Devon, Pa. – May 3, 2016 – In just a few short weeks, horses and riders will be officially ending their down time relaxing after the Florida circuit as they travel to the historic Devon Horse Show and Country Fair to kick off their spring and summer show schedules.
Junior riders will take center stage in the Dixon Oval as they battle head-to-head for the winning honors in the annual R.W. “Ronnie” Mutch Equitation Championship on Friday, May 27. For equitation riders, it is one of the most highly sought-after titles in one’s junior career.
Originally a trophy awarded to the high point rider in the equitation events, this year the Ronnie Mutch Challenge will be a stand-alone event. The winners from each section of the four equitation classes that take place throughout the opening Junior Weekend at Devon – the ASPCA Maclay, Pessoa/USEF Hunter Seat Medal, WIHS Equitation Classic, and Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search, will be invited to compete in the highlight event.
After completing the over fences test during the class, judges will have the option to test up to 4 riders if necessary. Following the final test, the newest winner of the Ronnie Mutch Equitation Championship will be named.
Previous winners from when the event was a high-point trophy include Tori Colvin, Sydney Shulman, and Gabrielle Bausano in 2013 when the talented trio had a three-way tie on VIP Z, Eli, and San Remo VDL, respectively.
Heritage Farm rider Caitlin Boyle claimed the title aboard the equitation veteran, Clearway, in 2014. Boyle clinched the trophy after she triumphed in the USEF Show Jumping Talent Search and Section B of the ASPCA Maclay, and took second place honors in the USEF Hunter Seat Medal and WIHS Equitation Jumper Phase.
In 2015, it was Don Stewart Stables’ student, Hunter Holloway, and her versatile mount, Any Given Sunday, who walked away with the coveted trophy.
Other top contenders to look for include Lucy Deslauriers, TJ O’Mara, Maddy Goetzmann, Sophie Michaels and Emma Kurtz. All of them enter Devon having just finished successfully showing in Florida at the Winter Equestrian Festival.
Keep an eye out for these young talents and numerous other leading riders in the Dixon Oval as they vie for the Ronnie Mutch title on the morning of Friday, May 27. This year’s title is up for grabs and it will be exciting to see which rider will rise to the occasion and carve their name into equitation history.
The Devon Horse Show and Country Fair has been consistently attracting crowds of Pennsylvania locals and well as those from afar. Unlike other horse shows, the competition offered at Devon caters to a wide variety of disciplines, such as hunter/jumper/equitation, sidesaddle, breeding and driving. It also features classes specifically for breeds such as Fresians, Saddlebreds, and Hackneys.