Taylor St. Jacques and Charisma at Devon Horse Show. PC: The Book LLC
Out of 120 rides in the WIHS Equitation division on a sloppy, dreary day in the Blue Oval, only three combinations broke into the 90s, and Taylor St. Jacques of Glen Allen, VA was the best among them. Riding Heritage Farm’s Charisma, the 2016 Maclay Final runner-up made her intentions known with a performance that transcended the conditions and would have been on top any day of the year.
The ten-year-old bay Warmblood gelding gave Taylor a magnificent trip, and vice versa, and Taylor couldn’t contain her joy or gratitude to be paired with him.
“He was perfect. He’s amazing! He’s a winner at heart and he shows it,” Taylor told JN after her win. “He doesn’t ever want to be bad, and he’s always on his best behavior. I’m so grateful that Andre Dignelli at Heritage Farms lets me ride him; he’s a special horse.”
While it’s far from her first trip to Devon and the conditions were far from ideal, the magic of the experience clearly hasn’t worn off for Taylor, and in fact seems to only push her to greater heights.
“When you go in there, you just get a good feeling. It’s high-spirited. You know everyone is cheering for you when you go in. It’s a special ring, and I really love it.”
As for what else she has in mind for this year at Devon, Taylor didn’t play it coy: She’s here to take her rides to the top.
“Hopefully Charisma and I can win the rest of the equitations, and then I have my high junior jumper here. This is my first time doing the jumpers!”
Samantha Cohen and Kaskade a New Partnership to Watch
Samantha Cohen of New York, NY took a comparably splendid trip in the wet weather today, scoring a 91 to win the California Split of the division. Both Taylor and Samantha outpaced the scores of the first heat.
Samantha is finding her stride aboard a new match in Kaskade, an 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare who was previously the eq ride for TJ O’Mara. The two started up together at WEF and had some ups and downs before finding their stride in week 8 and winning the WIHS overall equitation title that week. They repeated that result in Week 11 and came in ready to do business at Devon, come rain or shine.
“It’s been a good start! A little rainy, a little wet, but this has always been my favorite show, so I’m excited,” said Samantha. “It is muddy, but (Kaskade) is so amazing, she felt good out there. I was a little worried about the footing because it got a little bit deep, but she really didn’t flinch, she was just right there for me.”
It’s just the beginning of a big two weeks for Samantha who is also competing in the ASPCA Maclay and the USET Talent Search, and is also showing two horses in the jumpers.
Other Notable Rides
In the earlier phase, 2015 Maclay Open winner McKayla Langmeier took the top slot, sharing the California Split title with Haley Redifer. McKayla was aboard her mother Linda’s Skyfall, and together the pair scored a strong 89 in the height of the bad weather.
Hayley Redifer of Barboursville, VA, was aboard her own Ballon, a ten-year-old Dutch Warmblood who she’s been matched with in the Eq ring since the beginning of 2015. The pair took a clean, professional and workmanlike trip around the Blue Oval to score an 88, and Hayley made it clear that inward sunshine will prevail in any weather.
“It was a little challenging because of the footing and the rain and the cold and the wind and everything, but it wasn’t all that bad,” said Hayley cheerily. “My horse was totally fine. He gets extra treats today!”
Clearly having the time of her life, Hayley couldn’t say enough good things about the chance to show at Devon.
“It’s my absolute favorite show. It is so beautiful, it’s so classic, so old, and it’s so beautiful just to walk into the Devon Ring. Everyone knows the Devon blue and it’s just such an honor to get to ride in this ring where so many other famous riders have ridden over the years.”
Grady Lyman of Rancho Santa Fe, CA was the third rider to break into the 90s, ultimately finishing as runner-up in the competitive second heat. She was aboard Ashland Farm’s Breckenridge, a ten-year-old gray holsteiner gelding.
Taylor St. Jacques was just getting started with her day after winning her WIHS phase; she and Charisma also bagged the blue ribbon in their section of the Pessoa/US Hunter Seat Medal and the USEF Show Jumping Talent Search. (See top results for each class and section below).
Keep it locked in Jumper Nation for much more from Devon in the days to come!
*Thanks to our reporter on the ground, Kristen Kovatch, for her contributions to this story!
Phase One Results
1 SKYFALL, MCKAYLA LANGMEIER 89.0
2 BALLON, HALEY REDIFER 88.0
3 CARINUS, RACHEL MC MULLEN 87.0
4 QUAX, ANNABEL REVERS 86.0
5 GEMBER, EMMA WUJEK 85.0
6 STARTIN’ MONDAY, GRACE BOSTON 84.5
7 CHECKER, KLEE HELLERMAN 84.0
8 EVEN KEEL, ADDISON PIPER 83.0
9 OUTSHINE, ALEXANDRA WORTHINGTON 82.0
10 CLASS ACTION, COCO FATH 80.5
Phase Two Results
1 CHARISMA TAYLOR ST JACQUES 92.0
2 KASKADE SAMANTHA COHEN 91.0
3 BRECKENRIDGE GRADY LYMAN 90.0
4 STALLONE MADISON GOETZMANN 89.0
5 CASPER VAN’T GESTELHOF ELIZABETH MCKIM 88.0
6 FINNICK JORDYN ROSE FREEDMAN 86.0
7 KORI D’ORO COOPER DEAN 85.5
8 FALCOR ALEXA SCHWARTZ 85.0
9 FEDELIO KATHRYN HALL 84.5
10 CHECKLAND NINA COLUMBIA 83.75
Additional Equitation Division Results from Day One:
Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search – Section A:
Place / Horse / Rider / Owner
1. Quax / Annabel Revers / Beechwood Stables LLC
2. Breckenridge / Grady Lyman / Ashland Farms
3. Romulus / Sam Walker / Clear Ride LLC
Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search – Section B:
Place / Horse / Rider / Owner
1. Charisma / Taylor St. Jacques / Heritage Farm, Inc.
2. Casper Van’t Gestelhof / Elizabeth McKim / Patricia Garrett
3. Kaskade / Samantha Cohen / Samantha Cohen
Pessoa/US Hunter Seat Medal – Section A
Place / Horse / Rider / Owner / Score
1. Charisma / Taylor St. Jacques / Heritage Farm, Inc.
2. Carlo / Daisy Farish / Heritage Farm, Inc.
3. Carl / Emma Kurtz / Betsee Parker
Pessoa/US Hunter Seat Medal – Section B
Place / Horse / Rider / Owner / Score
1. Calberon B / McKayla Langmeier / Linda Langmeier
2. Outshine / Alexandra Worthington / Alexandra Worthington
3. Clover / Samantha Cohen / Sail Horse Investments
Pessoa/US Hunter Seat Medal – Section C
Place / Horse / Rider / Owner / Score
1. Kori D’Oro / Cooper Dean / Heritage Farm, Inc.
2. Jarinka / Emma Callanan / Emma Callanan
3. Waldo / Sam Walker / North Run