Amanda Derbyshire and Lady Maria BH Speed to Top Honors in $35,000 Devon Speed Challenge CSI4*

Devon, Pa. – June 2, 2017 – Following Thursday night’s spectacular performances in the $225,000 Sapphire Grand Prix of Devon CSI4*, which drew approximately 20,000 spectators in attendance, show jumping fans returned to the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair on Friday afternoon to watch the $35,000 Devon Speed Challenge CSI4*, sponsored by Roberts Arena.

A total of 25 international athletes vied for top honors in the one-round, faults-converted speed competition designed by Great Britain’s Kelvin Bywater.

Thursday night’s big winner, McLain Ward (USA), set the pace to beat as second in the order-of-go with Signe Ostby’s Balando in 67.300 seconds.

Yet, Tuesday’s $50,000 Devon Welcome Stake CSI4* winner, Andrew Kocher (USA), who is known for his speed, followed Ward three rounds later aboard his own Le Conte and bested his time by five seconds in 62.490 seconds to take over the lead.

Kocher held on to his lead for the majority of the class but Friday’s dash for the cash ultimately went to Great Britain’s Amanda Derbyshire, who also finished third in Thursday’s grand prix. Piloting Lady Maria BH, an 11-year-old Holsteiner mare owned by David Gochman, the pair just caught Kocher’s time by three tenths of a second in 62.130 seconds as third to last in the order-of-go to win the first place prize as well as the Salem Perpetual Trophy. Kocher finished in second place, while Ward took home third place honors.

FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE

Amanda Derbyshire (GBR)

On Lady Maria BH:
“I’ve had her for a little less than two years. We got her when she was 9. I know she’s a fast horse. Watching Andy go, I didn’t think I was going to beat him but I tried. I had to get my whip out at the last fence to leave out that stride but she always tries her best. She’s a great horse.”

On Friday’s speed course:
“There were a lot of rollbacks in the course, which is a little dice-y because, as you saw tonight, there were a lot of run-outs and stops so it can be kind of risky. It was tricky. [Lady Maria BH] has a huge stride so I always know I can do the leave outs, which is always an advantage in the speed classes. Whatever you point her at she’s going to always try and jump, she never tries for a way out, which is always reassuring going in.”

On the Devon Horse Show:
“Devon is great. It really feels special. I like the small rings; that’s a lot of fun. Thanks to Becky and David [Gochman] for always supporting me and our whole team — it’s been a great week. My horses were great!”

RESULTS

$35,000 Devon Speed Challenge CSI4*, sponsored by Roberts Arena:
Place / Horse / Rider / Country / Owner / Time
1. Lady Maria BH / Amanda Derbyshire / GBR / David Gochman / 62.130
2. Le Conte / Andrew Kocher / USA / Andrew Kocher / 62.490
3. Balando / McLain Ward / USA / Signe Ostby / 67.300
4. Toscane De L’Isle / Sydney Shulman / USA / Jill Shulman / 67.790
5. MTM Como No / Tracy Fenney / USA / MTM Farm / 67.930
6. Orientales / Sima Morgello / USA / Double S Farm, LLC / 68.450
7. Igor Van De Heibos / Tracy Fenney / USA / MTM Farm / 68.860
8. Analyze This / Adrienne Iverson / CAN / Kimberly Jakubowski / 68.930
9. Quaprice Normande / Victoria Colvin / USA / Neil Jones Equestrian, LLC / 69.690
10. Cassinja / Alison Robitaille / USA / Mr. and Mrs. Bertram Firestone / 70.400
11. Ilan / Martien Van Der Hoeven / USA / Maarten Huygens / 71.440
12. Caiman Des Sequoias / Sharn Wordley / NZL / Sky Group / 72.070

Jaime Auletto and Carla Prevail in Amateur-Owner 18–35 3’6″ Hunters

Jaime Auletto, of Tabernacle, New Jersey, has been coming to the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair since she was doing leadline. Growing up, she continued showing in the pony and junior hunter divisions at Devon, but being able to win a class in the Amateur-Owner 18–35 3’6″ Hunters on Friday with her mother’s horse, Carla, was extra special to her.

Fifth to go, Auletto guided her mother, Suzanne’s, 9-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare to the top of the leaderboards after earning the highest tally of 91 in the initial over fences round out of 27 entries. Auletto trains with Emil Spadone out of Redfield Farm in Califon, New Jersey, and has been riding Carla since her mother purchased her a little over a year ago at the end of the 2016 Florida winter circuit.

Originally, the pair was competing in the Amateur-Owner 3’3″ Hunters as the mare was still considered a First Year Green horse, and together they were champion at the 2016 Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. In December, the team felt Carla was ready to move up to the 3’6″ level, and that decision paid off as she ended up circuit champion for the 2017 season in Florida.

Despite not showing much this spring, Auletto took home another noteworthy score of 87.5 in the second round of over fences to place third and also grabbed the blue ribbon and the Summerbank Farm Perpetual Trophy in the under saddle portion of competition on Friday, sponsored by Holly H. Griffin, Gowrie Insurance Group and Great American Insurance Agripak. Saturday’s classes will round out the division, and Auletto is aiming to be as consistent as possible and give her beloved mare the best ride she can.

The H.C. Baldwin Perpetual Trophy was presented to Aizlynn Radwanski and her own Because, who won the second over fences class in the Amateur-Owner 18–35 3’6″ Hunter division on Friday with a score of 88.5.

In the older section of the Amateur-Owner 3’6″ Hunters, judges Rick Fancher and Chris Wynne awarded Becky Gochman and Gochman Sport Horse LLC’s Catch Me with a score of 92 to sweep the first over fences class, sponsored by Courtyard by Marriott, as well as the undersaddle class. The pair also claimed the Beeches Brook Challenge Trophy and the Third Skirmish Hill Perpetual Trophy for their spectacular performances on Friday. The next round of over fences was taken by Koala, owned by John and Stephanie Ingram, LLC and ridden by John Ingram with a high score of 86.

FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE

Jaime Auletto

On coming to the Devon Horse Show:
“I grew up not too far from here in south Jersey and now I have a condo in Philly so I am close by. I did leadline, ponies and the junior hunters here. It’s always one of our favorite horse shows.”

On Carla:
“Carla is the sweetest mare. It’s so true that when you have a good mare, you have a great mare. They always try so hard. Long, short, whatever I do, she’s always there for me. She’s a sweet horse. She’s also good for my mom, and then to come to shows like this and be such a star is amazing. She’s like a diamond — they’re rare.”

On what it means to win at the Devon Horse Show:
“I actually didn’t get to show [Carla] here last year. We had just gotten her and I didn’t really start showing her until the summer. We did the Amateur-Owner 3’3″ last year and she was amazing. She was circuit champion in Florida and she was perfect. We were trying to breed her so I didn’t show a lot this spring. I’ve been trying to get back in the groove, and to come here and have a good first trip was a sigh of relief!”

On her plan for Saturday:
“I just want to be consistent and have my horse go well and ride well. They’re all amazing horses and everyone rides well. At the end of the day, you just have to worry about yourself and being consistent. I just want to show my horse well. I want people to see her for how nice she truly is.”

Paul Martin Checks Coaching Championship off Devon Horse Show Bucket List

At the close of the $35,000 Devon Speed Challenge CSI4*, attention in the Dixon Oval shifted to coaching, where competitors battled it out in the final two classes of the Four-in-Hand Coaching division to vie for the championship. It was a dream come true for Paul Martin, of New Holland, Pennsylvania, as he stepped forward with his Brewster Park Drag carriage and four German Sport Ponies to receive the Devon tricolor.

Earlier Friday evening, Martin earned third place in the Four-in-Hand Coaching Timed Obstacle competition, finishing in 134.206 seconds with just 4 faults. Martin accumulated a total of 14 points in the division, enough to earn him the Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Foster Bright Perpetual Trophy and championship apron, presented by Misdee Wrigley Miller.

For the first time in Devon history, Martin and his team had not one, but two coaches entered in the division, both driven by ponies. Anna Nordin drove Martin’s Brewster Private Road Coach to win the Weaver Challenge Trophy in the Four-in-Hand Coaching Timed Obstacle competition. Nordin was the only competitor to drive clear, finishing in 131.708 seconds to place her at the top of the class.

FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE

Paul Martin

On his win:
“We had this coach restored, and we started coaching in 2005. We’ve been competitors here for a long time and have been supporting Devon for many years. My wife, Karen, and I have been married for 22 years, and she’s been a strong supporter of this. We were able to put a team together to bring two coaches, which I think is the first time that has been done at the Devon Horse Show, especially two pony coaches. It couldn’t have finished any better. I’ve been reserve champion here for several years and I got my bucket list champion tonight!”

On competing at the Devon Horse Show:
“I’ve been coming here since I was a kid with my father and my family. My dad used to drive roadster ponies here. I always loved the coaching and people involved. Jeremy Smith, a trainer and horseman, has helped us through this as well as Mark Schofield, a top trainer in the United States for coaching horses. It certainly takes a team!”

PMG NEWS

Subscribe & Join

Phelps Media Group

Founded in 2002 by Olympian Mason Phelps, Jr., PMG specializes in sports branding, public relations, event coverage, media strategy, web design and social media.

All photography may only be used in conjunction with a related press release. We do not sell our email lists or share our lists with other companies or individuals.

CONTACT US

Ⓒ 2024 PHELPS MEDIA GROUP