! I was just very, very thrilled with him.”
On winning at the Devon Horse Show:
“It’s a great traditional show and it means a lot to me and to a lot of our clients. I’m a professional trainer so I ride for clients and it means a lot to them to do well at this show. The legends of the sport have competed and won here so to do the same thing that legends did, it’s just great to be in that company.”
Nancy Ehle – Three-Gaited English Show Pleasure Horse champion
On Trust In Love:
“We call her Sophie. She is a 13-year-old American Saddlebred mare who I’ve owned since 2014 and showed her here every year ever since. Last year, we were in a different division and I won that. We’re in show pleasure this year and we won the qualifier and the championship. She was wonderful. She had lots of energy. The other night when we showed, it had just finished raining so I think she got a little tired but hung in there. Today was perfect. She loves the crowd, lights, clapping and excitement. She was terrific!”
On winning at the Devon Horse Show:
“I grew up coming to the Devon Horse Show. I’m from New Jersey and have always had a big dream that one day I would show here so it means the world to me to win here!”
Ceil Wheeler – Five-Gaited English Show Pleasure Horse champion
On Callaway’s Brioni:
“He is 7 years old. We bought him as a 3-year-old and he won the Junior Five-Gaited World Championship as a 4-year-old. I started showing him when he was five. He is one of the most intelligent American Saddlebreds that I’ve ever owned. We take him home to winter at our farm in Keswick, Virginia, for three or four months. He is barefoot, goes out during the day and comes in at night. That’s one of the reasons that I love him so much because I enjoy having him at home on the farm. He is a blast to show. He doesn’t mind any of the atmosphere of Devon and he is totally a show horse. My daughter, Sally Wheeler-Mason, shows him. I’m helping her get him qualified for Louisville. She couldn’t come to Devon this year because of school. He has been a delight to own and I can count on him every time. He felt really good today and I was really proud of him.”
On showing at the Devon Horse Show:
“I love Devon. Of course, it’s a family tradition for us. We have shown hunter and jumpers here for years as well. Hunt Tosh also shows our hunters. It’s just a family tradition and it’s an honor to be able to show here at this beautiful facility. We’ve been showing here for years and it’s always fun.”
RESULTS
$1000 Three-Gaited Park Horse Stake winner
Place / Name / Rider / Owner
1. Extreme Ways / Smith Lilly / Ceil and Kenny Wheeler
2. Thunderboomer / Molly Codeanne / Overtime Farm LLC
3. Samuri Lady / Candida Aversenti / Ed and Candi Aversenti
4. Kalarama’s Hollywood Lights / Darla Wright / Darla Wright and Deidre Henry
5. My Endeavor / Careen Cardin / Careen Cardin
$1500 Three-Gaited English Show Pleasure Horse Championship winner
Place / Name / Rider / Owner
1. Trust In Love / Nancy Ehle / Nancy & Allyson Ehle
2. I Rock Tom Ford / Ann Isaksen / Ann Isaksen
3. Oak Grove’s Lucy Liu / Amy Moody / Amy Moody
4. Sexy / Allegra Dotti / Allegra Dotti
5. Fox Grapes Fort Defiance / Joelle Bennett / Joelle Bennett
6. Game Day / Andrea Maeder / Andrea Maeder
7. Soquili’s One More Time / Matthew Simula / Soquili Stables LLC
8. Wednesday / Tammy Buck / Tammy Buck
$500 Five-Gaited English Show Pleasure Horse Championship
Place / Horse / Rider / Owner
1. Callaway’s Brioni / Ceil Wheeler / Ceil and Kenny Wheeler
2. Bewitched By Charm / Rachel St. Andre / Rachel St. Andre
3. Queen of Memphis / Lexis Budine / Kelly Lynch
4 A Billion Miracles / Linda Redding / Linda Redding
5. Roselane’s American Hero / Rachel Wamble / Julie Wamble