Devon, Pa. – July 7, 2019 – The first week of the Brandywine Horse Shows saw junior, amateur, and professional horse-and-rider combinations take to the Dixon Oval and Wheeler Ring. Held at the historic Devon Show Grounds, the show featured two weeks of premier competition. This year, Brandywine Horse Shows benefitted two charities, the Main Line Animal Rescue (MLAR) and Danny & Ron’s Rescue. This year’s title sponsor is the Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund, and the show was once again presented by Taylor Harris Insurance Services (THIS).
In the professional divisions, it was Holly Orlando and the Moulton family’s Waverly who captured the Leading Professional Rider title for the week. The title is awarded to the professional who accumulates the most points in any of the professional divisions, including the Green 3′, 3’3″, 3’6″ and 3’9″ divisions, Conformation Hunter, High Performance Hunter, or Performance 3’6″ Hunter. Orlando and the 6-year-old Hanoverian gelding swept all four classes in the Green 3′ Hunter division to earn the award.
Photo: Anne Gittins Photography
The Grand Amateur Owner Hunter Champion during the first week was awarded to Stephanie Danhakl, after she received both championship titles in the Amateur-Owner 18-35 3’3″ Hunters and Amateur-Owner 18-35 3’6″ Hunters with Enough Said and First Light, respectively. Danhakl also captured the reserve championship with Golden Rule in the Amateur-Owner 3’6″ 18-35
Photo: Anne Gittins Photography
Chloe White and Steve Schaefer’s Tztargazer captured the grand championship tricolor in the Junior 3’6” Hunter division during week one. White and the 13-year-old Swedish Warmblood are consistent competitors in the Dixon Oval, also earning the prestigious Grand Junior Hunter Championship at the 2018 Devon Horse Show and County Fair. Morgan Munz and her own Louis captured the Grand Junior 3’3″ Hunter Championship.
Photo: Anne Gittins Photography
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Holly Orlando – Leading Professional Rider
On winning Leading Professional Rider:
“This was my first time at Brandywine and I thought that Lousie [Serio], Geoff [Teal], and Jennifer [Burger] did an amazing job. Everyone did such a fantastic job. It’s such a beautiful ring to ride in. I have a super green hunter and it was really all [Waverly] that won it for me. She swept her division.”
On Waverly:
“We call her Poppy in the barn. She is a 6-year-old mare by Cabardino. We bought her from Ken and Emily Smith in Florida this year. She is a little green but has all the right parts. She is a special mare. She isn’t very big but she has a big stride. She was very impressed with the Dixon Oval and had a lot of room to gallop. She could not have been better, I really have to credit her with making me the Leading Professional Hunter Rider.”
