The coveted Devon Grand Junior Hunter Champion title was presented to Chloe White of Berwyn, Pennsylvania and the incredible 12-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding owned by Steve Schaefer, Tztargazer. After accumulating 28 points across the board and winning the championship tricolor in the Large Junior 16-17 Hunter division, White earned a spot on the trophy to make an already emotional year that much more memorable.
White has been training with the team at Madison Hills Farm, based in Gates Mills, Ohio and Wellington, Florida, for the past three years. The team has a tight-knit relationship and she considers them her second family. Recently, head trainer Michael Rheinheimer passed away in 2017, leaving trainer Amanda Lyerly to take over the reins.
Chloe White and Tztargazer. Photo by The Book LLC
The talented 17-year-old admitted that in addition to rewatching her rounds, she still tries to remember the lessons Rheinheimer taught her and tries to channel his advice as well as that of Lyerly. Her experiences training under the expertise of Rheinheimer and Lyerly led her to a bittersweet victory to round out the junior hunter divisions on Saturday afternoon at the Devon Horse Show.
“I knew what I had to do to be [Devon Grand Junior Hunter Champion] and I was terrified. This was my first time showing horses at Devon, so I just wanted to have nice rounds. I never thought this would happen. It feels surreal,” shared White.
Perhaps most impressive is the fact that White’s mount is blind in one eye, yet it does not seem to have any effect on his performance in the ring. A former grand prix jumper, “Utah,” as he is called in the barn, has made the transition to the equitation ring a smooth one. The gelding started doing the hunters in February with Caelinn Leahy in the irons, but excels in the equitation as well.
“Utah is awesome,” White continued. “He used to be a grand prix jumper and then a year ago in February he started doing the hunters with Caelinn Leahy. He’s just really stepped up to the plate this year. I never expected this out of him. I am so proud of him. He is blind in his right eye. We keep his whiskers long and everyone says, ‘Does he have allergies?’ and we respond, ‘No, he’s blind.’ He is perfect. I couldn’t have asked for a better horse this weekend.”
Upon returning to Devon for the first time since she showed ponies at the famed event, White rode to her first-ever high score of 90 on Friday afternoon over-fences and the pair took second place in the under saddle.
When she is not laying down consistent rides in the junior hunters, White shows her equitation horse, Cooley Nothing Better B, owned by Kyle Carter. And while going from a course walk to the classroom might be strange for some riders, for White it’s just another normal day. On Friday afternoon, White walked the course for the Washington Equitation Classic, changed clothes, drove to class at The Shipley School, and returned to the showgrounds to compete later on in the day.
Photo by The Book LLC
In addition to securing the Devon Grand Junior Hunter Championship, White and her special partner were honored further with the Ovation Perpetual Trophy, the Overall Large Junior Hunter title and the Lestat Memorial Perpetual Trophy. The pair achieved the Overall Large Junior Hunter title after putting forth seamless rounds in their competitive division.
White was presented with the 1902 Edward T. Stotesbury Perpetual Trophy for Best Child Rider after her performances in the Large Junior 16-17 Hunter division with Tztargazer.
Laura Wasserman’s Boss, ridden by Stella Wasserman, earned The Angelo Award, which is given to the horse who best exemplifies the classic hunter in movement, jumping style and presence. Maggie Hill and her own Cassanto earned the prestigious Martin F. Bucko Family Perpetual Trophy.
After a surreal experience at the historic Devon Horse Show, White will venture to Lexington, Kentucky for the Country Heir Horse Show before going on a service trip for two weeks with her school to Botswana, South Africa.
Looking ahead to the rest of the summer, White is hoping to qualify with Tztargazer for the 2018 Platinum Performance/USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship in August at the Kentucky Horse Park.